Region – Cagayan Valley

Most of the region lies in a large valley in northeastern Luzon, between the Cordilleras and the Sierra Madre mountain ranges. The Cagayan River, the country's longest, runs through its center and flows out to Luzon Strait in the north, in the town of Aparri, Cagayan. The Babuyan and Batanes island groups that lie in the Luzon Strait belong to the region. Cagayan Valley is the second largest region of the Philippines in terms of land area. Ibanag, Itawes and Ilocano (in varied shades and intonations) and Malueg are the major dialects of Cagayan. Migration made Ilocano the dominant language spoken in the province, composing 67. 3% of the total population. (Dios nicamu ngamin in Ybanag greeting, Good Day to all), Itawes comprise 13. 5%, Ybanag 15. 3%, and Malaueg 1. 7%. Other ethnic groups that migrated speak their own dialects. A person in places where literacy is high speaks and understands English or Filipino (Cagayan, 87). It’s Culture People in the valley dressed very simply. Old women used the saya and kimono while men used the camisa de chino or the barong tagalog. Some of the houses that withstood the Japanese occupation were historical houses made of hard wood. Some were bahay-kubo. Most typical homes were strong and typhoon-resistant. For agriculture, today, there are only a few have modern agricultural implements. The majority still use traditional implements like animal-drawn tools. Filipinos are characterized by its close family ties such that majority of married couples with children lived with their parents. The value of bayanihan, sharing, cooperation, brotherhood, self-responsibility, respect, love, peace, and dignity, are still very much alive in Cagayan. Old songs, proverbs, and poems are still sung today, alongside the instruments Kuribaw, tulali and the kuritang produced by Ibanags. These produced warlike or sad music. It also exhibits the beauty of the unoni, the berso, and the pabattang (proverbs and the advises through songs) which convey Ibanag history and their mores that the ethnic group keep sacred and inviolable. The following are samples of the Unoni as described by the Ibanags: â€Å"maguray y mapporay, mesipo y massipo, mawawan y carwan† (the brave leads, the lenient are included and the rest gets lost).

Funding Health Care Services Essay

Health Care Services Recommend How Ambulatory Services Should Be Funded There are many businesses like ambulance services that are private. Their fees are collected by the person that is using the service to be transported to the doctor or the use of their insurance they use to assist with their services. The community also provides some of the services and they are supported by taxes. In some cases, this is very rare. The hospital provides some of the ambulance services which are paid for by their insurance company or the patient for the service that is rendered at that time. In the community where I live, the patient is charged for the ambulance service regardless if someone gets on the ambulance when they arrive at the home. But the service is always community based. This is how the ambulatory service is paid for rather than it getting paid for by our tax dollars. It also depends on the business, county, and state we live in each day. Services provided by the county and state are services paid for by tax base. There is also the use of private ambulance services, or just the use of completely volunteer ones. The use of first responders is funded by the county and the state. At the same time, one can use a private separate ambulance service to assist with the injured person and transporting them. Recommend How Continuum of Long-Term Care Services Should be Funded I recommend that in order to deal with the complicated nature of long-term care, alternative solutions need to be considered. The reality is that the population who is in need of long term care has to consider all of their basic health and human needs met for all the decades of their life. This is an expensive reality. With the expanding population of individuals who qualify for long term care, there needs to be a feasible plan in place in order to ensure the viability of long term services without leaning on limited tax payer and/or government funds. My suggestion is to increase the requirement for pre-graduate internships and/or clinic experiences for students who are seeking advanced degrees in the long-term care services field. These include; medical assisting, nursing, professional counseling, social work, a physical rehabilitation. According to Mulvey, in the US, Medicaid is a government program that will pay for certain health services  and nursing home care for older people. In most states, Medicaid also pays for some long-term care services at home and in the community. Eligibility and covered services vary from state to state. Most often, eligibility is based on income and personal resources. Individuals eligible for Medicaid are typically not in the condition or capable of aging in pla ce, and Medicaid’s expenses are primarily concentrated on nursing home care. The current requirement for these programs before graduation is in the range of 9-12 months of unpaid or low-paid service. If this service graduation requirement were to increase to 18-24 months this would provide many more entry level, yet qualified, individuals the opportunity to provide care for those who are seeking a multitude of services at a fraction of the cost of current programs. The basis for funding should be a combination of government subsidized funds, acknowledging the inherent sympathy that the United States was founded, along with private donations. If the cost of services can decrease, the available funds can stretch further to be able to support additional individuals who require long term care. Recommend How Mental and Behavioral Health Services Should be Funded Mental disorders and mental health problems are treated by a variety of caregivers who work in diverse, relatively independent, and loosely coordinated facilities and services-both public and private (Williams ;amp; Torren, 2010). I recommend that they appoint staff from the Department of Mental Health to develop and put into practice a joint plan to create a continuum of care for elder adults with behavioral health needs based on the Community Support Program (CSP) model. This plan of action should summarize objectives, goals, timeframes, action steps, and a research/evaluation component. It should also make available guidelines for written agreements on local collaboration, which it should include how to decide cross-system disagreements. I also think that resource allocation o should be a main focus. With this being said, this would lay the groundwork for the systems integration needed to create the continuum of care. Next, I recommend that they establish committed funding for services to elder adults with behavioral health needs for the county and state. This already exists for the care of the children. There should be a level of flexibility in order to develop a group of services perceptive to the needs of the individual of the adults. As of now, the state has not funded mental health. I recommend that at least one geriatric pilot project be included in the budget. The project should require integration of the behavioral health and aging systems. I think that this would really be a vital step in addressing the needs of the geriatric population which is really underserved today. Once this is set up, it is my recommendation that the state set aside more money for this funding each year. On the local level, community mental health should make behavioral health services for older individuals a main concern in its yearly plan for the distribution of reinvestment dollars. I also recommend that they require that all medical and nursing students be trained in identifying behavioral health issues, treatment modalities as they relate to the older adults, and the referral processes.

Comparing Medieval Art to Renaissance Art Essay

Medieval art period Medieval art covers a large scope of time. The period covered over 1000 years of art in Europe, Middle East and North Africa. The period was characterized by major art movements based on national art and regional art. There was also the aspect of revivals and artists crafts. Art historians have been successful in classifying medieval art into major periods and styles. This is often characterized with significant difficulty. The major periods of art in medieval period include, the early Christian art, the migration period art, the insular art, the Pre Romanesque art, and lastly the Romanesque art. Gothic art was also a prominent period on medieval art. In addition to these periods, each region which later became nations had its own distinct artistic style. Medieval art was basically produced in a large array of media (Veronica, 2008). The works have remained significant and large in number. They include illuminated manuscripts, stained glass, sculptures and mosaics. Paintings were als o a common occurrence during this period. Historians have pointed out that medieval art in Europe grew as a result of artistic heritage that highly influenced by the Roman Empire. There is also an influence of iconographic traditions in this art period. It has been noted that these artistic source we mixed with what warfare to as barbarian artistic culture of northern Europe to provide excellent pieces of art. Byzantine art was one of the most influential arts during medieval time. This art form was basically influence by the Byzantine Empire and went on to be accepted in major areas. From the period of the late antique in the medieval period, there emerged the Byzantine Art (Veronica, 2008). Although it basically originated from the catholic Europe, the art was embraced by all as a result of its originality. During the period of 730 to 843, there were a large number of icons that were destroyed and therefore very little remain today to present the originality of this era in medieval art. From the medieval eras, there came prominent artist by the name of Michelangelo di Lodovico Buonarroti, commonly known as Michelangelo. The most famous piece by Michelangelo was his art work done on the Sistine Chapel in Rome: the scenes from Genesis on the ceiling and The Last Judgment in the altar wall. His works were inspired by the developments of the time. His works encompassed rhythm and contrast in a way that brought out the basic details of the artistic works. He used dull colors to reflect his somber mood while also embracing balance as a way of inspiring the generations. Most of his notable artistic works were influenced by color and balance. He used these two aspects of art to bearing out a message through his works. There is a major understanding the medieval art period was the real cause for the developments in the renaissance period (Lawrence, 2007). It is also argued by historians that as a result of the best steps taken by artists of the medieval period especially the late medieval period, the artists of pre renaissance period were able to build their trade. The argument is informed by the fact that during the late medieval period, there were early renaissance period artistic representations that were present. There is the basic understanding that the two periods ran concurrently for a certain period of time before they partied ways. The later medieval period gave rise to the early renaissance period. Renaissance Art Renaissance Art period is conceivably one of the utmost celebrated art periods in the history of mankind. The period was characterized by a wide array of disincentive artistic talent that put paint to work producing excellent results. Some of the notable artists of this period include Leonardo da Vinci, Robert camping, Santos Botticelli, Raphael and titian. There have been arguments in the artistic historical world whether the period was the best period in the history of art. Renaissance art originated from the renaissance period (Johnson, 2009). According to art historians, the period was characterized by sculpture, painting and decorative arts that formed the renaissance period in history. The period emerged with its distinct style in about 1400 parallel to developments in philosophical, literary and musical industries. The period art is referred to as the rebirth of ancient traditions and has its roots in the classical antiquity. The period has transformed by the absorption of recent developments to give a different approach to art in the northern Europe through application of contemporary scientific knowledge. The renaissance art period was also characterized by the renaissance humanist philosophy that spread throughout the western history. This affects both the artists and the patrons of their works. There was a development of new techniques and also new artistic sensibilities. The renaissance period was basically the time from medieval period to early modern age. One of the most respected pieces of art of this period was the Last Supper by Leonardo da Vinci. The artistic representation of the last supper has been addressed as one of the unsurpassed in the history of mankind. This has given Leonardo da Vinci an upper hand among his peers of the renaissance period. The absorption of recent developments in the early modern age characterized a radical shift in renaissance art. It is believed that this change of tact formed the basis for the new approach on the aspect of artistic representation of ideas. Historical facts show that early renaissance art was infarct produced parallel with the late medieval art. By 1500, the renaissance part was declared the better of the time thereby prevailing over the late medieval art. The late renaissance art was later called mannerisms and developed to become a fully fledge artists pattern. This pattern took distinctive attributes of each region and merged them together (Johnson, 2009). The proto renaissance period was basically I Italy and ran from 1280 to 1400. By the late 14th century, Italy had already been introduced to the new version of the renaissance era. That period was characte4rise by outstanding arts like the sculpture of Nicola Pisano and also Giovanna Pisano. There was a major development in figurative painting where precedence was set on naturalistic and three dimensional approaches that classified the classics it into different categories (Charles, 2009). The period was viewed as aim of classifying and rebirth of art from different perspectives. Leonardo da Vinci work captured all the major aspect of art including color, balance rhythm and balance. He used bright colors in his trademark works including the Last Supper. The use of bright colors was restricted to the foreground on f the pictures while the background was characterized by dark colors. In conclusion, there was an aspect of balance in both periods as they seek to balance different occasions with specific colors. There is a major understanding that both works have a similar approach to balance. The use of rhythm in the latest installations of these works in the periods offered a new way of understanding art. The two periods have emphasized on the need to build themes based on the current issues of the time. References Charles, A, 2009, ‘Renaissance Art’, Washington: Parkstone International Johnson, A, 2009, ‘Renaissance Art: A Very Short Introduction’, Washington: Oxford University Press Lawrence, N, 2007, ‘Early Medieval Art’, Washington: Oxford University Press Veronica, A, 2008, ‘Medieval Art’, Washington: Oxford University Press

Issues Letter Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Issues Letter - Essay Example Immunization is sure way of reducing infant mortality as it can protect children of a number of diseases that can easily take away their lives at a tender age. Example of diseases that have been eradicated through proper immunization programs include polio and measles. Vaccination offers an effective and safe means of preventing the occurrence of diseases among children. It is a proven fact that disease-prevention benefits of getting vaccines are much greater than the possible side effects for almost all children. Some people have shunned away from vaccination on grounds that it creates discomfort among children such as pain, redness and tenderness at the injected spot. However, they need to note that the pain and trauma associated with the diseases themselves far much outweighs the discomfort of vaccination. Prevention is better than cure should be embraced as the means to advocate for immunization programs in the country. Failure to advocate for vaccination will lead to wastage of resources in a bit to cure diseases that would have otherwise been prevented. Immunization thus saves time and money. As a matter of urgency, immunization programs need to be emphasized within the public domain so as to reap some of the benefits of such programs. Awareness need to be created among the members of the public through the use of mainstream media and the social media platforms. The government need to adopt radical steps in their bid to mobilize the public on the need to take immunization programs seriously. Some of the actions include placing of billboards or posters placed at the district center and at the entrance of all public places at the time when vaccinations are starting, and should remain until all the doses have been completed. Information on immunization should be dispatched through the media via radio and television programs and commercials. Social media is a very vital tool in spreading information in the current generation hence need to be

U03d1 Health Care Perceptions Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

U03d1 Health Care Perceptions - Essay Example Second are long term debts, where the maturity of the debt is longer than one year. Both these debts are equally risky as well as have the advantages and disadvantages (Zelman, McCue, & Glick, 2009). Considering the long term debts, it is essential to note that there are two primary models that are present, one where the debt is a term loan and second where the debt is a public offering mostly in the form of bonds. The health care industry has a mixture of debts which can be used to meet the needs of an optimal investment; it is essential to note that a more diversified portfolio proves to be very beneficial for the industry and can in a number of ways increase the anticipation of an investment. It is also important to note that the investments are not always accurate and the growth is not easily measurable. In the case of banks, it is possible to determine the financial situation using the debt to equity ratio, however considering the health care industry this can be a little risky and the outcome and overall organization can be difficult to manage. There is a high level of risk that is involved in the risk of borrowing and debt when compared to the risk of equity. Also as explained by Moore (2009), there is a high level of interest rates that need to be considered and these have to a great extent impacted a number of people across the world, leaving them defaulting on the loans. Considering the health care industry and the consumers, it is definite that the hospital finances are not found. Also considering the hospitals, it is important to note that the debt related issues is a very unconventional problem. The chances for the health care industry to be faced with high levels of debt ratio (Abel, et.al., 2009). There are a number of different opinions and ideas that the customers have about the financial condition of the health care industry and the consumers in most cases will not get a true peek into the financial condition of the organizations.

Historical Development of Nursing Timeline Research Paper

Historical Development of Nursing Timeline - Research Paper Example Hippocrates first theorized the practice of health care in the fifth century B.C. During the Middle Ages Catholic monks practiced early forms of nursing through caring for the sick and ill of Europe. During the 17th century nursing developed and increasingly became associated with the downtrodden members of society, such as prostitutes. Nurses during this period gained a poor reputation and were generally regarded as unreliable. It wasn’t until Florence Nightingale in the 19th century that nursing began to take on the shape of its contemporary form. This essay considers the historical development of nursing from the time of Florence Nightingale, and examines various elements related to the nursing profession. In the early 19th century the perception of nursing shifted dramatically as Florence Nightingale accepted a position as a nurse. While nurses had previously been associated with lower class individuals, Nightingale was a well-educated woman with a solid background. Her contributions to the nursing profession were substantial in shifting it to respectable levels. In 1853 Theodore Fliedner made further advancements. Fliedner established hospitals wherein there were stringent requirements for nursing professionals. This improved the reputation of nurses and led to the establishment of the British Institute of Nursing Sisters. The next significant advancements in nursing occurred at the beginning of the 20th century. In 1901 New Zealand became the first country to regulate nurses nationally. The United States would follow suit in 1903. During World War Two the nursing profession would again experience significant changes. During this period the war effort increasingly demanded that the bedside skills of nurses be expanded to include a new array of skills. As a result of these increased needs, the profession of nursing expanded with increasing amount of nurses being required to have advanced medical training. During this period nursing became increasingly organized as the war effort demanded improved levels of efficiency to treat the large amounts of wounded soldiers. Throughout the remainder of the 20th century nursing would advance in terms of both the profession and the theoretical science. In terms of the profession increasing amounts of licensure and educational options emerge further increasing the skills and understandings of nurses. For instance, the United States now offers both a Bachelor’s and Master’s of Science degree in nursing. In terms of nursing theory the 20th century would witness the development of a great variety of nursing theories (Barnum 1998). Today they are broadly categorized under broad nursing theory, that considers the pr actice of nursing as a whole, and mid-range nursing theories that focus on specific aspects of nursing (Barnum 1998). It’s the collection of these elements that make nursing the complex profession it is today. When considering nursing one of the main elements are the divisions between nursing as a profession and nursing as a science. The nature of the nursing profession is the actual occurrence of health care for individuals in hospitals or situations of medical need. The nursing profession is governed by a social contract wherein nurses are bound by ethical responsibilities. Within the profession there are varying degrees of nurses, based on education and licensing. For instance, there are both Licensed Practical nurses (LPN) and Registered nurses (RN); both of these individuals have different nursing responsibilities. Conversely, the nursing science is a comprehensive approach to nursing that develops theories related to advancing and improving nursing practice. Indeed, nur sing science has had a significant impact on other disciplines, such as philosophy, psychology and the social sciences. Within this context of understanding, nursing theories have examined many issues related to interpersonal interaction and human wellness. For instance, Henderson’s need theory advances notions philosophy and psychology

Critical Thinking in Business Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words - 2

Critical Thinking in Business - Essay Example There is an ongoing debate over whether a firm should exist solely for making profits or whether it should pay heed to the social and environmental concerns that accompany the practice of Corporate Social Responsibility or CSR. The proponents of the view that a firm exists solely for making profit argue about the market being the final arbiter of allocating resources and point to the market as the place where incentives for allocating resources for social and environmental causes is to be found. The opponents of this view take the stand that everything cannot be left to the market and there needs to be a mechanism in place whereby the environmental and social causes need to be taken care of. (Smith, 2003) If we examine both sides of the debate as well as take into account superficial attempts by businesses to pay lip service to CSR, the first strand of thought that comes to mind is about the need for businesses to invest in CSR as a way of mitigating the deleterious effects of the industrial paradigm on the environment. The practice of CSR by industrial companies is in vogue these days because of the fact that they have contributed to polluting the environment. As Maak and Pless point out in their article, â€Å"If this world is to be a decent world in the future, Martha Nussbaum contends, ‘‘we must acknowledge right now that we are citizens of one interdependent world, held together by mutual fellowship as well as the pursuit of mutual advantage, by compassion as well as self-interest, by a love of human dignity in all people, even when there is nothing we have to gain from cooperating with them’’ (2005, p. 217) Hence in this interconnected and flat world (Friedman, 2005) there is a need for concerted action by the businesses to take steps that would alleviate the pressing issues of the day. However, the opponents of this view are some of the multinationals themselves as can be seen from

LAND LAW Coursework Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

LAND LAW - Coursework Example Property law declares what society regards as property, it creates or constitutes property rights, defines the legal incidence of those rights i.e. their content, regulates the dynamics of property rights and prescribes the conditions for the availability of the rights.1 Property in land The legal conception of land under English Common Law is expressed in the maxim. Cujus est solum, ejus est usque ad coelum et ad inferos. Land embraces not just the physical straturm but fixtures, water and all things found in the aerospace above the geospace. Kelsen v Imperial Tobacco Co. – 1957 2 Q.B 334.2 In the case before us there are two main issues to be determined in this scenario. First matter is erected fence which was done by Terri Staines thatleads to the front of the garage which partially divides off the property from that of Lee Vowles’. And the other one is the fence which is going to be erected by Lee Vowle. The case scenario indicates that the issues are parts of a dis pute which has begun due to an undetermined boundary. In the precedent of ACCO Properties Ltd v Severn & Anor [2011] EWHC 1362(Ch) Simon Barker QJ set out the principles on determining boundary lines in Paragraph 11. Starting from the registered title plan, it only indicates the general boundary3, and there is no physical boundary4. Given that it does not bring any lucidity then the extrinsic substantiation should be taken into account which was existed on the land when the partitioning conveyance was executed. There was a small cobbled5 area about equidistant between the two properties; unfortunately the cobbled area was removed before the sale to the predecessor of Terri. This indication is not sufficient to determine the boundary. And again it is mentioned that the land was sold to the predecessors in the title of Lee and Terri, and registered with the local land registry, Land Registration Act2002 (LRA). In bold property in land means the exclusive control of the soil everything up to the sky and down to centre of the earth. In that case every interest in land is registered and operated under a particular statute. To exemplify, registration is mainly done to minimize the friction in the society through granting ownership to particular person(s), creating various interest over land (lease hold & freehold) as well as conveyancy.6 Therefore, this applies to Terri Staines, and Lee Vowles who derivatively acquired their ownership of title from the original predecessors in voluntary sale.7 In contrast, Thorpe Ltd acquired his/her ownership by asserting original claim on derelict land which had not been own by anyone.8 However, the degree of control or of enjoyment an individual or community may have over land varies with the nature of the rights vested. Terri Staines’ verses Lee Vowles’ land and Thorpe Ltd. This Case translates to (Trespass to land) Lee complains that Terri erected his fence encroaching into his /her land in 1996. Besides, whenever Terri Staines’s friends and relatives pay him a visit they often park their cars partly across his/her driveway which means there is difficulty reversing the car out on Lee Vowles’s part. This proves that Lee’s right of possession and enjoyment of his/her property has been disturbed or interfered with â€Å"Res ipsa loquitor†.9 The most obvious example is unauthorized walking upon the plaintiff’s land or going into the buildings upon it, but it is equally trespass to throw things on

Outputs and Outcomes in Public Sector Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Outputs and Outcomes in Public Sector - Essay Example Such outcomes should be classified as outputs as they reflect what the institution has accomplished; they do not reflect what (or how much) students have learned. Nor do they answer the questions outlined above; in fact, they do not measure changes in the students as a result of their college experience. As opposed to outcomes that measure aggregated statistics on an institution-wide basis, student learning outcomes are concerned with attributes and abilities, both cognitive and affective, which reflect how the student experiences at the institution supported their development as individuals. Students are asked to demonstrate acquisition of specific knowledge and skills, generally: In a coordinated effort to answer these results-oriented questions, higher education governing and monitoring bodies have been working to address this need for accountability. They have (and are continuing to do so) reviewed and revised the standards that institutions use to demonstrate their efficiency and effectiveness. At the national level, both the American Association for Higher Education (AAHE) and the Council for Higher Education Accreditation (CHEA) have advocated the need to increase awareness, the value, and necessity for measuring and reporting student learning as outcomes. However, because of the decentralized structure of accreditation of higher education in the United States, it has become the responsibility of the regional higher education institutional accreditation associations to develop standards by which to hold institutions accountable through evaluation, including the imposition of student learning outcome measures. (McMurtrie 2000) In the past, prescriptive standards that regional accrediting bodies established to accredit individual higher education institutions have been inputs- and outputs-based, focused on measuring and reporting the processes and structures concerning the delivery and use of institutional services. To increase accountability practices, regional accrediting bodies are placing more pressure on institutions to measure what students learn by applying assessment processes, replacing traditional standards with less prescriptive standards seeking outcome measures--institutional outcomes and student learning outcomes. Furthermore, several of the regional accreditors are requesting their member institutions to prepare assessment plans that measure outcomes, especially student learning outcomes, within the institution. (Hernon 2002) Student learning outcomes might be envisioned as applying only to undergraduates, when, in fact, they could be appropriate to graduate students, be they master's or doctoral students. At the same time, such measures could be appropriate for other constituent groups that the library serves. Moving beyond student learning outcomes, research outcomes are appropriate for graduate students, especially doctoral students, and for the faculty. As we noted in An

Aging and Addiction Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Aging and Addiction - Essay Example ccording to Hasin & Grant (1997), the impact which consumption of drugs or alcohol can have on the mental and physical well being of a person, especially the older one includes mental problems, liver and kidney diseases, and wounds from falls. Dependence on drugs or alcohol in the older people also takes place even if they have never had an addiction problem before. If used appropriately, drugs and other chemical substances can be very helpful for one’s mental and physical well being. For instance, if consumed moderately, alcohol possess the substance which may provide cardiac benefits, moreover, it can also be used for the purpose of providing mental and physical relaxation and also for the purpose of diminishing nervousness.  The issue in this regard is that the abuse of drugs and medications, whether illegal and legal, including tobacco and alcohol, has become an extensively grave issue in the older population (Hubbard & Racholl, 1989). Many older ones consume various kinds of medications on daily basis, however, by consuming these drugs, they can cause harm to their mental and physical health, and for instance, when consumed with alcohol, drugs can cause some severe health issues. Often it happens that the older ones consider the adverse impacts of drugs abuse as usual symptoms of aging, which in actual are not.   There are various kinds of drugs, which require the body to consume higher doses of that particular drug for the [purpose of realizing the original effect of that particular drug, and once the effect of such drugs are vanished then the consumer may feel withdrawal symptoms. This drug phenomenon is known as drug tolerance, which indicates that the drug forces your body to experience change in these ways. There are some kinds of drugs, which if consumed even in small doses, can generate a hazardous desire for more. Moreover, often it happens that a drug when prescribed, initially was a beneficial drug, b ut becomes a dangerous drug when consumed with

Economic Growth and Workers Essay Example for Free

Economic Growth and Workers Essay What basically the article of Mehring would want to states into the public would be the adverse effect of the economic growth on the labour market [workers]. It was states on his paper entitled â€Å"Vital Signs: A Not-So-Great ‘08† that market analysts predicts, as 2008 comes, the economy to be more dependent on the consumption level of the consumers. In this light, Mehring stressed that this would be impossible considering the current condition of one of the primary sector in the economy- housing. For the past years, housing sectors has been performing so badly after the end of 2005 as the demand of consumers for housing units declined dramatically giving the housing firm a hard hit on their financial capabilities. In this regard, members of the housing sectors were forced to lay-off some of their workers. Furthermore, the financial sector of the economy has not been performing well making the recovery of the housing sector to slow down. At the end of the day, it is the consumers, workers at the same time, which receives the entire burden since there is a big possibility for them to be fired from their jobs and/or to receive lower wages as the economy continuous to perform badly. From November last year up to the present, the number of jobless people continuously keeps on rising. Even though there are a lot of jobs that has been created at the start of this year, around 70,000 jobs, those are still not enough to compensate the job losses that occur in the labor market. Due to the fact that there workers receives lower incomes, logically, they can only consume less thus making the profit of the businesses to decline. It was identified that retail stores experienced significant drop on their sales even during the holiday season. Due to this, their profitability and outlook in the economy started to become dependent on the performance of the consumption level of the consumer group. Since the profit of the producers are negatively affected by the lower consumption of the consumers, as well as due to the fact that there is a large pool of unemployed people available in the labor market, there is a leeway for businesses to offer lower wages to their employees, and the cycle of burden goes on. Although, export market keeps on lowering down the bad performance of the economy through convincing the investors that there is still hope for our economy for avert the negative effects of recession to the entire economy. Because of the alarming effects of the bad economic performance of the country, the government has been identifying ways on how to increase the growth of the labor sector to improve the consumption levels of the consumers and thus improving the profitability of the business firms operating in the market especially those coming from the construction and housing sector. There are already around 350,000 job losses that occurred by the end of December 22 and the current level that we have is higher than with the average level of 2007. Meanwhile, most of the job growth falls under the service sector and they are accounted for around 150,000 of the 192,000 jobs that are added in October last year (Mehring 4). Inside the service sector, it is the professional services, health care, leisure and entertainment that contributes for the improvement of the service sector. In order for the government to fully address the problem regarding unemployment, they must focus their policies and programs for the betterment of the financial sector, private as well as the providing measures on how to increase the growth rate of the labor market. In short, finds ways on moving the economy away from the midst of recession and secure the concerned sectors of the economy for a sustainable economic growth. Critique and Insight Based from the article of Mehring, there is a clear relationship of economic growth and the labor sector which is comprises by the working class. Actually, Mehring presented in his paper how the cycle of recession and unemployment exists in our economy nowadays. Actually, it is a good thing that he mentioned it in his paper since it provides us of the reasons why the government is actually bound of which party they would protect the most, is it the private or the consumer group which could also be classified as workers. The not-so-good- performance of our economy for the past two years has been imposing serious threats to major industries and one of this is the housing industry. Here is the logic, by the time the demand housing units declined by the end of 2005, members of the housing industry starts to experience lower profitability. Due to this scenario, this housing industry starts to become incapable of sustaining the current level wage rate and what they will do is to either lay-off some workers and/or lowers down the wage rate that they pay for their workers in order to secure their profitability which eventually further decaying the income and purchasing power of the consumers [workers] and the cycle continuous. There have been studies saying that in order for the economy to progress impressively, the government must find ways to maintain a lower unemployment rate. But what is happening in our case would be a different one considering the response of the consumer group and the market condition of major business sectors. Here, the government must not only focus on the unemployment rate but also considering the welfare of the business firms in making actions to address the problem. There are times wherein the government is too much engross in solving the unemployment rate but sacrificing the welfare of the businesses and at the end of the day the problem still remain and become worse. I think, it would be better for our government to find solutions to increase the rate of job growth that will not affect negatively the businesses in the economy like lowering down the restrictions of FDI into the country in order for the foreign investors to be encourage establishing their businesses here, thus, making creating more jobs. Moreover, the government could lower down the taxes of the taxes of the domestic companies in exchange of not laying-off of workers. Another possible solution that the government could implement would be to lessen the trade barriers of the government to give way for the multinational companies to set up their branches here in the country and thus creating more jobs to the economy. The reason why I have been to much in particular of solving the problem regarding unemployment because when a person has a job he could earn an income and used it to his needs or simply as consumption. By the time consumption improves, then, businesses starts to perform better and so with the entire economy. In this scenario, we could see that economic growth and workers are really related to one another. Moreover, it is good that Mehring identified in his paper the connection of the financial sector in revitalizing not only the growth of the business firms but also its importance on upgrading the financial capabilities of the consumers. Growth of businesses firms [economic growth] as well as upgrading of financial capabilities of consumers [workers] is made possible by the financial sector if they would lower down their interest rate from borrowing in order for the businesses and consumers to borrow money from them and used this money to increase their purchasing power and their budget for operation. Since in this scenario consumer will be having more money [through borrowing], then, their consumption level will improved and so with the profitability of the business firms especially the housing and construction sectors which are currently in bad shape in terms of demand and profitability. In this regard, it would be necessary to say that economic growth and workers are interrelated to one another, and the performance of one could affect the other through various economic factors such as consumption pattern and supply level.

College sports gambling Essay Example for Free

College sports gambling Essay With all of the controversy of gambling in college sports, why is the issue still an issue? The answer is money. There were actions taken towards this by Congress, but the problem is that it was never completely abolished. Congress had made the mistake of creating a way around it. It is now commonly referred to as the Las Vegas loophole. They outlawed the betting nationwide with the exception of one state, one state that is the capital of gambling, Nevada. This has caused few changes, with the exception of the ever-growing revenue that it generates. Another reason the legality still remains is one not frequently mentioned, but the question of the ban being constitutional. But no matter what the law, is there realistically ever going to be silence or content? To trace the tracks to the start of mending this problem, we need to go back to 1992. This is the year that the Professional and Amateur Sports Protection Act took precedence. This law restricts gambling on amateur sports in 46 states and essentially leaves Nevada as the only state that can take bets on those games. Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz) and Rep. Lindsay Graham (R-S. C. ) are striving to get two separate bills passed, both of which are targeted at prohibiting gambling on amateur sports. The bills were introduced a year ago, and at the time, were heavily favored. The bills would legally put a stop to betting on NCAA games, the oh-so-notorious March Madness (the NCAA Tournament), and wagering on all college sports for that matter. Las Vegas casino lobbyist have turned offensive. Who wouldnt, if there were possibilities of losing a $700 million cash cow, with approximately $70 million on March Madness? The money that is generated from sports betting both legal and not, is much too vast to be eradicated. Nevada is the tree trunk for which sports gambling is derived. The casinos are complete with giant electronic boards that offer information on daily events ranging from odds to player injuries. This is the basis of most sports wagering. Nevada generates $2. 3 billion a year on legal sports betting , where as, betting on college sports revenue in Nevada accounts for $650 million of the amount. This is far from the issue though. If betting on college sports in Nevada is made illegal, I find the impact to be very small considering that illegal sports gambling has been estimated at $80 billion to $380 billion a year. At the least, 40 times the legal revenue generated seems very minute. In addition, studies have shown that for every dollar bet on sports in Vegas, $100 is bet with bookies and on the Internet. Rep. Jim Gibbons (R-Nev. ), says that there is nothing backing up that legal gambling in Nevada is in any way responsible for the illegal sports wagering that plagues our nations college campuses. Rep. Shelley Berkley (D-Nev.), said that no problems would be solved by eliminating legal bets any more than suggesting that outlawing aspirin would stop the sale of illegal drugs. A poll done by Gallop from March 18-20 (between the first two weekends of this years NCAA tournament) found that Americans were divided on issue. The poll stated that 49% believe that college sports gambling should be illegal and 47% believe that it should not. Strikingly, college basketball fans are stuck on 48% on both stand-points. The possibility of abolishing gambling on college sports is not very likely nor does it hold much hope of bettering the problem. If the betting was banned, theres no possibility of it just disappearing. The figures and dollar amounts of illegal gambling are much too high now, and it is still legal. What happens when Congress puts this law into effect and everyone ignores it? It surely does not say much about our society and its morals. Howard Shaffer, director of the Division on Addictions at Harvard Medical School, said If we pass legislation that we cannot enforce, it will undermine authority in general and young people dont need any more laws that nobody respects. Shaffer added, If its unenforceable, they will come to see other legislation as unenforceable and then well have problems where we dont necessarily have them today. People of all kinds are in agreeance that the impact of this law would hardly be worth the effort. John Shelk, vice president of the American Gaming Association, also stated Its not like Congress is going to pass a law that bans legal gambling, and students across the country will say, ? Oh my God, I cant gamble anymore because its illegal. Sen. McCain, co-author of last years Senate bill, had countered his opinion to ESPN.com by saying, I dont think we have to choose between enforcing existing laws on illegal gambling and closing the loophole on legal gambling. McCain added, we can do both. McCain and others claim that eliminating legalized gambling in Nevada would be an essential first step on stopping the college sports gambling. Critics disagree. They believe that the attempt to chip away at illegal sports gambling isnt a logical first step, at all. The fact of the college sports gambling, is that there is too much publicity, popularity, and money surrounding this particular gambling sport. In the beginning there was a problem with popularity. From 1951-1974, there was a 10% excise tax levied by the Federal Government on the amount of sports wagers. The tax made the business unprofitable since the profit margin was generally 5% or less before the tax. In 1974, Congress was persuaded by the Nevada congressional delegation. From this persuasion, Congress ended up cutting the tax from 10% to 2%. From there, the boom took off. It took a little time but the pay off was great. Wagers on professional and college sports were totaling $1. 3 billion by 1988. After the new wave had taken off, professional sports teams and the NCAA became concerned. One outspoken supporter was Bill Bradley, a former basketball star and Democratic Senator from New Jersey. Bradley expressed, state-sponsored sports betting could change forever the relationship between the players and the game, and the game and the fans. Sports would become the gamblers game and not the fans game, and athletes would become roulette chips, he pleaded in 1992. Bradley and others apparently made quite an impact because Congress enacted the Professional and Amateur Sports Protection Act, which was noted earlier as the Nevada loop hole. Again, the conflict elevated from there on out. Realistically though, as much as the NCAA wants this legalization stopped, there is an issue thats never discussed, but could legally keep the association from doing anything. It is another loophole that Nevada has found, and is a little more concrete. It is the 10th amendment, which delegates powers to the states not to the federal government. This means that if the bill becomes a law, the state of Nevada will definitely have grounds to contest it. The popularity of college sports gambling has continued to grow over the years. When the NCAA tournament begins to roll around each year, Nevada gets hard at work. March Madness, is virtually a madness. Its a craze that is so very wide-spread, it would literally be impossible to get rid of it. Brackets and spreads are created, and almost anybody with vision can say that they have seen the NCAA tournament bracket. It is so popular now that some media devote entire sections of newspapers to the event. Its inevitable that readers are able to find the bracket listed, and usually bold and in full color. You can even find the bracket displayed at bars, restaurants, and even work places. More popular is the office pool that seems to have grown so much that women and even non-sports fans find them selves anteing in at a shot on the pool. If this legislation is to pass, how are things like the office pools going to be regulated? Can any one realistically imagine the day that cops and or Federal agents busting bars and business environments for illegal gambling all over the country? The idea of the regulation is ridiculous. In addition to the casual gambling in offices and such, what about the vast expansion of gambling and sources of it on the Internet? The Internet is full of sites devoted to college sports and gambling of it. As far as the NCAA goes, it has what most would consider a hypocritical view on the situation. The NCAA claims to be firmly against the legal betting, but when it comes to the Tournament and other advertised events, one might think differently about the beliefs. In congressional testimony the NCAA says it opposes all forms of illegal sports wagering. Well, if anyone has heard of a little network called CBS, they might be able to recall a small tournament, in correlation with the network, called the NCAA Tournament. These two were in conjunction for this years tournament, but somehow the NCAA had no problem with CBS repeatedly pointing viewers to CBS. Sportsline. com, all throughout the broadcast. Additionally, CBS. Sportsline. com owns Las Vegas Sports Consultants. Some authorities estimate that over 80% of Las Vegas sports books subscribe to the line, set by this firm. During the tournament, this web site offered a free Bracket Pool Manager, in addition to odds, points, spreads, over/unders, and so on. You cant gamble through the site, but what other purpose does a Bracket Pool Manager and other such emminities serve besides gambling. When you link all of these things together, it just doesnt make any sense. There has to be an approval by the NCAA for all of this to have taken place, therefore, it is indeed to some extent, condoning this action that it claims to be so against. So what do you think that the NCAA can do or say? Would it be feasible for them to say no, you cant say that or broadcast our tournament anymore? NO! CBS accounts for 90% yes, 90% of the NCAA operating revenue. I seriously doubt that the NCAA is so consumed with its beliefs, that it will just discard the whole money issue that goes along with it. The National Association of Basketball Coaches, Official Athletic Site believes that the NCAA has many problems that it needs to address and correct before jumping the gun to Congress. Marc Isenbergs article on the site stated that, The NCAA cannot even begin to educate athletes and other students-or even congress-until it does the following: 1. ) demand that CBS cut its ties with CBS. Sportsline.com and Las Vegas Sports Consultants, which are a major part of the infrastructure of gambling on college sports 2. ) prohibit corporate partners from using bracket promotions or contests connected to the outcome of games 3. ) refuse to credential media outlets who publish lines and accept ads from tout services 4. ) fund a gambling education program on college campuses that addresses the problem of gambling, not just shaving. Can the NCAA tear itself away from its ? Show me the money outlook to conduct such a campaign? The answer is No. The truth remains, that nobody especially not the NCAA wants to go back to the unpopular, no money-making ways of the past. There is an undeniable problem with betting in college sports, mainly when it comes to students. This is the NCAAs major concern, but namely, point shaving. In general, point shaving is done by players that intentionally miss shots to change the outcome of the game. The NCAA has a very justifiable reason for the abolishment in terms of this actual concern. Over the past view years, there have been many cases in which athletes got involved in the negative aspects of gambling. This would often times result in owing bookies so much that they would get sucked into the point shaving problem. One student made his mark when he got involved with his roommate, who was also a popular bookie that was being investigated by officials. The student was Teddy Dupay, a basketball player for the University of Florida Gators. Dupay had shared winnings with his friend Kresten Lagerman, 23, after giving him inside information about whether the Gators could cover point spreads. Florida had also endured a 2000-2001 season filled with injuries. There were also many instances of injured players returning much sooner than expected. Following this discovery, Dupay was dismissed from the team. Another student, a running back at the Northwestern University had become the schools rushing leader. He had become involved in gambling so in-depth that he fumbled the football at the goal line to ensure his $400 wager on the point spread of his own game. These are the instances that are worthy of the abolishing desire. Still, the fact remains that these examples and 99% of sports gambling is done illegally or under the table. The truth of the matter is that, this is another back-and-forth issue (like abortion) that will never have silence nor contentment. There are serious problems with players and the ethics of the game, but no matter what, a ban on sports gambling will never solve one-single problem. The fact remains that 99% of all sports gambling is done illegally. Since it is currently legal, is there any truth to solving the problem by abolishing it? College sports gambling is truly not the real issue. There are too many other factors at play. When it comes to the players getting involved, I believe that they are able to make their own decisions. If they have difficulty doing that, there must be somewhat of a different issue- Ethics. Apparently, the NCAA should concentrate more on its players than Nevada. With the problem of these players, it doesnt leave much meaning to the idea may the best man win. Bibliography Barlett, Donald L. and James B. Steele, Throwing the Game, Time, (September 25, 2000) Gillespie, Mark, Americans Split on Whether Gambling on College Sports Should Be Banned, The Gallup Organization, (April 1, 2002) Isenberg, Marc, Gambling on College Sports: The NCAAs Solution is Part of the Problem, National Association of Basketball Coaches, Official Athletic Cite, (April 25, 2002) Jansen, Bart, Big name coaches support ban on amateur sports gambling, The Detroit News, (April 25, 2002) Pells, Eddie, Complaint: Dupay received money for sharing info, Slam! Basketball, (September 14, 2001) Rovell, Darren, Congree could trump Vegas on college book, ESPN, (March 15, 2002) Sauve, Valerie, Issues Committee holds discussion on illegal sports wagering in NCAA, The Daily Beacon, (March 5, 2002).

Analysing The Grameen Bank Of Bangladesh Economics Essay

Analysing The Grameen Bank Of Bangladesh Economics Essay Grameen Bank (GB) is called the bank of poor people in Bangladesh. It has been established for the welfare of the poor village people of Bangladesh, which becomes a role model of the world of micro credit banking system. At the beginnings of Microcredit, Dr. Muhammed Yunus who is an economist educated in the United States of America, although originally from Bangladesh, introduced the world to the notion of micro-credit in the 1970s. Counts (1996) said that Muhammed Yunus talked with the poor village people and discover that general local bank never shows interest to provide loan to poor people and does not lend them and they had to borrow money from extortionate moneylenders with high interest rates. As a result, they ended up more-or-less permanently in debt and any money they made went to pay the interest on these high-interest loans. Yunus became conscious at that moment that the poor problems were in some ways no different from anyone else: low interest credit was a necessity of life. Definition of Micro Credit Auwal (1996): An extremely small loan given to impoverished people to help them become self employed. Also known as micro lending. This small loans extension (microloans) to those in poverty designed to spur entrepreneurship. These loans especially given to a poor person to enable him or herself to become self employed. Financial services loaned a small amounts of money usually around $50-$150 to poor people as a capital of a small business to start or extend it. The Grameen Bank in Bangladesh has become a model of successful micro loan provider. Principles of Microcredit: General financing or credit. It emphasizes building capacity of a micro-entrepreneur. Employment generation. Trust building. Socioeconomic development. Help the micro entrepreneur on during difficult. Advantage of Microcredit Soeama (2004): Source and cost of funding: In order for the Microfinance institutions to loan they need funding too and a stable microfinance institution might have a competitive advantage of low cost of funds which enables it to provide finance at low cost. Infrastructure set up: Microfinance companies must have a required network and infrastructure to deliver these services. The Grameen Bank of Bangladesh creates and implements this structure in rural village area. Image: MFIs are many times criticized as money squeezing machines which charge very high cost. Which is not necessarily true considering their cost of funds and risks moreover they have to be sustainable. So here I think having a good name, image and Top management team helps a lot. Disadvantages of Micro Credit: Although microcredits are the keystone in terms of development in poor countries, it can also have its difficult. Indeed, the disadvantages of microcredits are: Some microcredit institutions are often unpredictable. Refunding problems. Budget depends on subsidises from the government or NGOs. Fig 1: Current Microcredit Network of Grameen Bank History of Grameen Bank: The founder of Grameen Bank Muhammad Yunus open up the idea of micro-creditminuscule loans to the very poor. The bank currently lends more than $500 million a year with a repayment rate of better than 97 percent. Its Group Savings Funds have assets of $186 million. Grameen Bank operates 1,100 branches in half of Bangladeshs nearly 80,000 villages. The program has been successfully replicated in dozens of countries, including the Philippines, Malaysia, Vietnam, South Africa, and Bolivia. It has also been applied to inner city and rural poverty in rich nations in North America and Europe. The origin of Grameen Bank can be traced back to 1976 when Professor Muhammad Yunus, Head of the Rural Economics Program at the University of Chittagong, launched an action research project to examine the possibility of designing a credit delivery system to provide banking services targeted at the rural poor. The Grameen Bank Project (Grameen means rural or village in Bangla language) came into operation with the following objectives: Extend banking facilities to poor men and women. Eliminate the exploitation of the poor by money lenders. Create opportunities for self-employment for the vast multitude of unemployed people in rural Bangladesh. Bring the disadvantaged, mostly the women from the poorest households, within the fold of an organizational format which they can understand and manage by themselves. Reverse the age-old vicious circle of low income, low saving low investment, into virtuous circle of low income, injection of credit, investment, more income, more savings, more investment, more income. The action research demonstrated its strength in Jobra (a village adjacent to Chittagong University) and some of the neighboring villages during 1976-1979. With the sponsorship of the central bank of the country and support of the nationalized commercial banks, the project was extended to Tangail district (a district north of Dhaka, the capital city of Bangladesh) in 1979. With the success in Tangail, the project was extended to several other districts in   the country. In October 1983, the Grameen Bank Project was transformed into an independent bank by government legislation. Today Grameen Bank is owned by the rural poor whom it serves. Borrowers of the Bank own 90% of its shares, while the remaining 10% is owned by the government. Current structure of Grameen Bank: Grameen Bank allowed to operate branches in urban areas. Earlier they could open branches only in the rural areas. Government stake cut down from 25% to 15%. Note that when the Bank started, Government had a stake of 60%. Number of Government nominated directors brought down to 2 from 3. Chairman of the bank will be appointed by the board instead of Government nomination which existed until now. Fig 2: Current structure of Grameen Bank. Aims and Objectives of Grameen bank: The Grameen Bank believes that the best way for participants to learn about how the bank works, is through first hand exposure and observations at the field level. Through these experiences, participants are encouraged to draw their own conclusions about the effectiveness of Grameen Banks work and the impact it has on the poorest of the poor. The objectives of GBs training programs are to: Arouse curiosity. Stimulate interest on the subject of Micro financing. Encourage responsibility of self-motivated learning. Learn and share with others. Discover individual role in the organization and the global community. Methods of Growth: The Grameen Banks Method of action can be illustrated by the following principles: Start with the problem rather than the solution. Adopt a progressive attitude. Make sure that the credit system serves the poor, and not vice-versa. Establish priorities for action vis-a-vis to the the target population. Lean on solidarity groups. Establish priorities for action vis-a-vis to the target population. Associate savings with credit without it being necessarily a prerequisite. Do everything possible to ensure the systems financial balance. Invest in human resources. There are 16 decisions and 10 indicators in Grameen Bank policy to grow it up. These are: Decisions: Follow the four principles of Grameen Bank- Discipline, Unity, Courage and Hard work. Bring prosperity to the families. Work towards to construct new houses. Grow vegetables all the year round. During the plantation seasons plant as many seedlings as possible. Plan to keep families small which will help to minimize expenditures easy to look after every bodys health. Provide education to the children and ensure that they can earn to pay for their education. Keep the environment clean. Build and use pit-latrines. Arrange safe drinking water from tubewells and boil water or use alum when needed.   Do not take any dowry at our sons weddings, neither shall give any dowry at any ones daughters wedding. No body inflict any injustice on anyone. Will do more collectively undertake bigger investments for higher incomes. Always be ready to help each other. If anyone is in difficulty, all help him or her. Come to know of any breach of discipline in any centre, go there and help restore discipline. Take part in all social activities collectively. Indicators: Grameen Bank does staff evaluation of their work every year and check whether the socio-economic situation of GB members is improving. GB evaluates poverty level of the borrowers using ten indicators. A member is considered to have moved out of poverty if her family fulfils the following criteria: The family lives in a house worth at least Tk. 25,000 (twenty five thousand) or a house with a tin roof, and each member of the family is able to sleep on bed instead of on the floor. Family members drink pure water of tube-wells, boiled water or water purified by using alum, arsenic-free, purifying tablets or pitcher filters. All children in the family over six years of age are all going to school or finished primary school. Minimum weekly loan instalment of the borrower is Tk. 200 or more. Family uses sanitary latrine. Family members have adequate clothing for every day use, warm clothing for winter, such as shawls, sweaters, blankets, etc, and mosquito-nets to protect themselves from mosquitoes. Family has sources of additional income, such as vegetable garden, fruit-bearing trees, etc, so that they are able to fall back on these sources of income when they need additional money. The borrower maintains an average annual balance of Tk. 5,000 in her savings accounts. Family experiences no difficulty in having three square meals a day throughout the year, i.e. no member of the family goes hungry any time of the year. Family can take care of the health. If any member of the family falls ill, family can afford to take all necessary steps to seek adequate healthcare. PESTEL Analysis: There Wahid (1999) are many factors which are affecting the work process and decision making of GB. Tax changes, new laws, trade barriers, demographic change and government policy changes are all examples. To analyse these factors we can categorise them by using the PESTEL analysis. This classification distinguishes between: Political: The political condition of Bangladesh is not stable. The opposite part of government never helps their government properly to the welfare of the country. As a result work strike is happening, which affect the working progress of GB. Economical Bangladesh is a developing country. Most of the villagers are considering as poor. Lone interest rate, tax, unemployment, inflation has effect to any business. Basically unemployment and low national income are the main problem, that why GB trying to motivate people to become self employed. Though Bangladesh is a poor economic country grameen bank faced this crisis to move forward their journey. Social In Bangladesh peoples average age is 60 years. A large number of populations of the country are aged and have no activity in the economy. Grameen Bank also working with the working attitude to change it that people can find interest in different job activities. Technological Grameen Phone is another sister organisation of Grameen bank in Bangladesh. Muhammed Yunus bring the technology to the poor village people and give them an opportunity of phone business by doing cheap rate mobile phone call all over the world. Environmental Different environmental issues like global worming have concern in Bangladesh. Grameen bank motivate people to concern about it and also the human health by providing the easy way to make sanitary latrines, pure drinking water which is arsenic free. Legal In their different development program Grameen Bank teach people about their legal rights and law, that people can get more knowledge about their and others rights. SWOT Analysis of Grameen Bank: Strength Village people are the main resource. Trust between bank and customer. Loan with low interest for poor people. Modern technology. Weakness Loan return is difficult sometime. Cant give big amount of loan to the poor people. Sometime face the staff unhappiness. Opportunities Grameen bank a role model for the world. So this bank could expand all over the world. More job field can be created inside and outside of the country. Threats Political instability. Economic inflation. Environmental threats. e.g. cyclone. Conclusion: Grameen Bank is not only for Bangladesh but also a role model for other organisations all over the world. The village poor life style already has been changed by the different activities of this bank. In Bangladesh it has been success in finance and human health sectors. Australia, USA and some African country are trying to follow the Grameen bank.

Anti-Matter :: essays research papers

Anti-Matter Introduction Ordinary matter has negatively charged electrons circling a positively charged nuclei. Anti-matter has positively charged electrons - positrons - orbiting a nuclei with a negative charge - anti-protons. Only anti-protons and positrons are able to be produced at this time, but scientists in Switzerland have begun a series of experiments which they believe will lead to the creation of the first anti-matter element -- Anti-Hydrogen. The Research Early scientists often made two mistakes about anti-matter. Some thought it had a negative mass, and would thus feel gravity as a push rather than a pull. If this were so, the antiproton's negative mass/energy would cancel the proton's when they met and nothing would remain; in reality, two extremely high-energy gamma photons are produced. Today's theories of the universe say that there is no such thing as a negative mass. The second and more subtle mistake is the idea that anti-water would only annihilate with ordinary water, and could safety be kept in (say) an iron container. This is not so: it is the subatomic particles that react so destructively, and their arrangement makes no difference. Scientists at CERN in Geneva are working on a device called the LEAR (low energy anti-proton ring) in an attempt to slow the velocity of the anti-protons to a billionth of their normal speeds. The slowing of the anti-protons and positrons, which normally travel at a velocity of that near the speed of light, is neccesary so that they have a chance of meeting and combining into anti-hydrogen. The problems with research in the field of anti-matter is that when the anti-matter elements touch matter elements they annihilate each other. The total combined mass of both elements are released in a spectacular blast of energy. Electrons and positrons come together and vanish into high-energy gamma rays (plus a certain number of harmless neutrinos, which pass through whole planets without effect). Hitting ordinary matter, 1 kg of anti-matter explodes with the force of up to 43 million tons of TNT - as though several thousand Hiroshima bombs were detonated at once. So how can anti-matter be stored? Space seems the only place, both for storage and for large-scale production. On Earth, gravity will sooner or later pull any anti-matter into disastrous contact with matter. Anti-matter has the opposite effect of gravity on it, the anti-matter is 'pushed away' by the gravitational force due to its opposite nature to that of matter.

Hamlet, Laertes & Fortinbras: Avenging Their Fathers :: William Shakespeare

In the play Hamlet by William Shakespeare, the theme of revenge is very palpable as the reader examines the characters of Hamlet himself, as well as Laertes, son of Polonius, and Fortinbras, prince of Norway and son of the late King Fortinbras. Each of these young characters felt the need to avenge the deaths of their fathers who they felt were untimely killed at the bloody hands of their murderers. However, the way each chose to go about this varies greatly and gives insight into their characters and how they progress throughout the play.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Hamlet, Laertes and Fortinbras are similar in the fact that each had love, or at least respect their fathers. Enough to make an attempt to wreak revenge upon their fathers murderers at the risk of their own reputation, freedom, and souls. Each characters father had a substantially high social class in their respective countries, which in turn gives them high social class as well. With Hamlet and Fortinbras as sons of kings and Laertes as the son of an aristocrat of high regard in the Danish court, all had a lot to loose if unsuccessful in their ploy. Each of the sons believed that the killers had dishonored their fathers as well as themselves. Each acts in a way that they consider to be an attempt at restoring it to the family, as honor was a significant thing to uphold in this day.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Although similar in age, class and ambition to destroy their fathers killers, Hamlet, Laertes and Fortinbras each have characteristics that make them different from each other and show how each acted unlike the others when carrying out their plans. Hamlet seems to be the one who lets things dwell in his mind before taking any action or making an attempt at trying to get on with things. He shows this after the death of his father when he remains in morning and a depressed state for three months without trying to get on with his life. Laertes seems to be the more quick minded of the three as he makes hasty judgements about Hamlet and is quick to force his opinion upon his sister, Ophelia about his fears for her if she stays in the relationship. â€Å"For Hamlet and the trifling of his favor, hold it a fashion and a toy in blood, a violet in the youth of primy nature, forward, not permanent, sweet, not lasting, the perfume and suppliance of a minute—No more.

Araby by James Joyce Essay -- Araby Essays

â€Å"Araby† by James Joyce   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  There seems to be a great deal of controversy surrounding the short story, â€Å"Araby† by James Joyce. This isn’t controversy dealing with various political issues or controversy involving issues of free speech or anything related to these things. It is of a more simple matter: whether the young boy in this story is capable of having a deep emotional realization at the conclusion of the story. It is obvious to me via the final sentence, (Araby, 398), that he does not make a startling realization, rather, the narrator, as the boy many years later, looks back on how foolish he was.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  During most of the story, the boy comes off as extremely immature. So much so that it would be difficult for such a person to appreciate true love and/or have an emotional breakthrough. The first example of his immaturity that struck me was when he would watch Managan’s sister. He would go so far as to peer between the blind and windowsill to catch a glimpse of his crush. When he caught sight of her, he would bolt outside to follow her. This seems to be very immature activity, which would be fitting for a boy his age. He is self-absorbed (Crane, 398). He doesn’t even seem to know his crushes name. To be in love with someone you hardly know, to me, is very irrational and juvenile.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  For one to make even a remotely sound opinion on this subject, one must examine the point of view of the narrator. The story is narrated by a mature man reflection upon his adolescence...

Hsbc Case Essay

HSBC is known as the â€Å"World’s local bank†. Originally called the HongKong and Shanghai Banking Corporation Limited, HSBC was established in 1865 to finance the growing trade between China and the United Kingdom. HSBC is now the second largest bank in the world, serving 100 million customers through 9,500 branches in 79 countries. The company is organized by business line (personal financial services; customer finance; commercial banking; corporate investment banking and markets; private banking), as well as by goegraphic segment (Asia-Pacific, U. K. /Eurozone, North America/NAFTA, South America, Middle East). Despite operating in 79 different countries, the bank works hard to maintain a local feel and local knowledge in each area. HSBC’s fundamental operating strategy is to remain close to its customers. As HSBC chairman Sir John Bond said in November 2003, â€Å"Our position as the world’s local bank enables us to approach each country uniquely, blending local knowledge with a worldwide operating platform†. For example, consider HSBC’s local marketing efforts in New York City. To prove to jaded New Yorkers that the London-based financial behemoth was â€Å"the world’s local bank. HSBC held a â€Å"New York City’s Most knowledgeable Cabbie† contest. The winning cabbie gets paid to drive full-time for HSBC for the year, and HSBC customers win, too. Any customer showing an HSBC bankcard, checkbook, or bank statement can get a free ride in the HSBC-branded Bankcab. The campaign demonstrates HSBC’s local knowledge. â€Å"In order to ma ke New Yorkers believe you’re local, you have to act local,† said Renegade Marketing Group’s CEO Drew Neisser. Across the world in Hong Kong, HSBC undertook a different campaign. In the region hit hard by the Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS) outbreak, HSBC launched a program to revitalize the local economy. HSBC â€Å"plowed back interest payments† to customers who worked in industries most affected by SARS (cinemas, hotels, restaurants, and travel agencies). The program eased its customers financial burden. The bank also promoted Hong Kong’s commercial sector by offering discounts and rebates for customers who use an HSBC credit card when shopping and dining out, to help businesses affected by the downturn. More than 1,500 local merchants participated in the promotion. In addition to local marketing, HSBC does niche marketing. For example, it found a little-known product area that was growing at 125 percent a year : pet insurance. In December 2003 it announced that it will distribute nationwide per insurance through its HSBC Insurance agency, making the insurance available to its depositors. HSBC also segments demographically. In the United states, the Bank will target the immigrant population, particularly Hispanics, now that it has acquired Bital in Mexico, where many migrants to the United States deposit money. Overall, the bank has been consciously pulling together its worldwide business under a single global brand with the â€Å"World’s local bank† slogan. The aim is to link its international size with close relationships in each of the countries in which it operates. The company spends $600 million annually on global marketing and will likely consolidate and use fewer ad agencies. HSBC will decide who gets the account by giving each agency a â€Å"brand-strategy exercise. † Agencies will be vying for the account by improving on HSBC’s number 37 global brand ranking

Nonverbal Communication Essay

Nonverbal Communication is important as what people say. But much of nonverbal communication In different cultures is beyond our awareness. Lack of such Knowledge may arise misunderstanding and Conflicts. Every day, we respond to thousands on nonverbal cues and behaviors including postures, Facial expression, eye gaze, gestures, and tone of voice. From our handshakes to our hairstyles, Nonverbal details reveal who we are and impact how we relate to other people. Nonverbal communication is more important in understanding human behavior than words. Facial expression is responsible for a huge portion of nonverbal communication . Consider how much Information can be conveyed with a smile or a frown. While nonverbal communication and behavior can Vary between cultures, in my place of birth Freetown, Sierra Leone facial expression is a big deal; But Here in the United States is not. Which I think it’s ok. For example, waving the hand vertically with the Palm facing outward means â€Å"Goodbye† in the United States, but can be misinterpreted as meaning â€Å"Come here† to someone from a Mendes tribe in Sierra Leone Body, posture, and movement can also convey a great deal on information. Body language has grown Significantly since. But popular media has focus on the over interpretation of defensive postures, Arm crossing, and leg crossing. Some people will say crossing your arms, means you are not welcoming Them and for some is just a posture. Most of the time when I watch an interview, the host and the Guest crossing their legs. Our choice of color clothing, hairstyles and other factors affecting Appearance are also considered a means of nonverbal Communication. Appearances can also Alter physiological reactions, Judgment and interpretations. Just think of all the subtle Judgments you quickly make about someone based on his or her appearance. I had my Grandmother say this a thousand times that ‘’the way people see you, tells them who you are† For nonverbal communication to be effective, one has to avoid stress, be aware of their emotions as Well as those of others and must pay attention in order to receive an accurate and consistent message That is free of any abusive language In order to correctly interpret another culture’s style of communication, it is necessary to study The â€Å"Silent language† of one culture.

The Speaker’s Importance in Poetry

The speaker can be the most important aspect of a poem. The speaker allows for a more active voice in the poem, and can often serve as a mouthpiece to communicate the ideas of the poet to an audience. Much like an actor, the speaker can tell or act out a first-hand account of what occurs. The speaker is also a voice that can provide another perspective. With evidence from â€Å"Dulce et Decorum Est,† â€Å"A Man Who Had Fallen Among Thieves,† and â€Å"The Man He Killed,† this essay will highlight the similarities and differences of a speaker to help establish the definition of a speaker.It will be shown how speakers serve a variety of roles in poetry, and can help readers gain a better understanding of universal issues. The speaker in â€Å"A Man Who Had Fallen Among Thieves,† takes on the role as a Good Samaritan for a man in need of help and abandoned by others. The speaker acknowledges society’s unjust acts against a man who â€Å"lay by the ro adside on his back dressed in fifteenthrate ideas† (16). The speaker tells of citizens who â€Å"graze at pause then fired by hypercivic zeal sought newer pastures,† and left the weak man to go elsewhere (17).The speaker, the Good Samaritan, rescues the punished man while the other citizens deny assisting the helpless man. While the poem illustrates themes like the importance of doing the right thing despite one’s own desires, the speaker serves as a voice to reiterate the point the poet wants to communicate to the audience. Because of the speaker, this poem offers a more of a realistic point of view and a different perspective from the citizens and the helpless man.Using powerful and graphic diction in such lines like â€Å"of pinkest vomit out of eyes,† to describe emotions throughout the poem, the speaker helps to stir up emotions within the reader by offering a vivid first-hand account of the situation (17). Like the speaker in â€Å"A Man Who Had Fal len Among Thieves,† the speaker in † The Man He Killed,† uses vivid imagery to illustrate his feelings, helps to communicate the writer’s ideas to an audience, and offers a first-hand account of what is occurring in the poem. The speaker talks about his own confusion.He is confused because he cannot understand why the person he has killed is dead. In his state of confusion, the speaker tells of the intimacy between himself and the person he has killed when he mentions the phrases â€Å"staring face to face† (34). In addition, the speaker tells of the hostility between the two men, for they are both firing guns at each other. The speaker says â€Å"I shot at him as he at me†(34). The speaker knows that he would’ve been killed otherwise, and he goes on to say â€Å"and I killed him in his place. I shot him dead because-because he was my foe†(34).Here, the speaker shows a conflict between his feelings and actions and he is questionin g it. Later in the poem, the speaker says † Just so: my foe of course he was; that's clear enough; although,† which shows that he understands that he had to kill his enemy because of the tradition of war (34). He begins to think about what he did when he says † he thought he'd list, perhaps offhand-like-just as I- was out of work†(34). Here, the speaker offers additional insight into reasons why men enlist to fight in war. In this case, the speaker suggests that the man he kills was unemployed just like the speaker was.The reader gets to take another peak at the speaker’s inner turmoil as he mentions â€Å"You shoot a fellow down You'd treat if met where any bar is,† thus concluding that one kills another in war despite the possibility of knowing the person in the past or future (34). All in all, it is as if the reader gets a front row seat to experience the inner chaos the speaker suffers as he tries to fully grasp the concept and tradition of war. The speaker provides a realistic and familiar voice that could be any person during any war era.As a result, the speaker helps bring to life the atrocities of war to readers who may have never experienced it. The speaker in â€Å"Dulce et Decorum Est,† describes a gruesome war scene involving enemies using gas to kill victims. Here, the speaker watches someone die because he didn't wear a gas mask. The speaker offers readers first-hand vivid descriptions of the young men that have become filthy, weary, and helpless when he describes the men as â€Å"bent double, like old beggars under sacks, knock-kneed, coughing like hags, we cursed though sludge†(27).The speaker paints a picture with his words to illustrate what is happening. In one scene, the speaker shows the men heading towards lodging when he says â€Å"and toward our distant rest began to trudge† then in an instant, gas-shells are dropping and the men must put on their helmets (27). One of the men di d not put on his helmet. Through the poet, the speaker uses vivid imagery to describe the man’s death when he says â€Å"as under a green sea, I saw him drowning†(27).The speaker tells an audience â€Å"my friend, you would not tell with such high zest to children ardent for some desperate glory,† meaning that he would not suggest children go to war to become heroes, or die honorably for one’s country, because it is not â€Å"sweet† or â€Å"fitting† to suffocate in gas (27). Obviously he disagrees with the old saying â€Å"Dulce ed decorum est Pro patria mori,† because the speaker refers to dying honorably in war as the â€Å"the Old Lie (27). Like the speakers in the previous poems mentioned, the speaker of â€Å"Dulce et Decorum Est,† illustrates a moving picture in order to help an audience understand the atrocities of war.Here, the speaker once again serves as a familiar mouthpiece that awakens emotions within the reader. Through the speaker, the writer tells this horrible memory because he is informing future generations not to fight in wars for a false feeling of accomplishment because being killed in war can be in no way heroic, but gruesome. The speakers all have certain aspects in common. One thing they all have in common is reacting under social pressure. In â€Å"A Man Who Had Fallen Among Thieves,† and â€Å"Dulce et Decorum Est,† the speakers both rebel against the social pressure and struggle with society’s often inhumane teachings.In other words, the speakers question universal issues like whether or not to follow the prevailing social code. In â€Å"The Man He Killed,† the speaker struggles with the social pressure to kill, and while he questions what he did, he doesn't try to stop the war. Another similarity is the speakers are all first-hand participants in the action of the poems. For â€Å"A Man Who Had Fallen Among Thieves,† the Good Samaritan spea ker sees the citizens ignoring the man who had been robbed and opts to rescue the helpless man.In â€Å"The Man He Killed,† the speaker is â€Å"face to face† with another human being and kills him simply because their countries are at war (34). In â€Å"Dulce et Decorum Est,† the speaker informs future generations and the reader that war is not always heroic and valuable, but it can be cruel, and immoral. In addition to reacting under social pressure, another similarity of the three poems is all the speakers sense the injustices committed, and they all wish they could relive the situations and possibly change the outcomes.For instance, in â€Å"The Man He Killed,† the speaker accepts social pressure as a way of life, and he does this to escape the guilt he is feeling and by taking what some may feel is the easy way out. In â€Å"Dulce et Decorum Est,† and â€Å"A Man Who Has Fallen Among Thieves,† both speakers challenge the crowds to ackno wledge injustice and go against social pressures. The speakers throughout these three poems also convey differences. The main difference is how they respond to social pressure. In â€Å"A Man Who Had Fallen Among Thieves,† and in â€Å"Dulce et Decorum Est,† both speakers rebel loudly against the social code.In other words they are more opinionated, and while they aren't scared of social pressure, both speakers are aware of the often, brutal social code. In â€Å"The Man He Killed,† the speaker succumbs and accepts the ways of society. While he does question his error, he doesn't do anything rebellious like the other speakers. To conclude, the speaker is crucial in getting the point of the poem across. Although the speaker is often anonymous, the poet uses an insightful, familiar speaker as a tool to impart different points of view, wisdom, or whatever the writer is seeking to tell an audience.The speaker often offers a first-hand experience in order to help evo ke feelings within a reader. The speaker is also important because while he or she is not factual, nor omnipresent, the speaker offers a different perspective and helps readers get a better idea of why war is not â€Å"sweet and fitting,† or why it is better to do what is morally just for instance (27). The poet uses the speaker to created irony and tension in the poem. Overall, the speaker is valuable to both the poet and an audience in order to achieve a better understanding of an occurrence, universal issues or any ideas the poet seeks to illustrate to an audience.

Guinness Corporate Strategy

Income Segmentation although Guinness don't directly segment its product into different segments, Guinness beers are more expensive to the consumer because they target customers may be willing to pay more for what some pensive to be a distinctive taste – a taste which is more expensive to produce. The Japanese distribution system Distribution channels in Japan are very different from other countries; they are as inefficient as they are complex. The system is characterized by multiple layers of wholesalers who have developed close, personal relationships with other wholesalers, manufacturers, importers, and retailers.Moreover, these intimate relationships often serve as an informal barrier to foreign companies wishing to sell directly to end-users or retailers. Many exporters find retailers/end-users unwilling to disrupt their longstanding, personal relationships with Japanese suppliers even when the foreign company can offer a product of superior or equal quality at a cheaper price. Many Japanese retailers/ end-users are unwilling to make the switch to an â€Å"unreliable† foreign supplier. They fear a lack of commitment on the part of the foreign supplier will lead to problems.They also fear breakdowns in communication. This state of affairs has led many companies' new-to-market exporters to complain of the complexity and lack of transparency of the Japanese system. An encouraging sign is the recent trend towards greater efficiency within the Japanese distribution system, resulting in fewer smaller retailers and wholesalers. Faced with deregulation and changing patterns of consumption, many Japanese companies are modifying marketing and sales strategies to take advantage of these developments.Imports are already benefiting from these trends, as seen in increased sales by Japanese department stores and other mass merchandisers and by a variety of new retailing ventures that match changing Japanese lifestyles. There are also indications that some w holesalers are modernizing and consolidating operations, thus reducing more inefficient elements in the system. However, the process is slow. The characteristics of the distribution system are deeply rooted in the cultural history of Japan. How to Set Up Business in Japan/ Laws & Regulations on Setting Up Business in Japan Section 1.Incorporating Your Business . 1 Types of operation in Japan Foreign companies generally establish a business presence in Japan in one of four modes. 1. 1. 1 Representative office Representative offices are established as locations for carrying out preparatory and supplemental tasks aimed at enabling foreign companies to engage in full-scale business operations in Japan. These offices may conduct market surveys, collect information, purchase goods and implement publicity/advertising efforts, but they are not permitted to engage in sales activities.The establishment of representative offices does not require registration. A representative office cannot ord inarily open bank accounts or lease real estate in its own name, so agreements for such purposes must Instead De Selenga Day ten nana Outlet AT ten Torrent company or representative at the representative office in an individual capacity. 1. 1. 2 Branch office Foreign companies wishing to engage in business operations in Japan must establish a branch office or a subsidiary company. The simplest means for a foreign company to establish a base for business operations in Japan is to set up a branch office.The branch office can begin business operations as soon as an office location is secured, he branch office representative determined, and the necessary information registered. A Japanese branch office is a business location that provides services in Japan decided upon by an organization authorized by the foreign company, and ordinarily is not expected to engage in independent decision making. A branch office does not have its own legal corporate status, but instead is deemed to be enco mpassed within the corporate status of the foreign company.In general, therefore, the foreign company is ultimately responsible for all debts and credits generated by the activities of its Japanese branch office. A Japanese branch office, however, may open bank accounts and lease real estate in its own name. 1. 1. 3 Subsidiary company A foreign company establishing a subsidiary company in Japan must choose to establish the subsidiary company as a Joint-stock corporation (Kabuki's-Aisha (K. K. )), limited liability company (Good-Aisha (LLC)), or similar entity stipulated by Japan's Corporate Law.Both unlimited partnerships (Gomes-Aisha) and limited partnerships (Gosh-Aisha) are granted corporate status under the Corporate Law, but they are rarely chosen in practice because equity participants bear unlimited ether than limited liability. All types of subsidiary companies can be established by completing the required procedures stipulated by law and then registering the corporation. A subsidiary is a separate corporation from the foreign company, so the foreign company will bear the liability of an equity participant stipulated by law for all debts and credits generated by the activities of the subsidiary.Other methods by which a foreign company may invest in Japan using a Japanese corporation but without establishing a subsidiary are by establishing a Joint venture with a Japanese enterprise or investment company, and by equity participation in a Japanese enterprise. 1. 1. 4 Limited liability partnership (ALP) It is also possible to do business by using a Huge Seeking Jaggy Kumara. This type of entity, considered the Japanese version of a limited liability partnership (ALP), is not a corporation, but a partnership formed only by the equity participants, who have limited liability.

Bank of America Essay Example for Free (#2)

Bank of America Essay The apparent problem in the Bank of America case study is that Jen McDonald (head of the Bank of America digital marketing group), and Douglas Brown (senior vice president of mobile product development) received requests to create mobile apps more specific for individual businesses as a way to gain leverage (Supta & Herman, 2012). Brown, specifically, was hesitant to add additional mobile app features as he feared it would make the application far too complex. Not only would it prove to be difficult for some users to understand, more features often make applications run more slowly, which could complicate the idea of mobile banking. In addition this could possibly give the customer a more negative experience. To cite the problem specifically, Brown stated â€Å"App complexity has led to some high-profile failures in the market place. This carries a huge risk† (Supta & Herman, 2012). Furthermore, Bank of America was provided $20 billion in capital from the United States government during the financial crisis under leadership of CEO Kenneth Lewis (Supta & Herman, 2012). Lewis had concerns that certain investors and customers would start to correlate Bank of America with Citigroup, who had previously given up 36% of its ownership to the federal government (Supta & Herman, 2012). This resulted in Brian Moynihan (head of consumer and small business banking) taking over as CEO on January 1, 2010 (Supta & Herman, 2012). Constraints and available options One of Bank of America’s options was to create different apps to target different groups and market segments, which proved to be somewhat of a risk. Not only was the organization concerned for the customers reaction, Bank of America was also hesitant because mobile apps are costly and in doing so, technology resources would be taken from other essential areas of banking such as online banking and atm machines. At this time customers were not completely trusting in working with their banks, as financial struggles were becoming more and more apparent. In order to give theBank of America the trusted name and customer loyalty it had previously held for so long, executives decided Mobile banking was the right path to take in order to save the company. Analysis and Evaluation The bank of America officially launched their mobile banking application in May of 2007. This included the ability to bank on the customers phones either by application or by accessing the mobile web through their phones browser. Douglas Brown confirmed that the success of the mobile application was astounding as the company gained four million mobile banking customers over the time span of less than three years (Supta & Herman, 2012). Because of the high level of success, business managers were eager to update the applications, in an effort to raise the level of functionality even higher. This proved to be a decision that had to be carefully considered by the Bank of America corporate team. Strengths: The Bank of America already holds the title of being one of the most prestigious banks and a leading company in the U. S. Because of their household name, marketing new products prove to be fairly easy; however identifying a product that customers will adopt and figuring out the target market are essential to Bank of America’s success. An additional strength of the mobile banking application was the timing in correlation to the launch of the application and the launch of the iPhone, making Bank of America the first bank to be able to offer a banking application on the iPhone. The most used features of mobile banking came from viewing account balances and viewing transaction details, making debit card holders the most popular users. After the mobile banking launch more customers opened checking accounts in the months of the introduction of mobile banking and did in fact use the application during that time. Weaknesses:  A weakness shown by Bank of America proved to be within technology adoption and which smart phones the mobile applications could be used by. The Bank of America was slow to adopt SMS technology and access to mobile banking was limited. It was only available to those who used online banking with Bank of America, therefore leaving a huge portion of customers out and feeling negatively about the new product. Another weakness in the new mobile application was that it had to be created with more features than competing mobile applications, which added the risk of making the mobile app more complex. Complexity is a weakness when striving to offer a simple and functional upgraded product to customers. Furthermore, the bank was recovering from the financial crisis, which caused a great loss for a company as big as themselves, as customers had to put a curb to their spending. They also feared they damaged their name in asking for $20 billion in federal backing which proved to be a huge mistake. Bank of America did not want to be associated with other banks that had borrowed capital, but in turn were forced to give up a percentage of their company. Opportunities: In analyzing the Kotler & Keller text, marketing opportunity is described as a buyer taking interest in something that has the probability to make a profit (Kotler & Keller, 2009). The introduction of mobile banking was a huge opportunity that the Bank of America capitalized on. When mobile banking was introduced costs per transaction started at 10 cents and were expected to drop to 3 to 4 cents. ATM costs were already 1. 34 per transaction which provided an advantage to debit card holders with low account balances. They also benefited in that they could easily check their account balance through their phones before making a purchase. The Bank of America capitalized on the opportunity to offer this feature to customers for absolutely no cost. This was a huge plus in gaining additional customers and fans of mobile banking, as other banks had already begun to waive ATM fees during the times of the market dropping. Mobile banking was a way for Bank of America to bounce back after financial crisis and offer users an experience they had never before been exposed to. The novelty of the design and idea would bring trust and value back to the company. Threats: A potential threat of mobile banking was that expanding on apps and adding new features can turn potential customers off because it tends to make banking more complicated throughout the introduction process. Surveys and research also showed that 44% of customers did not see a need or any type of value within mobile banking. When introducing a new product, buyer behavior tends to be very guarded as customers are reluctant to trust a pone application to keep their banking statements and accounts secure at all times. Major competitors are also a threat that the Bank of America faced. Major Banks such as Wellsfargo, Citigroup and PNC, to name a few, also offer mobile banking with virtually the same functions and applications. Mobile banking was also seen as a threat because of the high initial costs, however, from a marketing perspective, if the Bank of America were to pay extra costs to set their mobile applications apart from competing banks, the additional features would be worth the price in customer popularity and satisfaction. Recommendations Because mobile banking has been introduced by so many other banks, the best recommendation would be to create a form of mobile banking that is more secure and user friendly than competing applications. These are the two issues that customers seemed to have the most doubts about, so putting extra emphasis on these areas will surely set the Bank of America apart from others. Another recommendation is to target one particular audience and market to them specifically, therefore making age and stage in the life cycle of great importance. It is likely that the younger generation will be much more open to yet another phone application, as it is the norm for them, and will provide huge ease to another aspect of their lives. This may result in the younger generation taking more initiative when it comes to banking and gaining more responsibility in this aspect of their lives. Phone applications makes it easy to transfer money and to check balances, providing an awareness of your funds 24/7, opposed to only during banking hours. Kotler & Keller advices marketers to take the following three steps when marketing a product: 1. Compare it with a product that consumers already know about, making it more comfortable for them to base the purchase off of a past decision (Kotler & Keller, 2012). 2. â€Å"†¦The lure of â€Å"free† is almost irresistible† (Kotler & Keller, 2012). 3. Consumers often experience the â€Å"optimism bias† or â€Å"positivity illusion. † They tend to overestimate their chances of experiencing a positive outcome and underestimate their chances of experiencing a negative outcome (Kotler & Keller, 2012). These steps are recommended to the Bank of America’s target audience in order to raise popularity and awareness of the mobile banking application. In other words, it is essential to understand the meaning of consumer behavior. Kotler & Keller define consumer behavior as how individuals come up with ideas and experiences that work to satisfy the customer’s wants and needs. The customer’s desires will be met in that the mobile banking app will be free to current customers, which will already account for a huge part of the appeal. Compared with online banking, which customers are likely to be more familiar with, the target audience will see the mobile app as an easier, faster version of a feature they already value. Furthermore, because of the optimism bias and positivity illusion, customers using this product are more likely to feel it will improve their financial security and well-being. Lessons Learned In the review of the entire Bank of America case study, it is apparent that control was an issue that was brought up as the main concern of the customer in accepting the new application. Customers were weary at first, as they had concerns for the security of their finances and feared they were giving up control of their bank accounts to a mobile application. In retrospect, the customer actually gained more control over their finances as they were able to access them from nearly anywhere in the world. This goes to show how identifying with the customers emotions and providing them with a product that gains their trust and eases their concerns, will make the innovation and the company that much more successful. Bank of America. (2016, Sep 09).