Agora Company Essay

Bangladesh entered the supermarket era on August 24, 2001 with Rahim afrooz Superstores Ltd. launching Agora, a retail chain superstore in Bangladesh, introducing a new way to shop. The company has already opened four outlets Rifles Square, Gulshan Avenue, Maghbazar and Mirpur Zoo Road in Dhaka and many more are in progress in Chittagong and other cities of the country. The superstores are open from 9 am to 8 pm every day. Rush of customers is experienced in the morning and evening. Most of the employees of Agora are young and well-educated, some with Masters and MBA degrees. Agora superstores are currently focused in food retailing, ranging from a wide variety of fresh vegetable, fruits, meat and fish to grocery, bakery, dairy, personal and household products. Agora provides its customers with guaranteed quality and freshness. It carries more than 30,000 varieties of products and has plans to expand its product portfolio to carry other ranges of consumer products in the coming years . It aims at building a chain of more than 40 superstores by year 2010.Other supermarket brands have since emerged but Agora continues to be the leader and trendsetter. Agora has been the venue of launching of Thai products, which have by now become commonplace. Californian apples were launched here as have been Agora buys products direct from the growers, which benefits the latter as well as the customers. The products are procured under the direct supervision of its officials who maintain strict procurement and marketing standards. Products on the shelves are regularly monitored for expiry dates. Australia‘s red apples, and crystal products from France were unveiled here. Unilever chose to launch L‘Oreal range of cosmetics at Agora superstores. The big-sized ‘Boroi’ so common in the market was launched here. Recently the scientist behind the cultivation of Strawberry in Bangladesh launched the delicious fruit at Agora. Over 8 million have purchased products at Agora since the opening of Agora‘s fist superstore, with 2,000 customers using the Agoras every day on an average. Rifles Square and Gulshan’s upper markets pull more crowd than the other two. Customers prefer using both cash and credit cards. Agora constantly launches attractive promotions like Bazimat, Value Week or Super Value Offer or Diamond Ring Offer. The promoter of the Agora project, Rahim afrooz, is one of the most respected companies in Bangladesh manufacturing and marketing stored power systems for the automotive industry. All of Rahimafrooz‘s activities are in the service sector,  focusing on consumers, an official of Agora‘s operating company Rahim afrooz Superstores Ltd., said. The Agora project was a ground-breaking project that underlines the potential for harnessing the latent market in Bangladesh, said an executive of a leading corporate house adding, they have produced a service offering of inter national standard Agora is the largest retail superstore in Bangladesh. Agora‘s interior is similar to most supermarkets in design and layout due to trends in marketing. It produce tends to be near the entrance of the store. Various kinds of products and services are sold (at least 2500 products and services). Milk, bread, and other essential items are located in the rear and other out of the way places. This is purposely done to ensure maximum time spent in the store, strolling past other items and capitalizing on impulse buying. The front of the store or Front-End is where one might find point of sale machines or cash registers. Agora has plans to implement self-checkout devices in their stores in an attempt to reduce labor costs as well as bringing complete customer satisfaction. Understanding the historical context from which some of today’s organizational structures have developed helps to explain why some structures is the way they are but Agora using a structured which is more horizontally capitalizing on the innovativeness of their employees. Part of the reason, as this section discusses, is that organizational structure of Agora that has a certain inertia —  the idea borrowedfrom physics and chemistry that something in motion tends to continue on that same path.Because of this unique management process they have become the leading superstore in theBangladesh. The managers of Agora have to make decisions as they develop an organizational structure,although they may not be explicitly aware of these decisions. Agora is synonymous with marketat low prices and name brand quality products. The company basis of success and foundationscannot be credited to the current management. Agora formula for success simply put is theirrelationship with customers, employees, and technology that assists in forming relationships withtheir suppliers; places Agora as the top discount retailer, history-development, and Growth SamAgora to become the top discount retailer Competitive Advantage of Agora: Agora marks a turning point in the concept of retailing in Bangladesh. From the very beginning of its operation since 2001, the super-market chain store has put the convenience of its target consumers the middle and higher middle class, foremost in devising its marketing strategies. Agora attempts to maintain an image and atmosphere that is consistent with its pledge for quality and customer satisfaction. The stores occupy very large premises at expensive areas of the city and offer a wide assortment of food stuffs, daily house hold items and durables that would mostly appeal to its target population, Unlike, many such large stores, Agora tries to remain ahead of its competitors by sponsoring innovation of local innovations. Agora advertises through newspapers and billboards a very selective approach as it does not target the mass but mostly those living in close proximity to the store. The logo â€Å"Agora†- in English-points to the importance of the image factor, which is important to their promotional strategy adequate car parking space for congestion free shopping Air-conditioning and child’s play area and other amenities, are provided to increase the comfort of shopping. Although Agora is at a very early stage in its life, the management is at present following a very cautious marketing strategy. The overall 10% annual sales growth offer a reflection to the potential of Agora to attain its long term objectives of becoming the market leader in the retail industry. Near future sustainability of the competitive advantage: Agora is currently charging maximum retail price that is given to it by its suppliers. The prices are congruent with that of the rest of the market. However, the management has plans to offer prices lower than the ones offered by the competitors in the market.

Issues Concerning Islam Essay

Muslims have been accused of mutilating women. This practice, however, is denied by the followers of Islam. According to them, â€Å"Female Genital Mutilation† (FGM), which is actually a surgical procedure performed on girls before they reach the age of puberty for the purpose of terminating or reducing their sexual feelings, is not an Islamic practice. They explain that FGM is a tradition of â€Å"Animists, Christians, and [some] Muslims in those countries where FGM is common. † Women are given equal rights under Islam. In fact, the Qur’an decreed that when it comes to public life, men and women should have equal rights and participation. During the time of Muhammad, women were allowed to participate actively in their baya which is the equivalent of today’s practice of political endorsements. Evidence of this Muslim women’s status is the voting rights granted to women in the predominantly Muslim countries like Bahrain, Qatar, and Oman. The women in Kuwait followed suit by earning their right to vote and get elected sometime in 2005. In fact, Sheikh Sabah al-Ahmad al-Sabah, Kuwait’s Prime Minister, divulged a plan to appoint a woman minister in Kuwait soon (Robinson, 2007). Muslims as terrorists and pro-violence Yusuf (n. d. ) said that majority of the Muslims are convinced that while the U. S. government has been blaming terrorism on Islam for years, it was the 9/11 incident which dealt the most telling blow on the credibility and reputation of their religion. This was because the international media was able to depict that many Muslims around the world rejoiced after that incident. The truth is, however, that majority of the Muslim world was saddened by that incident and the repercussions it caused. They would like to tell the world that terrorism is not an official policy of Islam and that, in fact, Muslims also consider terrorists as enemies of their religion. He laments the fact that When a crazy Christian does something terrible, everyone in the West knows it is the actions of a mad man because they have some knowledge of the core beliefs and ethics of Christianity. When a mad Muslim does something evil or foolish they assume it is from the religion of Islam, not because they hate us but because they have never been told by a Muslim what the teachings of Islam are all about. Yusuf blames this lack of Islamic knowledge among Christians to the fact that there is a dearth of credible spokespersons who could defend Islam from its attackers. As a matter of fact, Yusuf stressed that â€Å"Islam is the middle way between excess and neglect† and that terrorism is the preoccupation of zealots and extremists who are, in fact, a plaque of Islam. According to him, there are two types of Muslim extremists whose acts destroy Islam. The first he calls â€Å"reactionary extremists. † This group rejects any form of religious pluralism. According to these reactionary extremists, the world consists of good and evil with nothing in between. Good, according to them, means the reactionary extremists and all those who oppose their actions are evil. Yusuf further explains that these kind of extremists are in the habit of â€Å"excommunicating† other Muslims who reject the way they interpret the Qur’an. However, this kind does not usually resort to violent acts to achieve their goals. Instead, they employ character assassination or takfir to ward their critics (Yusuf, n. d. ). The second type is the â€Å"radical extremist. † These Muslims extremists, according to Yusuf, are the ones who resort to violent acts and tactics to further their objectives. Yusuf stressed that these Muslims act as if they belong to some secret, wicked society whose members believe in the dictum that â€Å"the end justifies the means. † In other words, any method, even the most violent method, is acceptable as long as their â€Å"cause† is advanced. According to Yusuf, this is destroying Islam because the methods employed by Islam should be reflecting the noble ends of the religion. Secondly, Islam is not a â€Å"secret society of conspirators† – rather, it is open with its objectives and traditions which have already been accepted and recognized by people from other religious denominations (Yusuf, n. d. ). Muslims confused with Arabs Muslims object to their being confused with Arabs because it would never be accurate to equate Islam, a religious denomination, with Arab, which is an ethnic grouping. According to Muslims, the reason for this erroneous identification could be the fact that Islam emerged from the culture and society of Arab Bedouins of the 8th century. Another reason might be the fact that the Qur’an was written in Arabic. However, beyond these facts, Muslims should not be identified as Arabs, and vice versa because, according to statistics, â€Å"there are many non-Muslim Arabs, and far, far more non-Arab Muslims in the world. In fact, out of the estimated one billion Muslims worldwide, only about 200 million are Arabs (DHinMl, 2006). Looking at the table below of the top ten countries with the highest Muslim population, only Egypt (at number seven) is an Arab country (Aneki. com, n. d. ). References Aneki.com. (n.d.). Largest Muslim Population in the World. Retrieved November 26, 2007 from http://www.aneki.com/muslim.html Fisher, M.P. (2005). Living Religions, Sixth Edition. Prentice-Hall. Philips, A.A.B. (n.d.). The True Religion. Retrieved November 26, 2007 from http://www.islamworld.net/

Land Acquisition in Zambia

Due to the effects of food price crisis of 2007-2008, there was growing concern among the nations about the food security. There was surge in demand for food products by the food importing countries and subsequently food-producing countries imposed some restrictions on the food exports of food grains. In order to meet the growing demand of food and face increasing pressures on natural resources and water scarcity, the countries with land and water constraints needed an alternative means of producing food. Acquisition of farmland in the developing countries by these countries seeks to ensure food security. More on the land acquisition drive) These investments are not driven by the notion of comparative advantage in the large-scale production of indigenous crop (Mann and Smaller; 1; January 2010). The higher oil prices in 2007-2008 were another driver, which triggered interest of developed countries to acquire land for energy crops. Global financial crisis also encouraged investors to invest in foreign lands. The value of both food and fertile land was set to increase, making them an attractive new investment. Budgetary resources in developing countries may not be enough to meet infrastructural investment required to use the land to its potential. Some developing countries are seeking foreign investment to exploit their surplus land which is currently unused or under-utilized. This may lead to creation of jobs in rural areas and there may also be investment in health and education sector. Technology transfer by the investor countries may lead to increase in farm productivity. However these investments are not without trade offs. There are concerns about the impact on local poor people, who lack access to and control over land on which they depend. There can be local unemployment because of projects with imported workforce and high degree of mechanization. It will also lead to increase in regional land prices through soaring competition with regard to acreage and resources, and thus less access of land to poor people. Foreign investors can also emerge as strong competitors to local producers, especially small households. There is also risk of land conflicts in territories without well defined land titles (Bicker and Breuer; 37; April 2009). In some cases, the land leases are justified on the basis that the land being acquired by the foreign investor is â€Å"unproductive† or â€Å"underutilized. † However, there may be that the land is being used by poor for purposes such as grazing animals and gathering fuel wood or medicinal plants. These uses tend to be undervalued in official assessments because they are not marketed, but they can provide valuable livelihood sources to the poor. †(Von Braun and Meinzen-Dick; 2; April 2009) Large-scale land acquisitions may further jeopardize the welfare of the poor by depriving them of the safety-net function of this type. There can be misappropriation of arable land, displacement of indigenous people without compensation and migration to cities. So it is crucial to ensure that these land deals, and the environment within which they take place, are designed in a ways that will reduce the threats and facilitate the â€Å"win-win† situation for all the parties involved. According to Sustainable development innovation briefs (January 2010), â€Å"There are three sources of law governing foreign investment in agricultural land. 1) Domestic law 2) International investment contract 3) International investment agreements (IIAs) According to Ministry of Agriculture and Co-operatives of Republic of Zambia, Zambia has the best surface and underground water resources in Africa, with many rivers, lakes and dams. Sharing borders with eight countries, Zambia is centrally situated as a gateway to both southern and central Africa. This location is strategically advantageous by placing Zambia in a position to exploit the growing regional markets of SADC and COMESA, and be an active participant in regional and international agriculture trade initiatives (Source: The best of Zambia). Even with resource endowment for development of a wide range crops, livestock, and fish given the diversity of its agro-ecological zones, there was lack of cultivation because initially labour was forced toward mining sector. Urbanization kept the people to cities only. There was lack of infrastructure and utilities in rural areas which imposes a higher social cost in moving towards agriculture sector. The policies which took place were directed towards the development of mining sector, neglecting agriculture. It is generally seen that the developed countries are mainly with expanding industrial sector. These developed countries have initially accumulated the surplus in agriculture sector and then invested that surplus for expansion of industrial sector. So there is need to develop agriculture initially. Zambia is rich in mineral resources. To explore the potential there is need to develop agriculture sector. In Zambia, most farmers are insecure in the ownership of the land they work in. Less than 5% of them have leasehold title for their land. Most farmers pay rent to titleholders or have some kind of sharecropping arrangement with the title owners. Others depend on land owned either by the government or private owners, or on council or forestry land for their living. Those living in areas of customary land use do not need to be consulted before mining operations are allowed, and are usually not even aware of the possibility of placing land disputes before the Lands Tribunal (MacCuish and Frankel on behalf of Halifax Initiative Coalition). The efforts of the Agriculture Department to mark off ownership and use of agricultural areas were hindered by the lack of information about who owned the land. According to report of Global Times ( 9 September 2009), The Zambian government is to devise measures that would smoothen and quicken the acquisition of title deeds by prospective land owners, this was done in a bid to empower the less privileged people to own land in the country. The poor people can use land as collateral for them to access loans for land development. According to Ministry of Agriculture and Cooperatives of Zambia (26 January 2010), â€Å"Out of 75 million hectares land of Zambia, 43 million hectares (53%) is classified as medium to high potential for agriculture production. So far only 6. 02 (14%) of agricultural land is currently utilized. Irrigation total potential is 2. 7 million hectares out of which about 156000 hectares is under irrigation†. Framers are given a good price for grain but due to lack of market access the move is outweighed by poor infrastructure. Zambia endowed with rich natural resources needs investment by foreign investors to strengthen Zambia’s economic muscle (Zambia Mail dated May 11, 2010) Acquisition of land by the foreign investors is controversial and carriers many risks. Foreign investment can also be made through contract farming and out-growers scheme or joint venture or provision of infrastructure by the investor country. (David Hallam; 6; December, 2009) According to FAO (2001), â€Å"Contract farming can be defined as an agreement between farmers and processing/marketing firms for the production and supply of agriculture products under forward agreement, frequently at predetermined prices. The arrangements also invariably involve the purchaser in providing a degree of production support through, for example, the supply of inputs and provision of technical advice. The basis of such arrangements is a commitment on the part of the farmer to provide a specific commodity in quantities and at quality standards determined by the purchaser and a commitment on the part of the company to support the farmer’s production and to purchase the commodity†. In contract farming, farmers have to loose some freedom over the choice of crops they want to grow. The main commodities produced by small-scale farmers in Zambia under contract farming arrangements are cotton, tobacco, coffee, sugar, paprika and fresh vegetables. Of late honey, livestock (pigs and dairy cattle) and organic products are also coming up. Likilunga; 3; December 2005) Nevertheless, joint ventures between foreign investors and local producers or their associations as partners might offer more spillover benefits for the host country. Mixed models are also possible with investments in a large-scale core enterprise at the centre but also involving outgrowers under contracts to supplement core production. Some governments have been active in encouraging foreign involvement in such enterprises, as in the Tanzanian sugar sector or the so-called â€Å"Farm Blocks† in Zambia (David Hallam; 6; December, 2009). Zambian government has embarked on a programme to open up viable farm blocks in various parts of country to be involved in primary production and value addition. In Farm Block Development, Government has to provide basic infrastructure such as road, bridges and electrification. The design of Farm block is as follow. There is one core venture of 10,000 Hectares with commercial farms of 1000-5000 Hectares and small holdings of 30-300 Hectares. (Ministry of Agriculture and Cooperatives of Zambia; 26 January 2010). The type of business model to be adopted depends on certain characteristics of the economy i. e. olitical and social conditions, specific circumstances, the commodity concerned etc. Land acquisition and commercialization of agriculture is favorable, when economies of scale are important or there is need for investment in infrastructure. Contract farming or outgrower scheme is desirable when there in need to involve small landholders, but in contract farming care should be taken that contracts are properly implemented and there is no exploitation of smallholders by the big firms. The litigation process in Zambia takes too long and therefore enforceability through litigation process is costly and therefore not resorted to. There is weakness of enforceability when contract is breached. Donor funding forms a big part of Zambia’s spending plan (The Africa report; October 2009). China, India, South-Korea and oil-rich gulf countries with land and water constraints are turning to Africa as food security blanket. Saudi Arabia is interested in area of agriculture in Zambia. China is proposing to acquire 5 million acres of land to grow jatropha. Jatropha is a perennial plant, which can be used as biofuel. Plantation have yield after 2-3 years. In the short run there will be loss but in long run there will be gains. Income generated from plantation will vary from year to year. Growing Jatropha needs long term investment, which is vulnerable to risk due to uncertainty in price, yield, labour cost and rate of interest. Biofuel can provide hedge against climate change. Jatropha can also be used as a substitute for expensive kerosene, fertilizer and diesel. It needs less water so there is no need of major irrigation facilities. Jatropha can be planted during spare time in idle or fallow land, for which lot of officially unused land and degraded bush land seems available. Cultivation of Jatropha on abandoned agricultural, deforested or degraded land has the potential to improve the nutrient content of the soil and reduce erosion. Thus, this may improve the value of the land. However, the expanding use of land for the Jatropha production, even though it is marginal land, could mean that people living in the area would have to find other places for collecting firewood, herbs and fields for pasture land etc. So the selection of land for production should be done very carefully. Land grab in Africa mainly for biofuels has serious implications for food security. This however but it depend on the ownership of the land and how much space the production of Jatropha takes up. Biodiesel is mainly used by developed countries. If the price of food grains increases, then the people in developing country will suffer. Food security could even decrease where land and water resources are commandeered by the international investment project at the expense of domestic smallholders or where foreign investments push up land values. There can also be worst case scenario that there is production of 100 unit’s energy biodiesel from the inputs of 127 unit’s energy. The advertising that agro-fuels will assist farmers is based on the notion that the decisions about the use of the land remain decentralized within the country. Farmers should be given free will to decide how to plant Jatropha to produce oil for lamps or sop or bio-diesel for their vehicles. But the scenario set up by the large corporations is not what is desirable. There is usurpation of huge tracts of African land for overseas consumption and if they ruin the ecosystem, they conveniently make a move to other areas (MS Zambia Newsletter August 2009). Production of Jatropha is mainly done by the Out grower schemes. It is found that mostly there were no formal contracts for production. Even if contracts exist, there was no enforcement. Even farmers are not satisfied with Outgrowing system. Firms promise to endow the farmers with technology but fail to turn up again to provide information on technical issues. Production is targeted toward export and fails to benefit Zambian people. This can be confirmed by the fact that there exist no refineries in Zambia. There is need to set up a monitoring committee which can observe that all the contracts taking place are implemented. Strict actions should be taken if contracts are not enforced. The land grabbing has become very sophisticated and the poor are bound to suffer. There is need to lobby government for some policy changes. Civil societies should come up for the benefit of small holders and there is need to sensitize and assist the poor access and legally own land. Building the capacity of small scale farmers and their organizations to be part of the new agribusiness dispensation through direct investments as well as in partnership with foreign investors is desirable. There is need to empower the rural communities’ access and communally own land through ‘Community land titles’ to protect them in the future land concessions. (MS Zambia Newsletter August 2009). There is need by government to put more conducive environment by setting up â€Å"small claims courts’. There is need for further training of small-scale farmers so that they can develop skills in negotiating for good prices for their commodities. (Likilunga; 12; December 2005) â€Å"Extensive control of land by other countries can also raise questions of political interference and influence. (David Hallam; December 2009). Government maintains secrecy in the deals involving foreign investors. This lack in transparency undermines government accountability and gives an opportunity for corruption. Some recently reported land deals were associated with allegations that investors had paid cash or in-kind contributions to business or other activities run by high government officials or even the president in a personal capacity (e. g. Hervieu, 2009), even where private ownership is formally recognized most of the land is controlled by state (Cotula, Vermulen, Leonard and Keeley; 69; 2009). It has been seen that incomes are very unevenly distributed in Zambia. â€Å"Bottom 80% of populations in terms of earning are reported to have acquired only 31. 3% of total income, while the top 20% of population claimed 68. 87% of total income†. (Zambian Economist, 31 May, 2008). Non availability of written agreement on land acquisition has created disputes in some settlement area. A vigorous consultative process on land acquisition has to be adopted o minimize these land disputes. It is required to have all the deals in the written form. Appropriate Resettlement policy should be in place and adequate compensation should be give to the displaced farmers. Farmers generally practice subsistence farming and the land of cultivation is scattered. Most of the rural population keeps on migrating within the country. The liberalization of the agriculture sector and other reforms in Zambia, were accompanied by the decline in cultivated land and maize production. The proportion of households selling to the market and concentration of serves in central areas was also reduced. (Sangrario Floro and Schaefer: 84; fall 1998). With privatization, subsistence farmers have to move out. Before the reforms, Government bore all the transportation expenses both within and between regions and gave huge fertilizer subsidy so the prices of food grain as same for all producers. After reforms of 1990s, it was found that the cost of production has increased drastically because of high transportation costs and removal of subsidies for fertilizer, forcing farmers to sell at farm gate only. Thus the supply to market was nil. Evidence can be taken from the copper mines in Zambia, which was privatized in 1991. Large tract of land was required for development of new mines. There was often negotiation with local chiefs for land. Local people were persuaded on the trust that they will be relocated to other areas. Most often interest of local people was in variance with that of investors. Sometimes the local chiefs enter into secret deals with investors and accepted bribes as an inducement to persuade their subjects to acquiesce to investors’ demands. Impact of large scale mining on local community has been negative. There were social conflicts, destruction of livelihood, dislocation and displacement of local communities and environment degradation (Simutanya, ISS paper 165; July 2008). In case of foreign investments, it is noticed that Zambians were not given many job opportunities and people were placed from permanent to rolling contracts leading to casualization of labour. If agriculture land is given in foreign hands, it can lead to similar consequences. Foreign investors are driven by profit motive. They generally us capital intensive techniques driving labour out of work force. They also try to minimize wages to capture more profits in their hands. Profit, rather than having any impact on Zambia economy, is placed in banks or re-invested in companies outside the country. But it is also seen that with privatization, all workers came as a union, there was increase in the minimum wages. It can also be expected from agriculture sector. If all agricultural workers work in a huge tract of land then even they can coordinate themselves and demand for better wages and better working conditions. ). The economical benefits were also marginal, leading to large inequalities. In 2009, more than 80% of Zambia’s foreign exchange earnings and 15. 9% of GDP came from copper mining. (iol. co. a: Zambia copper mines: More local benefits urged; April 2010). In 2006, the contribution of mining to PAYE[1] was 54%, to VAT[2] was 45% and to employment generation was 58%. (Source: Zambia Development Authority). But Zambia fails to influence World market prices. (Source: www1. america. edu) Fluctuations in copper prices can impact the whole economy. So there is need to develop agriculture sector also as a safety net. But in which direction policy should be made is yet to be decided. The policy recommendations should be such that it should not affect the social and environmental climate of the country.

Coca Cola Company and its Product Modifying Method to meet FDA Essay

Coca Cola Company and its Product Modifying Method to meet FDA standards - Essay Example With consumers worldwide becoming more and more cautious and watchful about their health, they are choosing to eat healthy and preferably live a healthy life. This follows the fact that deadly diseases such as cancer are on the rise and experts point out that these diseases are befalling most people due to their eating habits. This aspect has seen many companies including Coca Cola seek specific ways of modifying their products in order to meet the speculations set herein by special food governing bodies, which include but not limited to the Food and Drug Administration (FDA). Research findings posit that Coca-Cola Company and PepsiCo Inc. are currently changing the procedures followed in making some of their products such as the caramel coloring commonly used in the sodas (50). This comes following the implementation of the Californian law that forces all products that contain a particular level of carcinogens should always come with a label of cancer warning. Ideally, this enforcement comes along with some consequences since very few people would risk purchasing a product that can cause cancer unto their lives. The company’s SWOT Analysis describes all the facts regarding what it intends to have its products free of any speculations. Web, http://www.google.co.ke/imgres?um=1&hl=en&client=firefox-a& sa=N&rls=org.mozilla:en-US:official&channel=fflb&biw=1024&bih=610&tbm=isch&tbnid=dg5-NnM39-yN4M:&imgrefurl=http://tommytoy.typepad.com/tommy-toy-pbt-consultin/branding/page/2/&docid=HIy0iWonP0H8YM&imgurl=http://tommytoy.typepad.com/.a/6a0133f3a4072c970b0167630ab61e970b-500wi&w=375&h=274&ei=vSInUf-fKsjN4QSt-YHADg&zoom=1&ved=1t:3588,i:219&iact=rc&dur=214&sig=100064067000265222398&page=3&tbnh=186&tbnw=255&start=33&ndsp=18&tx=145&ty=39 Currently, Coca Cola is undergoing a series of transformations specifically in the production of its products with the aim of ensuring it meets the set standards provided by the FDA. The company is now looking into the details of most of its recipes in order to ensure that it produces beverages that are in line with the recommendations and regulations of FDA. Given that research findings opine caffeine as well as tannin mixtures with cancer related causes, people are taking a step forward towards doing away with products said to have such ingredients in t heir contents (59). Change of such consumer market has seen most companies head towards the verge of losing a large market base. However, in order to ensure continued profitability, Coca Cola which happens to be one of the world’s largest producer and distributor of beverage products resolve to come into terms with the FDA standards which require companies to observe health regulations and recommendations. On March 7, 2012, Coca Cola Company asserted that its use of caramel coloring in preparing its drinks has always resolved to put into consideration the necessary requirements and thus is safe. Douglas Karas, FDA spokesperson stated that FDA is working round the clock and ensuring that companies like Coca Cola and Pepsi provide their consumers with quality beverages that pose no challenge to the users. According to Beverage Digest, one of the most active industry trackers, PepsiCo and Coca Cola hold the largest percentage (90%) of beverage productions manufacturing. As such, analysts claim that they can pose the most immense crisis if at any one point ended up consuming products that have high levels of carcinogens (66). This indicates that

Colon Cancer & Obesity Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Colon Cancer & Obesity - Research Paper Example This research paper will look into obesity and colon cancer ion relation to obesity contribution to colon cancer. The paper will then address the extent of contribution of colon cancer, prevention measures, statistics and risk factors that are closely related to it (Pendyala, Neff, Suarez-Farinas and Holt, 2011). Pathophysiology Obese people have a high chance of getting colon cancer compared to healthy individual. Research has proved that obese people has a double likely hood of getting the disease. There is a possibility that obesity exacerbates inflammations in the colon which is associated with cancer. Colon cancer starts in form of non-cancerous growth which is referred to as polyp. The individuals who have the overweight have a higher chance of developing polyps. This puts obese people at a risk of getting colon cancer. Adipose tissue dysfunction is directly related to insulin resistance. Obese individuals have insulin resistance condition where serum level increases. This lead s to aversion of hyperglycemia. The condition of being insulin resistance plays a vital role in promoting cancer growth. Another factor that may lead to obese people having cancer is reduced plasma amount of adiponectin in obesity. Obese individuals are susceptible to oxidative stress which is associated with chronic inflammation leading to tumor development (Louis, Scott, Duncan & Flint, 2007). In obese individuals, several factors lead to the prevalence of the condition. These are classified into two broad categories the mechanisms s can be universal in nature such that they are related to all types of tumors from their relation to hormonal or other abnormalities that are evident in obesity. The other type is specific. They lead to a specific tumor in a specific position. This type is related to consequential effects of obesity. The diet intake of the obese people can also lead to obesity. The typical food that is available in the developed countries is rich in calories and also t here is high consumption of alcohol (Louis, Scott, Duncan & Flint, 2007). Most of the individuals who are obese use weight reducing diets to shed weight. This involves taking diets which are very low in carbohydrates. These diets are very low in carbohydrates but have excess amount of protein which makes it possible to reduce weight faster. These diets involve removal of starch and fiber. Through the use of these diets, the obese individual affects the fermentative activity that occurs in the large intestines. Reduction of the fermentative activity in the large intestines leads to reduction of butyrate and fatty acid in the fecal short chain. The shift in the diet leads to reduction in the bacteria. These are useful bacteria that help in reducing risk of colon cancer in the body. The evidence of the importance of these bacterial puts at risk individuals who are in weight loss diets. The long term effects of using the weight reduction diets are colon cancer. Another factor that can l ead obesity to colon cancer is intake of high protein diet during weight loss exercise. As the obese people try to restrict intake of carbohydrates, they consume food that is high in protein and fat. The reason behind taking food high in protein is satiety (Renehan, Tyson, Egger, Heller and Zwahlen, 2008). Insulin resistance is another cause of obesity related cancer. Obese individuals

Leading and motvating the team Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Leading and motvating the team - Essay Example One of the key aspects of a strategy is that it aims at achieving advantages within the changing environment with an aim of fulfilling the expectations of the shareholders. In Peytons General Supplies, our vision is to â€Å"be the leader in provision of maximum security in working places†. While our vision is â€Å"improving safety in the work place in order to make our economy grow by providing quality safety equipments†. In order for a team to be productive, it is vital for leaders to advocate for spirit of cooperation which entails a united team that works together towards achieving its goals. Three major aspects that indicate a harmonious and a team in good relationship are a sense of shared purpose, a belief in shared objectives and being committed to a group (Baumeister and Vohs, 2004). One of the major implications of a common sense of purpose in a group is that it enables the team members to be united. Additionally, it enables the members of the team to have a knowhow on the operations of their teams including the effects of their own contributions to the team. Through the unity that is brought about by a common purpose, the team members in Peytons General Supplies work towards attaining the mission and the vision of the organization. Failure to having a common purpose would lead to each employee working towards his or her own goal. Role of communication in establishing a common sense of purpose Within an organization, clear communication between the leaders and other members of the team is a major aspect that cannot be overlooked. Good leaders must be good communicators. One of the major merits of communication is that it leads to the development of a well-committed workforce that is aware of the goals and values of its organisation. A key aspect that characterizes a communication system is the source. As a team leader, one should be clear about what he or she is communicating and what they want to communicate. The second aspect that sho uld be adopted during communication is encoding. This means that in order to have a good communication, it is imperative to ensure that the information being transferred is in the correct form and the receivers are able to decode it and understand it in an easy way. Similarly, leaders who are focused at creating a sense of purpose among their followers should adopt effective channels of communication. Some of the notable channels that organizations use include face-to-face meetings, emails, memos, telephone and videoconferencing among others. Decoding is equally important to encoding. Decoding entails properly reading of the messages sent by the sender. Thus it is imperative for the receivers to have good communication skills in order to avoid making an error while decoding the message. It is also crucial for leaders to consider the receiver of their messages. During the communication process, each individual reacts in a different way that affects his or her understanding of the mes sages from the leaders. Thus, a good leader must consider the reactions or actions of his team members and act in an appropriate manner. Effectiveness of my communication skills On the basis of initiating a good communication in a team work, I am able to oversee a communication system that is all inclusive. First, I usually plan my communication. This entails understanding the objectives of my communication, understanding my audience and providing an opportunity through which

Describe the Opium Wars in China that lead to the Treaty of Nanking Essay

Describe the Opium Wars in China that lead to the Treaty of Nanking. What were the most important factors that lead to the takeover by the West - Essay Example om China, but the monopolies existing among traders in China and unfair tariffs made it difficult for the East India Company to continue trading in silver and it finally resorted to trading opium for tea from China. Opium became very popular in China because during that time, there were difficulties in the economy and people in China were looking for a means of escape. The addictive drug opium provided just such an escape. Opium was prohibited but it was cheap and easy to acquire and the number of addicts kept increasing, at a substantial cost to society. People were trading silver and copper for opium, thus creating further losses to the economy. In the year 1838, Lin Tse-Hsu became the appointee of the Tao-Kuang emperor. Opium addicts were threatened, the drug dealing activities of foreigners were hindered by confiscating stores and demanding that they sign bonds guaranteeing their good conduct and other drug dealers were rounded up. However, all of these efforts did not prove to be a significant deterrent to opium trafficking, as a result of which Lin finally resorted to seizing 20,00 chests of British opium and burning it. This action was the direct cause of the Opium War, since Britain immediately declared war on China in retaliation for this gesture. The Opium War lasted for three years from 1839 to 1842. England was at a distinct advantage due to its superior naval and armed forces and it was able to defeat easily China in 1842. The Treaty of Nanking was formulated after this victory of the British and forced China to agree to several concessions. Firstly, Hong Kong was to be handed over to the British. Secondly, the ports of Foochow, Canton, Amoy, Ningopo and Shanghai were to be opened to foreign businessmen and missionaries. Thirdly, China had to pay 21 million silver dollars to the British. Fourthly, trade tariffs were to be moderated and transit inland fees were to be reduced. Fifthly, foreign officers were to be granted equal status as the Chinese

International tourism management Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

International tourism management - Assignment Example One of the major challenges of corporate social responsibility of international tourism is to curb child prostitution and sex tourism. Despite many meaningful campaigns to curb these social evils, this heinous trade continues to flourish and is endangering the social fabric in and around the vicinity of the tourist hotspots across the world. This is not a sustainable practice it is time to evaluate the potential contribution of ‘corporate social responsibility’ (CSR) strategies to achieving more environmentally sustainable international tourism. Tourism is an extremely heterogeneous socio-economic phenomenon which encompasses a large array of lifestyles and cultures (Fuchs, 2010). The travel and tourism industry is one of the fastest growing industries for almost half century despite ups and downs in global financial and political ups and downs (Fuchs, 2010). Tourism casts complex and varied impact on the societies. While, there are great many tourists, there are also a large variety of societies that host the tourists catering to their every need and taste (Kala, 2008). Tourism is undoubtedly one of the major drivers of global economy. It increases opportunities in all countries whether developed or developing for its people to take part as hosts and guests in this socio-economic phenomenon (Kala, 2008). Source: UNWTO, 2010. Tourism trends and outlook update UNWTO. [Online] UNWTO Available at: http://www.unwto.org/facts/eng/pdf/barometer/UNWTO_Guilin_Forum10_day2_JK_fin_1x1.pdf [Accessed 24 November 2010]. The geographical reach and the labour intensive nature helps in generating employment, particularly remote and rural areas, where three-fourth of the two-billion people live under extreme poverty conditions (World Tourism Organisation, 2010). The World Tourism Organisation identifies seven factors that make tourism as an

PROJECT MANAGEMENT Assignments Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 4000 words

PROJECT MANAGEMENT Assignments - Essay Example Capacity refers to the number of units a facility is able to hold or to produce in a given span of time. Capacity available would refer to that which is at the disposal of the hospital and this is affected by among other factors: changes that are specific to the available capacity operations, the mix of different uses of the current available capacity and the speed and/or pace with which the workforce utilises this capacity. In measuring capacity, a unit standard of measure is often required, and in this case of St. Marks’s hospital beds resources are used. Capacity management involves capacity planning and this squarely falls on the duty responsibilities of the strategic planners in the organization. Its major aim in most organisations is to try and match the level at which the operations are taking place to that of the demand. It is carried out bearing in mind the future growth and the expansion plans of the organizations and also to a greater extent the market trend, in this case of the hospital, the patients’ trend. Normally with a fluctuation in demand, capacity planning becomes a tedious and a very unpredictable exercise. It is broadly concerned with the defining of both the short term and long term needs of an organization and finding means to satisfy them basing the decisions on the customer demands. This is done considering both the human and financial resources available to the organization. Usually, making capacity planning for the long term utilisation of resources is risky, uncertain and difficult in most organisations. This is mainly because a lot of changing parameters are to be considered for the planning process to have some accuracy. It involves major issues and those that would affect the organisation in a major way. Short term strategies on the other hand involving changes in a one year period are usually easier to

Discussing psychologist perspectives and their use Essay Example for Free

Discussing psychologist perspectives and their use Essay Cognitive- This approach is portrayed by two theorists; Jean Piaget and George Kelly. This perspective refers to age-related changes in knowledge and acts of knowing plus understanding. Research shows that this approach is the best treatment practised for almost every single disorder, another positive point to this perspective is that its really quick with lasting changes; it also helps people become more confident and boost people with learning difficulties self-esteem. Its also very easy and works for a majority of people. The negatives to this perspective are that it can be seen as non-person centred, its not effective for lower functioning clients, and some clinicians feel that it doesnt address other issues. This can be used in health and social care through helping individuals who misread situations, as this approach mainly helps people with learning difficulties so it can help certain individuals come to terms with some irrational thoughts they may have. Biological- This perspective is about the view of personality that focuses on the way behaviour and personality are influenced by neuro-anatomy, biochemistry, genetics or evolution. This perspective also helps people understand how and why we have a certain diseases. The positives to this approach; the more we know about the brain, the more we should be able to explain how we operate and to understand what makes us tick. Also the main strength to the biological approach is that chemotherapy, ECT and psychosurgery can be used to treat the symptoms of abnormal behaviour directly and in a very short time. The negatives to this approach are the risk of side effects- e. g. in case of chemotherapy there is the risk that patients may become psychologically and physically dependent on the drugs involved. Symptoms often recur when the treatment stops, so many patients have to be re-admitted to hospital. It also raises serious ethical issues. Other things people look upon as negative is the fact that its hard to determine the extent to which genetic inheritance influences behaviour. This perspective can be used in health and social care through the use of developmental norms, this means making sure that a young child is developing properly, so that their behaviour and understanding matches that if their chronological age.

Recognition of Types of Abuse and Neglect

Recognition of Types of Abuse and Neglect Current guidelines and safeguarding concerns Recognition of types of abuse and neglect. My setting is committed to promoting awareness of child abuse issues throughout its training and learning programmes for adults. They are committed to empowering young children, through its early childhood curriculum, promoting their right to be strong, resilient and listened to. The Staff have undertaken relevant and up to date safeguarding and child protection training through induction and specific safeguarding training as required by the London Borough of Islington. Training for all staff is updated every three years as required and every two years for the designated officer. Agency staff, volunteers and students are also briefed on their roles and responsibilities during their induction to the setting which covers how to identify signs and symptoms of abuse and how to share their concerns with the designated safeguarding person (Bennett Court Playgroup). Bennett Court playgroup are committed to safeguard and protect children. Children have the right to freedom from abuse and harm. They work with children, parents/carers and the community to ensure the rights and safety of children and to give them the very best start in life. Bennett Courts Safeguarding and Child Protection Policy is based on the London Child Protection and Safeguarding Children Procedures (LSCB 2013) and in line with Islington councils Early Years Safeguarding and Child protection procedures and Guidance (2011) along with the Working Together to Safeguard Children (DCSF 2013). Children with Special educational needs are welcomed and supported to make a smooth transition to the setting by discussing how they can best meet their needs, gain the appropriate support and services before starting the setting   (Bennett Court Playgroup). Please see (Appendix 2) for current procedures meeting the Safeguarding Children and child protection requirements. Whistleblowing is when a member of staff, in any line of work provides information of improper and unacceptable behaviour within a setting against an employee, other working professionals or a member of the public. An example of improper or unacceptable behaviour may be when someone is discriminating, bullying or harassing their colleagues and/or others. Within legislations whistleblowing is known as The Public Interest Disclosure Act 1998. This act is to safeguard employees that may be experiencing types of prejudice, disadvantages or harm during their employment or they may be disregarded by their employer if they have disclosed information in obedience to the legislation (Brookes, 2015). My setting believes that children and parents are entitled to expect courtesy and prompt, careful attention to their needs and wishes. they welcome suggestions on how to improve the setting, will give prompt and serious attention to any concerns about how the setting is run (Bennett Court Playgroup). Any concerns of bad practice should be managed appropriately before whistleblowing is needed. When staff are made to feel openly comfortable raising concerns about bad practice within the setting during staff meetings and under constant supervision, this will allow bad practices to be revised and modified before any types for cause of concern will result in harm towards a child and/or member of staff/public. Any member of staff involved in whistleblowing within the setting holds the responsibility to be able to indicate the bad practice, be able to record and report factual information of the incident to required parties for e.g. your manager or agencies like Ofsted and childrens social services, keeping copies of all relevant information shared between agencies and ensuring to follow the settings procedures for complaints, please see (Appendix 3) for my settings complaints procedures. Practitioners must follow the whistleblowing procedure whether or not they will be treated differen tly or become involved in conflict with other colleagues. Staff who may come across bad practice and choose to ignore this can result in implicating the individuals in the bad practice. Dealing with bad practice should be risen within the early stages to obstruct any further escalations (Small wonders child care, no date). Early Years Practitioners have a duty to the safeguarding, protection and welfare of children when left in their care by parents/carers. My setting commits to developing and maintaining a culture of openness and honesty when working in partnerships with parents/carers to ensure the best interests of children and their families are met. An EYP must be able to identify signs and symptoms of abuse whilst children are in their care, they must be knowledgeable to diversity, promote equality of opportunity between children through various activities and in planning that will support the safety, welfare and protection of children for e.g. motivating and teaching children different ways to keep safe for e.g. when taking children out on trips teach them to stay together and how to cross the road correctly, to be able to express themselves openly and to be confident sharing their concerns. If a child ever discloses any form of abuse made towards them, an EYP must not interfere whilst the child is talking, make notes of facts only and not interpretations of what was said, also if a child asks them to keep this to themselves, they must explain in a gentle way for the child to understand that they must tell someone in order to keep this child safe, that the child has done the right thing, it is not not their fault and they are in no trouble. EYPs have a statutory responsibility to notify agencies if they have reason to believe that any childs safety and welfare are of any cause for concern (Bateman, 2013). When dealing with confidentiality all suspicions and investigations must be kept in an individual file in a locked cupboard or files on a PC with a secure password and shared only with those who require access to it. In my setting any information is shared under the guidance of Islingtons Safeguarding Children Board and follows the legislation, Data Protection Act (1998). All practitioners must follow their settings confidentiality policy and procedures to ensure that they are aware of what can be kept confidential and what causes for concerns need to be reported and how. In my setting we have a designated safeguarding person and also someone who acts in her absence, I have been made fully aware of who and where to report any concerns I may have. Practitioners must never share information about children out of the setting or to unnecessary parties   (Bennett Court Playgroup). When working with others for the safeguarding, protection and welfare of children, this can benefit them in many ways. For e.g. as an EYP there may be some things you may not be able to help a child with, possibly SEN or disclosures of harm or abuse, so you must be able to report and refer a child to the right services that best suits their needs. Some services that may work together to safeguard children can be childrens social services, health services, schools, psychologists, GPs, local police, the UNCRC etc. also working in partnership with parents supports the safeguarding of children, unless this will put the child at risk or further harm. Working in partnership also allows services to pinpoint any issues within the family and help resolve these issues in the best possible way, conducting constructive meetings to expand and assess each individual child. Where children may have certain health problems it is important to gain information and learn about how to handle any conditio n at any point and also be aware of who to contact when needed, for e.g. you may need to report certain symptoms to the childs parents/carers, GPs or health specialists   (Bennett Court Playgroup). Practitioners must be aware that the abuse of children may occur in different forms, the four categories of abuse are physical, emotional, sexual and neglect. Bullying is also a form of abuse, as like female Genital Mutilation, the impact of domestic violence (DV) including Honour based violence which comes across all cultures and communities. Practitioners must be mindful that these forms of abuse can fall into one or more of the above categories and are often taken to great lengths to be disguised. This may include refusing freedom or contact with others, taken out off or forced to leave the country. Children that may be suffering from physical, emotional or sexual abuse may be experiencing neglect and this may be demonstrated through direct or indirect disclosures or through their behaviours within the setting. Practitioners must be able to recognise the signs, symptoms, indicators and behaviours that may cause concern, for example the child may unexpectedly become quiet, tearful, withdrawn or aggressive. Notable changes in a childs appearance e.g. loss of weight without a medical explanation, eating problems, for instance, overeating or loss of appetite, unexplained bruising or marks or signs of neglect, some signs of neglect may be when a child is wearing inappropriate clothing for the weather or clothes that are too big/small, a child may not have appropriate lunch to eat if provided by parents/carers, or they have not been washed, had their hair combed properly or untreated lice.   A child may show changes during their play, they may disengage from other children they may also hurt or be cruel to other children, a child may be knowledgeable to adult sexual behaviour, or they may participate in sexual play which is unsuitable for the childrens age   (Bennett Court Playgroup). In my setting where there is a concern about a childs welfare or wellbeing, or a concern that a child may be in need of protection, this should be recorded using the Islingtons concerns tracking form and then passed on and discussed with one of the designated child protection officers for action (or if unobtainable seek advice from Islingtons Childrens Social Care Team). The records placed must include the actual disclosure or concern, date, time and the name of the person who has recorded the concern and stored in the childs personal file in a secure cupboard. All staff and also volunteers are made aware to report any concerns immediately to the designated member of staff,   all concerns will be discussed with parents/carers unless this will put the child in further risks of harm or abuse, records of concerns, emails, notes or phone conversations and actions are noted and confidentially stored in a secure place. In my setting when we have concerns about a childs welfare we need to focus on, the needs of the child, their physical and emotional welfare, be sensitive, taking into account individual familys circumstances and discuss this with one of the designated members of staff. If it is suspected that a child is in immediate risk of ham or abuse this must be reported as soon as possible to the police and/or childrens social services (Bennett Court Playgroup). Appendix 1 LegalFramework- Legislations for the safeguarding, protection and welfare of children in my setting. Primary Legislation Children Act (1989) Protection of Children Act (1999) Data Protection Act (1998) The Children Act (Every Child Matters) (2004) Safeguarding Vulnerable Groups Act (2006) Help Children to Achieve More (2010) The Early Years Statutory Framework (2014) Secondary Legislation Sexual Offences Act (2003) Criminal Justice and Court Services Act (2000) Race Relations (Amendment) Act (2000) Equalities Act (2010) Data Protection Act (1998) Further Guidance Working Together to Safeguard Children (revised HMG 2013) What to do if youre Worried a Child is Being Abused (HMG 2006) Framework for the Assessment of Children in Need and their Families (DoH 2000) The Common Assessment Framework (2006) Statutory guidance on making arrangements to safeguard and promote the welfare of children under section 11 of the Children Act 2004 (HMG 2007) Information Sharing: Practitioners Guide (HMG 2006) Other useful publications: Child Protection Record (2007)   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   (Bennett Court Playgroup) Appendix 2 Current procedures to Safeguarding Children and child protection requirements in my setting. We carry out the following procedures to ensure we meet the Safeguarding Children and child protection requirements, we do this by Recognising that all children have the right to freedom from abuse and harm. Promoting joint working with parents in the interests of childrens welfare and well being. Ensuring all our staff and volunteers are carefully selected and vetted ensuring that they carefully selected through the CRB and DBS recruitment process, have the relevant qualifications and experience and accept responsibility for helping to prevent the abuse of children in their care. We have a named designated safeguarding   officer who takes specific responsibility for young childrens and young peoples protection, safety and well-being. There is also a second designated safeguarding officer who acts in her absence. Supporting all staff to in bringing their concerns to the attention of the Designated member of staff, so they can be considered and acted upon if necessary. Responding quickly and appropriately to all suspicions or allegations of abuse. Providing parents /carers, children /young people with the opportunity to voice any concerns they may have. Adopting positive behaviour management procedure and strategies which are non-violent and do not impose humiliation or bias attitudes. Reviewing the effectiveness of the organisations child protection policies and procedures yearly (unless something proved to be ineffective). Working with external agencies, for example childrens social care team, police and   health visitors, to ensure as far as possible young children/ people are protected Not tolerating bullying. Incidents of bullying will be investigated and treated seriously and action will be taken in partnership with parents. Children are supported to form positive relationships and refrain from harming each other through anti-bullying practice (Bennett Court Playgroup). Appendix 3 Complaints procedures in my setting. All settings are required to keep a summary log of all complaints that reach stage two or beyond. This is to be made available to parents as well as to Ofsted inspectors. Stage 1 Any parent who has a concern about an aspect of the settings provision talks over, first of all, his/her concerns with the setting leader. Most complaints should be resolved amicably and informally at this stage. Stage 2 If this does not have a satisfactory outcome, or if the problem recurs, the parent moves to this stage of the procedure by putting the concerns or complaint in writing to the setting leader and the owner or chair of the management committee. For parents who are not comfortable with making written complaints, there is a template form for recording complaints in the above-mentioned publication; the form may be completed with the person in charge and signed by the parent. The setting stores written complaints from parents in the childs personal file. However, if the complaint involves a detailed investigation, the setting leader may wish to store all information relating to the investigation in a separate file designated for this complaint. When the investigation into the complaint is completed, the setting leader or manager meets with the parent to discuss the outcome. Parents must be informed of the outcome of the investigation within 28 days of making the complaint. When the complaint is resolved at this stage, the summative points are logged in the Complaints Summary Record. Stage 3 If the parent is not satisfied with the outcome of the investigation, he or she requests a meeting with the setting leader and the owner/chair of the management committee. The parent should have a friend or partner present if required and the leader should have the support of the chairperson of the management committee, or the proprietor/senior manager, present. An agreed written record of the discussion is made as well as any decision or action to take as a result. All of the parties present at the meeting sign the record and receive a copy of it. This signed record signifies that the procedure has concluded. When the complaint is resolved at this stage, the summative points are logged in the Complaints Summary Record. Stage 4 If at the stage three meeting the parent and setting cannot reach agreement, an external mediator is invited to help to settle the complaint. This person should be acceptable to both parties, listen to both sides and offer advice.   A mediator has no legal powers but can help to define the problem, review the action so far and suggest further ways in which it might be resolved. Staff or volunteers within the Pre-school Learning Alliance are appropriate persons to be invited to act as mediators. The mediator keeps all discussions confidential. S/he can hold separate meetings with the setting personnel (setting leader and owner/chair of the management committee) and the parent, if this is decided to be helpful. The mediator keeps an agreed written record of any meetings that are held and of any advice s/he gives. Stage 5 When the mediator has concluded her/his investigations, a final meeting between the parent, the setting leader and the owner/chair of the management committee is held. The purpose of this meeting is to reach a decision on the action to be taken to deal with the complaint. The mediators advice is used to reach this conclusion. The mediator is present at the meeting if all parties think this will help a decision to be reached. A record of this meeting, including the decision on the action to be taken, is made.   Everyone present at the meeting signs the record and receives a copy of it.   This signed record signifies that the procedure has concluded. The role of the Office for Standards in Education, Early Years Directorate (Ofsted) and the Local Safeguarding Children Board Parents may approach Ofsted directly at any stage of this complaints procedure. In addition, where there seems to be a possible breach of the settings registration requirements, it is essential to involve Ofsted as the registering and inspection body with a duty to ensure the Welfare Requirements of the Early Years Foundation Stage are adhered to. If a child appears to be at risk, our setting follows the procedures of the Local Safeguarding Children Board in our local authority. In these cases, both the parent and setting are informed and the setting leader works with Ofsted or the Local Safeguarding Children Board to ensure a proper investigation of the complaint, followed by appropriate action. Records A record of complaints against our setting and/or the children and/or the adults working in our setting is kept, including the date, the circumstances of the complaint and how the complaint was managed. The outcome of all complaints is recorded in the Summary Complaints Record which is available for parents and Ofsted inspectors on request. (Bennett Court Playgroup)

The American Airlines and US Airways Merger

The American Airlines and US Airways Merger Mergers and acquisitions correspond to the definitive changes for businesses. In the contemporary business environment, they are increasingly being adopted to enhance competition through increased performances. Similar organizations merge hence their long-term survival in the competitive environment (Weston, 2014). Typically, mergers and acquisitions result in organizational economic development. The companies involved grow their market share and capacity thus expanding on investment portfolios to facilitate risk reduction. They smooth the progress of entering new markets, adding up to shareholders value and offer better economies of scale. At this perspective view, nearly all publicly traded companies have experienced a major acquisition at some point in the United States, so did the American Airlines and US Airways in 9th December 2013. Both companies operate under the same radar of airspace business. The American Airlines and US Airways merged to form American Airlines Group, Inc. as a publicly traded airline holding company based in Fort Worth, Texas, United States. The target company was American Airlines. American Airlines maintained 72% of the company while US Airways took the rest 28%. The majority of the shares were distributed to US Airways shareholders and American Airlines previous creditors. This merge upshot the largest airline globally with 336 locations in 56 nations worldwide, over 6,700 daily flights, more than 100,000 employees and an operating revenue of $40billion. As yet, American Airlines Group, targets to take the delivery of over 600 new aircrafts including a minimum of 500 narrow-bodied and 90 wide-body international flights (American Airlines News, n.d.) Examine the circumstances that resulted in the merger or acquisition for the selected company. Speculate on two (2) reasons why the resulting decision to merge or to acquire / be acquired was made. Circumstances that resulted in the merger of American Airways and US Airways The foremost circumstances which lead to America Airlines and US Airways merger from an abstract point of view sets from the financial problems. US Airways was an American Airlines creditor according to a bankruptcy court filing stated under Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection. It had already undergone through more than a decade of losses and retrenchments. The management team had considered a stand-alone restructuring plan before. It also revealed that American Airlines looked forward to merging with another airline and US Airways presented the potential fit. Secondly, both companies had similar operations. These incidents gave rise to possible workable and potential merger action which materialised in the end as they both agreed to a merger. Reasons that resulted to the merger The first reason as to why the resulting decision to merge was made was the fact that the merger would create a book balance by absorbing out the bankruptcy court filing after appropriate paybacks and other payments. Henceforth, the merged company would operate in financial freedom achieved for the long-term outcome. Operating together with the pooled cost of capital would lower operational costs and realize increased returns than if the two companies functioned separately (Weston, 2014). It would be cheaper for both American Airlines and US Airways to internally invest and eye for expansion of its businesses and operations. Acquiring new aircrafts and other related assets would be cheaper because of the united bargain purchase. Secondly, American Airlines and US Airways would result in a horizontal merger that would form a strong pillar to achieve a competitive edge in the global scale. This would lead to achieving additional value in airline operations and business on the international market. The projected synergy value, would direct the combined companies to forms that could yield higher revenues, lower expenses and the overall cost of capital (Cooper, 2014). The merger and acquisition of the companies would give the merged parties an edge over their rivals in terms of business opportunities. After the merge, they would exploit the emerging trends in the market together. This would also assist in gap filling of the partys weakness and upbringing of significant strength paramount for dominance in the airline industry. These reasons moved American Airlines and US Airways to make the decision to merge. Assess the significant positive (or negative) effects of the merger or acquisition. Provide at least two (2) examples of those effects now that the merger or acquisition has been completed. Effects of the merger Completion of the American Airlines and US Airways contributed to a number of significant positive effects. The major key benefit was power consolidation and control over the market. This facilitated the entry into new markets and larger shares in the existing market. It improved economies of scale which corresponded to acquisition of more assets in the form of aircrafts (Cooper, 2014). Sharing taxes increased monetary leverage making them utilize much of its benefits by saving costs (Ulijn, 2013). As a result, the combined airline company offered more convenient schedule to travel plans with access to more destinations around the world. Their combined fleet continued penetration to operate more routes with the largest fleets of airbuses throughout the world connecting more people and promoting diversification of global businesses and multicultural. For instance, it is already operates 336 destinations in more than 50 countries in the world. Currently, the combined company employs ov er 100,000 people across the globe (Cooper, 2003). Merging the two airlines resulted in the formation of a strong union of a well organised customer service than before. The union undertook to oversee systematic arrangement in cases of bankruptcy hence giving workers more power to negotiate and maintain their wages. It lifted off workers suffering during the past years. Upon completion of the merger, it provided better benefits and compensation for the combined airlines employees. In addition, employees are significantly benefiting from being part of a leading international company with stronger financial foundation and competitive platform for greater long-term career opportunities as well as more employment opportunities. However, the merging of the two companies had some negative effects as well. Their combination composes them to behave like a monopoly because of operating in the similar industry. Monopoly meant less competition and higher prices. Setting high flight prices due to lack of competition hurts the travellers and other service consumers. This lead to frequent lawsuits from the opposing bodies, this is disruptive to the thriving business (Cooper, 2003). The merge of American Airlines and US Airways implied a combination of similar operational functions together with over capability. Most of the US Airways employees faced frictions by the internal competition and had to be retrenched hence the company ended up losing some of their skilled workers. Labor difficulties continued because of the bankruptcy which resulted in frozen pension and reduced benefits. For instance, the Labour Law still follows up in determination of fair terms. Examine the organizational structure that has resulted from the merger or acquisition. Analyze the major differences between the resulting company and the original two (2) organizations. New Organisational Structure Consequence to the Merger The organisational structure consequence to the merger involved positional shift amongst the personell. Doug Parker, the pre-existing head of the US Airways became the C.E.O of the merged company while Tom Horton became the outgoing. He became the chairman of the new companys board of directors. Derek DeCross maintained his role as the vice president of the global sales for the new American Airlines. President Scott Kirby held the same role at the new American Airlines. The rest of the organisational structure was a blend of positions that retained the most competitive human resource (Cooper, 2003). Difference between the resulting Company and the Original Ones There is a remarkable difference between the original company and the merger. This is attributed to the consideration that American Airlines was known to be traditional in terms of business promotion and conduct while US Airways was known to be less formal and transparent. The resulting new American Airline is a strong blend of their difference in culture, formality and transparency. American Airlines served 277 destinations while US Airways served 193 destinations. The new American Airline combined this number to form several more destinations connecting the world. The resulting company, therefore, formed a more stable structure that comprised of a bigger operational group than the original companies (Ulijn, 2013). Initially the original companies operated domestically but their alliance gives them power to function internationally paving way to global dominance. Determine whether or not the human resources management practices of the company were modified to reflect the outcome of the merger or acquisition. If no changes were necessary, speculate on the reasons why they were not. Provide a rationale for your response. Modification of Human Resource Management Practices The human resource management practices of the company made adjustments to reflect on the outcome because this area proved a big challenge prior to the merger. Profit-sharing and performance incentives, direct compensation, retirement options and benefits packages were all upgraded and updated. They consolidated much of their training at the primary hub and at the new headquarters so as to provide the most comprehensive hands-on skills necessary for the processes of the merger. This went down to drive supervisors and managers at both airlines tasked with ensuring that employees focused on their jobs during the drawn-out airline merger. The initial combined leadership team was made to consist of US airways employees, but the split became more levelled in the managing and supervisory ranks (Cooper, 2003). The Human Resource department was rearranged such that it had US Airways on the communications side. More so, the US Airways had already snagged Chris Kelly Singley away from Delta; the best communication corporation group, to be the managing director of communication, very vital tool in the merger procedure. Chris was planned to technically work for US Airways where she would play a very important role in joining the American Airlines US Airways communications departments to support the new airline. From Kelly, the team was broken down to serve the airport functions geographically where the hub Vice Presidents would remain unchanged on the organisational chart. Regional carriers leaders were fetched from American while one cargo boss took over the similar position. Hector Adler was tasked to run the in-flight group at the new American Airline just as was the case back at US Airways. It was arranged that from US Airways, David Seymour would lead the maintenance group while someone fr om American Airlines would take care of base maintenance (Cooper, 2003). The rest of the unmentioned human resource team such as engineering and finance remained in their positions so as to enhance their responsibilities in the combined company. Rational for modification Modification of the human management practices had to be factored in to provide an organised platform for workflow and a better transition for the employees who had to leave work. The combined company needed the best practices for human resource functions as they are a fragile component of merger and acquisitions. Strategic decisions had to be centralised to one company. These practices were changed to reflect on the promotion fairness during working under a complex merger. Without the modifications in the practices, employees benefits for the combined company would be difficult to handle. References American Airlines News. (n.d.). Retrieved February 13, 2015, from http://hub.aa.com/en/nr/pressrelease/american-airlines-us-airways-merger Cooper, C. (2003). Advances in mergers and acquisitions. Vol. 2. Amsterdam: Elsevier Science. Ulijn, J. (2010). Strategic Alliances, Mergers and Acquistions: The influence of cluture on successful cooperation. Cheltenham, UK [u.a.: Elgar. Weston, J. (2001). Mergers and Acquistions. Blacklick :: McGraw-Hill Companies, The.

Mans Eternal Search for Affection Explored in The Hunchback of Notre D

Victor Hugo penned a fantastic, picturesque story of passion and the human spirit in The Hunchback of Notre Dame. The dramatic emotions of the characters play out on the stage of fifteenth century Paris, France. Quasimodo, a repugnant physical defect of nature, lived severed from human contact, excepting that of the solemnly aloof priest, Claude Frollo. For his part, Frollo strove for knowledge until he encountered the captivatingly gorgeous gypsy dancer, Esmeralda. She existed solely to adore an arrogant captain of the King's Archers, named Phoebus de Chateaupers, for saving her from being kidnapped. Enticed by Esmeralda's dancing to the depths of his being, Frollo outwardly denounced her as a sacrilegious sorceress, but his body raged for her out of lust, accounting for his repeated attempts at having her prohibited from dancing near the cathedral, or stolen away. Esmeralda, furiously in love with Phoebus, nearly sacrificed her virtue to gain his heart, before Frollo gravely wounde d him. Tortured into confessing witchcraft and condemned to die by a court with church officials, the gypsy enchantress obtained sanctuary in Notre Dame cathedral, rescued from the hangman's noose by Quasimodo. At this point, Frollo attempted to claim Esmeralda's merciful and virtuous heartfelt forgiveness for his passion, failing miserably because his efforts appeared feeble and lascivious. Frollo and Esmeralda perished, however, after a storming of the cathedral and gruesome battle, dying sacrifices on the altar of human emotion. How emotion may exist in a studious and solemn man, having only acquired knowledge of books for a score of years, seems impossible. But desire for Esmeralda arrived after Frollo had â€Å"discovered that a man needs affection ... ...her temptation had accomplished this; therefore her cruel effect must have been fate. As she awaited death, one character noticed the incidence of destiny when she remarked that â€Å"‘God has it all written down in His book'† (182). One aspect of Victor Hugo's work, his revelations of themes, philosophies, and morals through humorous characters, seems reminiscent of Sir Walter Scott's usage of a comparable pretext. Through the philosopher/poet, Gringoire, Hugo presents a moral that â€Å"‘the temptations of the flesh are pernicious and malignant'† (276). Certainly there exists some truth to this supposition on a central idea of the novel, the animosity stirred by mortal sensitivity, that during man's eternal search for affection--even when he possesses it, he still craves more. WORKS CITED Hugo, Victor. Notre Dame de Paris. Paris, France. (publisher unknown). 1831.

Codeswitching from English Essay example -- Language

The use of codeswitching between English and other languages is examined from a sociolinguistic perspective. It will be shown that codeswitching is instinctive and achieves overarching objectives such as serving the outcome of speech, defining identity and indirectly delineating aspects of the relationship between the participants, it 'lubricates' the conversation by making it more 'fluid', and when English is used, brings clarity and precision, particularly to formal arrangements. Finally codeswitching from English as a component of 'metrolinguistics' will be considered in relation to the data provided. The extracts are between G. D. Jayalakshmi, known as Jaya, who normally speaks English (but also Kannada, a south Indian language, Bengali, some Punjabi and Tamil), Nitin and Prathibha, who are work colleagues, and her brother Jagadish, known as Jaggu. The script of the conversations can be found in the U214 Assignments document pages 3 and 4, and the line numbering references are as used there. In the first conversation between Jaya and Nitin, Jaya points out in her commentary, that in 1.1 Nitin begins in English 'because the conversation is about work', in 1.2 she replies in Kannada, to demonstrate her friendliness toward him whilst observing that Nitin's use of English is due, not only to the work context, but also his knowledge that she has lived in England for many years and he too, wishes to show her friendliness by using English. Jaya concludes that they have used two languages to get closer, but they finish the conversation, 1.6 to 1.11 in English, which, talking to Pratibha in dialogue 2 she describes as the language of 'definiteness', or again in 4, with Jaggu, 'of arrangements'. The few words at the start of this ... ...OM), Milton Keynes, The Open University. English in the World, (2012), (U214, Worlds of English, DVD ROM), Milton Keynes, The Open University. McCormick, K. (2012), 'English and Other Languages' in Seargeant, P. and Swann, J. (ed.) History, Diversity, Change (U214, English in the World), Milton Keynes, The Open University, pp. 245-290. Meyerhoff, M. and Strycharz, A. (2012), 'Variation and Change in English' in Seargeant, P. and Swann, J. (ed.) History, Diversity, Change (U214, English in the World), Milton Keynes, The Open University, pp. 291-329. North, S. (2012), 'English a Linguistic Toolkit' (U214, Worlds of English), Milton Keynes, The Open University. Transcript, 'Clip 1.6.3 Codeswitching between English, Kannada and Hindi' printed from English: a Linguistic Tool Kit, (2012), (U214, Worlds of English, DVD ROM), Milton Keynes, The Open University.

Compare and Contrast Poems ‘Still I Rise’ and ‘I Shall Return’ Essay

The poems I am comparing and contrasting are ‘Still I Rise’ and ‘I Shall Return.’ The main similarity between these poems is to do with the theme. They both talk about confidence and mental strength. The poets both have had very different upbringings, but have both been depressed at one point in their lives. The woman who wrote ‘Still I Rise’, Maya Angelou, was born in Saint Louis. Maya was sent to live with her grandmother after she was raped by her mother’s boyfriend. Soon after, she moved to San Francisco, to try to forget about her troubled childhood. She wrote the bestseller â€Å"I Know Why the Cage Bird Sings† as she travelled, and can now speak fluently in lots of languages. ‘Still I Rise’ is based on Maya’s childhood; being treated unfairly, but still coming back with confidence. The other poet was a man, Claude McKay, who was born in Jamaica. He moved to America and founded ‘African blood brothers.’ Shortly after, he moved to London where he died of a heart attack. His poem, ‘I Shall Return’ shows he wanted other people to be grateful for what they had, and to show he had happier times in his childhood. Also, it’s the start of your life; the only time you can control your future, which is a very important thing in this poem as I feel he wishes that he could have stayed in the happy place of his childhood, and that it could have changed his whole life. The way he talks about his recent pain â€Å"To ease my mind of long, long years of pain† and the way he uses repetition emphasises the fact he couldn’t get away from the pain. ‘Still I rise’ is about Maya Angelou’s history. When you read the poem, you feel she has had a bad past, even if you do not know anything about her. The main themes in the poem are about discrimination, and being ill-treated but still coming across as the stronger one. She repeats â€Å"I’ll rise† throughout the poem, showing she has high hopes for herself. Towards the end of the poem, she starts to say â€Å"I rise,† which shows she is happy with how she is now, and possibly happy with the way people treat her. The point in this poem is to show that Maya had personal problems, but wanted to show she had enough inner strength to write about them, and that she wanted someone to listen to what she had to say. The way ‘I Shall Return’ is written helps with how you interpret the poem. McKay wrote the poem in present tense â€Å"To laugh and love and watch with wonder-eyes†, but explains his dreams in the future tense â€Å"I Shall Return to hear the fiddle and fife†. This makes it obvious that his dreams aren’t yet fulfilled, but he hopes they will eventually. The theme is clear all the way through the poem. He repeats â€Å"I shall return, I shall return again,† to show his desire to return to the place of his happy childhood memories. McKay idealised his childhood, he ignored any imperfections and suggests his childhood was perfect. When he went to America, he noticed how much people didn’t respect their life, but this just made him realise how much he had, and he just let it go. The repetition he uses in the poem emphasises his longing to make people appreciate what they have. Another of the main comparisons is that both poems are very personal; they decipher the poets’ childhoods and longings in life. The poems uncover the poets’ history, present lives’, and what they desire in the future. The poems both have pastoral and natural imagery amongst them, â€Å"The forest fires burn† from ‘I Shall Return,’ and â€Å"Just like moons and suns† from ‘Still I Rise.’ This is a comparison; however, they explain them in a completely different context, Maya describing them as ‘on her side’ as she compares them with herself, turning the words into metaphors and using personification. Whereas McKay uses the natural imagery as a relaxing thing as he uses calm words such as ‘loiter’ and ‘bathe’ which makes this a contrasting point. The way the poets have done this is a brilliant way to get the poem flowing with different moods, whilst still getting their purpose across. Angelou talks in a relaxing style, but uses rhetorical questions. This makes her sound challenging and possibly even angry. McKay uses slight aggression and anger in ‘I shall return.’ He uses bold imagery to do this. He also talks about natural things like â€Å"forest fires burn† and â€Å"blades of the bending grasses† and uses personification to make them seem like bad things, like blades of knives, and the burning of flames. However, he does also express his ‘washed away’ feeling vaguely, â€Å"†¦the streams that bathe the†¦Ã¢â‚¬  shows he has a lot of respect for things that happen everyday and shows how much beauty they actually have. The poets make points and raise ideas about confidence whilst they talk about their childhood â€Å"Did you want to see me broken?† (‘Still I Rise’) makes a point of something that hurt her in the past, but now she shows she has enough strength to ask those questions she always wanted to know. That is similar in both poems, but talk in completely different attitudes, whilst explaining similar things. In my opinion, both poems are equally as good. ‘Still I rise’ uses very strong metaphors to bring back how Maya feels about black female history. â€Å"I’m a black ocean, leaping and wide, welling and swelling†¦Ã¢â‚¬  is a brilliant phrase, using strong personification. A â€Å"black ocean† takes the biggest thing on the planet, and uses black to make it seem mysterious. â€Å"Welling and swelling† could be annotated in two different ways; that black history is becoming more recognised as a big thing, or, the â€Å"welling and swelling† of a woman’s stomach when she is pregnant, emphasising the fact women play a big part in the world, that they are the ones who bring children into the world, and happiness. ‘I shall return’ is short but to the point. Claude takes beautiful things and ‘twists’ them, to make them seem they have a strong personality of their own. This poem is very effective with the way Claude uses very bold imagery. He takes things that people come across every day, but don’t take them into consideration in the way they should.

Reasons for United States Possible Attack on Iran Essay

The topic on the possibility of United States launching a military attack against Iran has dominated much news for several years since the Bush administration and during which some quarters speculated that such an attack would be ordered before the administration left office. As early as 2005, a number of articles had started revealing the imminent plans by Pentagon to order military operations against Iran. While people and the media may speculate and give their opinions about many aspects of the imminent war, the most important issue to understand is the reasons which may spark the attack. It is therefore the objective of this paper to discuss the reasons why US would engage in a military land war with Iran. 2. 0 The Euro-Based Oil Bourse This is one of the major reasons which revolve around the plan by Tehran government in 2005 and 2006 to start competing with the New York Mercantile Exchange (NYMEX), the largest physical commodity futures exchange in the world based in New York and the London based International Petroleum Exchange (IPE) by using the euro-dominated oil trading mechanism (Clark, 2004). The logic behind this is that by using this mechanism in international oil trades, the euro is going to take dominance and establish a firm ground which will serve to overshadow the strength of the U. S dollar in the global oil market. The U. S government therefore considers this a real threat by Tehran government which warrants intervention to protect the dollar from being toppled off from its long term monopoly in the critical international oil market. It is worth noting that lack of an oil pricing standard that is euro-dominated also referred to oil â€Å"marker† in the oil trading industry is one of the technical challenges facing the euro-based trading system in oil transactions. The oil markers currently in operation today are the U. S dollar dominated which include Norway Brent crude, West Texas Intermediate crude, and the UAE Dubai crude. In the spring of 2003, Iran laid down a requirement that all the transactions for its Asian and European oil exports be conducted using the euro currency though the pricing of oil was still predominantly controlled by the dollar. Following an official announcement in 2004 that Iran had intentions to develop an Iranian oil Bourse, it raised the concerns that a stiff competition would ensue between the Iranian oil bourse and the U. S owned NYME and the IPE (Clark, 2004). The macroeconomic implications of such a development would cause a shift in the international commerce in both Middle East and the European Union which is the largest importer of oil from OPEC producers. Consequently, the financial hegemony enjoyed by the IPE and NYMEX would be greatly challenged and thus the U. S is likely to avoid this through military action. 3. 0 The Ambitious Nuclear Program of Iran The Tehran’s nuclear ambition is another possible reason as to why the U. S may launch a land military attack on Iran. This has been seen from the latest series of sanctions on Iran by the Obama administration which mainly targets the Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps which is the most powerful social, political and economic institution in Iran. The organization also has a large number of companies and banks and therefore makes it an appropriate target for these sanctions (LANDLER & COOPER, 2010). However, the critical thing to focus on with regard to this issue is whether these sanctions have the capacity to compel Iran to halt its nuclear program. If the history of political and economic sanctions against countries is anything to go by, then Iran may not change its course despite the sanctions and this may lead to war. The reason for the sanctions is to â€Å"contain† Tehran which depicts a link which leads from diplomatic pressure to military action (Nadal, 2010). Tehran views this threat as real considering that its two neighbors to the west and to the east have a large number of U. S troops. 4. 0 Conclusion A possible military action on Iran by the US cannot be overlooked since the reasons surrounding this possibility would also have major effects on the economy and the security of the US. Considering the economic problems facing the US, the attempts by Iran to establish the euro-based oil bourse may seem as an attempt to suppress the dollar in the international oil market. The nuclear program also would threaten the security not only of the US but also of the world if it is not either regulated or completely halted. To aver the nuclear weapons development, Washington ought to try and alter the perceptions of threat harbored by Iran against America. References Clark, W. (2004). The Real Reasons Why Iran is the Next Target: The Emerging Euro-denominated International Oil Marker. Retrieved August 20, 2010, from http://www. globalresearch. ca/articles/CLA410A. html LANDLER, M. , & COOPER, H. (2010). U. S. Eyes New Sanctions Over Iran Nuclear Program. Retrieved August 20, 2010, from http://www. nytimes. com/2010/02/10/world/middleeast/10sanctions. html? _r=1 Nadal, A. (2010). Sanctions against Iran and the Next War. Retrieved August 20, 2010, from http://www. campaigniran. org/casmii/index. php? q=node/10518