Tuesday, December 31, 2019
So What Exactly Do Economists Do
On this site, we constantly refer to what economists think, believe, discover, and propose in our quest to learn about the economy and economic theory. But who are these economists? And what do economists really do? What is an Economist? The complexity in answering what at first appears to be a simple question of what an economist does,à lies in the need for a definition of an economist. And what a broad description that can be! Unlike certain job titles like Chief Executive Officer (CEO) or professional designations and degrees like Medical Doctor (MD), economists do not share a particular job description or even a prescribed higher education curriculum. In fact, there is no exam nor certification process that a person must complete before calling themselves an economist. Because of this, the term can be used loosely or sometimes not at all. There are people who use economics and economic theory heavily in their work but do not have the word economist in their title. Its no surprise then that the most simplistic definition of an economist is simply an expert in economics or a professional in the social science discipline of economics. In academia, for instance, the title economist generally requires a PhD in the discipline. The United States government, on the other hand, hires economists for various roles provided they hold a degree that included at least 21 credit hours in economics and 3 hours in statistics, calculus, or accounting. For the purposes of this article, weà will define an economist as someone who: Holds a post-secondary degree in economics or an economics-related fieldUses the concepts of economics and economic theory in their professional work This definition will serve as nothing but a starting point as we must recognize that it is imperfect. For instance, there are people who are commonly considered to be economists, but may hold degrees in other fields. Some, even, who have been published in the field without holding a specific economic degree. What Do Economists Do? Using our definition of an economist, an economist can do a great many things. An economist might conduct research, monitor economic trends, collect and analyze data, or study, develop, or apply economic theory. As such, economists may hold positions in business, government, or academia. An economistsà focus may be on a particular topic like inflation or interest rates or they may be broad in their approach. Using their understanding of economic relationships, economists might be employed to advise business firms, nonprofits, labor unions, or government agencies.à Many economists are involved in the practical application of economic policy, which could include a focus on several areas from finance to labor or energy to health care. An economist may also make their home in academia. Some economists are primarily theoreticians and may spend a majority of their days deep in mathematical models to develop new economic theories and discover new economic relationships. Others may devot e their time equally to research and teaching, and hold a position as a professor to mentor the next generation of economists and economic thinkers. So perhaps when it comes to economists, a more fitting question might be, what dont economists do?
Monday, December 23, 2019
How Does Margaret Atwood Establish and Develop a Dystopian...
Throughout Margaret Atwoodââ¬â¢s The Handmaidââ¬â¢s Tale an imagined place or state in which everything is unpleasant or bad, typically a totalitarian or environmentally degraded state is created through the use of multiple themes and narrative techniques. In a dystopia, we can usually find a society that has become all kinds of wrong, in direct contrast to a utopia, or a perfect society. Like many totalitarian states, the Republic of Gilead starts out as an envisioned utopia by a select few: a remade world where lower-class women are given the opportunity interact with upper-class couples in order to provide them with children, and the human race can feel confident about producing future generations with the potential to see past divisions ofâ⬠¦show more contentâ⬠¦To the present day reader the idea of only being free in your memories is far too restricting ââ¬â reinforcing the dystopian narrative. As Offredââ¬â¢s relationship with the commander develops we see and emergence of the idea that even in a powerless regime women can exploit their sexual power and we become familiar with the idea of ââ¬Ëfallen womenââ¬â¢. Offred is in her room and filled with nostalgia for the outmoded habit of falling in love; ââ¬ËFalling in love, I said. Falling into itââ¬â¢ which is then mirrored; ââ¬ËFalling in love, we said; I fell for himââ¬â¢. The underlying biblical reference to ââ¬ËThe Fallââ¬â¢ when Adam ate the apple from the tree of knowledge in the Garden of Eden is very prominent. We are forced to consider the idea of the fall from innocence, which is presented as a paradox in this dystopian world as the women are not, by the terms of the bible, innocent. However it is also a reflection of the Gilead society because biblically ââ¬ËThe Fallââ¬â¢ was Eveââ¬â¢s betrayal of Adam and the women who have been deemed ââ¬Å"fallenâ⬠were unable to become pregnant ââ¬â the ultimate betrayal of this society. The whole idea of ââ¬Å"fallingâ⬠is hugely passive and gives the impression of a very powerless action. For women in present day society I believe it would be the ultimate torment to be catapulted back in societal thinking where woman were far less than equal as it has previously been. The repetition of biblical references strongly draws in
Sunday, December 15, 2019
Innovation of Toyota in Hybrid Free Essays
Toyota Innovation Lecturer: Dr. Barbara Igel Group members: Mr. Nguyen Hoang Hai Ms. We will write a custom essay sample on Innovation of Toyota in Hybrid or any similar topic only for you Order Now Pham Thi Thu Hoai Ms. Kieu Phuong Ly 1 Toyota Introduction â⬠¢ â⬠¢ â⬠¢ â⬠¢ Established: 28 August 1937 Entrepreneur: Mr. Kiichiro Toyoda Total unit sold (up to July 2012): 200mil cars Company achievement: ?Product development motivation ?Extraordinary capability to manage large global product development portfolio ?Launch more new vehicles than competitors ?Consistently deliver winners ?Continuous innovation and development 2 Prius XW10 the first Toyotaââ¬â¢s hybrid was given to the market in December 1997 3 Prius XW10 he first Toyotaââ¬â¢s hybrid was given to the market in December 1997 The car can run by both the gasoline and electricity 4 Differences Regular Car Hybrid Car Gasoline Gasoline electricity CO2 emissions Less CO2 emissions Noise Silence powering High fuel consumption Low fuel consumption 5 Green Prius Make your gas last longer, Make your save last longer and Make your dream comes true 6 The first generation An Architecture Innovation Product Pr ius XW10 7 What kind of innovation in nth Generations of Toyota Prius? Prius V Prius C Prius Plug -in Incremental innovation products 8 Competitive Advantage Product Development Strategy Process Goals 9 Product development strategy ? Conceiving designing news cars ? Durability Reliability ? Increase capital investment shorter RD cycles ? Reduce market risk 10 Product Development Process ? Fine balance between ââ¬Å"shusaâ⬠program leader ââ¬Å"buchoâ⬠functional leader ? Parallel-path development, manage design and engineering trade-offs, and ensure flexibility (Apollo 11) ? Good relationship with suppliers 11 Product Development Process (â⬠¦cont) ? Focus on collaboration and process ? Capturing and sharing the knowledge experience ? Monozukuri (ââ¬Å"making productsâ⬠) coming irectly from hitozukuri (ââ¬Å"making peopleâ⬠) 12 Product Development Goals Focus on product value which perceived by customers Product Value GAP Product Cost 13 PRIUS ââ¬â THE LEADER OF HYBRID CARS PRIUS Toyota Time of Sales Models Sold units (at the end of september 2012) INSIGHT Honda 1997 1999 5 (with three generation) 2 (wit h two generation) 2,804,900 1,000,000 14 Solution adopted by the company Source: (Dehoff K. Loehr J. , 2007, Innovation Ability) 15 Innovation Framework (Igel B. , 2012, Innovation Techno entrepreneurship course) 16 Source: (Dehoff K. Loehr J. , 2007, Innovation Ability) 17 Reasons ? Thick history development culture ? Toyota Way: ââ¬Å"people is the heart and soulâ⬠ââ¬Å"is the determinant of ââ¬Å" best practiceâ⬠approachâ⬠18 Reasons ? ââ¬Å"Shusaâ⬠: program manager ? ââ¬Å"buchoâ⬠: functional manger ? Balancing authority ? Culture: the program success goal sharing broadly through the company 19 Reasons ? Forward back up solution are developed simultaneously ? Ensure timeline schedule ? Culture: better product by making innovation everyday 20 Reasons ? Investing the innovative capacities to longterm suppliers ? Culture: collectivism, long-term thinking, uncertain avoidance ââ¬â HIGH 21 Reasons Capturing sharing knowledge and experience, making it available ? Management by means not by results ? Culture: better product by making innovation everyday 22 Reasons ? ââ¬Å"making productâ⬠emanate from ââ¬Å"making peopleâ⬠? Culture: People is the heart soul of Toyota; the life of employees together with the life of the company. 23 Reasons ? Strong ? Core values: ? Personal accountability ? Continuous improvement ? Collaboration ? Elimination of waste 24 Source: (Dehoff K. Loehr J. , 2007, Innovation Ability) 25 Apply in Vietnam? ?No 26 Source: (Dehoff K. Loehr J. , 2007, Innovation Ability) 27 28 How to cite Innovation of Toyota in Hybrid, Essay examples
Friday, December 6, 2019
LSD (lysergic Acid Dyethilamide) Essay Example For Students
LSD (lysergic Acid Dyethilamide) Essay A Swiss chemist named Dr. Albert Hoffman first produced lysergic acid Diethylmide or best known as LSD in 1938 (Dye, 1992, p. 2). Hoffman discovered the drug while trying to synthesize a new drug for the treatment of headaches. He obtained the lysergic acid from the parasitic fungus that grows on rye plants known as ergot. From the lysergic acid, he synthesized the compound LSD. He used the compound to test for its pain killing properties on laboratory animals. Being that appeared totally ineffective, the bottle of LSD was placed on a shelf and remained untouched for five years. On April 16, 1943, Dr. Hoffman decided to do further research with the LSD compound (Dye, 1992 p. 5). While handling the drug, he accidentally ingested an unknown amount. Then he experienced the worlds first LSD trip. About eight hours later Hoffman drifted back into normal reality and the Psychedelic Revolution was born. (Encarta 98) Three days later, in an attempt to prove that the previous episode was inde ed caused by the ingestion of LSD, Dr. Hoffman ingested what he thought would be a small quantity of LSD, 250 micrograms. In actuality, this is approximately five times the dosage necessary to produce heavy hallucinations in the average adult male (Solomon, 1964, p. 34). The drug produced effects that were much more intense than the first time Hoffman took the LSD. He noted that he felt unrest, dizziness, visual disturbances, a tendency to laugh at inappropriate times, and a difficulty in concentration (Dye, 1992, p.7). Dr. Hoffmans condition improved six hours after taking the drug, although visual disturbances and distortion continued. LSD was first shipped to the United States in 1949 (Solomon, 1964 , p. 54). American scientists tested LSD on animals to learn of its effects. It produced dramatic behavior changes in all animals investigated. During the 1950s, experimentation of LSD on humans began (Solomon, 1964, p. 56). Since there were few restrictions on using humans for experi mentation at the time, scientists were free to administer the drug widely, hoping to find some useful therapeutic value for the drug. Because of Hoffmans LSD account of depersonalization produced by the drug. Early studies were done using the drug to treat various psychiatric disorders. It was felt that if a person could step outside themselves and view situations as others saw them, they could come to grips with their problems and be able to solve them. One of the first areas of LSD experimentation was in treating alcoholism (Dye, 1992, p.36). After extensive research, it was concluded that LSD was not effective on treating alcoholism and the research was discontinued. LSD was also tested on schizophrenics, drug addicts and criminals (Dye, 1992 p. 38). Research determined that LSD was ineffective in treating any behavioral problems. It was also concluded that LSD might transform a normal individual into a person with a very calm to severe personality problem. The Central Intelligen ce Agency and various military agencies also became interested in LSD research in the late 1950s (Dye, 1992, p.410.) Their interest in the drug was in the area of mind control. They saw the possibility of manipulating of manipulating the beliefs of strong willed people. They gave the drug to a group of army scientists and then attempted to change some of their basic beliefs while under the influence of the drug. However, one of the scientists became psychotic and committed suicide by jumping from a hotel window. These agencies continued their research by using drug addicts and prostitutes to test their mind control theories. After extensive experimentation, it became apparent that LSD could alter LSD the mind but not control it. The United States government discontinued this sort of research. Up until today, the Food and Drug Administration have never approved LSD. This strong hallucinageous drug remains only as research and medical treatment. LSD belongs to a class of psychotropic drugs called hallucinogens (Gorodetzky, 1992). Other drugs in this category are mescaline (derived from peyote cactus) and psilocybin (commonly known as hallucinogenic mushrooms). LSD is most commonly taken orally but may also be taken by injection, inhalation, or by absorption through the skin. When it is taken orally, the individual usually notices the effect of the drug within thirty minutes. It may take one hour before the user experiences the drugs maximum effects. This state usually lasts two to four hours. The usual dose taken is fifty to one hundred micrograms, although much higher and lower doses have been ingested. The intensity of the hallucinatory experience depends on the dose taken. The psychological, perpetual, and behavioral effects of LSD persists for eight to twelve hours and gradually wears off after reaching their maximum effects (Gorodetzky, 1992). The effect of the drug is determined by a persons mental state, the structur e of their personality, and the physical setting. The role of culture and belief systems is primary in the effects of hallucinogenic states. The experience following the ingestion of LSD is called a trip and can be good or bad depending on its effect on the user. The physiological effects may vary. Depersonalization is a frequent psychological effect of LSD (Solomon, 1964, p. 157). A persons self seems to be divided into two parts: an uninvolved observer and a participating involved self. The uninvolved self is sometimes seen as an unidentified person that the user later recognizes as his or her self. The user is frequently unable to distinguish where their body ends and the environment begins. Another effect of LSD is derealization. Derealization is a dreamlike state in which the individual cannot tell if they are experiencing reality or dreaming (Solomon, 1964, p.159). A person under the influence of LSD may misjudge the size and distance of objects. The shapes of objects are also distorted and constantly changing. Objects that do not exist may also change in form and color. These objects can often be seen when the user s eyes are closed because the image is produced within the mind. Colors also appear to be brighter and more intense than normal. Synesthesia, which refers to the mixing of the senses, is another effect of LSD (Solomon, 1964, p. 164). During synthesia, experiences normally associated with one sense are translated to another. For example, sounds may be seen and colors may be smelled. LSD also often distorts time. The user may be unable to separate events from the past, present, and future. A lack of concentration and impairment in judgment are also common. An individual on LSD may remain completely motionless for long periods of time or hyperactive. LSD can also produce rapid mood changes. Another group of LSD induced effects are referred to as somatic symptoms (Solomon, 1964, p. 171). These symptoms include dizziness, weakness, tremors, blurre d vision, and tingling sensation of the skin. It is still not fully known how LSD works on the brain. In addition to the psychological effects of LSD, the drug produces many physiological effects as well. LSD dilates the pupils of the eyes. It can also cause blurred vision, and increases blood pressure, heart rate, and body temperature. The drug also increases blood sugar, can produce sweating and chills headaches, nausea, and vomiting. There are also changes in the muscles, resulting in weakness, tremors, numbness, and twitching. Abnormal, rapid breathing may occur. ( Dye, 1992, p. 122)LSD users experience some kind of flashbacks after taking the drug. A flashback is a spontaneous recurrence of certain aspects of an LSD related hallucinatory experience (Gorodetzky, 1992). If a flashback occurs after only one exposure to LSD, the initial trip was most likely a bad one. Flashbacks can occur at any time, but are more likely to occur while sleeping, while under the influence of other i ntoxicants, or while a person is in the presence of someone under the influence of LSD. Flashbacks have been known to cause psychotic and suicide reactions have been recorded as insanity. Bermuda Triangle EssayThe use of LSD continued to increase during the late 1960s and 1970s, due to the publicity by Timothy Leary and the social upheaval that took place in the United States at that time. The use of LSD peaked in the early 1970s and then began to steadily decline (Dye, 1992, p. 120). Dye attributes this to three factors: the increasing number of bad trips reported, speculation of LSD related chromosomal damage, and other drugs such as mescaline and psilocybin becoming more prevalent. By the late 1970s, LSD use had declined even further as many drug users turned to marijuana, PCP, cocaine, heroin, and inhalants (Dye, 1992, p. 128). While these drugs are still in widespread use, a resurgence of LSD use has been seen in recent years (Corcoran, 1987, p.1A). The 1987 National Household Survey of Drug Abuse stated that three percent of students between the ages of twelve and seventeen had experimented with one or more hallucinogens, fourteen percent of young adults ages eighteen to twenty-five and seven percent of adults twenty-six and over had tried hallucinogens at least once. (Mendelson,94) LSD enables me to open my mind, and stimulates my creativity. It helps me to think clearly and helps my writing. LSD helps me to be myself, said a sixteen-year-old LSD user. Does LSD enhance the mind or deteriorate it? This is not fully known. Since LSDs effects on the brain have not been fully determined, an accurate conclusion about the drug cannot be made. It has been established that LSD can cause toxic reactions and even death due to the unpredictability of the drug. Is damaging yourself justification for mind expansion? For some it is. Will we ever know how dangerous a drug LSD is? With further scientific research still taking place, this question will soon be answered. Category: Science
LSD (lysergic Acid Dyethilamide) Essay Example For Students
LSD (lysergic Acid Dyethilamide) Essay A Swiss chemist named Dr. Albert Hoffman first produced lysergic acid Diethylmide or best known as LSD in 1938 (Dye, 1992, p. 2). Hoffman discovered the drug while trying to synthesize a new drug for the treatment of headaches. He obtained the lysergic acid from the parasitic fungus that grows on rye plants known as ergot. From the lysergic acid, he synthesized the compound LSD. He used the compound to test for its pain killing properties on laboratory animals. Being that appeared totally ineffective, the bottle of LSD was placed on a shelf and remained untouched for five years. On April 16, 1943, Dr. Hoffman decided to do further research with the LSD compound (Dye, 1992 p. 5). While handling the drug, he accidentally ingested an unknown amount. Then he experienced the worlds first LSD trip. About eight hours later Hoffman drifted back into normal reality and the Psychedelic Revolution was born. (Encarta 98) Three days later, in an attempt to prove that the previous episode was inde ed caused by the ingestion of LSD, Dr. Hoffman ingested what he thought would be a small quantity of LSD, 250 micrograms. In actuality, this is approximately five times the dosage necessary to produce heavy hallucinations in the average adult male (Solomon, 1964, p. 34). The drug produced effects that were much more intense than the first time Hoffman took the LSD. He noted that he felt unrest, dizziness, visual disturbances, a tendency to laugh at inappropriate times, and a difficulty in concentration (Dye, 1992, p.7). Dr. Hoffmans condition improved six hours after taking the drug, although visual disturbances and distortion continued. LSD was first shipped to the United States in 1949 (Solomon, 1964 , p. 54). American scientists tested LSD on animals to learn of its effects. It produced dramatic behavior changes in all animals investigated. During the 1950s, experimentation of LSD on humans began (Solomon, 1964, p. 56). Since there were few restrictions on using humans for experi mentation at the time, scientists were free to administer the drug widely, hoping to find some useful therapeutic value for the drug. Because of Hoffmans LSD account of depersonalization produced by the drug. Early studies were done using the drug to treat various psychiatric disorders. It was felt that if a person could step outside themselves and view situations as others saw them, they could come to grips with their problems and be able to solve them. One of the first areas of LSD experimentation was in treating alcoholism (Dye, 1992, p.36). After extensive research, it was concluded that LSD was not effective on treating alcoholism and the research was discontinued. LSD was also tested on schizophrenics, drug addicts and criminals (Dye, 1992 p. 38). Research determined that LSD was ineffective in treating any behavioral problems. It was also concluded that LSD might transform a normal individual into a person with a very calm to severe personality problem. The Central Intelligen ce Agency and various military agencies also became interested in LSD research in the late 1950s (Dye, 1992, p.410.) Their interest in the drug was in the area of mind control. They saw the possibility of manipulating of manipulating the beliefs of strong willed people. They gave the drug to a group of army scientists and then attempted to change some of their basic beliefs while under the influence of the drug. However, one of the scientists became psychotic and committed suicide by jumping from a hotel window. These agencies continued their research by using drug addicts and prostitutes to test their mind control theories. After extensive experimentation, it became apparent that LSD could alter LSD the mind but not control it. The United States government discontinued this sort of research. Up until today, the Food and Drug Administration have never approved LSD. This strong hallucinageous drug remains only as research and medical treatment. LSD belongs to a class of psychotropic drugs called hallucinogens (Gorodetzky, 1992). Other drugs in this category are mescaline (derived from peyote cactus) and psilocybin (commonly known as hallucinogenic mushrooms). LSD is most commonly taken orally but may also be taken by injection, inhalation, or by absorption through the skin. When it is taken orally, the individual usually notices the effect of the drug within thirty minutes. It may take one hour before the user experiences the drugs maximum effects. This state usually lasts two to four hours. The usual dose taken is fifty to one hundred micrograms, although much higher and lower doses have been ingested. The intensity of the hallucinatory experience depends on the dose taken. The psychological, perpetual, and behavioral effects of LSD persists for eight to twelve hours and gradually wears off after reaching their maximum effects (Gorodetzky, 1992). The effect of the drug is determined by a persons mental state, the structur e of their personality, and the physical setting. The role of culture and belief systems is primary in the effects of hallucinogenic states. The experience following the ingestion of LSD is called a trip and can be good or bad depending on its effect on the user. The physiological effects may vary. Depersonalization is a frequent psychological effect of LSD (Solomon, 1964, p. 157). A persons self seems to be divided into two parts: an uninvolved observer and a participating involved self. The uninvolved self is sometimes seen as an unidentified person that the user later recognizes as his or her self. The user is frequently unable to distinguish where their body ends and the environment begins. Another effect of LSD is derealization. Derealization is a dreamlike state in which the individual cannot tell if they are experiencing reality or dreaming (Solomon, 1964, p.159). A person under the influence of LSD may misjudge the size and distance of objects. The shapes of objects are also distorted and constantly changing. Objects that do not exist may also change in form and color. These objects can often be seen when the user s eyes are closed because the image is produced within the mind. Colors also appear to be brighter and more intense than normal. Synesthesia, which refers to the mixing of the senses, is another effect of LSD (Solomon, 1964, p. 164). During synthesia, experiences normally associated with one sense are translated to another. For example, sounds may be seen and colors may be smelled. LSD also often distorts time. The user may be unable to separate events from the past, present, and future. A lack of concentration and impairment in judgment are also common. An individual on LSD may remain completely motionless for long periods of time or hyperactive. LSD can also produce rapid mood changes. Another group of LSD induced effects are referred to as somatic symptoms (Solomon, 1964, p. 171). These symptoms include dizziness, weakness, tremors, blurre d vision, and tingling sensation of the skin. It is still not fully known how LSD works on the brain. In addition to the psychological effects of LSD, the drug produces many physiological effects as well. LSD dilates the pupils of the eyes. It can also cause blurred vision, and increases blood pressure, heart rate, and body temperature. The drug also increases blood sugar, can produce sweating and chills headaches, nausea, and vomiting. There are also changes in the muscles, resulting in weakness, tremors, numbness, and twitching. Abnormal, rapid breathing may occur. ( Dye, 1992, p. 122)LSD users experience some kind of flashbacks after taking the drug. A flashback is a spontaneous recurrence of certain aspects of an LSD related hallucinatory experience (Gorodetzky, 1992). If a flashback occurs after only one exposure to LSD, the initial trip was most likely a bad one. Flashbacks can occur at any time, but are more likely to occur while sleeping, while under the influence of other i ntoxicants, or while a person is in the presence of someone under the influence of LSD. Flashbacks have been known to cause psychotic and suicide reactions have been recorded as insanity. Bermuda Triangle EssayThe use of LSD continued to increase during the late 1960s and 1970s, due to the publicity by Timothy Leary and the social upheaval that took place in the United States at that time. The use of LSD peaked in the early 1970s and then began to steadily decline (Dye, 1992, p. 120). Dye attributes this to three factors: the increasing number of bad trips reported, speculation of LSD related chromosomal damage, and other drugs such as mescaline and psilocybin becoming more prevalent. By the late 1970s, LSD use had declined even further as many drug users turned to marijuana, PCP, cocaine, heroin, and inhalants (Dye, 1992, p. 128). While these drugs are still in widespread use, a resurgence of LSD use has been seen in recent years (Corcoran, 1987, p.1A). The 1987 National Household Survey of Drug Abuse stated that three percent of students between the ages of twelve and seventeen had experimented with one or more hallucinogens, fourteen percent of young adults ages eighteen to twenty-five and seven percent of adults twenty-six and over had tried hallucinogens at least once. (Mendelson,94) LSD enables me to open my mind, and stimulates my creativity. It helps me to think clearly and helps my writing. LSD helps me to be myself, said a sixteen-year-old LSD user. Does LSD enhance the mind or deteriorate it? This is not fully known. Since LSDs effects on the brain have not been fully determined, an accurate conclusion about the drug cannot be made. It has been established that LSD can cause toxic reactions and even death due to the unpredictability of the drug. Is damaging yourself justification for mind expansion? For some it is. Will we ever know how dangerous a drug LSD is? With further scientific research still taking place, this question will soon be answered. Category: Science
Friday, November 29, 2019
Anzaldua essays
Anzaldua essays Gloria Anzaldua writes about a borderland. Thisborderland? is what she explains as where two or more cultures meet with each other. Two essays in which she wrote are Entering into the Serpent and How to Tame a Wild Tongue. Both of these essays are written in English and Spanish, making it difficult for some to understand. She does this to show people what it was like to not understand. Anzaldua discusses her experiences growing up between many cultures. As a woman of many identities, she has suffered oppression because of who and what she represents in an American culture that is threatened by anyone who is not of white color. In Entering into the Serpent, Anzaldua paints a picture of her culture and defines what culture is to her. She tells many stories of different Spanish cultures. In How to Tame a Wild Tongue, Anzaldua points out that it was not only from white people that she faced challenges. Her own people forced her to live her life in a state of division. She tried to conform to the white man's expectation and was then called apocho? (cultural traitor). She was accused of ruining the Spanish language when she spoke English, and most Latinos accused her of ruining Spanish as she spoke Chicano Spanish. Anzaldua was told by Latinos thatyou?re speaking the oppressor's language by speaking English, you?re ruining the Spanish language?. Anzaldua examines the origins of some of the different languages she speaks, and in doing so she reveals the processes of transculturation that helped to shape them. Anzaldua draws a connection between her identity and the various languages she uses. For instance, she names Standard and Working Class English as the languages that she learned in school and from the media. Chicano Texas Spanish is the language that is closest to her heart and the one she uses when speaking to her mom, younger brother, aunts and older relatives. Of the eight different languages she speaks all ha ...
Monday, November 25, 2019
Thursday, November 21, 2019
Literature Review of multinational cost of capital 2233 Essay
Literature Review of multinational cost of capital 2233 - Essay Example The common equity highlights the opportunity cost that is obtained from the funds and invest the amounts in other stocks. The cost exceeds the retained earnings as it includes the expenses that are linked with the sale of new stocks (Durand, 1963; Heston and Rouwenhorst, 1994). The cost of debt of a multinational can be measured easily as it incurs the interest expense that results from the borrowing funds. The multinationals are observed to use specific mix of capital components and employ appropriate capital structure, which has the ability to reduce its cost of capital (Kraus and Litzenberger, 1973). When cost of capital of multinationals is low, the rate of return on projects is also observed to be low. The companies predict their cost of capital before conducting any capital budgeting technique as they have to calculate their net present value of the project. This net present value is dependent on cost of capital (Kraus and Litzenberger, 1973). The multinational companies encounter intricate cost of capital problems as compared to their domestic counterparts. This complexity offers higher opportunity to the firms to reduce their cost of capital. In the last 50 years, the application of financial management has changed to a great extent. This is reflected on the ownership structure and size of the company. This has also altered the functions of financial systems and the instruments that are used for depicting the financial structure of the company (Modigliani and Miller, 1958). This research paper aims at highlighting the different aspects of multinational cost of capital by emphasising on the opinions of different authors. The multinational companies have the ability to raise capital for its operation from different capital markets around the world, despite its domestic opportunity. It is well identified that the multinational companies often encounter difficulty in the foreign country due to the difference in cost of capital between the
Wednesday, November 20, 2019
Apple Watch and its luxury gambit Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words
Apple Watch and its luxury gambit - Essay Example t it made its launching a disappointment to the many apple fans waiting for the product as they questioned what possible feature or reason would make them spend that amount of money. The watch comes with beautiful wrist bands that make them look like jewellery and a button that makes swiping of the screen easier, however, it was noted during the launch, there were confusing array of touches and buttons that were not as obvious as other apple devices. The launch of this watch was a disappointment to many because it did not meet the high standards people expected from it. Though there are many who appreciate and embrace the watch as it is, appreciating the features that come with it, the design and its uses, most people did not like the high prices associated with the new device and also how it did not have extra features from most smart phones as such. There are advantages of this commercialization. The market has had a chance to get to know the product. Appleââ¬â¢s creation of Healthkit in its operating system for the watch has brought a new feature where the consumer can keep track and record of health and fitness. The watch also receives data from smart phones and tablets-even though this is still restricted to the Apple ecosystem. The watch has a mobile payment services thus it can be used in transactions, just like a phone. It also has siri a personal assistant and it can control Apple TV. The risks related to commercialization of this watch outweigh the benefits. This is firstly, due to its very high prices announced when it was being launched. The prices seem to target a specific class of people. The other reason is due to its dependence to a smart phone- the watch cannot run on its own-just like the way apple phones share data with other apple phones only. (Lashinsky, 2012). However, there a few applications that can run independent of the smart phone like telling the time. Appropriate research and consideration of the target market did not seem to be put
Monday, November 18, 2019
FDT response 1 week 3 Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words
FDT response 1 week 3 - Essay Example Amexicaââ¬â¢s location has made it easier for exploitation of maquiladora employees and the corresponding border town economies by the corporation factories with union free, and cheap labor. Amexica is narco hubs that are marred by lawlessness thus making it to harbor signs of global capitalism (Rosenbaum & Friedman, 2007). Conversely, Amexica geography and the presence of the unlawful narcotics trade have aid in rising the standard of life and the elements of the sensitive culture such as music, clothing, and jewelry couple with consumer items such as fancy trucks, luxurious homes. Amexica geography is strategic for gangs and drug cartels. Gangs normally abduct citizens of United States thus creating fear among the people. This massively hampers development of the area. Moreover, drug cartels occasionally hire Mexican Mafia, Texas Syndicate, and MS-13 as their own enforcers and supply of narcotics to the street (Rosenbaum & Friedman, 2007). This makes the location to be extremely insecure for investment thus hindering its entire
Saturday, November 16, 2019
Corporate Strategy Tata Corus Acquisition Marketing Essay
Corporate Strategy Tata Corus Acquisition Marketing Essay Corporate Strategy is about enabling an organization to achieve and sustain superior overall performance and returns. It is a core responsibility of senior executives and encompasses a range of critical activities, from defining and refining corporate vision to strategic performance measurement and management. Organizations are facing exciting and dynamic challenges in the 21st century. In the globalised business, companies require strategic thinking and only by evolving good corporate strategies can they become strategically competitive. A sustained or sustainable competitive advantage occurs when firm implements a value creating strategy of which other companies are unable to duplicate the benefits or find it too costly to initiate. Corporate strategy includes the commitments, decisions and actions required for a firm to achieve strategic competitiveness and earn above average returns. Corporate growth strategies Growth can be achieved by different means. One approach is from within and another is from outside -that is combinations. Different forms of combinations are: Amalgamation/Merger: Merger takes place when there is a combination of two or more organizations. Merger does create a new corporation. Acquisition/takeovers: One Company acquires another companys controlling interest. The acquired company operates as a separate division or subsidiary by offering cash or securities in exchange for majority of shares of another company. Sales of Assets: A company can sell its assets to another and cease to exist. Holding company acquisition: This is a quasi merger. Either the total or majority of a firms stock will be acquired. The purpose is only management and control of other. Mergers can also be classified into the following forms: 1. Horizontal mergers take place when there is a combination of two or more organizations in the same business, or of organizations engaged in certain aspects of the production or marketing process. For instance a company making footwear combines with another retailer in the same business. 2. Vertical mergers take place when there is a combination of two or more organizations not necessarily in the same business, which complement either in terms of supply of materials (inputs) or marketing of goods and services (outputs). For instance a footwear company combines with a leather tannery or with a chain of she retail stores. 3. Concentric mergers take place when there is a combination of two or more organizations related to each other either in terms of customer functions, customer groups, or the alternative technologies used. A footwear company combining with hosiery firm making socks or another specialty footwear company, or with a leather goods company making purses, handbags, and so on. 4. Conglomerate mergers take place when there is a combination of two more organizations unrelated to each other, either in terms of customer functions, customer groups, or alternative technologies used. For Example: A foot wear company combining with a pharmaceuticals firm. In our project report, we explore the various facets of perhaps one of the most important acquisitions ever made by an Indian Company, that of Tata-Corus. History of the two giants TATA Group Tata Group is an Indian multinational conglomerate company headquartered in the Bombay House in Mumbai, India. In terms of market capitalization and revenues, Tata Group is the largest private corporate group in India. It has interests in chemicals, steel, automobiles, information technology, communication, power, beverages, and hospitality. The Tata Group has operations in more than 80 countries across six continents and its companies export products and services to 80 nations. The Tata Group comprises 114 companies and subsidiaries in eight business sectors. Its total revenue is $67.4 billion, profit $1.74 billion and total assets $52.8 billion. The main aim of the TATA group is to improve the quality of life of the community it serves. The group has played a pioneering role in a variety of fields after Indias independence and it is widely respected for the initiatives it has taken in different fields for upliftment of the country. TATA Steel Tata Steel Group is one of Indias largest integrated private sector steel companies. The group manufactures and distributes steel, welded steel tubes, cold rolled strips, bearings, and other related products. Tata Steel Group operates across Asia, Europe, and Australia. Tata Steel Group is headquartered in Mumbai, India and employs about 86,600 people. The group recorded revenues of INR 1,473,292.6 million (approximately $32,147.2 million) in the financial year ended March 2009 (FY2009), an increase of 12% over FY2008. The operating profit of the group was INR141,279.5 million (approximately $3,082.7 million) in FY2009, compared with an operating profit of INR 141,213.4 million (approximately $3,081.3 million) in FY2008. The net profit was INR49,509 million(approximately $1,080.3 million) in FY2009, a decrease of 59.9% compared with FY2008.It is the worlds sixth largest steel company with capacity of 31 million tones per annum (tpa).The group is the worlds second most geographically diversified steel producer, with operations in 26 countries and commercial presence in more than 50 countries. Tata Steel Groups strong market position gives it advantage of scale and increases its bargaining power. The story of Tata Steel is a century old. And so is the story of steel in India. Etched with the visions and hardships of a single man, the story has flowed through ages to re-define steel in every way. The saga, which started in 1907, completed a century of trust in 2007 and carries on. Over the years this one company has discovered different avenues of effective steel utilisation and its story defines and re-defines conventional wisdom in more ways than one.The Steel Company obtained its first colliery in 1910, adding six more in course of time. Several mines were spread over the states of Bihar, Orissa and Karnataka. The Tatas soon became the first to own a fully mechanised iron ore mine in India at Noamundi. The Coal Beneficiation Plant at West Bokaro undertook beneficiation of low-grade coal, thus helping in the conservation of the fast dwindling resources of high quality coal. The collieries, the mines and the quarries together furnish the bulk of the raw material requirements of the plant. When the entire world was reeling in the Great Depression, the Tatas survived and supplied nearly three-fourth of the countrys steel requirements. By the Second World War, Tatas production capacities had expanded enough to make their prices lower than those of steel produced in England, raising them to an authoritarian position. Post-Independence the Tatas decided to set on the Herculean task of nation building. The much-required steel for the newly devised Five-year Plans came from the Tata factories. The Company undertook the Howrah Bridge in Calcutta, the Bhakra-Nangal Project and the Damodar Valley Corporation, the port at Kandla, the city of Chandigarh and many more important projects. The last decade of the twentieth century happened to be a very hectic period of self-renewal and growth for Tata Steel. An extensive technological overhaul, several improvement projects, cost control measures, optimising IT support and a strong customer-centric approach were all instrumental in finding the right direction for changing outlooks. At the turn of the millennium, Tata Steel had earned the complete trust of the whole wide world and emerged as a strong entity in the global steel industry.The last decade has been marked by Tata Steels prominent role in the overall development of the country, even during phases of economic turbulence and its decisive foray into more and more global territory. Intense strategic thinking about future expansions, plans for organic growth and initiation of new projects are a few highlights in Tata Steels expanding and more penetrative roles in the larger perspective. The acquisition of NatSteel in 2004 was Tata Steels first overseas acquisition a nd the series of joint ventures and mergers that followed found a peak when the acquisition of Corus, happened in April 2007. But in every positive step that the Company has taken towards growth and expansion, involving diverse cultures and geographies, Tata Steel has never lost sight of its great heritage of social and community responsibility. The long journey of Tata Steel has seen the Company re-define its performance parameters in a number of ways to become the global steel industry benchmark for value creation and corporate citizenship. It ensures a total commitment to its ethical business practices and a people oriented vision. SWOT Analysis Of Tata Steel Strengths Strong market position Integrated steel operations in India Strong research and development (RD) capabilities Weakness Dependence on third party suppliers for raw material in Europe Dependence on Europe Opportunities Expansion in India Joint ventures to develop mining activities Anticipated demand for steel in India Threats Consolidation in the global steel industry Environmental regulations Corus Group Corus Group plc was formed on 6th October 1999, through the merger of two companies, British Steel and Koninklijke Hoogovens, following the privatization of many steelworks companies by the U.K. government. The company consists of four divisions which include: Strip Products, Long Products, Aluminum and Distribution and Building Systems. With headquarters in London, Corus operates as an international company, satisfying the demand of many steel customers worldwide. Its core business comprises of manufacturing, development and allocation of steel and aluminum products and services.The company has a wide variety of products and services which comprise of the manufacturing of electrical steel, narrow strip, plates, packaging steel, plated steel strip, semi finished steel, tube products, wire rod and rail products and services. However, the company is also engaged in providing a variety of services including design, technology and consultancy services. Corus products and services are acq uired by customers from diverse fields such as commercial and military aerospace ventures, the automotive, construction, engineering, defense and security, as well as the rail and shipbuilding industry. In terms of performance, the company is regarded as the largest steel producer in the UK. It is headquartered in London, the UK and employs 21,300 people. The group recorded revenues of à £9,733 million during the fiscal year ended December 2006, an increase of 6.3% over 2005. The operating profit of the company à £457 million a decline of 28.9% over 2005. The net profit was à £229 million in fiscal year 2006, a decline of 49.2% over 2005. SWOT Analysis Of Corus Group Strengths Diversified product portfolio Strong technology Diversified geographic presence Weakness Rising expenses Lack of scale Weak returns Opportunities Positive outlook for the aircraft industry Growing US construction industry Growing Chinese steel market Threats Economic slowdown in the US and Eurozone Consolidation in the global steel industry Increase in energy and fuel costs The Deal The deal (between Tata Corus) was officially announced on April 2nd, 2007 at a price of 608 pence per ordinary share in cash. This deal was a 100% acquisition and the new entity was be run by one of Tatas steel subsidiaries. As stated by Tata, the initial motive behind the completion of the deal was not Corus revenue size, but rather its market value. Even though Corus is larger in size compared to Tata, the company was valued less than Tata (at approximately $6 billion) at the time when the deal negotiations started. But from Corus point of view, as the management has stated that the basic reason for supporting this deal were the expected synergies between the two entities. Corus has supported the Tata acquisition due to different motives. However, with the Tata acquisition Corus has gained a great and profitable opportunity to make an exit as the company has been looking out for a potential buyer for quite some time. The total value of this acquisition amounted to à ¢Ã¢â¬Å¡Ã ¤6.2 billion (US$12 billion). Tata Steel the winner of the auction for Corus declared a bid of 608 pence per share surpassing the final bid from Brazilian Steel maker Companhia Siderurgica Nacional (CSN) of 603 pence per share. Prior to the beginning of the deal negotiations, both Tata Steel and Corus were interested in entering into an MA deal due to several reasons. The official press release issued by both the company states that the combined entity will have a pro forma crude steel production of 27 million tones in 2007, with 84,000 employees across four continents and a joint presence in 45 countries, which makes it a serious rival to other steel giants. The official declaration of the completed transaction between the two companies was announced to be effective by Court of Justice in England and Wales and consistent with the Scheme of Arrangement of the Tata Steel Scheme on April 2, 2007. According the Scheme regulations, Tata Steel was required to deliver a consideration not later than 2 weeks following the official date of the completion of the transaction. At the time of acquisition, nearly 49% of Corus was owned by British shareholders, 11% by North American shareholders, 10% by Dutch shareholders and another 30% by shareholders in Germany, France, Belgium and other countries. At first, it had appeared that Tata would get Corus unopposed as the bid had received favourable initial response from the Corusà ¢Ã¢â ¬Ã
¸ Board. The Corus board had unanimously accepted Tata Steels takeover proposal and had even recommended it for shareholders approval. However, things changed soon after CSN entered the fray, making a more competitive offer than Tata. The bidding process continued for three months with CSN countering each successive move by Tata with a higher bid for the equity of Corus. For example, when Tata raised their bid to $9.2 billion for Corusà ¢Ã¢â ¬Ã
¸ equity in early December 2006, CSN countered it with $9.6 billion within hours of the Tataà ¢Ã¢â ¬Ã
¸s offer. When months of takeover battle could not determine the winner, UKà ¢Ã¢â ¬Ã
¸s Takeover Panel announced that it would hold an auction with a maximum of nine rounds to decide the winner. The auction took place on 30th January 2007. On the auction eve, Ratan Tata along with Tata Steel managing director B Muthuraman were monitoring the Corus auction taking place thousands of miles away in London. The Tata Sons director Arun Gandhi, their investment bankers and advisers were in London representing Tata Steel. The entire deal timeline is detailed below: Deal Timeline September 20, 2006 : Corus Steel has decided to acquire a strategic partnership with a company that is a low cost producer October 5, 2006 : The Indian steel giant, Tata Steel wants to fulfill its ambition toExpand its business further. October 6, 2006 : The initial offer from Tata Steel is considered to be too low both by Corus and analysts. October 17, 2006 : Tata Steel has kept its offer to 455p per share. October 18, 2006 : Tata still doesnt react to Corus and its bid price remains the same. October 20, 2006 : Corus accepts terms of à ¢Ã¢â¬Å¡Ã ¤ 4.3 billion takeover bid from Tata Steel October 23, 2006 : The Brazilian Steel Group CSN recruits a leading investment bank to offer advice on possible counter-offer to Tata Steels bid. October 27, 2006 :Corus is criticized by the chairman of JCB, Sir Anthony Bamford, for its decision to accept an offer from Tata. November 3, 2006 : The Russian steel giant Severstal announces officially that it will not make a bid for Corus November 18, 2006 : The battle over Corus intensifies when Brazilian group CSN approached the board of the company with a bid of 475p pershare November 27, 2006 : The board of Corus decides that it is in the best interest of its will shareholders to give more time to CSN to satisfy the preconditions and decide whether it issue forward a formal offer December 18, 2006 : Within hours of Tata Steel increasing its original bid for Corus to 500 pence per share, Brazils CSN made its formal counter bid for Corus at 515 pence per share in cash, 3% more than Tata Steels Offer. January 31, 2007 : Britains Takeover Panel announces in an e-mailed statement that after an auction Tata Steel had agreed to offer Corus investors 608 pence per share in cash April 2, 2007 : Tata Steel manages to win the acquisition to CSN and has the full voting support form Corus Valuation Due Diligence Tataà ¢Ã¢â ¬Ã
¸s original bid for Corus had been at 455 pence a share in mid-October 2006, valuing Corusà ¢Ã¢â ¬Ã
¸s equity at $8 billion. But as a result of the bitter fight with CSN of Brazil, Tata finally paid a price of $12.9 billion in an all-cash deal, raising doubts that the acquisition would likely turn out to be a winnerà ¢Ã¢â ¬Ã
¸s curse. Within weeks of the acquisition announcement, Tata Steel had lost over $1 billion in market capitalization, as the market reacted negatively to the high price paid. The wealth-accretion advantages of the deal, if any, would accrue in the long term. Immediately, it meant raising huge amounts of debt and equity to finance the deal. Both Moodyà ¢Ã¢â ¬Ã
¸s Investors Service and Standard Poorà ¢Ã¢â ¬Ã
¸s said they might lower Tataà ¢Ã¢â ¬Ã
¸s debt rating which meant that debt financing would likely neither be easy nor cheap. To finance the Corus buy, Tata Steel embarked upon what was perhaps the biggest fund-raising exercise by an Indian company. It raised funds through a number of sources. These included a rights issue of equity shares, rights issue of convertible preference shares and long-term debt including foreign currency structured issues. Tata Steel and its fully owned subsidiaries Tata Steel UK and Tata Steel Asia Singapore were involved in the unprecedented fund raising exercise by an Indian company. Tata Steel UK was also the SPV for the Corus takeover. The whopping about $13 billion was planned to have been raised as shown in the table below Company Source Amount ($ Mil) Tata Steel Internal generation 700 Tata Steel External commercial borrowings 500 Tata Steel Preferential issue of equity shares to Tata Sons 640 Tata Steel Rights issue of equity shares to its shareholders 862 Tata Steel Rights issue of convertible preference shares 1,000 Tata Steel ADR/GDR EQUITY ISSUE 500 Tata Steel UK Non-recourse debt raised from a consortium of banks 6,140 Tata Steel Asia Singapore Bridge finance 2,660 Total 13,002 By early April 2007, Tata Steel had completed the $12.9 billion (Rs 52,700 crore) acquisition of Corus Group plc at a price of 608 pence per ordinary share in cash. The enlarged company would have a crude steel production of 27 million tonnes in 2007 and would be the worlds fifth largest steel producer with 84,000 employees across four continents. Need for the Deal Introduction The Tata Iron and Steel Company (name later changed to Tata Steel) was established by Sir Jamsetji Tata in 1907. By 2006 it was Indias largest integrated private sector steel company. With its recent acquisitions and mergers, the company has become a multinational with operations in various countries. It was recognized as the worlds best quality steel producer in 2005. Though domestically the company had seen significant growth in the 100 years, it ranked a poor number 56 globally in terms of steel output. In order to enhance its market share in the global market Tata steel made several smaller foreign acquisitions, including Singapores NatSteel and Thailands Millennium Steel. But these small incremental deals would not enable Tata Steel to capture the sudden opportunity that had arisen in the steel market. We believe that Tata Steel had to act in response to the changing environment, the industry structure and to exploit its competencies and resources at its disposal, which led to its decision of acquiring Corus, a steel firm much bigger in size compared to Tata Steel. We propose to explain the need for the related linked diversification, logic and reasoning behind the deal through the Resource-Based Model of Above Average Returns and the I/O Model of Above Average Returns. Resource-Based Model of Above Average Returns Deriving Synergies There were a lot of apparent synergies between Tata Steel which was a low cost steel producer in fast developing region of the world and Corus which was a high value product manufacturer in the region of the world demanding value products. Synergies also existed in terms of sharing and manufacturing practices, shared services and purchasing. Also there were other synergies between the two companies; Corus was a large player in value-added services while Tata Steel was one of the lowest cost producers of steel in the world. According to Tata Steel Annual Report of 2007-08 the expected synergies and efficiencies had already started flowing in and would bring in annual benefits of USD 450 million per annum by year 2010. Raw Material Tata Steel also has a relative cost advantage because it owns iron-ore mines which Corus did not. Corus was fighting to keep its productions costs under control and was on the lookout for sources of iron ore. (Tata Steel owns enormous volumes of high-quality iron ore and other minerals needed for steel-making. Captive raw materials linkages have given the modernizing and expanding Jamshedpur mill a competitive edge. Tata Steel is set to build greenfield mills in iron ore-rich states of Orissa, Jharkhand and Chhattisgarh). The joint entity will have a self sufficiency in raw material. Cultural There was a strong culture fit between the two organizations both of which highly emphasized on continuous improvement and ethics. Tata steels Continuous Improvement Program Aspire with the core values: trusteeship, integrity, respect for individual, credibility and excellence. Coruss Continuous Improvement Program The Corus Way with the core values: code of ethics, integrity, creating value in steel, customer focus, selective growth and respect for our people. Importantly, the rest of cultural differences between the two companies had been taken care of and the two merged entities were working under their joint management. Tata Steels earnings per share had improved after the merger. Sharing Competencies According to Ratan Tata, post-merger the immediate focus would be on extracting synergies from Corus. He felt that there was scope to make Corus a competitive steel company by inculcating the creativity and cost-consciousness in Corus as had been generated in Tata Steel. Product Mix Geographical and product mix possibilities. The combined entity will emerge as the second most geographically diversified steel company. It will have access to high valued- added product mix and strong market positions in automotive, construction and packaging. Reputation The Corus acquisition allowed Tata Steel to enhance its reputation and acquire a Global name. This has the potential to open up other markets for steel for Tata Steel, improve its bargaining power with respect to suppliers and customers. Sharing Complimentary Strengths Corus has a strong Research and Development (the number one position in the entire world) and product development for value added products in auto, construction and packaging which compliment what Tata Steel is doing in the fast growing Asian markets. A merger would complement their respective strengths. Low Cost Slabs Tata Steel has large supply of iron ore slabs from its green fields established in India in places like Orissa, Jharkhand, etc. Tata Steel can supply this slabs to Corus once these green fields in India are complete. In addition, there will be other ways to create value, linked to the projects of Tata Steel in India today. Patents and Technological know-how Corus has eighty-one patents that have been filed and assigned to the Corus by the United States Patent Trademark Office. Tatas completion of the acquisition meant it ended up becoming the owner of these patents. There would be technology transfer and cross-fertilization of RD capabilities between the two companies that specialized in different areas of the value chain. Distribution Network Tata has a strong retail and distribution network in India and SE Asia. This would give the European manufacturer a in-road into the emerging Asian markets. Tata was a major supplier to the Indian auto industry and the demand for value added steel products was growing in this market. Hence there would be a powerful combination of high quality developed and low cost high growth markets. With Tata Steel the cheapest manufacture of steel in the world the new company will become highly profitable. Strategic and Integration Committee A Strategic and Integration Committee was formulated to develop and execute the integration and further growth plans. Appropriate cross functional teams were formed under this committee to look into specific issues. There were some concerns over the lower return of capital employed and EBIDTA margins in 2007-08 which seemed to have declined. As debt would be repaid over the years, the EBIDTA margin as well as return of capital employed were likely to improve, but would need to be carefully watched. I/O Model of Above Average Returns Scanning At around eight per cent of GDP growth, India is seen well poised for a burst in development, a high increase in production output and a surge in demand for various goods from the common people of India. Industry experts are buoyant and bullish on the economic, demographic (in terms of young workforce, increase in incomes and hence an increase in consumption), and the helpful political environment (in terms of tax reliefs to industries, a commitment from the government to implement and introduce policies which further the interests of commerce). The Tatas were able to identify the early signals of potential changes in the environment and detect the changes that were underway. They were able to connect the dots and realize that as a result of the above changes in the environment the steel industry would look more and more attractive. There would be more need of steel due to the growth of car and aviation industries. Monitoring It was clear that in a fragmented steel industry to get the cost advantages and a competitive edge to exploit the emerging opportunities consolidation was needed in the steel segment. This logic was the basis for a spree of mergers and acquisitions pursued by Tata Steel. The rapid progress of the Indian automobile, engineering and construction industries means that the country will need more and more high-quality steel and it is seen that the global steel prices are on an incline. Access to Corus technology will, in course of time, allow Tata Steel to move up in the value chain. The acrimonious but successful Mittal-Arcelor deal also gave Tatas sufficient signal on consolidation being the emerging trend in the steel industry. Forecasting Although, Tata Steel was Indias largest integrated private sector steel company but globally ranked number 56 in terms of steel output. The Tatas realized that the Corus buy would instantly catapult Tata Steel to the position of 5th largest steel producer in the world, and provide access to the latest technology and strategic European markets as Corus had plants in Britain, Germany, France, the Netherlands and Belgium. It was also expected that Tata Steel would benefit from reduced production costs due to large volume, combined RD operations and broader product range. Corus acquisition would also dovetail with Tata Steels efforts to move up the value chain, as the former had built a reputation as an established supplier to the aviation and auto industries. Assessing Brazilà ¢Ã¢â ¬Ã
¸s CSN and other players were also trying hard to acquire Corus which meant that a quick acquisition was the only alternative. Tatas had and assessed the situation realized the need to act quickly and swiftly. It was clear that a small window for a big opportunity had opened up for Tata steel. This was a risky consolidation, considering that the future of Tata Steel is dependent mostly on Corus performance but it is well known that entrepreneurial decisions involve risk. We can understand that it may be one of the entrepreneurial decisions that Tata Steel had to make for the future success of the company. Aftermath of the deal Post merger integration is the biggest challenge in any acquisition. But before we look at the challenges, let us first look at the immediate synergies that TATA Steel aimed at before going for the deal and how it obtained them after the deal. Synergies Advantages After the acquisition, TATA-Corus combine became the 5th largest steel producer in the world with an output around a quarter that of the largest, Arcelor Mittal. Before the deal, TATA Steel was not ranked among the top 50 global steel producers in 2005/06, producing just 5.3mn tonnes. Corus, by contrast was the 9th largest producer with an output of 18.2mn tonnes. Economies of scale have a very significant impact on any steel firm. This deal came at a time when consolidation in the steel industry was a necessity with increase in demand from China A growing presence in Asia and the developed European economies would surely leverage the economies of scale from Europe and harness growth from Asia The two corporations made a formidable presence a presence in 42 countries, a combined capacity of 25mn tonnes and a collective sales turnover of Rs 1 lac cr (March 2008 estimates at the time of the deal) The deal came at a perfect time for TATA Steel after its successful acquisitions of Singapores NatSteel in 2004 and Thailands Millennium Steel in 2005. Acquisition of Corus, a steel giant in the Western markets, gave TATA access to the vast distribution network as well as the opportunity to become a global player. TATA is a low cost producer of steel and Corus is famous for its value additions and technology especially in manufacturing of steel used in high rise buildings. The acquisition paved the way for TATA to access the RD facilities of Corus as well as to introduce its low cost production techniques in the Western markets. This can be considered as one of the most important synergies in the entire deal. The deal helped the TATAs in getting 20mn tonnes of steel capacity at virtually half the price as such a capacity would have required nothing less than $20bn $25bn as per 2006/07 estimates. The synergie
Wednesday, November 13, 2019
Humorous Wedding Speech by a Friend of the Groom (Bridegroom) :: Wedding Toasts Roasts Speeches
Humorous Wedding Speech by a Friend of the Groom (Bridegroom) Good afternoon, Ladies and Gentlemen - My name is Charles. I've tried to memorise this speech, but forgive me if I resort to my notes every five seconds. I did ask for an autocue to be set up in front of me, but apparently the wedding budget doesn't stretch that far. And, unfortunately, neither does my eyesight. Laughter I've known Steven for 22 years now and we've had more good times than I can remember - and we'd have had a one more if I hadn't run out of money in that strip cub on the other night. During this period, Iââ¬â¢ve seen Steven go through many evolutionary changes to end up the man he is today. And in order to understand exactly what went wrong, we must start by examining his early goals in life. At school, Steven had two goals: 1) To play for the school baseball (cricket) team ââ¬â which he did. In fact, his prowess was legendary and he single-handedly rewrote the school record books - shortest time at bat (in bat), most catches dropped and most unforced errors in a single game (wides bowled in an over). The list is endless. 2) To star in a school play ââ¬â and his first opportunity came with the schoolââ¬â¢s major production of ââ¬Å"Snow White & the Seven Dwarfsâ⬠, in which Steven was cast as one of the dwarfs. And very soon, he had made the part his own. From the outset, he personified his role day and night, living and breathing the essence of his character. And many say theyââ¬â¢ve never since seen a more virtuoso performance of Dopey. After leaving school, Stevenââ¬â¢s goal was to travel the world. But he only got as far as New Zealand, where we all new it would suit him down to the ground. What with the sun, sea, surf and, of course, the biggest draw of them all ââ¬â the sheep. On his return, his goal was to land a job in a bank because they had the two things he liked best: money and holidays. But if it hadnââ¬â¢t been for me it might never have happened. When applying for the job he asked me to give his application form a quick once over before he sent it off. It was a good thing he did. Where he was asked, ââ¬ËLength of residence at present address,ââ¬â¢ he had replied, ââ¬ËAbout 20 meters ââ¬â not counting the garage.
Monday, November 11, 2019
Norman Rockwell’s Paintings
Norman Rockwell is a very imaginative character. He was able to paint images that captured the attention of millions. The first picture on page 22 is ââ¬Å"A Family Treeâ⬠. It ends with a man, a woman, and a child. Because this is a family tree, we can infer that this is a husband, a wife, and their child. The second picture, ââ¬Å"Freedom from Wantâ⬠, shows a family gathering on a dinner table. That event could be what is known as Thanksgiving Dinner. The third picture, ââ¬Å"Freedom from Fearâ⬠, shows a mom and a dad tucking there kids into bed. Now just by looking at these paintings, evidence of what they represent is pretty straight forward. This is the idealistic view of what families should look like about 50 years ago, known as the golden age for children to grow up. A little closer look, though, would reveal a different view upon these pictures. It is said that these paintings are a bit naive. The family tree starts off as what look like pirates. This is no way to represent an ideal family. In this tree, marriages from different classes of people collide to then form the perfect couple. And what about the second picture; everyone is sitting at the table with a smile on. Letââ¬â¢s get real people; every family has its conflicts. The last picture shows the parents putting their kids to bed and giving them comfort. Now take a look at the heading of the newspaper that the father is holding. ââ¬Å"Bombingsâ⬠and ââ¬Å"Horrorâ⬠are words that appear. Ironically, a glance at the facial expressions of the parents shows them to be very calm. I donââ¬â¢t know about you but Iââ¬â¢d be pretty shaken if those were the headlines of my daily paper. The ââ¬Å"Family Treeâ⬠painting compares with the photo of Thomas Jeffersonââ¬â¢s tombstone. This is because the ââ¬Å"Family Treeâ⬠, though from the same family, represents different types of people. Next to the tombstone, you also find different types of people, ranging from black to white. Each image has a different symbol, but both images represent ââ¬Å"family. â⬠The family tree is hereditary family, while the tombstone is national family working together as one to accomplish and make up what is now The United States of America.
Saturday, November 9, 2019
Drown Essays - Drown, Junot Daz, American Literature, Fiction
Drown Essays - Drown, Junot Daz, American Literature, Fiction Drown The story of immigrant struggles is the major theme in Drown by Junot Diaz. Every immigrant has a personal story, pains and joys, fears and victories, and Daz portrays much of his own story of immigrant life in Drown, a collection of 10 short stories. This book captures the fury and alienation of the Dominican immigrant experience very well. Other immigrants' grief's also come up in Daz's short stories. My argument for this paper delves with the question of is this book merely storytelling or is it autobiographical? Also, it seemed to me as if he uses some symbols and specific words (mostly verbs) to express himself in a manner which the reader can almost feel the story as if it were real. The book tells of the barrios of the Dominican Republic and the struggling urban communities of New Jersey. This book is very strong and these stories tell of a sense of discovery from a young man's perspective. It seems as though for the immigrants, even when things are at their best, a high probability of calamity looms just around the corner. Uncertainty is the only certainty for these outsiders, who live in communities that, are separated from all the other communities by a six-lane highway and the dump. It tells of a world in which fathers are gone; mothers fight with determination for their families and themselves. Drown brings out the conflicts, yearnings, and frustrations that have been a part of immigrant life for centuries. Diaz himself lived in such a world. In each of his stories Diaz uses a first-person narrator who is observing others. Boys and young drug dealers narrate eight of these tales. Their struggles shift from life in the barrios of the Dominican Republic to grim existence in the slums of New Jersey. These young boys could be the voice of Junot Diaz himself. If so, why would the book be a fiction? The characters in these stories wrestle with recognizable traumas. Yunior and Rafa in Ysrael and Fiesta 1990 confront the pain of growing up, the loss of innocence, and how misfortune just happens to fall upon them. In Drown, Edison, New Jersey, Aurora, we glimpse into anger stemming from unearned suffering, the embarrassment of poverty, the confusion of loving a Crackhead, and shock of reality. Drown tells of an impoverished, fatherless youth in the Dominican Republic and his struggle with immigrant life in New Jersey. It shows pain and suffering very accurately. The last and longest of the stories, Negocios, reconstructs the adventures of Ramon, the father who left his wife and children behind to try to make it in the States. It is told from the point of Yunior, the youngest son. Negocios, points up this collection's one weakness. It is a chronicle of his father's immigration, remarriage and, finally, the rescuing of his children and first wife from their bleak life in the Dominican Republic. In this book, words used show lots of meaning (strong use of verbs). By doing this Diaz has managed to physically imprint the reality of his characters so as to make them seen. The characters step out of the plots so vibrantly real. What I enjoyed about this book is that there was no use of Italics or any other editorial assistance for the reader. This showed me that he is taking a stand against the use of Italics. It's almost as though Diaz is writing in a diary and there is no need for such things. Also, these stories are not read like stories, they are more like a sociological study. The feelings and the observations jump off the page so much so that the stories appear very much autobiographical. Again bringing up the point of whether it should be classified fiction or non-fiction. Daz never loses sight of the telling details of immigrant life stateside. He describes food from the perspective of a Dominican boy who eats only boiled yucca and platano. The yucca and platano is a symbol of his poverty and hunger in Aguantando. Then he writes about everyone getting obese in America; even the immigrants themselves. This simple abundance of food gets to the imagination of immigrants, enduring for many years as
Wednesday, November 6, 2019
Examinnig The Social Work Intervention Practice Social Work Essay Essay Example
Examinnig The Social Work Intervention Practice Social Work Essay Essay Example Examinnig The Social Work Intervention Practice Social Work Essay Essay Examinnig The Social Work Intervention Practice Social Work Essay Essay Evidence suggests that modern-day societal work pattern is faced with the quandary of how to direct its attempts chiefly to the hapless and needy in the UK and at the same clip to prosecute in societal public assistance policy to assist advance societal alteration. Harmonizing to Okitikpi and Aymer s ( 2003 ) societal work professionals working with African refugees are frequently defeated and ill resourced to pull off households who suffer from hard lifestyle experiences due to poverty and societal exclusions. Besides Okitikpi and Aymer ( 2003 ) are of the position that jobs of poorness and working in partnership with African households alleged of kid maltreatment or ill-treatment would be better and easier managed should societal workers engage in unfastened direct intercessions. Bernard A ; Gupta ( 2008 ) highlights the troubles societal workers face when measuring and doing intercessions sing African kids and their households whose civilizations differ from the bulk white popula tion in the UK. Therefore the statement that the mission of societal work is to advance societal alteration and alleviate poorness in society by prosecuting with societal public assistance policy instead than intercessions at household degrees is presently the pivot of strong argument. The term societal work intercession as defined by IFSW: Usually describes work undertaken with persons, households, groups and communities. In this context the term is to cover the usage of societal work cognition and accomplishments when utilizing it within a societal attention administration to ease the proviso of services and pattern consistent with the Codes of Practice and with criterions of service and pattern, and to advance societal inclusion and life chances of people utilizing the services IFSW ( 2000 ) . 4.1 Types of Social Work Intervention Harmonizing to Elde-Woodward ( 2002 ) , there are three cardinal methods or phases of intercession. The first method of intercession, Elde-Woodward describes as macro societal work intercession which involves directing societal work pattern to society or communities as a whole. This type of societal work pattern includes policy forming and protagonism on a national or international graduated table. The 2nd method of intercession is mezzo societal work pattern, which involves working with bureaus, little organisations, and other little groups straight or indirectly related to societal work pattern to do policies or developing plans for a peculiar community. The 3rd method of intercession is the Micro societal work pattern which involves offering direct service to persons and households. Hartnett et Al ( 2005 ) research on the function perceptual experiences of societal workers and societal work pupils shows that merely really few really prosecute in policy-practice that focal point on societal policy preparation and protagonism. There are a broad assortment of activities that falls under the class of societal work pattern and societal work professionals plants in many different scenes of employment. Basically societal workers engage in clinical pattern, find themselves working with persons or households. However, societal workers who serve in community pattern are engage with the mezzo or macro phases of societal work. Spratt et Al ( 2004 ) findings shows that societal work intercession with persons or households is the most popular and effectual method of intercession that conveying approximately societal alteration in single lives. Social work intercession aims to assist kids or households to place, and to set up appropriate relationships with societal workers that will heighten their support. The intent of the intercession is diverse and ranges from increasing life accomplishments or altering behavior to increase life options and to get by with altering life state of affairss and passages ( Smale, Tuson a nd Statham, 2000 ) . 4.2 Identifying and admiting kid maltreatment Many schools of idea argue that societal workers could help households populating in poorness to place issues of kid maltreatment by demoing empathy, set uping working relationships and prosecuting in appropriate intercessions. In any of the state of affairss there are a figure of factors doing African households populating in poorness to be alleged of maltreating or mistreating their kids. Some of these factors are hapless parenting patterns, deficiency of cognition about the Torahs refering in the state of abode and ethno-centric favoritism and racism ( Elder-Woodward, 2002 ) . Child maltreatment instances referred by other bureaus for the attending of local authorization societal services may ensue in intercessions that normally draw kids into kid protection system. Such intercessions do non ever see the fiscal and societal state of affairss such parents find themselves, but used by societal work professionals in mode to follow with authorities statute law and the duty of protecti ng or safeguarding kids. For case, parents populating on meager income barely could prolong the household fiscal committednesss, or such parents may non see the legal deductions of populating kids entirely in the house for work, every bit frequently such kids are seen rolling the streets or go school dropouts due to hapless parental attention and support. Social worker s typical part for households populating in utmost poorness and sing societal exclusion is o employ empathy, communicating and relationship accomplishments to assist place and to admit issues of kid maltreatment ( Spratt et al 2004 ) . Intervention within the societal work procedure is non a inactive, snapshot or a holistic procedure whereby societal workers arrives at unequivocal reply to protect vulnerable kids from farther injury. However, the cardinal interpersonal accomplishments require of societal workers is the key to placing the possible causes of child maltreatment or ill-treatment in a household scene, through the edifice of appropriate relationship with the households and join forcesing with other interested bureaus ( Lloyd and Taylor, 1990 ) . Most frequently than non societal workers take ethnocentric and prejudice attack at the initial contact with African households accused of kid maltreatment and accordingly arrive at a judgemental determination. With the right relationship with African households involve in kid maltreatment instances societal work professionals are positive to understand the demands of such households and what type of intercession is appropriate to assist turn to their jobs. Inter vention accomplishments used by societal workers tantrums most easy into the traditional models in which societal work is normally taught to measure uping pupils, but less easy recognized as intercession by most societal workers one time in pattern. Arguably, the nucleus accomplishments of intercession have non been grasped in its entity rehearsing societal workers and hence are non consciously transferred across state of affairss where is most needful. 4.3 Intervening kid maltreatment Social work involves step ining kids and household s state of affairs and jobs through assessment of what information is available and what information is gathered from the household after ab initio measuring the household s fiscal and societal position, with coaction with other administrations and professionals working with the household. Many writers argue that societal worker should take households alleged of kid maltreatment through the intercession procedure, foregrounding and explicating the importance of working together to hold on the most appropriate intercession needed to convey societal alteration. Furthermore, societal workers use a scope of cognition, theoretical accounts and models to make up ones mind what method of intercession is needed to accomplish the coveted consequence. To guarantee that collated information from all quarters leads to informed intercession, societal workers need to set up working relationships of trust with African households and other professio nals. They must be able to understand the socio-economic position and rearing patterns of African households, through their ain cognition and accomplishment, or by pulling on that of others. Social workers acknowledgment and apprehension of parents behavioral forms, complicated with poorness, apprehension of diverse civilizations and edifice of good working relationships are critical to successful intercessions. There is grounds in the literature to propose that societal workers and other related professionals have trouble furthering good working relationship with black African households alleged of kid maltreatment instances as such households have no trust in the kid protection system. Therefore societal workers need to develop the necessity accomplishments and behaviors to understand the jobs of African households populating under the poorness line, and who may hold small or no cognition of the kid protection system in the UK. In acknowledgment of the troubles inherent in deploying effectual intercessions the Department of Health introduced the Framework for the Assessment of Children in Need and their Families ( DH 2000 ) . Macdonald ( 2002 ) notes the booby traps that arise when carry oning appraisals taking to societal work intercession. It is non merely simple to follow a model puting out the countries to be investigated, as societal workers need to exert professional opinion and be a lert to unconscious prejudice which may crawl into the work, falsifying appraisals and the grade of intercessions. 4.4 Social Work Intervention and environmental influences Bernard A ; Gupta ( 2008 ) literature reappraisal on black African kids and kid protection system stress the inauspicious effects of poorness and societal exclusion on rearing capacity and kids s development, which have been identified as a major factor in most households involved in attention proceedings ( Brophy et al, 2003 ) . African households are proportionately more likely to populate in poorness than bulk Whites in Britain as many undertake low-income paid occupations ( Kyambi, 2005 ) , have their rights to back up services withdrawn under subdivision 17 of the 1989 Children Act, ( Kholi, 2006 ) and income, employment chances and entree to back up services are determined by their in-migration and refuge position ( Bernard A ; Gupta, 2008 ) . The UN Convention on the Rights of the Child, recognises the demand to protect kids who experience a disadvantaged childhood due to households populating in poorness, and requires authoritiess to guarantee all kids have an equal criterion of life as a basic right. The UN recognizes that want during childhood undermines the cardinal rights which kids, every bit good as grownups, should bask, including entree to identify services such as wellness, instruction and societal services ( Monteith A ; McLaughlin, 2005 ) . Available grounds shows that poorness and societal want during childhood has inauspicious effects on kids developments and bounds their capacity to make full potency and will perpetuate societal inequalities across coevalss within populations. The Labour authorities pledge to cut downing poorness in the state was a measure frontward to accomplish societal alteration among households, but did non explicitly specify the mark groups that are chiefly populating in utmost poorness. The Labour authorities s anti poorness scheme involves policies to increase the incomes of hapless households by bettering child-related benefits and revenue enhancement credits and the debut of a national lower limit pay. The authorities s Certain Start enterprise and the National Childcare Strategy in the UK provide low-cost child care proviso for working parents. Furthermore, the publication of the papers Every Child Matters set outs the authorities attack to the well-being of kids and immature people ( McLaughlin A ; Monteith 2005 ) . The certain start enterprise provides a batch of support to parents fighting to care for their kids, but the limited figure of subdivisions across the state merely seems to help the bulk white households. Bradshaw ( 2001 ) and Stewart A ; Hill ( 2005 ) argue that the authorities s kid poorness decrease schemes may be easier to accomplish in short-run footing but non accomplishing much in long term. The chief functionary working papers for many British kid protection societal workers is the Department of Health ( DoH ) , 1988 papers, Protecting Childs: A Guide for Social Workers set abouting a Comprehensive Appraisal, but has its restrictions when working with black African households ( Chands, 1999 ) . It is arguable to state that taking kids into public attention because their parents are non capable of supplying equal attention may be due to the backdown of all support services in conformity with subdivision 9 of the 2004 Asylum an Immigration Act ( Kelly A ; Meldgaard, 2005 ) . Evidence shows that basic physical attention that households are expected to supply for kids becomes limited by unequal lodging, unemployment, poorness, and societal exclusion peculiarly with black African households populating in poorness. It is argued that any assessment procedure that reflects the unequal proviso of attention as the failure of black people and as index of kid abuse instead than the effects of racial inequality is in itself racialist. Furthermore, as black African households are disadvantaged in many fortunes, it is arguable that they will confront higher degrees of hazard from the harmful effects of inappropriate societal work intercession and misjudgement ( Chands, 1999 ) . 4.5 Social Work Intervention and parental behavior The history of over-representation of black kids in the kid protection system, harmonizing to Chand ( 1999 ) dates back to the sixtiess. Research shows that black kids are speedy to come in into the kid protection system than their white opposite numbers, for grounds such as parenting behavior, civilization and societal and economic jobs. Many research work associating to the differences in child-rearing and poorness in the UK show that black African households are frequently at hazard of being stereotyped as non capable of rearing kids in the most appropriate manner. Therefore, societal workers have a duty to understand issues bordering the experiences of African kids at hazard of important injury, ad non to make the general feeling that all African households are non capable. Harmonizing to Chand ( 1999 ) despite the really noticeability of the diverseness of childhoods, we live and work in a society which tends to presume that there is merely one sort of childhood that is normal and ordinary ( Rogers, 1989, p. 97 ) . The issues of penalty, parental behavior and subject, complicated with poorness are controversial constructs among black African households populating in the UK, which frequently draw them into the sphere of kid protection system. Harmonizing to Bernard A ; Gupta ( 2008 ) , the literature that exists focuses on the African households where their parenting is deemed to be below the threshold of what is considered proper. This disfunction within African households can put on the line reproducing stereotypes of this group as deficient , therefore furthering a pathological point of view of African household relationship. It is widely accepted that black African household relationships with white societal workers working with them, is ever strained with misgiving and non-acceptance. Available research shows that ( Chands, 1999 ) , different child-rearing patterns, as a consequence of socio-economic position permeates different civilizations and societal workers working with households o f different cultural values and beliefs may see trouble in understanding what parental behavior are acceptable and non acceptable. Therefore, to separate whether a peculiar child-rearing pattern is aberrant to social norm, societal workers will ever hold to brood on the cognition acquired from both formal and informal preparation, experiences and their moral opinions, to use the most appropriate intercession procedure applicable to the household. Bernard A ; Gupta ( 2008 ) claims that African household relationships, like those of many minority cultural groups, are frequently constructed otherwise from the conventional atomic household theoretical account that exist in the bulk civilization in modern-day Britain. Cultural values and more significantly poverty influence the lives of many black African kids and their households involved in the kid protection system ( Thorburn et al, 2005 ) . In order for societal workers to set up a good working relationship when working with black A frican households and kids populating in poorness, Chands ( 1999 ) argues that it is paramount for societal workers to hold a sound cognition and apprehension of what is acceptable and unacceptable parental behavior within the cultural background of the households. If non, societal workers may step in in alleged kid maltreatment instances unsuitably. There are a few informations on the impact of poorness and cultural values in act uponing outlooks, motives, functions and attacks to rearing and comprehending what constitutes harmful behaviors ( Barn et al. , 2006 ) . It is problematic to specify in specific footings how kids should be subject from the position points of parents and professionals and what type and grade of penalties are deem appropriate for a misbehaving kid. Barn et Al ( 2006 ) findings show that African households do non penalize their kids any different from the bulk white households and that there is no grounds of utilizing more terrible physical penalty ( Thorburn et al. , 2005 ) . However, research shows that propertyless white households presumptively employ more slap, which is a signifier of physical penalty, in an effort to pull off kids behaviors and bodily penalty is still practise in schools outside the province sector, which are chiefly occupied by middle-class kids. Yet in general, as the huge bulk of African parents use physical penalty as a signifier of subject to pull off their kids behaviors, they are necessarily alleged of mistreating their kids ( Chands, 1999 ) . These are related to their cultural background, their socio-economic position, and their ain personalities ( Phillips A ; Dutt 2000 ) . For illustration, Ellis ( 2006 ) maintained that in African civilization there is small fondling and caressing of babies and any sort of fondling Michigans when the kid is coggling. Black Africans express their fondness and love in a different manner, through good physical attending, such as bathing, skin-care and hair-care ( Chands, 1999 ) . This illustrates the necessity to understand different civilizations in order to guard against misunderstandings of rearing behavior, and to inquire why a black African parent may non be demoing any obvious marks of fondness towards their kid. Furthermore, the unrealistic outlook by white societal workers should be intelligibly measured in the visible radiation of the parents anxiousness about their kids s hereafter sing the poorness degrees of many black African kids populating the United Kingdom ( Beranard A ; Gupta 2006 ) . With respect to duty and independency, many research shows that most white societal workers seem to follow euro-centric attack when working with black African kids and their households ( Chands, 1999 ) . In consequence black African kids are either non protected because they are seen to be able to get by with state of affairss non deemed appropriate for white kids, or where black African kids are non taking on similar duties to their white opposite numbers they are deemed to be at hazard of maltreatment or want ( Chands, 1999 ) . For case, the issue of older siblings caring for younger 1s in the instance with many black African households may be decisive in the workers appraisal of hazard of important injury to the kid. Harmonizing to Chands ( 1999 ) there is the demand to oppugn why this should be when a high degree of both duty and independency by the older sibling can be clearly demonstrated. It must be emphasized hence that although kid maltreatment occurs in all races and civil izations, workers must guard against sing suspected maltreatment through the norms and values of their ain background. A farther point is that black African households involuntariness or opposition to the appraisal and intercession procedure employ by societal workers working on alleged kid maltreatment instances should non be seen as grounds of guilt, as the system may be new to them or a good working relationship is non at that place. Finally, Chands ( 1999 ) explains that in order to do the intercession procedure fairer for all black African households, it is necessary for bulk white workers and establishments to understand that most black African parents may be less cognizant of kid protection processs, may be populating in poorness, and their experience in the UK do them more susceptible to the kid protection system. Some research workers have identified the importance of understanding how poverty complicate different cultural values, which in many instances explains the motive behind parental actions when pull offing unacceptable behaviors of their kids ( Barn et al, 2006 ) and in their resear ch on normative parenting there is no important differences between cultural groups with respect to physical penalty of kids ( Bernard A ; Gupta, 2008 ) . Chapter FIVE IMPLICATIONS FOR SOCIAL WORK PRACTICE There is some grounds in the literature to propose that societal workers and other professionals struggle to pull off the complex demands and societal fortunes of many African households ( Bernard A ; Gupta, 2008 ) . Harmonizing to Hayes A ; Spratt ( 2008 ) , societal workers are more engage with kid protection work, but non in manner that is readily understood by those who legislate, set policy and step public presentation. Social workers may miss the necessary tools to adequately distinguish boundary line instances from bad instances, twosome with hapless coaction with other professionals, sorting certain parenting patterns as politically and ethically unacceptable and their ain personal cultural values, they turn to route all boundary line kid maltreatment instances through the kid protection processes. It might look self-contradictory that in recent old ages societal workers, who are seen as the force for conformance, are often criticized for moving more in the involvements of society than in the involvements of service users. However, when societal workers relate more with households than merely taking to accomplish authorities s mark, they build good working relationships with those they serve and help emancipate them from subjugation, poorness and societal want. Therefore, societal workers prosecuting more with methods of intercession which liberate kids and their households from poorness, want and societal exclusion are truly working to the rules and moralss of societal work pattern as defined by IFSW in modern-day Britain. Social work professionals about ever draw entirely on sociology and political scientific discipline cognition base, believing that persons can be entirely human merely within the context of a benign environment and a merely societal order. Evidence shows that altering the societal system of African households who suffer subjugation through poorness and societal exclusion by authorising them, non merely means emancipating them from societal unfairness, but besides advancing household self-respect and felicity. Harmonizing to Bernard A ; Gupta ( 2008 ) the poorness and societal fortunes experience by many African households pose challenges for parents and kids, every bit good as societal work professionals working to safeguard and advance kids public assistance. Therefore, it is the demand of the societal workers to see African households poorness and societal fortunes before make up ones minding on what intercession procedure will most assist alter their life. Recent authorities s a ttempts to alter the nonsubjective societal work from possibly overemphasizes on kid protection docket to a more preventive attack in alleged kid maltreatment instances, have non wholly favoured African households populating in poorness who are accuse of being deficient in their child-rearing behaviors. Social workers constantly experience the quandary of taking between directing attempts to child public assistance procedure or kid protection procedure and non see kids endure farther maltreatment under the context of poorness. The broader development of the new theoretical positions based on systems theory will help societal work professionals working with kids and African households to see a more specific position of their functions and to assist develop effectual relationships with African households with the position of understanding their single, emotional every bit good as societal demands. A deficiency of good relationship with African households will adversely impact on societal workers ability to understand their parenting behaviors so as to use the appropriate method of intercession ( Bernard A ; Gupta, 2008 ) . There are four chief grounds for the demand for a new position. 5.1 Policy alterations ensuing in a alteration in method of intercession The policy environment to which societal work pattern relates continues to alter to convey about the necessary societal alteration. Harmonizing to Platt ( 2006 ) persistent demands on societal workers from the authorities and including unequal staff, the bureaucratism and cardinal authorities marks, and policies on refugees and refuge searchers, creates trouble for societal work to offer a broad scope of household support services. Research shows that many African households may profit more when they are routed off from kid protection system towards child public assistance services ( Hayes A ; Spratt, 2008 ) . However, the authorities s response to Lord Laming s Report in Every Child Matters following the decease of Victoria Climbie, has strengthen kid protection and increase the figure of instances routed through kid public assistance processes. Therefore it is of import for societal workers to subject rearing patterns influenced by poorness to thorough examination during assessmen t procedure to assist accomplish better results for African kids. Poverty can make signifiers of disempowerment for kids when it is used to warrant parental behaviors and patterns that violate their right ( Bernard A ; Gupta, 2008 ) . Further to this point, societal workers sometimes face opposition when measuring rearing jobs, and more significantly their opinions about what should be see as important injury, when parents use poorness as a yardstick for their behaviors. Chand ( 1999 ) argue that due to the big figure of instances of kid maltreatment and child protection issues among black African kids and households, societal workers should take the enterprise and be proactive by interceding with the households they serve, informing them about where they draw their boundaries. 5.2 Changes in the cognition and accomplishment base As with any profession there are both new attacks and new apprehensions about the effectivity of specific intercessions. Investing in research and the airing of cognition and accomplishments in wellness remains vast greater than in societal attention. But the strengthening of these resources in societal work and societal attention should ensue in more cognition based pattern and direction in the medium and long term. The instance for recognizing different beginnings of cognition has been made and the multiplicity of information collected in assorted sections need to include that produced through the experience and expertness of people utilizing the services and front line workers every bit good as from research. Harmonizing to Chand ( 1999 ) developing either officially or informally, is of import for societal workers working with black African households with child-rearing issues since it can raise the issue of how black African households meet their kids needs otherwise. The prepar ation should be integrated into the societal work developing course of studies in higher instruction and this would broaden the apprehension of pupils which may chase away some of the myths around black African households and their child-rearing patterns and relieve the potency of pathologizing them in kid attention patterns ( Chand, 1999 ) . 5.3 Technological and structural alterations Recent technological alterations, designation of spreads in cognition and skills new countries of working are emerging which is ensuing in the proviso of services falling behind service demands. For case planetary motions have necessitated the demand for societal workers to work with African kids and households migrating to the UK with bing hapless backgrounds, to work with asylum searchers or refugees get awaying from ain states in political convulsion or at war ( Newburn, 1993 ) . New engineerings and the turning acquaintance of the populace in utilizing societal public assistance services opens up new signifiers of intercessions peculiarly to help African households populating poorness in the UK. In countries where there is rapid development or new issues with societal work pattern there is the necessity in progress of theory. Schemes in these fortunes may include reassigning bing cognition and accomplishments to the new country, pulling on any international experience and expertn ess, networking to portion and larn from experience and research on demands and effectual responses. Initially these may necessitate to be done individually to construction a different position before it is possible to convey experience and larning together in new ways. 5.4 Multi organisational or Partnership Intervention For intercession to run into the needed mark, it all depends on proper initial appraisal, but many of the appraisal tools that are employ such as DoH ( 2000 ) Model for the Assessment of kids in demand and their households may disfavor black African households due to the Eurocentric attack of societal workers. Research shows that partnership is needed to encompass both good working relationships and appropriate intercession procedure ( Chand, 1999 ) . Against this background, kids in demand may be given preventive supports and will forestall vulnerable kids from maltreatment or ill-treatment. Therefore greater attending should be given to back up professional societal work pattern, and safeguarding the value base, the relationship and the procedure of good pattern, expertness of societal workers and related professions. 5.5 Deductions and issues for considerations Recent surveies on African households and the kid protection system show that these households are disproportionately represented at different degrees in the kid attention system. The bing intercession tools for societal work pattern are grounded within ethnocentric epistemologies and, as the foundation for societal work theory and pattern, are non good equipped for the undertaking of fostering and developing African households and their kids. This is apparent, for illustration, in the sustained over-representation of black kids in the attention system and in the deficiency of supportive societal work services designed to run into their demands. It is hence of import for the development of new theoretical positions based on systems theory to assist societal workers who work with African kids and households. This will enable societal workers to take a broader position of their function and to develop a graphic perceptual experience of rearing behaviors and patterns of these households which are complicated with poorness so that a more appropriate method of intercession are employed in their opinion. The utmost poorness experience by many African households pose challenges for societal workers working to safeguard and advance kids s public assistance ( Bernard and Gupta, 2008 ) . The Model for the Assessment of Children in Need and their Families ( Department of Health, 2000 ) based on the ecological attack places a demand on societal workers to besides see the low income position of parents when step ining instances of kid maltreatment. These attacks provide an indispensable model for work with African kids and households, both in footings of the context of their lives and the procedure of the work being undertaken. In order to safeguard and advance the public assistance of West African kids, a starting point must be an recognition of beginnings of ill-treatment of kids in the context of poorness ( Bernard and Gupta, 2006 ) . The thesis highlights the importance of societal workers sing the poorness state of affairss of many African households who have immigrated to the United Kingdom, peculiarly those who have late arrived into the state. Most of the African households may be asylum searchers or refugees with insecure societal position and may hold really limited apprehension of the kid protection or public assistance province system in the UK ( Bernard A ; Gupta, 2008 ) . Therefore merely through developing effectual relationships with African kids and their households can societal workers begin to understand their single quandaries every bit good as their socio-economic demands. A deficiency of an effectual agencies of communicating will doubtless impact on societal workers ability to deploy competent intercessions within African kids and households. In footings of societal work intercession procedure, several writers have critically analysed the grounds on service proviso for black African households in general, in an effort to understand the kineticss of working with economically deprived cultural minority ( Dutt and Phillips, 2000 ; ONeale, 2000 ) . The pathologizing attack adopted by bulk societal workers towards African households may take to unnecessarily coercive intercession but, an income relativist attack may take to no intercession subjecting vulnerable kids to farther injury ( Chand, 1999 and ONeale, 2000 ) . The acceptance of a shortage position can skew societal work intercessions into rearing behavior and patterns when measuring African households and kids populating in utmost poorness who are enduring to supply equal child-care. However, it is of import to observe that utilizing poorness as one factor to understand and warrant parenting behaviors and patterns, is non merely plenty to explicate why some African households will pattern certain behaviors, whilst others will non ( Dutt and Phillips, 2000 ; Fontes, 2005 ) . However, holding socio-economic frames of mentions to pull on can assist rear go more resilient to economic hardship and this can supply a positive environment for advancing kids s emotional and societal development. Yet, poorness can besides make signifiers of disempowerment for kids when it is used to warrant parental behaviors and patterns that violate their human rights. Social workers, working with African households, may meet some opposition to their methods of intercession of rearing jobs and, in peculiar, their judgements about what constitute important injury, when parents use poorness as an account for their parenting behavior ( Shor, 2000 ) . Importantly, subjecting household income position to scrutiny is a necessary tool of the appraisal procedure if societal workers are to step in efficaciously so as to accomplish better results for African kids. In many senses, a balance should be struck between sensitively disputing claims that certain types of behaviors are considere d as socially acceptable in African civilization because they are hapless whilst at the same clip non losing sight of the proviso of preventive support to households that need it. An added bed of complication is the demand to safeguard kids s public assistance by disputing poverty-related patterns that are harmful to kids without needfully pathologizing all their parents care-giving patterns ( Platt, 2006 ) . Built-in in kid protection work is the balance between protecting kids at hazard of important injury, whilst at the same clip guaranting minimum unneeded intercession into the lives of kids and households. Although there are about 6,000 African kids in private Foster places in this state, and they likely represent a bulk of all in private fostered kids in the UK ( Bernard A ; Gupta, 2006 ) . Social workers must non merely be skilled in judging what methods of intercessions to use within the scope of their ain competency, but they must be able to judge the fortunes under which these methods are either insufficient or irrelevant to the aims they wish to accomplish. This is peculiarly true in fortunes where resources are unequal and the Government want to cut down the figure of kids traveling into attention. It becomes evident therefore that societal workers have to be concerned with the entire web of societal proviso, and should lend to policy preparation. Specht ( 2002 ) argues that the call for societal workers to get into the political sphere nevertheless, temporarily animating is likely to go forth many experiencing unequal. Specht ( 2002 ) besides pointed out that policy preparation is a procedure that entails many different undertakings and functions, and that all professionals can larn to lend to the procedure in whatever is the most appropriate manner for them. Th e mode in which Specht ( 2002 ) classifies societal work functions and specific undertakings, based as it is on the American experience in 1967, may non exactly fit into the current state of affairs in the UK. Nevertheless, the point that all societal workers, no affair what places they occupy or what methods of societal work intercession they employ, can and should play a portion in policy preparation still holds good.
Subscribe to:
Comments (Atom)