5 Essential Factors to Improve Memory

5 Essential Factors To Improve Memory What factors help improve memory? Here are five factors that are proven to significantly improve memory, help you learn and recall more and be less forgetful. 1. Positive Attitude While ever you think you have a bad memory that is exactly what you will have! If you say, I can’t remember numbers or, I’m no good with names you are making a self-fulfilling prophesy. You are conditioning your brain with negative thoughts and statements.Your brain will ensure that what you say and think is true and make it almost impossible for you to improve your memory. So banish those thoughts from your mind right now! If you ever catch yourself thinking or saying something negative about your memory, immediately say, Cancel! Cancel! Every day my memory is getting better, better and better! You CAN improve your memory; commit to doing so and celebrate every achievement no matter how small. 2. Healthy Lifestyle Maintaining a healthy lifestyle pays huge dividends.Practise these healthy habits that improve memory: * Exercise. Any form of aerobic exercise such as running, cycling, or even walking briskly, performed for 15 minutes per day will increase the flow of blood, oxygen and nutrients to the brain. This will enhance your brain performance, improve memory and reduce the risk of disorders that lead to memory loss. * Diet. A balanced diet is essential for a healthy body and a healthy mind. Research indicates that certain nutrients enhance brain function and improve memory.These include: the B vitamins (especially B6, B12 and folic acid) found in spinach and other dark leafy greens, broccoli, asparagus, strawberries, melons, black beans and other legumes, citrus fruits, soybeans; antioxidants like vitamins C and E, and beta carotene found in blueberries and other berries, sweet potatoes, red tomatoes, spinach, broccoli, green tea, nuts and seeds, citrus fruits, liver; and omega-3 fatty acids found in fish such as salmon, herring, tuna, halibut, and mackerel, walnuts and walnut oil, flaxseed and laxseed oil. * Sleep. Sufficient good quality sleep is essential for memory consolidation (storing things you have learnt during the day). Lack of sleep impacts your concentration and ability to absorb new information. 3. Organisation Give yourself less to remember by organising your life. Keep a To Do list of all the tasks, big or small, that you want to get done. Use a diary to keep track of birthdays, anniversaries, appointments, events and due dates for bills and to schedule tasks from your To Do list.Use sticky notes for reminders; for example, stick one on the front door to remind you to switch the answer machine on when you leave the house. Organise your possessions; a place for everything and everything in its place is a good maxim. Even if being organised does not improve your memory, you will receive a lot of the same benefits, for example, you will not have to search for your keys anymore! 4. Memory Techniq ues and Systems Memory techniques and systems help you learn and recall information.Start with simple techniques such as chunking, breaking up information into smaller, easier to remember chunks, and build up to the more complex systems. You will then have an arsenal of tools to help you memorise anything you want. 5. Practise Use it or lose it! The brain needs exercise just as your body needs exercise to perform at its best and not deteriorate. When you learn a new memory technique practise it until it becomes second nature.Keep your brain active: play memory games and brain games, do puzzles. Try something new: a new hobby, learn to play a musical instrument, learn a foreign language. By regularly exercising your brain with new challenges you will stimulate the development of new nerve connections that can help improve memory. Pay attention to these essential factors to improve memory and you will soon find yourself less forgetful and able to learn and recall new information with ease.

The Advantages of a Codified Constitution Now Outweigh the Disadvantages

The advantages of a codified constitution now outweigh the disadvantages The evidence suggests that the advantages of a codified constitution do not now outweigh the disadvantages. In codified constitutions, laws are entrenched which makes it harder for them to evolve and adapt to modern requirements because it takes a long time for a response due to the required procedures, which might involve gaining two-thirds majority in the legislature or approval by referendum.As a result, one can argue that countries with codified constitutions struggle to find a resolution to their dogmatic laws. For example, the USA are still unable to introduce stricter gun laws because it opposes the constitutional right for citizens to bear arms, even though nowadays American citizens are less likely to require guns compared to when the American constitution was written in 1787. Recent events such as the Newtown shooting demonstrated the necessity for alterations.Whereas the UK’s uncodified constit ution benefits from its flexibility as it can easily adapt to changing circumstances because Parliament can pass new acts relatively quickly and easily without delay when the attitudes of society change. The increase in the use of referendums over constitutional changes such as the devolution of power to Wales and Scotland in 1997 and the Good Friday Agreement in 1998 illustrate the adaptability of the constitution because power was devolved a year after the referendum.However some argue that Britain’s uncodified constitution lacks clarity as it doesn’t exist in one clear document. Instead it consists of some written documents such as statues, court judgements and treaties but also conventions. Therefore by having a codified constitution, it would raise public awareness and the British public would understand their rights better. Furthermore it has been suggested that it could improve the problem of political ignorance and apathy in Britain because the turnout for the past three General elections have been below 70%, which is achieved by other modern democracies.Nevertheless one can argue that uncodified constitutions result in stronger government because the doctrine of parliamentary sovereignty creates supreme authority within the political system. The executive can exercise significant control over the legislative process in the House of Commons. Therefore power is concentrated amongst representatives who have been democratically elected and have a mandate to govern in place of appointed judges or bureaucrats who cannot be held accountable. A codified onstitution would place constraints on the government making it less decisive and therefore less strong because government would be reluctant to act in case it is seen as opposing the constitution. Alternatively some argue that the executive has too much power which threatens individual rights. Therefore some suggest that a codified constitution would help to safeguard citizen’s rights bec ause at the moment Britain has adopted the European Convention on Human Rights by passing the Human Rights Act 1998, which is considered weak as it could be overridden by Parliament due to Parliamentary sovereignty.Furthermore the European Convention on Human rights is part of UK law however its terms are not determined in the UK, whereas a codified constitution would include a statement of rights in the UK which would be controlled domestically. However the government is held to account by the British public in general elections because the First Past The Post (FPTP) electoral system favours the two party system which effectively gives voters the opportunity to choose between alternative governments as it normally produces a majoritarian result.Some also argue that a codified constitution would bring the UK in line with most other modern democracies. This has become a pressing issue since the UK joined the EU, making political relations between the UK and the EU difficult for both parties to understand as the UK’s relationship with the EU is codified in the various treaties such as Nice (2001) and Lisbon (2009), which would be easier to comprehend if the UK adopted a codified constitution. Conversely one can argue that the UK’s uncodified constitution has worked well for centuries and there have been no violent revolutions or major political unrest.Change has occurred naturally rather than when reformers have campaigned for it. Furthermore, the creation of a codified constitution would be difficult and could incur many unwanted problems because much of the UK’s constitution lies within unwritten conventions, especially in relation to the monarchy and prerogative powers. There would be difficulties in putting them into written form. In conclusion, the evidence clearly suggests that the advantages of a codified constitution do not outweigh the disadvantages because it would make our current constitution less flexible and could leave citizen s with outdated laws.Therefore codified constitutions create weaker governments who are less likely to make natural changes as they may fall foul of the fixed constitution. Additionally the codified constitution would provide judges and bureaucrats with more power when scrutinising legislature even though they have not been democratically elected, therefore power is rightly centralised to the executive, helping to establish a strong government. The evidence also suggests that a codified constitution would incur more problems in transferring prerogative powers rather than solving current problems with the uncodified constitution.

Goods Spend Analysis

Individual Assignment Goods Spend Analysis Prepared by: Anjela Li Date: January 13, 2012 TABLE OF CONTENTS 1. Introduction3 2. Goods Spend Analysis: How is it conducted? 4 3. Key Triggers5 4. How spend analysis fits the procurement strategy6 1. Introduction Spend analysis  is the process of collecting, cleansing, classifying and analyzing expenditure data with the purpose of reducing procurement costs, improving efficiency and monitoring compliance. It can also be leveraged in other areas of business such as inventory management, budgeting and planning, and product development. There are three core areas of spend analysis – visibility, analysis and process. By leveraging all three, companies can generate answers to the crucial questions affecting their spending, including: ? What am I really spending? ? With whom am I spending it? ? Am I getting what’s been promised for that spend? Spend analysis is often viewed as part of a larger domain known as  spend management  which incorporates spend analysis, commodity management and  strategic sourcing. Companies perform spend analysis for several reasons. The core business driver for most organizations is profitability. In addition to improving compliance and reducing cycle times, performing detailed spend analysis helps companies find new areas of savings that previously went untapped, and hold onto past areas of savings that they have already negotiated. Benefits of Spend Data Management: [pic] 2. Goods Spend Analysis: How is it conducted? 3 major components of a spend analysis: Component |Activity |Typical deliverable | |(a)Opportunity assessment |Collect and validate category spend data/diagnose |High level spend analysis | | |company spend |Savings opportunity ranges | | |Analyze industry/market trends |Sourcing project plan | | |Prioritize and sequence opportunities |Sourcing maturity assessment | |(b)Creation of category profile |Define category spend by supplier, spend, |Detailed baseline spend analysis | |(c)Marketplace assessment |region/customer |Preferred parts list | | |Determine category requirements, specifications, |Industry and supply market analyses | | |forecast |Total cost components | | |Determine total cost components |Potential switching/change out osts (ex: replacement cost| | |Conduct detailed supply market and value chain analysis |of propane tanks when switching suppliers should be | | |Determine supplier universe and identify potential |considered when creating a sourcing strategy and in the | | |suppliers |analysis for potential savings) | | |Collect feedback from stakeholders regarding supplier | | | |performance | | 3. Key Triggers ? Spend by type of goods: provides visibility of what the money is spent for and enables further analysis to apply 80/20 rule to define the top 20% of goods that represent 80% of spend. A proper spend analysis by type of goods typically requires splitting main product categories into subcategories to provide visibility of â€Å"hidden† costs ? Spend by a Business Unit: provides visibility of spend by end customer, i. e. ho spends the money, compliance rate to the possible existing preferred supplier agreements and whether or not the spend is fragmented within the organization ? Spend by Supplier (enterprise view): allows understanding of who the money is spent with, how fragmented spend is within the supplier base and whether an opportunity exists for volume concentration ? Spend by Supplier (by Business Unit): allows visibility of the breakdown of spend among suppliers within a specific Business Unit. This helps to define whether there are common suppliers that are being used across all Business Units and whether an opportunity exists to gain a better price leverage by consolidating the volume for specific products across all Business Units. This type of analysis also prompts sourcing specialists to engage with stakeholders to understand whether there were any supplier performance concerns that might potentially impact distribution of spend and therefore, should be addressed and considered at the stage of building new strategic sourcing strategies 4. How spend analysis fits the procurement strategy A proper spend analysis allows to build effective sourcing strategies, which can be leverage oriented, relationship oriented or a combination of both (see Figure 1 below). The sourcing strategy for the category will depend on three factors: a) How competitive is the supplier marketplace? b) How aligned are your organization’s users on the need versus opportunity to test incumbent relationships? ) What alternatives to a competitive assessment exist for your organization in this or connected categories? Typically, if there are categories with High/Low Business impact and Low Market complexity the left side of the Sourcing Gemstone will be used: Volume Concentration, Best Price Evaluation or Global sourcing. If more complex markets are confronted (Ex: sole source supplier situation, single source supplier due to complexities in the product specifications and/or industry regulations, lack of substitute suppliers or products, other suppliers vs. the incumbent had critical performance issues in the past, long term industry shortage due to the economic downturn in the global market, etc. we may want to consider Product Specification Improvements, Joint Process Improvements or Relationship Restructuring strategies. It is also important to acknowledge that commonly, the higher the maturity of a specific category, the lower is the opportunity to capture high net dollar savings through a competitive event effort and the more is the need to focus on strengthening the relationship with your preferred supplier and reap the benefits of a joint effort in areas related to the right hand side of the Gemstone (Ex: p roduct standardization, electronic invoicing, product innovation, etc. ) Figure 1 [pic] Supply Market Complexity (High) ———————– High Business Impact

Cause and effect of smoking Term Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Cause and effect of smoking - Term Paper Example Smoking, therefore, has several negative effects as discussed below. When one decides to quit smoking, the craving for nicotine results to withdrawal symptoms, which include short temper, aggression, anger and negative feelings. Apart from nicotine, cigarettes also contain carbon (II) Oxide that increases the risk of developing heart disease. Tar is also a component in cigarette associated with different types of cancer. It is also associated with damage to the lining of the lungs (Soneji, Samir, et al. 2204). Smoking not only affects the smoker but also anyone nearby. Although most countries have designated areas for smoking, most smokers do not smoke in these smoking zones. They carelessly smoke in public places affecting many people and exposing them to the danger of smoking. The human body is made up of several cells, which form and die continuously in a controlled way. However, some chemicals can easily interfere with the process of cell division causing the development of cancer. The different cancer names originate depending on where in the body they start. For example, lung cancer starts from the lung and spreads. Cancer normally leaves its initial location and spreads in the body through a process called metastasis. When the body becomes unable to cope up with the cancer growth, the smoker dies. As it grows and spreads through a person’s body, it increasingly becomes painful, particularly if it spreads to the bones (Zale and Joseph, 296). It weakens the bones resulting to fractures. This condition is called osteoporosis. Weakness, coma, paralysis and death might occur when cancer spreads to the brain. Smoking accounts for at least a third of cancer related deaths in the US. Smoking causes the following type of cancers: Smoking has increasing been associated with cancer of the pancreas, kidney, bladder and the cervix. The major cause of lung cancer deaths in men and women is due to cigarette smoking. Toxic gases inhaled during smoking

History Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words - 69

History - Essay Example The 1960s movement culture had also force a reconsideration of foreign policy concerning defense of democracy and human rights across countries because of liberals seemed to be blind to human rights abuses and dangers of the Soviet military power. To provide evidence that the 1960s movement had led to the development of neo-conservatism politics and worldwide reconsideration of foreign policy, Boyer (2001) stated that America’s prime interest was mainly commerce and missionary work; however, the growth of the Soviet forces had made America a buffer state which balance great power and ambitions and defend only against external threats (283). America were blind to human abuses as they were linked to the British while supporting the Jews. America believed that containment of Soviet threat is necessary and this led the nationalist or neo-conservative movement to emerge. This movement saw that while America promote different social programs, they are still blind to worldwide human rights abuses because of containment of Soviet threat. Based on the evidences, I assumed that the Soviet force was truly terrifying; if not, why would America will only aim towards containment despite seeing worldwide human rights abuses? I learned that to preserve foreign relations, establishing an ally would help a lot. However, we must see to it that the draft of foreign relations policy will not only support social welfare and defense but will also strengthen democracy and protect human rights across the globe. This must promote equality among all

Assumptions and Contribution of the Strategic Choice Theory Essay

Assumptions and Contribution of the Strategic Choice Theory - Essay Example The researcher states that the use of the strategic choice analysis also contributes to helping the organization and its management in optimally utilizing the existing resource base to gain needed a competitive advantage. The organization would thus become ready to potentially adapt to the external changes in the technological, social and politico-economic environment. Further, the aspect of strategic choice also highlighted the need for generating an effective interrelationship between the organization and the managerial framework. It aims to effectively integrate the organizations and its individuals in that the same contributes to a generation of the right strategic choice to exploit the existing resource base in a generation of needed competitive potential. It thus endeavors to reduce the aspect of tension both relating to the internal and external organizational framework which in turn enhances its efficiency to counter changes in the external environment. Strategic Choice Theor y relates to the actions or roles played by organizational leaders in making concerned choices to enhance the competitive advantage of the business organization against external political, demographic, social, economic and technological changes. Further, the strategic choice theory is also observed to generate tension relating to agency and structural elements. The relation of an agency to structure and further to the external environment makes the theory of strategic choice more dynamic and applicable to different settings. This reflects that the strategic choice theory not only serves the competing needs of the organization but also tend to depict an evolutionary approach based on external needs and changes. Strategic Choice Theory also reflects on the manner in which the business organizations gradually adapt to the changing needs to help gain needed a competitive advantage. The concept of ‘Strategic Choice’ relates to the process through which the authoritative bodi es in an organization tend to incorporate to help in taking of strategic actions.

Population policy Article Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Population policy - Article Example Further, the article shows (Table 2) the effects of the policy change. With the prior 1979 priority on increasing birth defects, the resulting 2011 population census shows 71 percent of the 2011 Iraq population belongs to 15 years to 64 years age group. In the 2006 census, 70 percent of the population similarly belonging to the same 15 years to 64 years age group. When the 1980s change to the birth control population program was implemented, the birth rate consequently decreased. The population reduction effects can be seen in the 2011 and 2006 population. The resulting 2011 population census shows a smaller 23percent of the 2011 Iraq population belongs to 0 years to 14 years age group. In the 2006 census, a similarly smaller 25 percent of the population similarly belonging to the same 0 years to 14 years age group. Further, societal factors triggered the Iranian population policy change. In 1986, Iran unfavorably became overpopulated, 74 million people. More women shifted from child bearing to work and school priorities. The shift triggered the lower birth rates (Groth, 2012). With lesser population, food supply increases. There are lesser hungry individuals. Prices of food decline. Government can allocate lesser amounts to feeding a smaller population. Hunger being resolved, the people are better contributors to the society’s betterment. More well-fed people produce more quality outputs. Food supply affects Iraq’s population growth. Famine crops up when the food supplies are not enough to feed the population. With famine, some people die of hunger. Lack of food discourages many reasonable families from procreating. Consequently, the scarce food supply normally triggers a reduction in Iraq’s population growth rate (Murray, 2013). I can improve the current policy. I require a portion of the Iraq government’s funds detoured to the production of more agricultural food products. Government hires more

Hypertension (high blood pressure) Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Hypertension (high blood pressure) - Essay Example Blood pressure below 120/80 mm Hg is considered as a normal blood pressure. But, some medical experts claim 115/75 mm Hg as a more stable blood pressure level (Luehr et al., 2012, p. 15). Prehypertension, stage 1 hypertension, and stage 2 hypertension are three major hypertension stages. Prehypertension consists of a systolic pressure in the range of 120 to 139 mm Hg or a diastolic pressure in the range of 80 to 89 mm Hg. Stage 1 hypertension and stage 2 hypertension have a systolic pressure in the range of 140 to 159 mm Hg and 160 mm Hg or greater respectively or a diastolic pressure in the range of 90 to 99 mm Hg and 100 mm Hg or greater respectively (Luehr et al., 2012, p. 15). It is not possible to diagnose hypertension on the basis of one blood pressure reading as blood pressure varies several times in a day depending on activities, surroundings, age, and gender. Hence, doctors keep the patient on an observation and check the blood pressure at intervals for several times to diagnose it. Patients are required to avoid smoking, physical exercise, or drinking energetic beverages (especially with caffeine) for at least 30-40 minutes before the blood pressure readings (Simon & Zieve, 2013). As often during the clinical testing, patients are in stress, doctors ask the patients to measure their blood pressure at home too. Usually, doctors recommend the use of specific ambulatory monitoring equipment that measures blood pressure about every 20-30 minutes during the 24-hours period and gives appropriate readings to help the doctors to diagnose the hypertension in patients (Simon & Zieve, 2013). Based on the clinical and home readings of blood pressure at several times a day for period of time and medical history of patient, doctors diagnose the hypertension condition in the patient (Simon & Zieve, 2013). In order to formally diagnose the hypertension, there are various tests which are required to perform.

Special Teacher Training in Saudi Arabia Thesis Proposal

Special Teacher Training in Saudi Arabia - Thesis Proposal Example From the discussion it is clear that the government of Saudi began to incorporate deaf students into regular public schools following pressure from the public. The move was not accompanied by measures to train teachers on how to handle deaf students alongside those without hearing impairments. This placed deaf students in public schools at somewhat of a disadvantage compared to the normal learners. The author believes that the move was a good one. Secluding deaf learners in their schools as a form of discrimination. However, the Saudi government needs to review the curriculum for ordinary teacher training to incorporate the skills necessary for teachers to handle deaf students.As the report declares  until recently, institutions of higher learning in Saudi Arabia did not admit deaf students because they lacked the facilities needed to support them. This scenario forced deaf students who wanted to pursue higher education after high school to seek opportunities abroad. Another effect of the failure of Saudi colleges and universities to admit deaf students was that they (the deaf students) were locked out teaching deaf students at primary, secondary and higher education levels. Instead, the instruction of deaf students was left exclusively to hearing teachers. This situation has persisted despite research conducted elsewhere indicating that the instruction of deaf students is more effective if it is undertaken by deaf teachers.

4 questions Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 3

4 questions - Essay Example Leadership has been in existence since the traditional times where people elected chiefs and warrior who represented smaller groups of people and has been developed to the kind of leadership today where people elect presidents and governors who represent larger groups. It is the study of knowledge application on action of people, individual actions, and group actions in an organisation. Organizational behavior therefore tends to interpret organizational relationships basing facts on an individual person, a group of individuals, or the whole social system. The purpose of organizational behavior is to improve the relationship among people in an organization by achieving all the objectives (human, organizational and social) at a go. An example of its application is a situation whereby the human resource manager carries out a research to understand the employees so that their personal objectives are achieved while at the same time the objectives of the organization are achieved. Most organizations operate according to the four models of organizational behavior which are autocratic, custodial supportive and collegialization. Politics dates back in the 17th century when leadership was introduced and the competition for the leadership position influenced the rise of politics. Politics can be defined as the influencing other people on a civil level or it can also refer to the process of controlling the community or state in an organized manner. Politics involve things such as influencing people to ones political views, making laws, exercising equality among the people and negotiation with other political subjects. The level of politics depends upon the number of people that the politician is leading and the power that the group has. An example of a political situation is the government of USA where Obama is the president and this is the highest rank of

Consulted Magna with Recommendations Essay Example for Free

Consulted Magna with Recommendations Essay Magna International Inc. (Magna) is a Canadian car and light trucks parts maker, who design, develop and manufacture automotive systems, assemblies, modules and components, as well as engineers and assembles complete vehicles, primarily for sale to original equipment manufacturers (OEMs). Magna operates in three geographical regions: North America, Europe, and the rest of the world (mainly Asia, South America and Africa), making Magna an international company. We have investigated Magna and identified two key issues they are currently facing. Firstly, Magna is suffering Quality Control problems in their divisions, such as Magna Powertrain, Magna Steyr, Magna Closures, Magna Car Top Systems, etc. The current method of dealing with problems is a weak matrix structure. However, we recommend two alternatives that will increase Magnas efficiency. Our first recommendation is to create a Dedicated Team. Our second recommendation is to enhance the existing Matrix Structure, by making it stronger. We illustrate numerous strengths and weaknesses for each recommendation. The second issue Magna is dealing with is the increased pressure to unionize their employees. To a degree, this matter seems unavoidable. We simply recommend Magana create a Managements Rights Clause and/or Management Prerogatives Rights in order to protect their rights and clarify various aspects of employment rights from the beginning. Therefore, Magna needs to assess these alternatives from their internal perspective. As a consulting agency, we can only suggest alternatives that would suit the organization and improve their current drawbacks. Introduction Magna International Inc. (Magna) is a Canadian car parts maker and supplier to a wide variety of automakers throughout the world. The systems Magna provides are major components in the final assembly of cars, for GM, Ford, Chrysler, Mercedes, BMW, Toyota, Honda, Porsche, Volkswagen, along with others. We have identified two issues with Magna, for which we have derived several alternatives. One issue is Quality Control (QC) in Magnas systems, which is due to organizational structure when dealing with QC. Another issue that Magna is currently experiencing is the increasing pressures to unionize their employees. Magnas current QC procedure will be discussed, followed by an analysis of Magnas two key issues we have identified including alternatives that we propose. Current Quality Control Process In order to properly asses the current situation with the QC processes an employee of Magna directly involved with such issues was interviewed. The company is organized in a number of independent divisions that are system/product oriented, for example Vision System, Powertrain System, Electronic System, etc. Each of these divisions is involved in a final system assembly stage and supplying systems to the car and light truck manufacturers. Each division has its own chain of suppliers and sub-contractors to supply parts, to make adjustments or process them, and to perform primary assembly. The final assembly of the system is performed at one of the Magna division plants (Appendix A). The cross functional team (CFT) is comprised of representatives from the functional departments. These representatives are gathered from departments, such as Logistics, QC, Materials, Production, Accounting and Purchasing (Appendix B). They are assigned to the team, as CFT members, in order to deal with a specific problem at hand. The CFT leader only has authority to gather information on the QC problems, workout possible solutions to implement with the respective cost associated with these solutions. The solutions are then conveyed to the Chief Operations Officer (COO) for consideration, decision and implementation. Once the problem is resolved, CFT members resume to their respective positions and duties. Other factors with regards to QC include financial risk, performance risk as well as problems between business to business relationships. In terms of financial risk, if Magnas quality is not up to par, their clients demand may diminish and will result in lower revenues. Currently, the Big Three (Ford, GM, Chrysler) represent 60% of revenues, therefore it is in Magnas best interest to insure that demand does not diminish for these customers because a ripple affect will occur and Magna will also be affected by a decrease in demand and revenue. Along the same lines, if customers are not satisfied with the parts produced, they will find another supplier. In addition, if defective parts have to be shipped back, it poses a financial risk given that Magna is losing the potential to make a profit from those parts, representing an opportunity cost. Furthermore, there are performance risks associated with QC given that customers may purchase parts that do not function or perform as they are intended to. Moreover, if Magna is supplying dysfunctional parts it will jeopardize the relationship with their customers by diminishing the trust and loyalty that has been established over the many years of their relationship. This may result in an unfavourable image on Magnas part and will create a risk of being replaced by another supplier. As a result Magna may choose to find other companies with higher standards to outsource to and form a strategic partnership with them. To re-establish trust with their customers, they will have to provide superior performance, social ties and specific investments such as training new supplier personnel on how to produce certain parts and establish contractual agreements specifying for example the limit conditions on products and also who will be responsible for losses incurred as a result of faulty products. Thus, with this background knowledge of Magnas QC problem, we suggest two alternatives for Magna, a Dedicated Team Approach and Strong Matrix Team Approach. Alternatives Dedicated Team Magnas current CFT (weak matrix structure) is ineffective because the CFT leader does not possess enough authority to resolve the issue in a timely manner, hence cost effective. In order to achieve successful project completion, one of our recommendations is to implement a Dedicated Team (Appendix C). This structure is preferred when considered solely from the project managers point of view. People and assets are allocated completely to the project for as long as they are needed to complete the project. Furthermore, in a Dedicated Team, the project manager has full line authority over all the resources. This effectively sets up a separate goal-oriented department of the company, which is its own functional department. The project manager still has the problem of managing and integrating other companies and external organizations contributing to the project, but has full mastery over all the people and groups working on the project within his/her company. This goal-oriented structure makes planning, control and general project management simpler and easier than with other forms of organization. There can be much better integration of everyone who is involved in the project and communication between them (formal and informal) is faster, direct and frequent. Teamwork is much easier to develop and therefore creates a higher degree of commitment to the project objectives, especially when the team is permanent. Conflict is likely to be less than other project organization forms and if complications arise it can be solved more easily. Consequently, project teams tend to maximize the probability of completing projects on time, within budget and to specification. Unfortunately, teams are not the most flexible way in which to use company resources. If more than one team exists in the same company, it becomes necessary to increase the numbers of specialists on the payroll because each specialist (or group of specialists) must be allocated fully to each project team for the projects life. It is usually difficult to switch specialists from one project to another to take account of day-to-day fluctuations in workload. Division of labour within functions is therefore more difficult so that a dedicated project team might have to make do with a generalist in a function where a specialist would be preferred. Therefore, although the Dedicated project team (separate divisional form of project organization) enables projects to be managed more effectively than the functional organization and it avoids some of the problems of more complex organizational forms, it can generally be used on larger projects capable of sustaining bigger functionalist groups within the team. The team structure is appropriate, therefore when a company is handling a single important project, or where one project is much more important than the others, it justifies setting up a completely separate company division. In that case, the size of the project and the volume of the work should be great enough to provide full time activity for each of the functional specialists or groups assigned to the project. Dedicated project teams cannot be used when a company is handling several relatively small projects simultaneously on a continuous basis because they would splinter up the function resources. This splintering inhibits the transfer of personnel between projects according to demand and reduces the number of projects that a company can handle for a given number of staff. Strong Matrix Team One of the reasons that Magna is experiencing problems with effectively dealing with its QC problems has to do with its organizational structure. Magna currently has in place a weak matrix system which creates problems with its reporting dimensions. The current belief is that in order to get things done in the organization there has to be a dual-reporting structure, in which one person is assigned to two bosses. With regard to the QC procedure Magna currently has in place, the CFT leader that has no real authority or decision making power over the problems that arise. The CFT leaders duty is simply to gather information, analyze the problem, provide solutions, and report all this to the COO. The COO discusses this information with the board of directors who decide as a whole which option to choose and then vertically pass down the information to the CFT leader. This process exerts a lot of time and every hour of idle production costs the company millions of dollars. Another issue with the current matrix structure is that employees that are part of this CFT are having a difficult time dealing with this vertical chain of authority; they have to deal with their functional manager as well as their team leader. This usually results in the CRT leaders requests being left out of the equation.

SWOT analysis Essay Example for Free

SWOT analysis Essay Pizza Hut, the most popular and prominent brand in the fast food industry is the largest chain food shop in the world. Starting from 1958, it has emerged as the market leader of the industry. The franchise has its own Strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats but it is clearly enjoying competitive advantages over its competitors. The franchise has a strong marketing tool, large market share and a group of loyal customers. Based on these, if the company goes for a better and stronger marketing approach in the future, they will keep enjoying the edge over its competitors in the future as well. Marketing Plan for Pizza Hut (Part 1). Pizza Hut is the world’s biggest restaurant company and international franchise which has the origin in Texas, America. It has almost 34,000 restaurants across the world and is currently operating in 100 countries. Pizza Hut offers different types of pizza along with some other dishes like pasta, buffalo wings, breadsticks, and garlic bread. It has started its journey back in 1958 by brothers Dan and Frank Carney in their hometown, Kansas. Since then it has emerged as one of the most popular restaurants not only in America but also in the entire world. (Pizza Hut Corporation, 2012) Internal Environment. The mission statement of Pizza Hut is: â€Å"We take pride in making a perfect pizza and providing courteous and helpful service on time all the time. Every customer says, Ill be back! We are the employer of choice offering team members opportunities for growth, advancement, and rewarding careers in a fun, safe working environment. We are accountable for profitability in everything we do, providing our shareholders with value growth. † (Pizza Hut Website, Hawaii) So from the mission statement it is clear that the franchise wants to serve pizza of great taste and wants to retain its customer so that everybody gets the ultimate joy. They also want to be accountable to its shareholders along with quality team members and workplace. Over the years, Pizza Hut is working hard to establish the above goals and objectives through their dedication, sincerity and honest team members. That’s the reason today Pizza Hut has become the worldwide leader and a trustworthy name among the food lovers. Though today’s world is fast and mechanical people are still looking for the better quality of the food, service and also great taste. As a result, the goals and objectives of Pizza Hut is still very much correct with the peoples perspective. The present performance of Pizza Hut is very admirable as it has captured the largest market share in the industry and also has a loyal customer base. Because of their effective promotion, pricing. Food quality, distribution channel and most importantly unparallel taste, Pizza Hut has achieved a great success in the industry. The recent sale volume of Pizza Hut is also noticeable. In the year 2011, Pizza Hut had a turnover of $5. 5 billion (Financial Statement, Pizza Hut, 2012) where Dominos Pizza had $530. 6 million. (Financial Statement, Dominos Pizza, 2012) So, Pizza Hut is enjoying the edge over its competitors. Though the trend of the industry is downward because of the socioeconomic crisis hasn’t recovered still. The overall performance of the firm hasn’t declined much (only in 2007 it had a turnover of $6 billion) (Financial Statement, Pizza Hut, 2012). And the little decline is the result of the recession of 2008 as discussed earlier. In spite of those little drawbacks, Pizza Hut is trying their best to keep the pace with their mission statement and if they are unable to do that just because of external facts they will meet up with that with their honesty, service quality etc. Customer Environment. In a nutshell, everybody around the world is the potential customer of Pizza Hut. As people of all ages like foods like pizzas, they can enjoy the ultimate and different taste of Pizza Hut. The current customers of Pizza Hut have great variety. As they provide a wide range of pizzas, people from different ages can enjoy their foods. People of young age have a great attraction towards the Pizza Hut and they are a great portion of customers for Pizza Hut. In the process a few other players can be added as the young people may take money from their parents and can be influenced by their friends. The product is used only in one way and that is for eating. The great taste of the pizzas can amaze everybody and they can be the admirers of that. Customers can buy pizzas directly from the outlets and can hang around there. They can even order the food online and home delivery will be available. In the festival time with some special offers the consumption may be increased and customers may be attracted to consume more to get benefits. Because of taste, quality and service, the purchasers of Pizza Hut purchase the foods of Pizza Hut. There are other players in the market and they have a loyal customer base as well though that is not as significant as Pizza Hut. As a result, Pizza Hut are not getting those customers and they aren’t buying the pizzas of Pizza Hut. External Environment The competitors are quite a lot in the market for Pizza Hut. Some big names like McDonalds, Dominos Pizza etc. are strong contenders for taking away the crown from Pizza Hut. As it discussed earlier, Dominos pizza isn’t far away from Pizza Hut in sales volume and trying hard to get there. McDonalds also with their innovative products are looking to do the same. As it told, the recession of 2008 made a strong impact on the Pizza Hut as well as on the industry. It has experienced downward pressure in the sales volume. So, if the economy gets stabilized, the performance of the industry as well as Pizza hut is expected to be improved. Computerization is a must for the current world. Pizza Hut is computerized and centralized. As a result, the customers are enjoying digitized facilities like online ordering, home delivery etc. The sociocultural situation of the target customers are also very important factor which is needed to be considered. The target customers’ demography, economic and social condition all these things make impact on Pizza Hut as they are expanded their businesses in almost every corner of the globe. So, before going to open an outlet, they need to consider those factors and their probable profitability from that. The profitability shouldn’t be only factor for Pizza Hut. They must consider their ethical and social responsibility towards people and they have a close eye on those as well. They try to ensure the best quality and service of their food s before presenting them to their customers which made them unique in the industry. SWOT Analysis The SWOT analysis of Pizza Hut is like below: Strengths †¢ Largest chain restaurant of the world (Griffiths, 2009) 1. As the restaurant spreads in many countries of the world, it can reach a significant number of people in the entire world. As a result, the franchise can serve their products to many nationalities and because of that they have become e trustworthy name among the customers. People of the different parts of the world have different tastes and preferences. Pizza Hut by having so many outlets in different countries is doing that purpose quite successfully. 2. Pizza Hut enjoys the most branches around the globe (100) which the competitors of Pizza Hut aren’t able to do. As a result, the other restaurants can’t reach to people like Pizza Hut does which clearly makes a difference between Pizza Hut and its competitors and Pizza Hut is having the edge. †¢ Has large varieties and types of pizzas and known for its innovative range of pizzas under one roof (Free SWOT Analysis, 2010) 1. Because of having range of pizzas, Pizza Hut has become successful to meet up with the demands of various customers. Even the people from different countries are enjoying the different tastes of pizzas from Pizza Hut. So, the innovations from Pizza Hut are helping the franchise to be more reliable and popular to its customers across the world. 2. The other competitors like Dominos Pizza can’t offer such a variety of pizzas to its customers. As a result, they are lagging behind Pizza Hut on this regard. †¢ Strong marketing tools (Griffiths, 2009) 1. Pizza Hut has many media partners and uses television as a very strong advertising tool. That’s why their advertisements in television become so popular and has a strong impact on the people from the various parts of the world as Pizza Hut keeps the regional differences on their mind. 2. As Pizza Hut uses better marketing and advertisement tools than its competitors, the other companies of same type aren’t matching with Pizza Hut in the same way. †¢ Large market share and loyal customer base (Free SWOT Analysis, 2010) 1. As the market leader Pizza Hut enjoys the most of the profit of the industry and loyal customers encourage them to increase the number of their outlets in the 100 countries they are operating. 2. The competitors are not having as large market share as Pizza Hut has. So, they are lagging in regard of profit. They don’t have as large loyal customers as Pizza Hut as well. Weaknesses †¢ Loyal customers are feeling that the satisfactory level of the pizzas are not like before and it is in the declining process as other franchises are offering something better than that of Pizza Hut (Free SWOT Analysis, 2010) 1. If the trend of the above feeling among the loyal customers continue then the large market share that Pizza Hut is enjoying at present, will be reduced at some point which will lead the loss of market leadership for them. 2. The other players of the industry are coming strongly with new innovative ideas so that they can satisfy the customers in a better way than Pizza Hut which is be the minus point for Pizza Hut. †¢ Internal conflicts within the company regarding the computerization and centralization of processes (Free SWOT Analysis, 2010) 1. Whatever happens the customers seek the ultimate satisfaction and service from a company but because of this problem, they are not getting the desired services they expect from Pizza Hut. This will lead a bad spoken of mouth problem for the company. 2. The whole processes in Pizza Hut is centralized and computerized but those are causing internal conflicts among the franchises in different regions but the other organizations are not reported to have any problem like this. So, this problem will have an adverse effect on the image of the Pizza Hut. Opportunities †¢ Introduction of new fresh pizzas with innovation (The World’s Largest Online Library, 2009) 1. People are now more health conscious than ever. So, introducing the fresh pizzas will be great idea for attracting new customers and to meet their needs. Besides that, innovative pizzas like new flavors and sizes may create appeal to the customers especially to the young customers. 2. The needed time for innovation can be long as there is no time bindings for that but the fresh pizzas can be introduced immediately as it won’t take a lot of time. †¢ Opening new branches in the regions where the demand is increasing (Free SWOT Analysis, 2010) 1. Young generation in the countries like India, Bangladesh and Pakistan is probably the one big opportunity for Pizza Hut to explore. As the popularity of Pizza and other fast foods among these people is increasing day by day, Pizza Hut can use that for their market expansion. 2. As Pizza Hut already having outlets in those countries, the new branch opening won’t take too much time and will increase the profit for the company Threats †¢ Increasing cost of cheese (Griffiths, 2009). 1. The cost increase of cheese will increase of the price of the pizzas. As Pizza Hut tries to give the best taste of pizzas to its customers, it will face problems in doing that. As a result, attracting new customers and retaining the existing customers will be a big challenge for them. 2. As the price is increasing in a slow manner, at present Pizza Hut may not face the problem but in the long run with the increase of price of pizzas, they will feel the pressure. †¢ Threat from other companies and also from the local brands (Free SWOT Analysis, 2010) 1. McDonald already introduced McPizza and Dominos Pizza becoming more and more competitive. So, the competition is getting tougher and tougher day by day. So, customers who seek variety may tend to shift from Pizza Hut and in the process Pizza Hut may loss a significant portion of the existing customers. Also some local brands are trying to provide pizzas of different tastes to the customers in different countries which are alarming for Pizza Hut. 2. The threat of losing customers because of the above reason may arise very quickly. So, Pizza Hut should be aware of the fact. SWOT Matrix. |Strengths: |Opportunities: | | | | |Largest chain restaurant of the world |Loyal customers feel that the satisfactory level of the pizzas | |Large varieties and types of pizzas and known for its innovative |declining | |range of pizzas under one roof |Internal conflicts within the company | |Strong marketing tools | | |Large market share and loyal customer base | | | | | | | | |Weaknesses: |Threats: | | | | |Introduction of new fresh pizzas with innovation |Increasing cost of cheese | |Opening new branches |Threat from other companies | | | | Developing Competitive Advantages. From the SWOT analysis, it is quite clear that in spite of having some weaknesses, Pizza Hut is clearly enjoying some competitive advantages over its competitors. The three stronger points are discussed in the next section: Largest chain restaurant of the world As the restaurant spreads in many countries of the world, it can reach a significant number of people in the entire world. People of the different parts of the world have different tastes and preferences. Pizza Hut by having so many outlets in different countries is doing that purpose quite successfully. Strong marketing tools. Pizza Hut has many media partners and uses television as a very strong advertising tool. That’s why their advertisements in television become so popular and has a strong impact on the people from the various parts of the world. Large market share and loyal customer base As the market leader Pizza Hut enjoys the most of the profit of the industry and loyal customers encourage them to increase the number of their outlets in the 100 countries they are operating. Developing a Strategic Focus Focusing on marketing Among the three competitive advantages, Pizza Hut has the most prominent opportunity to develop a strategic focus on marketing. As the advertising tool of Pizza Hut is very strong they should focus more on this sector. As countries like India, Pakistan and Bangladesh are probable opportunities for Pizza Hut and they are looking to expand their business in these countries, a strong advertisement in the television and other media can be very fruitful for Pizza Hut. (Your file library, 2010). References Free SWOT Analysis. (2010, June 02). Free Online Providerof Quality SWOT Analysis. Retrieved January 20, 2013, from Free SWOT Analysis website: http://www. freeswotanalysis. com Griffiths, M. (2009, December 23). Documents Resources for Small Businesse Professionals. Retrieved January 20, 2013, from Docstoc website: http://www. docstoc. com Pizza Hut Corporation. (2012). About Us: Pizza Hut. Retrieved January 20, 2013, from Piza Hut Web site: http://www. pizzahut. co. uk The World’s Largest Online Library. (2009, March 03). Retrieved January 20, 2013, from Scribd website: http://www. scribd. com Your file library. (2010, May 21). Retrieved January 20, 2013, from Fliiby: http://fliiby. com Pizza Hut Website, Hawaii http://www. pizzahuthawaii. com Financial Statement, Pizza Hut, 2012 http://www. yum. com Financial Statement, Dominos Pizza, 2012 http://www. ft. com.

Free Trade and Competition for the EU

Free Trade and Competition for the EU Is it fair and in the interests of free trade and competition for the EU to impose quotas on the Chinese textile industry or is the EU guilty of protectionism? The trade relationship between the European Union and China is one that has existed for several years now. However, this relationship is one that has had its share of conflicts over the past 15 years or so, with regard to the volumes traded between the two regions. Since China entered the WTO in December 2001, trade barriers between China and the European were removed in order to ameliorate trade between the two. However, the textile and clothing product volumes that were exported from China to the EU began hurting the domestic markets in the EU. It was due to this occurrence that the EU decided to re-apply quotas on China. In accordance with WTO principles, this is apparent violation of a developing country’s products. However, when China entered the WTO, the agreement asserted that a member may re-impose quotas on China for one year if that member’s markets were being hurt through China’s export volumes of textile and clothing products. Introduction If one looks back around a hundred or more years ago, life was certainly simpler than it is today. This refers to the fact that there have been a plethora of developments that have impacted everyone. The developments that one may consider in particular are technological ones as well as intellectual ones. Some may even go as far as asserting that each of these drives the other. However, because of more awareness and technological development, life today is more complex than it was before. In every field one considers today, things are generally more complex. The business environment is a good example, as it is one that is influenced by an array of newer ideas as well as new technology. The technology mentioned here refers to the inventions or innovations that have made globalization possible. Business in today’s world has to consider this macro economical phenomenon, as it is a major part of the business today. Globalization does not only affect international trade, but also has its impact on trade within each country. In addition totalling about the unavoidable globalization aspect of business today, it is important to focus on business ideas and relationships that forma major part of them. An example of trade relations is the trade relationship between Chin and the European Union. Rationale The trade relationship between the European Union and China is an interesting and important relationship to study because of the fact that it has a long history behind it. In addition to this, it is an important relationship to study because it helps to expose aspects of competition, rapid growth, as well as questions regarding free trade and protectionism. With increased emphasis in recent times on factors like free trade, it’s important to understand the relationship that has prevailed between China and the European Union. In addition to this, it is important to understand why there may have been changes in this long relationship over the years. More importantly, it of interest to scholars and all those associated with international business that the reasons for recent changes in the relationship. These changes include the Imposing quotas on the Chinese textile industry. Research Question In view of the relationship between the Chinese and the European Union being studied in this paper, there are several details that will be exposed. However, the main question that will be dealt with includes the following: Is it fair and in the interests of free trade and competition for thee to impose quotas on the Chinese textile industry or is the EU guilty of protectionism? In order to answer this question, there needs to be detailed study of relevant data on this subject. To begin with, there is need to explore all pertinent matter on this subject, which will be dealt with in the following section of this paper: Since technological advancements have promoted more effective communication around the world, international business has been greatly facilitated. Many economies have grown as a result of better communication. The European Union and particularly China have ameliorated their means of business because of effective communication. Certainly, these effective means have enhanced the speed with which trade has taken place. Richer countries, like those in the European Union, have had the capital in to invest in ventures across the globe, and have subsequently thrived of other markets . China on its part has been faced with the necessity of keeping up to date its communications methods and systems. This has been one of the grounds for concern in the past few years, as China is a major player in international trade. Businesses that were previously limited to UK markets have been extended to other places around the globe, as a result of globalization. Products that were freely available in one part of the world were easily spread into several others. The result of this was greater influx of revenue earned, and the chief operating office or store would benefit in its original location. This is true to say fork or US establishments that had chains in markets where labour is cheap. Certainly, with the advantage that chain store provided businesses, it’s no wonder why this example of international business has been highlight in the trade arena. In addition to chain stores being lucrative earning opportunities, there are several other opportunities that have risen . In terms of considering economic conditions, it can be asserted that globalization has presented businesses in countries like the UK and US with ample opportunity for outsourcing work. This is quite a common trend now as there are markets available to countries like the UK that have cheaper labour. Outsourcing to places like India is common today because UK companies are known to save a great deal of revenue. They need not hire workers in the UK because they are more costly in contrast to hiring them in India. In time to come, more and businesses will be conducted this way through hiring labour outside teak where it is cheaper. Therefore, it can be asserted that International Business is expected to undergo more changes in time to come. This is because of the fact that businesses are still in the process of realizing the scope of profits that can be earned. China is another country that has managed to take its products to other regions, and is still in the process of ameliorating its communication methods. However, it does not face significant obstacles in this regard. Technological Developments that Impact Business Today: There are several reasons why some may believe that international business is modified by technology. This is perhaps because the causes of this are more evident in their physical form. Developments such as credit cards, swipe machines and e-commerce technology, etc., are few of the things that are implemented as part of everyday business (Kennedy,2000, 34-9). With the use of credit cards, one can make an international business transaction. There is no need to travel to different parts of the world to get a particular product. Products that are affordable, like ones from China, can now be purchased while one sits at home [Taylor, 2002, 28]. Goods of various kinds are available through the Internet, and countries like China with a mass of products can serve one in almost any part of the world. This is possible because of products being available through the Internet and through payment with a credit card, etc. Here, one can see how important the establishment of the Internet has been in promoting international business too. The Internet is at the centre of technology as well as economic and political conditions too, and it is almost always considered when controls are being decided upon regarding safeguarding international business. This refers to the fact that businesses are known to exchange vital data across it during transactions or other forms of communication through it (Kennedy, 2000, 34-9). Also related to the Internet-based technology is telecommunication that has been transformed too. This type of technology has made things more convenient for business individuals in different parts of the world. Countries like China have been working to make sure their systems are up to date and capable of meeting requirements of trading partners like the EU. Today, instead of business people having to meet in person, they simply have online conferences and conversations. Even prior to signing contracts and going through with business deals, these forms of corresponding are proving to be successful. China is no stranger to these forms of communication (Kennedy, 2000, 34-9). The Trade Relationship between the European Union and China: Trade relations between different countries are important as they each form a part of a larger trade environment. Considering the China-European Union trade relationship, it can be asserted that this trade relationship indeed forma a significant part of the overall trade environment. This is because of the fact that China is third on the list of countries that the European Union trades with. What may be considered to be more significant is the fact that this trade relationship is one that has a long history to it, and has seen three different stages. Another interesting fact to note is that export and import volumes have always been on the rise between these two countries over the years in spite of obstacles coming in between these countries. The three stages through which the China and European Union trade relationship has gone through is as follows: 1. Western ostracism/Chinese self-sufficiency, 1949-1959; 2. Increasing bilateral trade development/low conflict levels, 1960-1988; and 3. EU-level trade policy/explosive trade growth/increasing trade conflict, 1989-present The first stage is the stage within which sanctions were imposed on China because of the Communist takeover. The sanctions were first imposed by the United States of America, and then were followed by the European countries. The trade volume during this period is almost not worth considering, and whatever trade did take place before these sanctions could be considered as a starting point in the trade relationship. Having sanctions imposed could in a manner of speaking mean that there was a relationship between Europe and China. Otherwise there would be no need for sanctions. The following stage in the trade relationship between China and the European Union describes a gradual increase in trade. The gradual increase in trade was later transformed into rapid trade developments[Table 1 reflects these trade development] and even agreements being signed between the two regions. Out of the different trade agreements signed during this period, it can be said that the most important of these are the agreement on commercial co-operation [1978], and the trade and economic agreement signed in [1985] . The third phase in which China and the European Union are in reflect the rapid trade progress that began in the second stage of their trade relations. Though this third stage has seen several developments, it has also seen several conflicts. However, bilateral relations still continue. The problem that seems to be most significant is that the European Union is further tightening its rules on the trade relationship with regard to specific products. The latest of these obstacles to trade between China and the European Union is the licensing quotas that have been imposed by the European Union on the import of textile from China. What do obstacles like quotas do? When two countries have traded for several years, they automatically gain an understanding between each other and trade volumes tend to expand gradually. This is similar to what exists between China and the European Union. They have traded with each other for several years, and this has led to agreements being signed between them. This has meant that trading between the two regions has become more practical, as trading obstacles were removed significantly. When trading obstacles are mentioned here it means that tariffs are removed. Precisely, this is why quotas should not be applied to any trade relationships as it introduces tariffs on trade. When tariffs are introduced, trade is less convenient, and this may even be a sign of deliberate attempts to reduce trade between two regions. In the case of China and the European Union, since the European Union has imposed licensing quotas on exports from China, it is apparent that the EU wants to mitigate textiles coming from China. This is because the EU had signed agreements that reduced tariffs and trade barriers when they traded with China (Ma, Wang, 2001, 22-5). Is There Any Specific Reason for the European Union Imposing Quotas on China? Over the years, when the EU has traded with China there has been change in the quality of exports coming from China. Previously, China had been known for its low quality products (Dong et al, 1998, 19-27).However, it can be asserted that there has been a change in the quality that China produces for the EU market. China has become increasingly aware of the fact that the EU market is quality conscious. This is because they understand that the market in several EU members is affluent. Particularly, Germany is a market that goes for high quality goods. China has therefore understood the need to develop an identity that may not have been before. Since European consumers now demonstrate shift in their attitudes, there is more scope for Chinese and other Asian countries to cater to these attitudes. A significant segment of consumers in the EU are ready to explore new brands (Lee, 2003, 20-2}.With their high expectations of new products and brands, these consumers present tremendous scope for the Chinese and other Asian countries to produce quality goods and services. Particularly in the case of the Chinese, it can be asserted that with their low cost quality goods, they can capture a great deal of the market (Fuchs,2003). In accordance with surveys, it is thought that China indeed has good chances of capturing a significant part of the European market as compared to other Asian countries. What goes in China’s favour is the fact that they have had had a long relationship with the European Union, and consumers have taken to their products. In addition to this, China’s prices have been more affordable than other Asian countries, considering the quantity they produce as well. It is because of this that China has managed to maintain an image as a supplier to major markets [Fuchs, 2003]. This has also helped its reputation as it has managed to align itself alongside other members of the WTO. Therefore, on its part, China has done nothing to violate the rules of the WTO (Williams et al, 2002, 577-91. Having mentioned China’s abidance by the WTO rules, it is worth noting that China had Seventy Thousand Textile and clothing enterprises in2002, of which only twenty present are state-owned. With more than 80percent of the textile industry in the hands of the private sector, China is doing well to abide by WTO policies. Though China has been doing well, in 2002, it was predicted that China was headed for obstacles. One of the first obstacles was thought to be â€Å"the increasingly strong hi-tech tendency led by information progress†. Considering that there has been an immense advancement in data interchange, e-commerce and virtual trading sites, if China did not focus on these aspects it would not be able to stay in the market(Taylor et al., 2001). In addition to this, it was thought that China would have to face an â€Å"expediting tendency of economic globalization and market integration marked with the World Trade Organization† . Obviously China has been making progress in these directions, and this is the reason why they are still in the market and in demand as suppliers of quality products at reduced costs. Though there are still many consumers who have the impression that China continues with its low quality and bulk produced goods, there are also many consumers who are ready to explore the newer Chinese brands that aim at producing better quality to consumers in thee that have higher expectations [Fuchs, 2003]. As far as working according to the WTO expectations is concerned, China has managed to so far combat its trade functions that are not according to WTO expectations. As a result of this, China has gained through its membership, and it is ready to take further steps in order to be completely in sync with WTO standards (Yang, 2001, 437-42). One benefit that China has had since it joined the WTO is that its textile and clothing exports to the US have increase momentously. This is reflected in the fact that US textile and clothing imports from China had risen by 124 % in 2002. This was one year after China joined the WTO in 2001.â€Å"Chinese exporters reduced their prices in order to gain a greater share in the market. They were able to do so, among other reasons, because quota rents were reduced and Chinese enterprises increased their productivity by investing heavily in new machinery and technology† (Knapped, 2003). As a result of this, China realized that it had even greater scope for exports, and continued to work towards enhancing its quality and output in the textile and clothing industry. In 2000, China’s output in the textile and clothing industry has stood at 97.7% while the US has stood at 76.3 %. In contrast to these high percentages, the EU’s output has dropped from 53% (1980) to 29% (1995).Quite obviously, the EU textile market has been on the decline, and has also been known to undergo a continuous process of restructuring in this industry . Another interesting fact to note is that while import quotas were reduced in the past 15-20 years, China’s exports to the EU increased bay startling 164%. In contrast to China’s huge volume of export to thee in the category of textile and clothing, other countries only increased their exports to the EU by 10 % . Since the USA and the EU both had anticipated such a situation in which China would overwhelm domestic markets in these two countries [in the category of textile and clothing products], when China entered the Wrother agreement included allowing any member to re-impose quotas in order to safeguard themselves. The agreement allowed any member to impose quotas for a period of one year between 2005 and 2008, but this was only in the case of domestic markets being affected in the USA and thee . What Does the WTO Say About Discrimination? It is known that agreements formed between member countries are meant to benefit all members as a whole. It is rare that agreements intrude discriminate against some countries. In order to prevent discrimination in trade taking place, the WTO has set standards that are to be followed closely. Being a successor to the GATT, it follows the principles set by the GATT as well. Indeed, many of the newer policies established are a result of GATT policies that were first established in the 1940s (Brews, et al, 1996, 27-51). The WTO [World Trade Organization] is the successor of the GATT[General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade]. The WTO is at present, an organization, which has further developed various policies dealing with multilateral trade, and also has maintained and followed policies that were established under GATT. Policies that are followed under GATTinclude articles 1 and 3 under GATT 1994. The WTO upholds the GATT 1994policy, which consists of the principle of non-discrimination. These are particularly relevant to the trade relationship between China and the European Union (Brews, et al, 1996, 27-51). Basically, the principle of in the GATT 1944 has two main points that promote fair multilateral trade. These include the Most-Favoured Nation[MFN], which is the clause contained in GATT Article I, and the second one is the National Treatment rule that comes under Article III(Brews, et al, 1996, 27-51). In accordance with Article I, Members of the WTO are not supposed to discriminate between the products of other Members and the products that are from any other country. This is especially the case with developing countries that try to promote themselves as possible. No country is supposed to have any special trading benefits with another country or discriminate against it. As a result of this, all members are believed to have equal rights, and they all have the same benefits that come of any rules for lower trade barriers (Hoekman Kostecki, 2001, 37-50). The MFN principle mentioned earlier, guarantees countries, whether they are developing countries or ones with little economic leverage, so that they may gain freely from the most appropriate trading conditions no matter when and where they are decided upon. The important component of non-discrimination, National Treatment, is yet another supporting factor. In accordance with Article III, once products have been launched in any market, they should be treated the same as locally produced ones (Brews, et al, 1996, 27-51). It must be asserted that the principle of non-discrimination is the central rule around which the rules of the multilateral trading system are established. Another consideration that might be brought into play is the fact that the WTO practically overrules the other policies and laws when it comes to sustaining trade between countries. Its policies are such that it has the power to overrule laws such as environmental-based as well. In addition to this, it is an agreement that is believed to be powerful enough to overrule government powers through imposing sanctions. Theta agreement has the power to overrule policies that prevent trade from taking place multilaterally (Martin Ianchovichina, 2001,1205). Free trade refers to an agreement whereby all member countries are allowed to conduct uninhibited trade without any barriers being imposed on them once their products are introduced in the market (Brews, etal, 1996, 27-51). The WTO mission statement asserts that the organization aims at promoting smooth and free trade through encouraging lower trade barriers. In addition to this, it also provides a platform that caters to the negotiation of trade; it helps in resolving trade disputes as well between member nations. Also, the aim of the WTO is to aid producers of goods and services, importers and exporters to carry out their businesses (Hoekman Kostecki, 2001, 37-50). The WTO Trading system follows the following principles in order to fulfil their mission. It asserts that: 1. A trading system is encouraged to be more competitive. 2. A trading system needs to be open and accommodating so that less developed countries are encompassed. This will provide them with more time, greater flexibility, and privileges too. 3. A trading system needs to be free of discrimination in order to prevent one country from discriminating against another country or against foreign products or services. 4. A trading system should not have barriers that inhibit it from trading freely. 5. A trading system needs to be predictable in a manner that foreign companies and governments can have the confidence that trade obstacles will not take place and that the markets they invest in will not suffering anyway (Hoekman Kostecki, 2001, 37-50). From the above, the WTO promotes a suitable environment within which businesses can be introduced, can operate, and may not be driven out of easily. It is an organization lends tremendous support to trading countries like China that has immense scope for growth. Methodology: In order to conduct a study and answer the above research question, there is need to understand what can be deciphered from the matter reviewed. The matter reviewed will essentially consist of authentic material that is concerned with the relationship between China and the European Union, and also what the WTO principles state regarding the trade relations between these two sides. The literature review will reanalysed thoroughly so as to expose the underlying answer to the research question. For this study, there will be a qualitative as well as a quantitative method employed. This means that in addition to the literature review that would serve as a good amount of data, a survey will also be conducted and analysed. The survey will consist of 10 questions and 50participants randomly selected. This data obtained through the survey will be compared with the reviewed literature in order to determine whether opinions coincide or not. Sources for the literature review are ones that are relative to the issue and are authentic, as they are taken from books, journals as well as official websites, newspapers and magazines. Sources used in the literature review are relevant to the area of study as well as the other relevant views that help in exploring this area of study as deeply as possible. In addition to the use of the sources mentioned above, the important factors belonging to field studied here are obtained from other studies and presentations, which means that this Isa qualitative study. This helps to bring together a wider range of opinions and facts that can be analysed from different angles. Careful analysis will be carried out in order to answer the research question. After analysing the facts presented and making use of opinions as well, the study will be concluded. Analysis Trade relations between any two regions are not only governed by principles set between them, but are also directly influenced by factors outside the relationship. This could refer to globalization-influenced communications or even political rules through organizations. The relationship between China and the European is an example of a trade relationship that is subject to external influences as well as the agreements set between the two regions. The reason why it is said that the trade relationship between China and the EU is influenced by external factors is because of the comparisons that are often made with the EU’s trade relationships with other countries. Also, the fact that China is now a member of the WTO means that both trading regions are now under the WTO obligations (Martin Ianchovichina, 2001, 1205). However, the trade relationship between the two regions is not mitigated by the WTO. Instead, the WTO encourages a better trade relationship between the two regions. It can therefore be said that the trade relationship between the EU and China is one that is mainly influenced by the agreements that the two countries have. The history of the relationship between these trading regions plays an important role in understanding the relationship, as the relationship was strengthened over a several years and trade volumes grew proportionately as well (Martin Ianchovichina, 2001, 1205). The European Union’s Viable Markets: Since the very beginning of the trade relationship between China and the European Union, both sides saw immense scope for exports and imports. This is because both of them realized that they had markets that needed services and products from each other. Particularly, the European members realized that they had a vast consumer market the Chinese could cater to. Chinese products and services suited Consumers because of the fact that China was able to supply in bulk and that to at a low cost. Till today this is one of the major reasons why the EU is keen on trading with them. This is in spite of the fact that there are conflicts between the two sides. The Chinese have always realized the potential in EU market through the years. They are aware of the fact that they can produce products and services that are affordable for most consumers in the European Union. They have understood the consumers in the past as well as now, and are aware of the shifts that are taking place in consumer culture. The Chinese are also well aware of how much they need to ameliorate their quality with regard to particular products and services. They know that there is an affluent market to cater to in addition to the average consumer who would settle for more affordable products produced in China. Since the general impression of China has been that they produce low quality products in bulk, the Chinese are changing that image now. They know that a significant portion of the EU market has affluent individuals who want quality products. China knows that it is in apposition to produce this quality for a small sacrifice. They will lower their margin of profit in order to achieve this, and would still be able to make profits that are more than what other countries can do. In addition to being aware of their capability and how much they can do to withhold significant portions of the EU market, the Chinese also know that there is a portion of the EU market that is willing to explore newer brands. This is something that would help them create a better image for themselves. As mentioned above, many believe that China produces low quality goods. However, with a significant portion of the EU market being curious enough to explore new products, gives China a good opportunity to ameliorate its image as a country that produces quality goods (Kong, 2001, 1181-214). This is the case with the textile and clothing products that China produces. It has aimed at producing better quality in recent times, but may also have low quality as well because the change is still in progress. Demand for Chinese Textile and Clothing Since it Entered the WTO: Since it entered the WTO in 2001, China’s textile and clothing products have been in demand in both, the USA and the EU. The fact that they have improved their quality and because they are cheaper than the same products supplied by other countries, puts them ahead (Martin Ianchovichina, 2001, 421–446). In addition to this, there aren’t many countries that can produce goods in the quantity that China can [Table3 reflects the increased number of employed individuals in China].However, China is flooding the market with its textile and clothing products, and this is a significant degree of concern for developed countries like the USA and the EU. The EU in particular has objected tithe manner in which their market has been flooded and the manner in which their domestic producers are being hurt. This is the reason why they are now imposing quotas on Chinese textile and clothing exports. Quotas that previously applied to Chinese exports to the EU were removed in order to ameliorate trade between the two regions. This waste make trade more prosperous, and it certainly did help the trade volumes increase significantly. However, after 2001, when China entered the WTO, Chinese textile and clothing products were welcomed to such an extent that they flooded the EU market. This is the reason why the EU has decided to re-impose quotas on Chinese textile and clothing exports to the EU (Martin Ianchovichina, 2001, 421–446). Many object to the EU re-imposing quotas that bring back the effects of tariffs and trade obstacles between China and the EU. They believe that it is unfair and that the EU is abandoning its commitment to trade under the WTO rules. Here, it is important to include what the WTO rules assert regarding such a situation where the EU has attempted to mitigate textile and clothing exports from China to the EU (Martin Ianchovichina, 2001, 421–446). Is the European Union Violating WTO Principles? In view of the WTO principles, it is clear that member countries are not supposed to discriminate against any products or member countries. In addition to this, it is said that no member me provide advantages intrude over other member countries. This is something that the EU has done

Adult Learning in Non-formal Institutions :: Education Learn Essays

Adult Learning in Non-formal Institutions Museums, zoos, nature centers, science centers, aquariums, and other similar institutions provide a tremendous opportunity for lifelong learning in a relatively nonthreatening setting for most adults (Schroeder 1970). Many of these attractions and museums include education as a part of their missions (see, for example, Allmon 1994; Chizar, Murphy, and Illiff 1990; Conway 1982) and the popularity of these places as providers of both recreation and education is well established (Chobot 1989). This Digest explores some of the central concepts of adult learning in these settings. A brief discussion of nonformal learning and the adult visitor lays the foundation for the examination of ideas in the literature on (1) what is educational in attractions, (2) opportunities and challenges to education in these settings, and (3) the application of adult learning theory to zoo, museum, center, and attraction education. Adult Visitors and Nonformal Learning Nonformal learning is often defined by activities outside the formal learning setting, characterized by voluntary as opposed to mandatory participation (Crane et al., 1994). Mocker and Spear (1982) offer a taxonomy of adult learning wherein nonformal learning is identified as learners holding the objectives for learning with the means controlled by the educator or organization. Maarschalk (1988) contrasts nonformal learning (i.e., outside formal settings--such as field trips and museum visits) with informal learning (i.e., that which grows out of spontaneous situations). In zoos, museums, nature centers, and attractions, adult learning can range from formal through nonformal to informal. Workshops, lectures, classes, and educational "shows" are some of the common formal adult learning programs; tours, informational signage, exhibits/interactive displays, and demonstrations are often considered nonformal learning constructed by the education staff; the individual visitor and the setting create informal learning situations (Diem 1994). For whom are these opportunities constructed? In a study of zoo visitors, Conway (1982) found that between 55-70% of all zoo visitors are adults. Hundreds of millions of people visit museums, zoos, nature centers, science centers, and other attractions (Falk and Dierking 1992). In North America, for example, over 100 million people visit zoos and aquariums each year (Eaton 1981; Howard 1989; Marshall 1994), and over 500 million visit museums (Naisbitt and Aburdene 1990). This translates to a tremendous population of learners. Adults more often than children suggest the visit (Cheek, Field, and Burdge 1976) and are also the societal decision makers whose actions directly affect the attraction, whether the decision is simply to visit or to support funding for expansion or renovation (Diem 1994).

Violence Depected in the media :: essays research papers

Violence Depicted In the Media There is endless controversy today concerning society being highly affected by media programs displaying violence. The National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC) reports that violence in the media has increased since 1980 and continues to increase. Thousands of studies have pointed to a relationship between media violence and real life crime. Years of research show that exposure to media violence causes children to behave more aggressively, both immediately and in their adult years. This â€Å"aggressiveness† has lead violent acts in the past. These events could have been avoided if violence was not viewed on television. The Charter of Rights and Freedoms guarantees â€Å"the freedom of the press and other media of communication† under Fundamental Freedoms. In other words, it is considered justified to portrait violence in the media and allow it to have an affect on society. Aggression is not the only issue involved. Statistics show that children w ho spend more time watching violent TV programming are rated more poorly by their teachers, rated more poorly by their peers, and have few problem solving skills. Media professionals believe that television has no effects rather than those intended. They conclude that television does not lead to aggressive behavior. A study done by Feshback in 1971 suggested that watching television actually decreases the amount of aggression in the viewer. They believe that history has shown us that violence issues will not influence a child’s mind. Society cannot continue to allow our future generations to be exposed to violence portrayed in the media today. The Canadian government should set limitations to the amount of violence depicted on television. Fundamental freedoms, concerning the freedom of speech among the media, should limit the violence portrayed. The need for change and action regarding this matter would change the generations to come. By no longer running violent programs for children, it enables society to progress in a peaceful, non-violent atmosphere. Allowing the violence on television to continue would be killing the world. The violence today depicted on television has already affected our country. If these violent programs continue to run, the world will soon be in chaos. As a result of television violence, people have died and crimes have been commited. In Nevada, one teen-aged boy was killed and two others seriously injured while lying down along the centerline of a highway. The boys admitted that they were imitating a scene from the Touchstone movie, â€Å"The Program†. Violence Depected in the media :: essays research papers Violence Depicted In the Media There is endless controversy today concerning society being highly affected by media programs displaying violence. The National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC) reports that violence in the media has increased since 1980 and continues to increase. Thousands of studies have pointed to a relationship between media violence and real life crime. Years of research show that exposure to media violence causes children to behave more aggressively, both immediately and in their adult years. This â€Å"aggressiveness† has lead violent acts in the past. These events could have been avoided if violence was not viewed on television. The Charter of Rights and Freedoms guarantees â€Å"the freedom of the press and other media of communication† under Fundamental Freedoms. In other words, it is considered justified to portrait violence in the media and allow it to have an affect on society. Aggression is not the only issue involved. Statistics show that children w ho spend more time watching violent TV programming are rated more poorly by their teachers, rated more poorly by their peers, and have few problem solving skills. Media professionals believe that television has no effects rather than those intended. They conclude that television does not lead to aggressive behavior. A study done by Feshback in 1971 suggested that watching television actually decreases the amount of aggression in the viewer. They believe that history has shown us that violence issues will not influence a child’s mind. Society cannot continue to allow our future generations to be exposed to violence portrayed in the media today. The Canadian government should set limitations to the amount of violence depicted on television. Fundamental freedoms, concerning the freedom of speech among the media, should limit the violence portrayed. The need for change and action regarding this matter would change the generations to come. By no longer running violent programs for children, it enables society to progress in a peaceful, non-violent atmosphere. Allowing the violence on television to continue would be killing the world. The violence today depicted on television has already affected our country. If these violent programs continue to run, the world will soon be in chaos. As a result of television violence, people have died and crimes have been commited. In Nevada, one teen-aged boy was killed and two others seriously injured while lying down along the centerline of a highway. The boys admitted that they were imitating a scene from the Touchstone movie, â€Å"The Program†.

what is the right drinking age? Essay -- essays research papers fc

American society believes that lowering the drinking age back to eighteen will lead to a domino affect of bad premonitions like rampant drinking binges, raving alcoholics, and more traffic accident deaths upon the entire nation. Realistic Alcohol Laws for Legal Youth (RALLY) is one of many major organizations dedicated to rectifying these faulty perspectives that Americans hold. Due to the irrelevance on the number of alcohol related car accidents in the 1970?s, the parents obligation to teach responsible drinking, and the fact that eighteen year olds have the same constitutional rights as all adults, I believe that the legal drinking age in the United States should be lowered to eighteen. Whatever our personal opinion may be, we can not denounce that alcohol has been embedded with every major civilized society from the Greeks to the Romans and even American society as it was stated in the book Opposing Viewpoints: Alcohol (Barbour 25-32). Drinking has been part of the social element since colonial America. According to the book Alcohol: Teenage Drinking, alcohol was viewed as ?God?s Good Creature (Lang 25).? The view of alcohol then changed during the Prohibition period when it became known as ?Demon Rum?. Despite this ?Demon Rum? perspective, society rebelled astoundingly against the 18th Amendment to the Constitution (Prohibition) emphasizing the idea that American people wanted their liquor. Tough restrictions on alcohol and the general concept that alcohol is wicked exist to this day. The controversy lies in that the government literally blackmailed states into increasing the legal drinking age. The nationwide legal age limit was enforced with the threat that President Reagan would not give money to states for roads until they increased their drinking ages. When Ronald Reagan signed the National Minimum Drinking Age Act in 1984, the country went dry to everyone under 21-legally, that is. Now, some young adults are opting to reverse that decision. We must take into account that alcohol and teens are very well acquainted. The book, Teenagers and Alcohol: When Saying No Isn?t Enough, asserts that high school surveys in the last decade show that ninety-two percent of its students have tried alcohol (Vogler & Bartz 4). Former Senator Baker says, in Teenagers and Alcohol: When Saying No Isn?t Enough, that alcohol is the ?bloody monster that defiles i... ...cohol and not simply hide, ignore, and misunderstand it. Works Cited Barbour, Scott, Bruno Leone, and Brenda Stalcup, eds. Opposing Viewpoints: Alcohol. San Diego: Greenhaven Press, 1998. Castaà ±eda, Carol J. ?La. Drinking-age ruling rekindles debate.? USA Today 22 Mar. 1996: 3A. Chafetz, Morris E. ?Teach responsible drinking.? Editorial. USA Today 30 Oct. 1997: 14A. Chwat, John. ?Education, not laws, will make roads safe.? Interview. USA Today 7 Apr. 1989: 10A. De la Cruz, Hector. General Motors. Clark Chevrolet Representative. Interview. By JM. Kelly, Rachel. ?The real answer is abstinence.? Interview. USA Today 7 Apr. 1989: 10A. Lang, Alan R. Ph.D. Alcohol: Teenage Drinking. New York: Chelsea House, 1992. ?Medical Examiner.? University of North Carolina. Online. AOL. ?Statistics.? American Cancer Society. Online. AOL. Vogler, Roger E. Ph.D., and Wayne R. Bartz, Ph.D. Teenagers and Alcohol: When Saying No Isn?t Enough. Philadelphia: The Charles Press, 1992. Wells, Melanie. ?Coors chief: Consider lower drinking age.? USA Today 10 Sept. 1997: 4B. ?When were the best muscle cars made Motor Trend. With Bob and Neil. TNN 31 July 1999.