Online Privacy Coursework Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Online Privacy - Coursework Example Most people using the social websites fear that their personal information can be retrieved by cookie companies that monitor how one uses the internet. Another issue concerning online privacy is for those who use clouds to store their personal and business data and fear intrusion of the cloud by hackers and above all through cyber security. Therefore, online privacy is fundamental due even to the introduction of e-commerce where billions of dollars are transacted every day. Furthermore, it is upon every individual to make sure all passwords are secure and always log off from websites, emails, social media accounts before closing the browser to maintain efficient online privacy (Independent.co.uk, 2014). On the contrary, companies like Google and Facebook have access to personal information and data. Google is renowned globally and is the most used search engines on the internet. Google collects all available private information and conveniently places it at a researcher’s fingertips. This information is in the form of address, telephone numbers, pictures, and all history of work. On the other hand, Facebook is another popular website used by people to obtain private information. Intruders and researchers can obtain information pertaining the pictures uploaded and posted, family/friends information and even the place of work. These companies get personal information and data when people create accounts with them because it is mandatory to fill in all data pertaining to an individual, group or corporations. Furthermore, Google accounts such as Gmail get access to personal information through the phishing of private data (Baxter, 2013). The Snowden’s case has led to the emergence of many things revolving online privacy. This is because he worked for the United States of America government in the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) and the National Security Agency (NSA) but he leaked surveillance intelligence data and

Illustrate The Causes if Inflation And Deflation Essay Example for Free

Illustrate The Causes if Inflation And Deflation Essay With the aid of diagrams, illustrate the causes if inflation and deflation, and by comparing their economic effects consider how both can effect the corporate sector This essay will aim to cover the causes of inflation and deflation and see how their economic effects influence the corporate sector. By first defining any key terms, then looking at the causes of inflation and deflation, looking at their different effects on the economy and in turn analysing how those effects shape the corporate sector. Before this can be done the terms inflation, deflation and corporate sector must first be defined. Inflation is a rise in the average price of goods over time. (Begg, D., Fischer, S. and Dorndusch, R., 2000, p462) and The most usual measure is that of retail prices (Sloman, J. and Sutcliffe, M., 2001, P533) (this information being gathered from the retail price index [RPI]) and A rise in inflation means a faster increase in pricesfall in inflation means a lower rise in prices (Sloman, J. and Sutcliffe, M., 2001, p533). To illustrate the importance of inflation The COS (Central Statistical Office) says it gets more queries from the public about the RPI than any other statistic, a refection of the influence inflation has on every ones life. (Vaitilingam, R., 1994, p132). Now deflation must be defined. Deflation is the mirror image on inflation (McAleese, D., 2004, p285) and is defined by the Collins English dictionary as reduction in economic activity resulting in lower output and investment (Anon, 1998, p140). Corporate means relating to a business corporation (Oxford University Press, 2006) so the corporate sector is all profit making businesses. This report will now examine the main causes of inflation. There are two main types of inflation: demand pull and cost push. Demand pull inflation occurs when a rise in aggregate demand leads to an increase in overall prices (Begg, D. and Ward, D., 2004, p237). Sloman, J. and Sutcliffe, M., (2001, p537) represented this graphically stating The AD curve shirts to the right and continue to do so. Firms will respond to a rise in aggregate demand partly by raising prices and partly by increasing output (a move up the AS curve) and this is illustrated in the following diagram: This new, higher level of demand my happen for many reasons Atkinson, B. and Miller, R., (1998, p378) tell us that The high level of demand may originate from consumers, from firms, from overseas or from the government. The other main cause of inflation is cost push inflation. Cost push inflation occurs when a reduction in supply leads to an increase in overall prices (Begg, D. and Ward, D., 2004, p237) or when costs of production rise independently from the level of demand (Atkinson, B. and Miller, R., 1998, p378). This can be denoted graphically as: Sloman, J. and Sutcliffe, M., (2001, p357) describe this graph as Cost-push inflation is associated with continuing rises in cost and hence continually leftward (upward) shifts in the AS curve. If the firm face a rise in cost, they will respond partly in raising prices and passing the costs onto the consumer and partly by cutting back on production (there is a movement along the AD curve) Monetarists believe that inflation is caused solely by the supply of money in circulation. The monetarist view of inflation, encapsulated in Milton Friedmans dictum, inflation is always and everywhere a monetary phenomenonInflation occurs when the growth of the money supply persistently exceeds the growth of real output (McAleese, D., 2004, p281). This can also be shown graphically as: McAleese, D., (2004, p281) goes on to say that A rise in money supply from M0 to M1 shifts the AD curve outwards from AD (M0) to AD (M1). The eventual equilibrium will move from E0 to E1 and prices will rise from P0 to P1In the short runthe AS curve may be positively slopedIn that event a rise in money stock will cause higher prices, but will also lead to more outputIn the longer term, pay levels will catch up on inflation and, over time The economy then approximates more and more closely to the vertical AS. This theory is backed by much evidence including this from the US Department of Commerce As deflation is the opposite inflation it can be caused by the same factors. McAleese, D. (2004, p285) stated it can be caused by supply or demand shocks. Supply shocks includesustained productivity improvements and technological innovation that lowers prices of inputs and outputsDemand shocks can arise for several reasons: a collapse in the stock market or property prices, a sustained strengthening of the exchange rate, warsthat undermined business confidence. From a monetary perspective deflation is caused by a reduction in the velocity of money and/or the amount of money supply per person. (Wikipedia contributors, 2006). Kai, V., L. (2004) showed this graphically as Know we how inflation and deflation is caused we must examine their effects on the economy as a whole and their effects on the corporate sector. Sloman, J. and Sutcliffe, M., (2001, p534) believe that If you could accurately predict inflation and adjust incomes and prices to meet it then it would not be problem. And Griffiths, A. and Wall, S., (2004, p463) reinforce this by stating if we have an economy in which inflation is proceeding at a steady and perfectly foreseen rate, and in which all possible adjustments for the existence of inflation have been madethe main cost of inflation would arise from the fact that interest is not normally paid on currency in circulation, so individuals would make more trips to the bank in order to collect interest on their money. These extra trips to the bank are often called shoe-leather costs of inflation. (Griffiths, A. and Wall, S., 2004, p463) The other cost of anticipated inflation is menu costs. Menu costs are costs from having to update catalogues, menus, vending machines, etc (Atkinson, B. and Miller, R., 1998, p384). These costs are very minute so would not greatly effect the corporate sector as a whole. Businesses such as restuants, catalouge based comapies and those who produce vending machines would incounter minor expenses. This forseen inflation econany can be represented graphically as: But normally high inflation is not accurately predicted so other economic costs arise. There are four main, other, expenses: redistribution, uncertainty, balance of payments and resources. This report will now look at these factors in turn. Firstly high inflation redistributes wealth to those with assets (e.g. property) and away from those with savings that pay rates of interest below the rate of inflation and hence whos value is eroded by inflation (Sloman, J. and Sutcliffe, M., 2001, p534). This may include people on fixed pensions. Atkinson, B. and Miller, R., (1998 p384) show redistribution also effects creditors , those who are owed money, will also suffer, since when they are paid back, the value of money will be worth less, while debtors, those who owe money, will benefit. So Firms can also borrow more for investment as real value of debt decreases (Atkinson, B. and Miller, R., 1998, p386). This will be a benefit to firms to wishing to borrow money but bad for those who offer long term credit options on their products. Secondly inflation tends to cause uncertainty and firms may be reluctant to plan ahead and take long term decisions regarding investment as they are unable to predict future costs and revenues. (Atkinson, B. and Miller, R., 1998, p384) This will reduce the rate of economic growth. (Sloman, J. and Sutcliffe, M., 2001, p534). So the corporate sector will suffer from poor planning and low investment. Furthermore inflation is likely to worsen the balance of paymentsits exports will become relatively less competitive in the world markets. At the same time imports will become relatively cheaper than home produces goods. Thus exports will fall and imports will rise. As a result the balance of payments will deteriorate and/or the exchange rate will fall. (Sloman, J. and Sutcliffe, M., 2001, p534). This will, therefore, affect companies who rely on the global economy. They will face difficulties to exporting products and selling them abroad. They will also face increased competition from imports so may even struggle to sell their products to the home market. Finally extra resources are likely to be used to cope with the effects of inflation. Accountants and other financial experts may have to be employed by companies to help cope with the uncertainties caused by inflation. This will then increase a firms costs. With higher costs, firms are less able to make profit. Some firms exit the market and, as a result, aggregate supply is lesswith national output falling and inflation increasing. (Begg, D. and Ward, D., 2004, p238) firms are forced to pass on increasing costs onto the consumer which may result in reduced sales. This could result in being fatal to a firm in a high inflationary economy. So the economy as a whole will suffer from high inflation, firms will find new obstacles in the way of maximising profits and the individual in the economy will each face new difficulties as a result. Sloman, J. and Sutcliffe, M., (2001, p536) report The costs of inflation are likely to be relatively mild if kept to the single figure problems arise if inflation turns into hyperinflation (where inflation accelerates out of control) and go onto say If inflation develops into hyperinflation Firms constantly raise prices in attempt to cover their rocketing costs. Workers demand huge pay increase in an attempt to stay ahead of the rocketing cost of living. Thus prices and wages chase each other in an ever rising inflationary spiral. Even though the effects of hyperinflation, and even inflation, can be devastating to an economy and the corporate sector, most economist fear deflation more. This section will now examine the effects of deflation on the economy and businesses. McAleese, D., (2004, p286) reported In assessing the economic effects of deflation the problem stems less from the shock itself than from the sequence of events that follow and magnify its initial impact. Price declines become self reinforcing. This means if deflation is affecting an economy, consumers will expect prices to fall as they have been. This will mean they will postpone buying a certain product now as they believe that in the future it will be cheaper or as they become more concerned about their future economic security, particularly if unemployment is rising. The prolonged economic slowdown in Japan has raised concerns about future income prospects among its aging labour force, which may well be one reason for its deflation of the last few years (Brooks, D. H. and Quisingp P., F., 2002). This all means demand will fall. Weakening consumer demand passes into investment. Investors begin to loose nerve. Sales forecasts are cut back. The appetite for risk weakens. Faced with declining sales, corporate debt that once looked rock solid now looks less secure firms cut back on the number of employees (McAleese, D., 2004, p286). So not only does the corporate sector suffer from declining sales, they are forced to reduce their prices even more. They have reduced investment opportunities as capital becomes extremely hard to raise. Deflation has opposing influences on creditors and debtors Consequently, the real value of debt and debt servicing rises. There is thus a potential benefit for creditorsBy itself; this redistribution of real net wealth is not necessarily negative for the economy as a whole. (Brooks, D. H. and Quisingp P., F., 2002). For firms with a high level of debt this means decreased security as the cost of their debt is increasing. This will also have negative implications on investment as another route of raising capital becomes increasingly more difficult to peruse. Firms that offer credit options will benefit as the real value of they owed increases. The effects of deflation are seen more server in todays economy as McAleese, D., (2004, p286) believes In an open world economy, there is an added fear that deflationary impulses in a large economy could be transmitted across countries through trade and investment linkages. Inflation and deflation both affect the corporate sector in various ways. Constantly low inflation should bring increased stability. Businesses seeking to invest millions of pounds over many years will be assured by increases price stability. Predictions regarding costs and revenues are much easier to make and firms face less uncertainty when assessing investment risk. (Begg, D. and Ward, D., 2004, p286) and low inflation is likely to increase the turnover and profit levels of a firm. Workers may also feel happier with pay increase therefore more productive under the illusion they are better off even though their real wage has not increased. So in conclusion low inflation can be beneficial to the corporate sector but higher inflation can have many negative affects but It is generally better to have mild inflation than deflation. Deflationcan create a potentially dangerous situation, as occurred during the depression of the 1930s. (Atkinson, B. and Miller, R., 1998, p386). Biblography Anon, 1998, Collins Gem English dictionary (Nineteenth Edition), HarperCollins Publishing, Glasgow Atkinson, B. and Miller, R., 1998, Business economics, Pearson Education Limited, Essex Begg, D., Fischer, S. and Dorndusch, R., 2000, Economics (Sixth Edition), McGraw-Hill Publishing Company, Berkshire. Begg, D. and Ward, D., 2004, Economics for business, McGraw-Hill Education, Berkshire Brooks, D. H. and Quisingp P., F., 2002, Dangers of Deflation, [online], Available from: http://adb.org/Documents/EDRC/Policy_Briefs/PB012.pdf [access 8th March 2006] Griffiths, A. and Wall, S., 2004, Applied economics (Tenth Edition), Pearson Education, London Kai, V., W., 2004, The Causes and Effects of Deflation in Macao, [online], Available from: http://www.amcm.gov.mo/publication/quarterly/Jul2004/causes_en.pdf [access 8th March 2006] McAleese, D., 2004, Economics for business competition, macro-stability and globalisation, (3rd Edition), Prentice Hall Europe, London Oxford University Press, 2006, Corporate, [online], Available from: http://www.askoxford.com/concise_oed/corporate?view=uk [Accessed 8th March 2006] Parkin, Powell and Matthews, 2005, Economics (Sixth Edition), Pearson Education Limited, Essex Sloman, J. and Sutcliffe, M., 2001, Economics for business (Second Edition), Prentice Hall, London Vaitilingam, R., 1994, The financial times guide to using economics and economic indicators, Pitman Publishing, London Wikipedia contributors, 2006, Deflation (economics), [online]. Available from: http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Deflation_(economics)oldid=42742256 [accessed 8th March, 2006] Wikipedia contributors, 2006, Inflation [online] Available from: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Inflation [Accessed 22nd February 2006]

Changing Attitudes of Stakeholders Towards CSR

Changing Attitudes of Stakeholders Towards CSR I. Introduction: Today, the businesses are more sensitive than with the problems affecting communities and their field activities. A narrow ideological is just only the benefits and the profits of the enterprise itself, which is not longer relevant. The capacity building and awareness for businesses are the driving force to help them accelerate the process of consideration and attention to social aspects when making business decisions. Increasingly, businesses must not only gain competitive advantage, reap the profits, but to create confidence for consumers through the implementation of social responsibility Consumers are not only pay attention to quality and price of goods, they have paid more attention to the effects of production on the environment.. Therefore, to further enhance corporate social responsibility is seen as essential requirements to ensure the sustainable development of the economy. Businesses increasingly interested in corporate social responsibility activities because society increasingly poses more requirements for enterprises. Businesses benefit from the resources from the community so they must be responsible for contributing to the community. It does not mean companies do corporate social responsibility is really responsible that actually bring many benefits for businesses that typically enhance business reputation. Derived from the roots of corporate social responsibility, it means that a business should consider other things more out of profits if the business wants to protect his reputation and more for increased competitive advantage for Business. II. The role of international multilateral organization and media in corporate social responsibility 1. Social responsibility of enterprises: Social responsibility of enterprises includes many issues. Firstly, businesses must ensure their activities do not cause harm to the environment, which means to show the friendliness with environment in the production processes and their business activities. Wastes from the production process must be handled through a process safe and friendly to environment. Hygiene of staff is also a matter of concern. Employees need to learn to raise awareness of environmental protection work around them. To ensure a clean environment will also contribute to raising productivity and improving work efficiency. The following is a typical example for the successful implementation of environmental safety issues of the business. Corporation Pharmaceutical and veterinary supplies (HANVET) was established on 01/10/1988. Over 20 years of construction and development, to date, the company has become one of the veterinary Drug Business in Vietnam. With over 400 employees, including professors, doctors, veterinarians skilled professional, plus the force skilled workers, equipped with mechanical systems, modern equipment, advanced technology, the company has been continuously offering quality products, giving practical effect to farmers and environmentally safe. The company soon plans and programs to implement environmental protection, regularly organizes periodic training on the knowledge of occupational safety for officers and employees. Every year, the company maintains the observation impact on the environment, timely corrective plan for repair and upgrades to ensure products meet sanitation standards. Domestic wastewater has high organic matter content, so the company has used methods for microbiological water treatment. Domestic wastes from offices, restaurants, public toilets are estimated to be 12m3/day is processed by methods of anaerobic (septic tank) before being discharged into the receiving source. Wastewater of production is including cooling water, sanitation closed bottle of medicine in liquid formà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦company is using biological methods combined physicochemical to ensure the entire process and inorganic solids in wastewater. Through various water treatment systems intermediary, the water was given the biology lake to deposit sediment. The water in lake discharge standards TCVN 5945 1945, level B, will follow the sewage system spilled sewage system area. HANVET product veterinary drug so solid waste mainly containing packaging material, empty medicine bottles closed form solution, peel packages containing pills, powders, equipment replacement, sludge from wastewater treatment systems, slag, Therefore, the company has built warehouses to hold all types of solid waste. For solid waste can be recycled, collected, classified for use, solid waste is not recyclable, the company signed a contract with the company to collect and transport units arrive with hygienic treatment. In addition to the waste treatment measures, a technology that the company is more focused investment in research and applications contribute to environmental protection that is oil sludge processing technology using biodegradable of system. Through this system, the toxic sludge on the environment has become a useful fertilizer for crops. In 2004, at Green Week Fair International in Haiphong, HANVET was awarded the Cup of sustainable development for the Green Industry of Vietnam by the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development. (Source hanviet.com Website: www.hanvet.com.vn) Secondly, enterprises must take care to employees, who serve not only materially but also spiritually. They produce directly products, serve their labor power for the development of the company. The Company need care to workers, such as annual health check, social welfare, trade unions, safety in production Third, enterprises shall respect the equality between men and women, not employment discrimination about gender and salaries that must be based on equality of each persons capacity. Some countries such as China, Indiaà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦or more than as South American countries, the U.S. still exists gender discrimination issues. Next, may not discriminate in ethnic group, not discriminating between normal and impaired body, their past. Another one, providing good quality product, not harm the health of consumers. Continue, to a portion of their profits to the aid community, because enterprise exists in the heart of a community that they can not just be know themselves. Last one, they must enjoy contribute the peace and security of the country and world. Through that, we can see at least four groups that businesses are been responsible behavior, including: +Market and consumers +Employees +Community in the region and in society +Living Environment The benefits of building good social responsibility of business was express clearly by: Constructions reputation and brand value Strengthen the commitment of workers and enterprises Improve the financial capacity through cost-saving activities of the business and increase share value Ensure the sustainable development of enterprises Risk management and crisis better Increase productivity, ethics and dedication of worker Increased ability to attract a quality workforce Establish good relationships with government and community A good tool to integrate Over the world, the leading large companies have adopted corporate social responsibility plan successfully such as: Burgerville is a chain of restaurants serving quality fast efficiently, saving time. They have invested $ 1.4 millions in health insurance to care for employees. That investment was paid off, work productivity of employees increased dramatically higher. Burgerville began paying over 90% of each of its 1,050 hourly employees premiums in January 2006 as part of Holland Inc. s (the parent companys) mission statement of Serve with Love. To qualify, employees are required to have already worked in the restaurant for 20-plus hours a week for 6 months and agree to pay a monthly $15 for coverage. (Feel good fast food. January 21, 2008 http://www.feelgoodfastfood.org/wordpress/?p=327) Some enterprises have put corporate social responsibility into their business strategies. Typically, these social programs such as 6 million cups of milk for children Vietnam and funds scholarships fireflies light of the big brands like Vinamilk, Dutch Lady has resonated and consumer support households. Vinamilk will be awarded 6 million cups of milk which the equivalent of $ 25 billion for a total of 48,000 children throughout Vietnam. Each child was selected who will be drank Vinamilk 2 times/day throughout months. The main objective of the program are 18,000 primary school pupils from 15 provinces who have difficulties about economic of the 15 provinces and 30,000 thousands of disabled children, orphans, have special circumstances around the country. (Source http://www.dutchlady.com.vn and http://dantri.com.vn/c167/s167-316631/khoi-dong-quy-6-trieu-ly-sua-cho-tre-em-viet-nam.htm HYPERLINK http://dantri.com.vn/c167/s167-316631/khoi-dong-quy-6-trieu-ly-sua-cho-tre-em-viet-nam.htm 31/03/200931/03/2009) 2. Social responsibility of media: Beside companies, media also plays an important role in corporate social responsibility (CSR). The first role is to support an efficient way for businesses to promote corporate social responsibility programs. Enterprises can use mass media to inform the community and other stakeholders which are aware of CSR activities of their company. This is a useful tool for people who do PR for brand development and image of a product or an organization while ensuring the professional ethics of the PR industry which has met the wishes of the owner Industry. Especially in industries where the quality and price of products is almost equal, consumers will become more disturbed in making decisions, their choices. In that cases, users often choose products according to sensory and their liking so that CSR can be seen as an effective method to increase business reputation, or otherwise increase feelings of consumers to brand your product or business, it is increasing revenue for the company. The media has a direct influence thinking and actions of people and politicians. If used appropriately, the media can perform tasks inform, educate, reassure, make connections and understanding, suggesting the optical center, favorites, or create the ability to accept a situation that occurs when out. More and more people realize that all organizations whether large or small, public or private, limited liability or joint stock, which has more responsibility in their activities. Today, the media and the public are always interested in optical their activities than ever before. The communication principle is similar in scope to apply different organizations bloc private organizations, voluntary, charitable or non-charitable. The significant increase in number and frequency of operation of the charitable organization has led to public demand for domestic and international recognition and appreciation are higher. This is the cause of the appearance of a series of media activities. The role of me dia is to inform and guide the public and the media reports, make them known to your organization, explain the nature of work and general activities of the organization. III. Recommendation: In the 21st century, in the globalization economy, when human consciousness about the risks to the environment, the demand for social responsibility increased as required to control emissions of cars circulating on the streets, controlling dust levels in residential areas, etc. To sum up, corporate social responsibility social responsibility is seen as committed for mental, moral, cultural, for families, local communities and society, employees and environment. In market economies, individuals and businesses are actions that are best for them under the law permits. CSR is committed to the companys behavior in line with the advantage of society in activities related to the advantage of customers, suppliers, employees, shareholders, communities and environment. SCR is considered a category of business ethics (Business Ethics) relating to all business activities of enterprises. Media is a part important of SCR which contributes to the formation of peoples thinking and success of the bus iness. The media is grower, the faster, more sensitiveà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦ IV. REFERENCES: Feel good fast food. January 21, 2008 http://www.feelgoodfastfood.org/wordpress/?p=327 Source http://www.dutchlady.com.vn and http://dantri.com.vn/c167/s167-316631/khoi-dong-quy-6-trieu-ly-sua-cho-tre-em-viet-nam.htm HYPERLINK http://dantri.com.vn/c167/s167-316631/khoi-dong-quy-6-trieu-ly-sua-cho-tre-em-viet-nam.htm 31/03/200931/03/2009) Wikipedia http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Corporate_social_responsibility The Social Responsibility of Business is to Increase its Profits by Milton Friedman. In The New York Times Magazine, September 13, 1970 http://www.colorado.edu/studentgroups/libertarians/issues/friedman-soc-resp-business.html Media SCR Forum http://mediacsrforum.org/ Why Social Media Is Vital to Corporate Social Responsibility http://mashable.com/2009/11/06/social-responsibility/

King Lear :: essays research papers

King Lear – Theme Of Blindness William Shakespeare In Shakespearean terms, blindness means a whole different thing. Blindness can normally be defined as the inability of the eye to see, but according to Shakespeare, blindness is not only a physical quality, but also a mental flaw some people possess. One of Shakespeare’s dominant themes in his play King Lear is that of blindness. King Lear, Gloucester, and Albany are three prime examples, of how Shakespeare incorporates the theme of blindness into the story. Each of these character’s blindness is the primary cause of the bad decisions he makes; decisions which all of them will eventually come to regret. King Lear is a character who is most affected by blindness. Due to Lear’s high position in society, he is supposed to be able to distinguish the good from the bad; unfortunately, his lack of insight prevents him from doing so. Lear’s first act of blindness comes at the beginning of the play. First, he is easily deceived by his two eldest daughters’ exaggerated declarations stating: â€Å"Sir, I love you more than words can wield the matter; Dearer than eye-sight, space, and liberty; Beyond what can be valued, rich or rare; No less than life, with grace, health, beauty, honour; As much as child e'er loved, or father found; A love that makes breath poor, and speech unable; Beyond all manner of so much I love you.† (I.I.56-63) Lear is unable to see the reality of Cordelia’s true love for him when she says: â€Å"Unhappy that I am, I cannot heave My heart into my mouth: I love your majesty According to my bond; nor more nor less.† (I.I.96-98) As a result, Lear banished Cordelia from his kingdom with the following words: â€Å"..................................for we Have no such daughter, nor shall ever see That face of her again. Therefore be gone Without our grace, our love, our benison.† (I.I.290-293) Lear’s blindness also causes him to banish one of his loyal followers, Kent. Kent is able to see Cordelia’s true love for her father, and tried to protect her from her blind father’s irrationality. After Kent is banished, he created a disguise for himself and is eventually hired by Lear as a servant. Lear’s inability to determine his servant’s true identity proved once again how blind Lear actually is. As the play progressed, Lear’s eyesight rea ched closer to 20/20 vision. He realized how immoral his two eldest daughters really were after they locked him out of the castle during a tremendous storm.

Recasting the Role of the Ceo Essay

In the case study, â€Å"Recasting the Role of the CEO†, Vineet Nayar, Nayar used messaging to communicate to his employees while focusing the organization’s efforts on creativity and innovation, that address change and the adaptive challenge. He was responsible for preparing the firm, its members, and stakeholders for the future by fostering innovation and creativity through effective messaging. He was able to accomplish this by implementing a portal for the employees called â€Å"MyBlueprint†, and also my merging with a company called AXON. Different Ways Messaging Was Used  Instead of holding a live Blueprint meeting, HCL decided to have all three hundred of their managers record their business plans, which would then be posted on the MyBlueprint portal. Once all of the business plans were posted, they’d be open for review by another eight thousand HCL managers. The idea was to transform the planning process into a peer-to-peer review rather than a top-down judgment. (Nayar, 2010). After reviewing a few recordings, Nayar noticed the plans improved and were more efficient because the managers knew they would be reviewed by a larger number of people than in previous years. The managers were more honest in their assessment of current challenges and opportunities, and they talked more about the actions they would take to accomplish certain goals, as opposed to, what they hoped to accomplish. (Nayar, 2010). This internal messaging of the MyBlueprint portal had a huge impact on the future and innovation of HCL, because it allowed for employees to help each other and point their colleagues toward a recording that might be useful to them. Many of the employees within departments were able to discuss their futures with a better understanding of what’s required of them, and it allowed for the managers to make new connections with one another. Comments were posted about strategies being used, and that provided the managers with new perspectives and ideas. When new employees were hired, they had a place they could go to learn what the team was trying to accomplish and why. (Nayar, 2010). Everyone at HCL felt they were a part of the thinking and planning process. When HCL merged with Axon, Nayar used the concept of sharing responsibilities with the employees and business units in this merger. Nayar understood that acquiring AXON was going to strengthen HCL and help them to grow faster, because they were the largest and most successful independent SAP consulting company. Nayar didn’t force AXON to integrate into HCL’s organization, because he was well aware of HCL’s weaknesses so he only merged HCL’s SAP organization into AXON. (Nayar, 2010). By doing so, this allowed for HCL AXON to become extremely successful and the company experienced a great deal of growth in nine months. After seeing the positive results and advantages of the merger, the HCL AXON leadership team ended up running many other parts of HCL. Also, since Nayar continued to use the â€Å"Employees First, Customer’s Second† approach with this merger, they were able to acquire four more successful acquisitions in that year alone. (Nayar, 2010). External messaging was used by proposing this acquisition deal with AXON to plan for a better future for both companies. This allowed for AXON to leverage HCLT’s brand, customers, solutions, and innovations amongst other things. Effectiveness of Internal and External Communication When the company decided to have the managers record their business plans, it enhanced innovation and creativity on all levels. It gave the managers an opportunity to really analyze the challenges they faced on their teams, and to come up with realistic solutions as to how they’re going to solve them. It also gave them the opportunity to come up with realistic goals and solutions for their teams. The flood gates of creativity opened due to the recorded plans, because everyone had the opportunity to view them, so it llowed for different insights on strategies that were currently being used, and opinions on new strategies that could possibly be beneficial to the teams. â€Å"By involving the employees and giving them more power, choice, and information, they begin to believe that they can influence different situations and their outcomes. † (Hickman, 2010). The messaging was also very affective with the HCL AXON merger because HCL was successful before they acquired AXON, but once they merged, that made HCL’s brand stronger and allowed for innovation. The HCL AXON leadership team was so effective; they took charge of running many other parts of HCLT businesses after nine months of the acquisition. The merger generated such powerful results that four more successful acquisitions were completed in that same year. Effectiveness in Using Messaging to Prepare the Firm, its Members, and Stakeholders for the future Nayar was very effective in using messaging to prepare the firm, its members, and stakeholders for the future. The internal and external messaging was very affective for HCL in both cases. It proved that when a CEO focuses less on governing and more on enabling, the executive can accomplish much that might otherwise have been too risky to undertake. (Nayar, 2010). When the managers at HCL were required to post their business plans on the MyBlueprint portal, this was a form of workshop that allowed for all of HCL’s employees to be involved in, and discuss challenges and solutions that can be put into action. This also created a deeper understanding of each teams projects/tasks and how they fit into the overall objective of the organization. The managers now feel as though they have a sense of direction and they have the support of management as well as their peers. By using this form of messaging, it encourages the employees to communicate with their team members. Nayar was also effective with external messaging in reference to acquiring AXON. By acquiring the largest, most successful independent SAP consulting company in the world, this strengthened HCL and it allowed for them to grow. This acquisition prepared their employees, customers and stakeholders for the growth opportunities that were about to take place, whether it was internally or externally. Conclusion: Nayar had a responsibility to prepare his firm, its members, and stakeholders for the future. He was successful at this by fostering innovation and creativity through effective internal and external messaging. He found a way to communicate to the employees through a portal called â€Å"MyBlueprint†, which promoted innovation and creativity through an abundance of feedback from the organization. And he acquired a company called AXON which propelled HCL’s brand to new heights, and allowed for lots a growth and new business.

Emergency Room Hospital Essays

Emergency Room Hospital Essays Emergency Room Hospital Essay Emergency Room Hospital Essay Flashing red and blue lights accompanied by an alarming siren in the distance is signaled when the double doors of the emergency room burst open. Pushed by several nurses, doctors, and other medical staff, a lone hospital stretcher with a bloody, wounded patient flies through the medical center towards the doors to the operating room. This image is what generally comes to mind when you think about an emergency room. Many people believe that the hospital’s emergency room is a dark and scary place. While this is true, the common misconception is that  the emergency room is a place clear of humor, when in reality humor is present, even necessary, for many reasons. Many television shows, like the show ER, are based in the setting of the hospital’s emergency room. Clearly, when you watch the show you can differentiate fact from fiction on what goes on in an actual emergency room versus what Hollywood incorporates into the show. For example, when watching one of these shows, one will notice that there is an emphasis placed on the relationships between the hospital’s staff, whereas in reality an emphasis is, obviously,  placed on the individuals that need medical attention. Another emphasis is on humor and the comedy aspect of the show. Although the humor aspect of these shows is exaggerated, that is not to say that there is no humor in the emergency room because that is far from the truth. When one thinks of the act of laughing, the emergency room rarely is a scene that pops into one’s head. Because of the nature of the emergency room and the clientele that require its services, humor is not commonly accepted in such a place. Like a funeral home, an emergency room is a place where laughter and fun are generally  not accepted, but unlike a funeral home, the ER is a much more stressful environment and requires release of built up tension through humor. Also, the workers who work in the emergency room, such as doctors, nurses, and other care providers, undergo rigorous training to become professionals in their careers, and are required to act accordingly. In the social worker’s training, emphasis is placed highly on professionalism and ethics. They are discouraged from letting their personal emotions escape their professional appearance and, instead, are instructed to remain contained and composed. Their training also encourages them to keep a solemn tone and demeanor. Because of this, hospital humor is not a concept that many people believe exists. Although the facility and the faculty of the hospital do not appear to tolerate humor in the workplace, laughter and humor find their way into the establishment of the ER in various ways. The primary use of humor in the emergency room is to ease the tension that builds up. The emergency room is an extremely tense environment due to the nature of the patients’ injuries. Tension is built up in many individuals, such as the patients, the family of the patients,  and the hospital staff. Because of the large quantity of people in the emergency room at any given time, humor is a necessity for all individuals in the ER. The physical act of laughing relieves tension in the body and relaxes the muscles, as well as promotes a general sense of well-being in an individual. This is something that everyone in the hospital needs, from the family of the patient that is stressing due to the nature of their loved one, all the way to the doctors and surgeons performing the operations necessary to bring someone back to health. Not  only does humor alleviate tension, it makes working in the hospital easier. Humor alleviates the stress of the workers and creates a stronger hospital team out of the staff. With a stronger staff unit, the ER runs more smoothly and can treat the maximum number of patients that it can. By joking around, like giving nicknames to the regular patients and hospital staff and poking fun at the people they work with, the individuals who work in the hospital are more comfortable around each other, therefore leading to a stronger sense of solidarity amongst them. Also, if an individual feels more comfortable in a certain environment,  they will perform their tasks and duties more efficiently and effectively. Finally, humor keeps those that work in traumatic situations from becoming disheartened. Because of the nature of their work, most of the individuals that work in the ER have a high burnout rate. There are so many negative aspects of working in the ER that doctors and other workers cannot handle for an extended period of time. The anxieties due to the unknowns such as how many people will need medical attention, what the nature of their injuries are, etc. cause additional stress to an already stressful schedule. Because accidents can happen at any time, ER workers have to work at night, which is unappealing to many. Because of these negative aspects, ER work is very difficult, and many people who work in this environment eventually want out. Humor lightens the blow of many of these negative aspects, and at least makes working in the hospital a little more bearable. Humor keeps hospital staff from physically becoming depressed. With the mass number of illness, surgery, and death that they are encompassed with, working in the hospital can wipe out one’s physical energy and mental state of well-being. Humor offers a levity of the morose and depressing environment that they are surrounded by each day. The emergency room is not a room that people should take lightly. The very nature of its services that it provides to its clientele prove it to be a serious environment; nevertheless, humor can exist, and even be helpful, in an environment like this. Humor alleviates the tension of all the people in the emergency room, and it creates a stronger sense of family for the staff that work in the emergency room. Finally, humor is what keeps the workers from becoming disheartened and  depressed. With a little bit of laughter in the workplace, all the individuals that come into contact with the emergency room experience a lightened mood, even in the most awful situations. A little laughter is the best medicine, and this saying most certainly applies to the emergency room of a hospital. Van Wormer, K. , and M. Boes. HUMOR IN THE EMERGENCY ROOM: A Social Work Perspective. Welcome! Web. 23 Sept. 2011. http://web. ebscohost. com. proxy. libraries. uc. edu/ehost/detail? [emailprotected].

Freud and Skinner interpretation of anxiety essays

Freud and Skinner interpretation of anxiety essays Conflict and anxiety are a fundamental part of every human beings life from, it could be argued, a prenatal stage to the inevitable death (Berk, 2004). Conflict can be defined as the emotional predicament people experience when they are placed in situations where difficult choices are to be made (Kosslyn s biological response to anxiety is a state of arousal, which may include symptoms similar to the fight or flight response (Kosslyn Theorists have long debated the cause and purpose for such emotions as conflict and anxiety. Namely, B. F. Skinner and Sigmund Freud who are perhaps the two greatest figures in psychology. Each proposed a grand theory that has had a tremendous impact on the field. With Freud, attempting to infer what goes on within the mind using hypnosis, dream analysis and psychoanalysis and Skinners focus on the study of only directly observable behaviour, the two perspectives appear to be wholly incompatible. While Skinners theories may appear to be complete opposite to a Freudian approach, he explained how his theory of behaviourism could be adapted to theories in different disciplines, including Freuds psychodynamic theory (Monte introspectionistic approaches to the field of psychology and placed the focus the role of the environment as most influential on behaviour. He took an extreme fact-based approach to science and even questioned the need for deep theoretical...

Chlorine essays

Chlorine essays When you think of chlorine, the first thing that comes to your mind is the stuff you put in pools. Well that is one of the uses, but there is many, many more. Chlorine protects organisms ranging from the Ecuadorian tree frog, to wood rotting fungi. Chlorine is also surprisingly more plentiful than carbon. Believe it or not chlorine was the first substance used as a poisonous gas in World War I. Chlorine, symbol Cl, is a greenish-yellow gaseous element. In the group 17 of the periodic table, chlorine is one of the halogens. The atomic number of chlorine is 17. Elementary chlorine was first isolated in 1774 by the Swedish chemist Carl Wilhelm Scheele, who thought that gas was a compound of oxygen. It was not until 1810 that the British chemist Sir Humphry Davy proved that chlorine was an element and gave it its present name. At ordinary temperatures, chlorine is a greenish-yellow gas that can readily be liquefied under pressure of 6.8 atmospheres, at 20 degrees Celsius (68 degrees pharenhit). The gas has an irritating odor and can sometimes be dangerous. Chlorine does not occur in nature, but its compounds are common minerals, and it is the 20th most abundant element in the earth's crust. Cl has a specific gravity of 1.41 at -35 degrees Celsius (-31 degrees pharnehit). The atomic weight of the element is 35.453. Chlorine is an active element, reacting with water, organic compounds, and many metals. Chlorine will not burn in air, but will support the combustion of many substances. An ordinary paraffin candle, for example, will burn chlorine with a smoky flame. Chlorine and hydrogen can be kept together in the dark, but react explosively in the presence of light. Chlorine solutions in water are familiar in the home as bleaching agents. Most chlorine is produced by the electrolysis of ordinary salt solution, with sodium hydroxide as a by-product. Because the demand for chlorine exceeds that for sodium hydro...

Journal Coursework Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 1

Journal - Coursework Example Texting and calling ability with cell phones allows with me to connect with anyone I choose whether they are in the same town, or halfway across the world. The Internet allows me to communicate as well as share mass amounts of data such as documents with people. Social networking lets the world know what is going on with my personal world as well as keep up with everyone that I am â€Å"friends† with through the chat feature as well as news feed. Not only has technology affected me personally, but it has also had an impact on my parents and grandparents. Even though my parents and grandparents are always cautious of new technologies, after they are taught how to use them, they like the ability to constantly be in contact with the ones they love. Text messaging is especially convenient because whether I am at work or in school, I can always be in contact with them, especially if an emergency or something arises without creating a scene in class. Communication and Internet devel opment have had a enormous impact on the way information is disseminated both in the working world and in the education systems. People now have the ability to access and send files such as documents at light speed, which can in turn be read by computers and hand-held devices. It allows for collaboration with either companies or research partners.

Web Activity Coursework Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Web Activity - Coursework Example edicare patients who had enough wastes removed from their blood during dialysis (Dialysis Adequacy) in 2010 and patient Survival for January 2007 to December 2010. #9. This information would assist a patient in selecting a dialysis facility by showing you a comparison against all facilities in the United States against those in California with the one that you are looking at. This page also shows you which survival category the patients at the chosen dialysis centers fit into. #10. I would chose West Coast dialysis Center as their survival rate is as expected and this facility had a higher percentage of patients than the others who offered scores and was just under the national average in amount of patients who had enough wastes removed from their blood or had a URR of 65 or more. This facility also had a higher percentage of patients with hemoglobin over 12, 8%, which is less than the national average of 11% of patients. This is a measure that can be used to show how well anemia is managed that is associated with

Argumentive Essay The Myth of Media Violence Research Paper

Argumentive Essay The Myth of Media Violence - Research Paper Example in television programs as well as music videos that are obviously not meant for innocent children and accordingly, convey negative messages to the children whenever they happen to encounter them. These programs include but are not limited to negative reality shows, crime reports, adult movies and vulgar fashion shows. Such programs have caused the children to mature before the right age and they know too much for their age and mental capacity. A lot of people deny the difference between the extremity and intensity of negativity of the programs projected on television in the 1950s and those shown today by arguing that violence has always been there in the television programs, particularly in the bull fighting and wrestling. However, what I feel lacking in his argument is a realization of the fact that today’s media is far too open towards vulgarity and adultery contrary to the standards that were followed half a century ago. Any argument in favor of the violence and porn projected in the movies, video games and media today is, to me, illegitimate and irrational. It is an established fact that many music videos released nowadays are full of sexually explicit material. In fact, eroticism has become a fundamental trait of profitable music videos, particularly when they star famous celebrities. People are curious to know who has exposed to what extent. (Lewis 94) says that music slowly penetrates so deep into the social setup that it ultimately develops the tendency to overtly express the hidden belief systems that have long remained taboos in the society and hence, alters the society’s way of thinking and its lifestyle. (Lewis 94) further notes that in this way, music serves as the advertisement for the social belief systems that have not been discussed openly in the past, yet have existed in all times. Having watched the taboos openly discussed in the reality shows telecast, people become immune to them and stop shying about discussing matters and watching the

Construction Economics Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Construction Economics - Essay Example 2.0 Basis of the Report and Assumptions The report is based on the relevance of cost benefit analysis in determining the feasibility of a project. It is assumed that the developer is aware of the prevailing market rates but is not conversant with the costing strategy that can match the rates. The essence of this report is therefore to recommend the actions on whether the project is viable or not depending on the cost benefit analysis results (Schmitt, B., 2007). 3.0 Site Location Information The construction site is located in London, towards the south east of England. It has a conglomeration of retail constructions, residential and commercial properties. The environment is well developed and the area has easy accessibility to the center of London City. The plan is to have the ground floor as a shell for tenants who intend to rent to fit them out to their suitability. The rest of the floors will be for multipurpose businesses. Figure 1: Rental Units in the Commercial area Figure 2: R ental Units in the Residential Area 4.0. Market Conditions Affecting Value The construction site is in a prime area. The demand in the area for real estate properties is so high in the area pushing the cost of acquisition and development of the plot to go up. ... assessment, the competition from other developers in the area could be a challenge however setting competitive rates will be advantageous to the business (Schmitt, B., 2007). Also the inflation rates in the real estate property market could be a challenge however with the stability in the market the rates could be manageable to the stakeholders. Using the same assumptions, the future demand may be unbearable but the value of the project may be a great advantage to the stakeholders in the future. The high demand for land in the area and the continued rising rates is propelling the already high costs. 5.0 Developers Budget 5.1. Development Cost The cost of development at the present market value covers the cost of acquisition of the site together with the cost of labor and construction materials. The budget for the development is as follows: Demolition: ? 150,000 Planning costs and fees, including s.106 agreement – upgrading infrastructure: ? 250,000 Site surveys: ? 25,000 Const ruction costs: Infrastructure: ? 273,000 Landscaping: ? 15,000 Structure: ?1,100/m2 Extra for office floors: ? 550/m2 Extra for residential floors: ? 650/m2 5.2. Expected return Out of the budget, the return from the rental units will determine whether the expenses are higher than the earnings or less. The present market rates for residential property units will earn about ?500 per month, coming to about ?6000 per unit per month. For the 7 rental units available, the total earning will be ?42000 per year. For every office unit, the project will earn about twice that of residential units, which is about ?84, 000 per year. Parking will be expected to earn about ?10000 per year, making the total annual revenue a consolidated estimate of about ?136000 per year. With the continuous growth in market

Entry Strategies and Exporting Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3500 words

Entry Strategies and Exporting - Essay Example Consequently, the firm stands at the threshold of the next step which is taking its operations to the international level, studies both academic and market based have shown that the demand for quality but affordable clothing in parts of Europe and Asia is increasing and this is opportunity that M and W can profitably exploit. Given its expansive scale of production at home it has considerable economics of scale and therefore it can afford to confront new markets with lower prices. In addition the firm has a great deal of experience which is evinced by the many years of production behind it in addition to the obvious market dominance which has been forged through strategic thinking and experience. Notwithstanding, before making the commitment to venture into internationalization, the firm should take to account several factors, more so the advantages and disadvantages of this move. This is important because by making such considerations, it can be aptly placed to develop an open minded and critical strategic plan. Besides, no matter how practical or natural any business move may appear, the manager should first ensure that they are aware of the underling advantages and disadvantages so they can strategize with both in mind. The entry of a company into international business is takes two forms, it can venture indirectly when forced by circumstances or when the directors order that the firm should purchase or sell from foreign sources. On the other hand it could be direct in which case the company deliberately makes a move which in most cases is preceded by reconnaissance into the new market. Whichever the case, before a firm ventures into the import export business, they needs must carefully asses the disadvantages and advantages. The firm in question is interested in the latter model since the decision to export is one that has been done deliberately and indeed the primary objectives of these paper are geared towards establishing the strategic

Semillas Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Semillas - Essay Example and helps them to make changes for the betterment of their families, communities and society in a big way. Semillas was founded by Lucero Gonzalez, who understood the significance of uniting women of all economic and educational backgrounds, concerned in humanity. It was formed over the past 15 years, by a group of few women lawyers and international human rights law experts who came together to change and prove that the enlightening disgrace that love for humankind and charity are one and the same. Semillas receives its funds from the international cooperation, institutions and individual donors and from the Mexican society and the corporation. It not only provides financial resources to the women's organizations, but also gives institutional strengthening support through its wide experience in the field with the help of experts. This organization also strengthens Mexican women's rights, helps in constructing a fair society, promotes a society of equality between men and women and improves the condition of life for future generations. These resources are then awarded as grants to organizations that work in four primary areas such as Humans Rights, Women and Work, Sexual and Reproductive Rights and Gender Violence. Semillas not only provide economic resources, but also provides follow up for women groups that make stronger their leadership and organizing capabilities for monitoring and evaluating their projects and for resource development. For over four decades there has been violence in the Mexican countries. Due to the civil conflict between both the both left-wing guerilla groups and right-wing Para-military forces, fuelled by politics has made this place hell. Not only this but drug-related crime and government-sponsored violence, this internal war has killed thousands and made millions of people homeless. People who stand up for their rights and justice are killed. Women activists have been raped, mutilated, disfigured and murdered. They are driven out from their communities to stop their heroic efforts to build community and demand justice. Semillas offers a simple and productive way to be active participants in Mexico's social change process through its Network of Women Investing in Women and Men in Solidarity (WIW Network). This Network is composed of 560 women and men who seek to support women's cause through their investment donations. This organization observes the significant advantage in encouraging women and girls to widen and use their talents and gifts. The group has brought to justice the cases of women forcibly displaced and of those who have suffered political violence, including sexual violence. There are various groups such as Observatory on Gender, Democracy and Human Rights (Observatorio, Genero, Democracia y

Construction Economics Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Construction Economics - Essay Example 2.0 Basis of the Report and Assumptions The report is based on the relevance of cost benefit analysis in determining the feasibility of a project. It is assumed that the developer is aware of the prevailing market rates but is not conversant with the costing strategy that can match the rates. The essence of this report is therefore to recommend the actions on whether the project is viable or not depending on the cost benefit analysis results (Schmitt, B., 2007). 3.0 Site Location Information The construction site is located in London, towards the south east of England. It has a conglomeration of retail constructions, residential and commercial properties. The environment is well developed and the area has easy accessibility to the center of London City. The plan is to have the ground floor as a shell for tenants who intend to rent to fit them out to their suitability. The rest of the floors will be for multipurpose businesses. Figure 1: Rental Units in the Commercial area Figure 2: R ental Units in the Residential Area 4.0. Market Conditions Affecting Value The construction site is in a prime area. The demand in the area for real estate properties is so high in the area pushing the cost of acquisition and development of the plot to go up. ... assessment, the competition from other developers in the area could be a challenge however setting competitive rates will be advantageous to the business (Schmitt, B., 2007). Also the inflation rates in the real estate property market could be a challenge however with the stability in the market the rates could be manageable to the stakeholders. Using the same assumptions, the future demand may be unbearable but the value of the project may be a great advantage to the stakeholders in the future. The high demand for land in the area and the continued rising rates is propelling the already high costs. 5.0 Developers Budget 5.1. Development Cost The cost of development at the present market value covers the cost of acquisition of the site together with the cost of labor and construction materials. The budget for the development is as follows: Demolition: ? 150,000 Planning costs and fees, including s.106 agreement – upgrading infrastructure: ? 250,000 Site surveys: ? 25,000 Const ruction costs: Infrastructure: ? 273,000 Landscaping: ? 15,000 Structure: ?1,100/m2 Extra for office floors: ? 550/m2 Extra for residential floors: ? 650/m2 5.2. Expected return Out of the budget, the return from the rental units will determine whether the expenses are higher than the earnings or less. The present market rates for residential property units will earn about ?500 per month, coming to about ?6000 per unit per month. For the 7 rental units available, the total earning will be ?42000 per year. For every office unit, the project will earn about twice that of residential units, which is about ?84, 000 per year. Parking will be expected to earn about ?10000 per year, making the total annual revenue a consolidated estimate of about ?136000 per year. With the continuous growth in market

Semillas Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Semillas - Essay Example and helps them to make changes for the betterment of their families, communities and society in a big way. Semillas was founded by Lucero Gonzalez, who understood the significance of uniting women of all economic and educational backgrounds, concerned in humanity. It was formed over the past 15 years, by a group of few women lawyers and international human rights law experts who came together to change and prove that the enlightening disgrace that love for humankind and charity are one and the same. Semillas receives its funds from the international cooperation, institutions and individual donors and from the Mexican society and the corporation. It not only provides financial resources to the women's organizations, but also gives institutional strengthening support through its wide experience in the field with the help of experts. This organization also strengthens Mexican women's rights, helps in constructing a fair society, promotes a society of equality between men and women and improves the condition of life for future generations. These resources are then awarded as grants to organizations that work in four primary areas such as Humans Rights, Women and Work, Sexual and Reproductive Rights and Gender Violence. Semillas not only provide economic resources, but also provides follow up for women groups that make stronger their leadership and organizing capabilities for monitoring and evaluating their projects and for resource development. For over four decades there has been violence in the Mexican countries. Due to the civil conflict between both the both left-wing guerilla groups and right-wing Para-military forces, fuelled by politics has made this place hell. Not only this but drug-related crime and government-sponsored violence, this internal war has killed thousands and made millions of people homeless. People who stand up for their rights and justice are killed. Women activists have been raped, mutilated, disfigured and murdered. They are driven out from their communities to stop their heroic efforts to build community and demand justice. Semillas offers a simple and productive way to be active participants in Mexico's social change process through its Network of Women Investing in Women and Men in Solidarity (WIW Network). This Network is composed of 560 women and men who seek to support women's cause through their investment donations. This organization observes the significant advantage in encouraging women and girls to widen and use their talents and gifts. The group has brought to justice the cases of women forcibly displaced and of those who have suffered political violence, including sexual violence. There are various groups such as Observatory on Gender, Democracy and Human Rights (Observatorio, Genero, Democracia y

Welfare and unemployment Essay Example for Free

Welfare and unemployment Essay Welfare is a term used to describe a wide spectrum of parameters for human well being. These parameters include security, education, economy, housing, health and natural environment. In essence, welfare encompasses wellness of all aspects of life. Basically, welfare can be defined as wellness or well doing or wellbeing in regard to enjoyment of health and common blessings of life, free from any evil or disasters; development and happiness. Welfare can be viewed in the perspective of both an individual and community as a whole. On the other hand, unemployment refers to a situation where an individual is available to work and currently searching for work but there is no where he/she can work. The level of unemployment is measured by unemployment rate which is usually described as the percentage of the people in the labor force who have gotten employed. It is a matter of course that unemployment impacts negatively to the welfare of the people in a country. These impacts occur at individual, family and community levels. Some of the impacts of unemployment that are commonly known include: poor housing, lack of income, poor health, lack of food, insecurity, lack of education , accumulation of debts, Xenophobia, protectionism and immigration hence it is agreeable among people of different quotas that unemployment and welfare are closely related (Anderson, 2000, 67) . To begin with, one of the most important measures of welfare is health. According to WHO, health is defined as a state of complete wellness physiologically, economically, socially and emotionally and not merely the absence of a disease or disability. In this regard, economy and social factors are key determinants of human health. The welfare of the economy and social status is dependent on the availability of work that provides employment to the people. In the contemporary world, employment means work which is consistent and money can be paid for it. The need for earning money has made a paying job as a top agenda in the priorities and lives of many people. Due to this reason, job has got a significant impact on the mental, physical and social health status of the society. There is a lot of documented research and empirical evidence on the effects of lack of jobs on the health of the people. Employment to may people gives them a sense of consistency, purpose and identity, belongingness, social identity and a chance for individual’s growth and development. In some cases, some say that it provides to them self-realization and creativity. When one is unemployed, he/she is considered to have lost these vital benefits and therefore it results to adverse effects to his/her health (Earney, 1997, 102). According to numerous studies that have conducted world wide, there seems to be a pattern of increasing mortality rate during the times of negative economic growth, such as time of increasing unemployment. For example, in Scotland (1983), there was a time lag of 0 to 13 years in its population, meaning that the death rate was increased by the continuously high and rising unemployment during that time. This association of health and unemployment can be depicted well in the studies of cardiovascular diseases. From analysis of various studies, it has been proved that there is a positive relationship of unemployment and coronary heart diseases deaths. This is basically because of the stress that is related with unemployment. From these studies, it has been specifically noted that, aged employees who were retrenched and the young people who are jobless are more prone to stroke and high blood pressure disorders than the other segments of the populations. The other measure of the association between unemployment and health is number of suicides. In the studies that have been conducted so far, it has been proved that in most cases, those who attempted suicide had been unemployed or jobless. This was more so among the adolescents males. Research has also shown that high risks of injury and accidents are related to unemployment (Nelson, 1999, 33). Unemployment has also been identified as one of the cause of the many mental problems being experienced of late. It is confirmed by research that immediate job loss, long time joblessness and many mental and physical health disorders are closely related. The mental health negative effects of joblessness include consistent depression, insomnia, self-harming feelings , anxiety, dullness, pessimism , decline in self esteem and reduced ability to make decision. In one of the studies in USA, it was found that the physicians recorded the highest number of psychiatric patients during the times of economic recession which is characterized by a lot of joblessness. Also, worthy noting was the unique finding that most health facilities received the highest number of clients in the times of economic difficulties contrary to the normal assumption of the people that patients increase at the time of economic boom when there is a lot of money in circulation for seeking healthcare. Unemployment does not spare the welfare of children either. It has been noted that children are adversely affected when the parents are jobless. In such cases, the families lack finances to cater for their basic needs like seeking for health care, education, shelter and food. This results to increased infant mortality, morbidity rates and hospital admissions. In one of the studies in Britain, it was found out that unemployment doubled the risk of sickness for young children who were admitted at the health facilities. Unemployment makes the young to suffer from material deprivation, depression and other psychological problems, somatic symptoms and sicknesses, juvenile delinquency, poor performance in school and lack of attachment to the parents. It has also been observed that child abuse and neglect becomes rampant when jobless occurs (Gulluly, 1998, 23). For women, the problem of unemployment hits the hardest. It predisposes them to the practice of prostitution so as to earn income for catering for their needs and their families. Such practice has resulted to quick spread of sexually transmitted infections like HIV and others. Moreover, joblessness among women leads to increased levels of the cases of maternal mortality . This is due to lack finances for seeking maternal health services, which in most developing countries are paid for. To worsen the situation, the married women have been on the receiving end in the times of unemployment since many men divorce them or run away leaving them with a heavy burden of feeding the families. Such cases have been reported in developing countries where the men leave their wives and migrate to other areas in the name of hunting for job. The ripple effect of this kind of migration is extended to food production in that it leads to the lack of manpower in rural areas and therefore agriculture is adversely affected. When it comes to the relationship between unemployment and housing, it is evident that the low level of income which is associated with unemployment results to mushrooming of informal settlements like slums in towns and squatters in rural areas. The unemployed lack money to rent descent houses or buy land of their own thus results to deviation of the law and settling in lands owned by other people. This leads to cycle of crimes and battles between the security officers and the jobless people. In addition to this, standards of living are affected with the informal settlement dwellers lacking basic necessities like drainage systems, water and other sanitation facilities hence frequent outbreaks of diseases (Snower, 2000, 16). In other cases, chronic lack of jobs leads to xenophobic attacks that polarizes the diplomatic relation of a country with others. This occurs due to thinking that unemployment results when the available jobs are being taken by a foreigner who is regarded as non citizens. During this kind of attacks, robbery, rape, destruction of property and demonstrations become the order of the day. To evade such adverse influences of unemployment, many countries have come up with economic strategic plans that attempt to ensure there are adequate employment opportunities to absorb jobless people and graduates from both universities and other tertiary level colleges. USA has been on the fore front in endeavor. The president-elect barrack Obama has come up with policies for the country to address the low level of unemployment that had occurred during the previous government (Adam, 2003, 86). These include provision of immediate tax cut for workers and their families. This aims to make half of the tax credit be available to the workers and the jobless thus maintaining the consumer expenditure, strengthening the economy as well as rescuing many Americans who are faced with economic challenges. Another strategy which president Oboma is using is the provision of immediate supplement to social security for the low and middle income seniors. This is because the president understands that high prices are overburdening the seniors surviving on fixed incomes. He is providing to the middle and low income that are not benefiting from the tax credit, an immediate one time supplement to their social security benefit. Establishment of a kitty to assist families from foreclosure is another way which Obama is using to cushion the low income earners and the unemployed. This plan will aid people to live in their residentials and renegotiate with their lenders as well as preventing more decline in property values thus reducing the effect of a national foreclosure crisis on the state and household budgets. Lastly, he has initiated the provision of relief for local and state governments badly hit by housing crisis to protect curtailment of services like health education and infrastructure. This is because the housing crisis and sinking economy has resulted to significant decline of revenue in both state and local governments. In conclusion therefore, it is of a paramount importance for any government to ensure that the economy is properly managed to produce employment opportunities since failure to do so may result to eruption of incidences that ripple the welfare of a country. Work cited Adams Frank. Unemployment and Social Decay in Urban areas. Routledge, London, 2003, pp. 86 Anderson Ewan. An Introduction to Essentials of Economics.. Praeger Publishers, Westport CT, 2000, pp. 67 Earney Fillmore. The Global Indicators of Social Welfare. Macmillan Publishers, London, 1997, pp. 102 Gulluly James. The Principles of Economics. W. H Fremmil, 1998, pp. 23 Nelson Daniel. Unemployment Insurance: The American Experience. University of Wisconsin, 1999, NewYork, pp. 33 Snower Dennis. Unemployment Benefits: An Assessment for Reforms. Macmillan Publishers, London, 2000, pp. 16

Business Plan For Sandton Fitness Centre Marketing Essay

Business Plan For Sandton Fitness Centre Marketing Essay Sandton fitness centre and beauty spa is a new gym that is for everyone (male and female) that creates a comfortable environment for everyone to pursue their fitness goals. It is situation in Sandton at Johannesburg. Sandton fitness centre and beauty spa have the most satisfactory/best equipment, best personal trainers, dietician, special classes and psychologists. Sandton fitness centre and beauty spa is located in the urban where people have a very active life and very little time to spend on fitness and healthy life. Heart disease and obesity are on record high causing increase in health club demand. Low income market segment is ignored by key competitors in the market Club memberships in South Africa have increased every year since 1994 and a strong market makes a strong business. We are a solid investment because start-up sports gyms on average take in 1,000 new members per year. This will allow our business to break even in less than five years. Our club, Sandton Fitness Center will offer its members quality services and benefits that no other club can offer. We want to take investments and use them wisely in order to create a sports facility that pleases customers. In sports clubs, the top five most profitable programs/services are personal training, massage therapy, food/beverages, an aquatics program, and a tennis program. Our gym will provide all of these services and thus increase our productivity. We will build a large complex that will include a pool, personal training facilities, basketball courts, a day spa, tennis courts, and many other features to attract clientele. In Sandton were our fitness center will be situated has 20 to 64 year old population. This means not only that our clientele pools is large but that these people are experienced and have attained the socioeconomic status that will be needed in order to attain and maintain our service. In conclusion, our profitable new gym will be a coordinated effort among four aspiring entrepreneurs to create the ultimate in sports and leisure fitness. Company Description Sandton Fitness Centre and Beauty Spa are focused on teenagers (13+), young adults and adults. Sandton Fitness Centre has its different programs for different age groups. Sandton Fitness Centre is 55,000 square feet. It is located in 1560 Grayston Street, in Sandton. Sandton Fitness Centre and Beauty spa also have a childcare centre, where they look after children while their parents are busy with their workouts. The childcare centre can currently care for 40 children but only 10 infants. Sandton Beauty Spa is a new destination offering customers the combination of full body massage, waxing, body treatments, facials, manicures, pedicures, anti- aging treatments and lasers. Company history Fitness Centre and Beauty spa was created on 14 February 2007, to provide busy and working people with a fitness centre and a beauty spa. Fit centre and a beauty spa all combined surprised and made people excited. Fitness centre is privately financed by businessman and investors. More than 80,000 was invested into the company. The money covered equipments, advertising campaigns, flyers, posters, advertising an internet and to create a domain name. the company struggled for long, most people preferred the gym not the beauty spa, because they were complaining and worried about the costs. So the centre had to lower them a little bit. Sales were also less. So Fitness centre decided to make specials every after two months and on special occasions like Valentines Day and birthdays, but only on the beauty spas side. The gym price remains the same. At the end things got better. Mission statements Create members workout environment that promoters confidence in our clients. Fitness centre and beauty spa provides our members with beauty treatment at a fair price and competitive price, while providing with the high level of customers service and satisfaction. Our business is focused on everyone most especially celebrities who care a lot about fitness and looking good. Product and Services Fitness Centre and Beauty Spa Services are the following: Fitness centre has a professional personal trainer who will assist everyone in the gym. Our personal trainers assist you with a exercise program. Fitness Centre also has a qualified dietician who will help each member on his/her best and healthy food to eat. Inside the gym there are paramedics who are there to help people if may be a member gets injured or collapses, or any other sickness, they are there full time. Fitness Centre has also hired a qualified psychologist, who will help with lots of stress and encouraging them for a way forward to live a healthy life. Beauty Spa Services Full body massage Waxing Manicure Pedicure Anti ageing treatments Facials Lasers Offer creams and beauty product on sale Industry analysis Size The health and fitness market is very large and still growing more and more because of the health revolution people have become more health conscious in an effort to preserve and prolong their lives due to the fast pace living style of today. The fitness and health industry is a 40 billion dollar that is fast paced and innovative and highly competitive. In South Africa the market is not matured yet it is still in its infancy at the moment. Growth The international health and fitness industry has grown approximately 12% for the past decade with the exception with 2009 it decreased 3 % due to the slow down of consumer spending because of the global credit crisis. Locally the health and fitness industry has also grown especially because of the performance of one the leaders of the local health and fitness industry Planet fitness was voted the best performing companies of 2010 despite the slow down of the economy. Sales projection The over all industry is expected to only grow 10% because of the high unemployment and poor consumer spending meaning that people are reluctant to spend their money spending only on absolute necessities. Industry structure The South African health and fitness industry is dominated by a handful of large firms being Virgin Active, Planet fitness and Smart Gym. However these large health and fitness service providers are not exploring the entire market and meeting the specific needs that we have been able to identify in the market. They are to large to satisfy the distinctive needs of the entire market in terms of innovation and creativity and personalised serviced as well as the simplification of services. They are also slow to react to changes in the business environment as well as the new trends and developments in the world of health and fitness .For example the trend now is the simplification and ease of anything and everything that would complicate our life making use of creative and innovative ideas to increase life quality and prolong lives as long as possible. Critical Success Factors 1. Commitment At the Top. 2. Qualified Professional Staff. 3. Plan Then Proceed. 4. Location, Location, Location. 5. Right Size Right Cost. 6. Program to Match Needs 7. Effective Integration. 8. Right Price Minimal Discounts. 9. Commitment to Marketing and Sales. 10. Commitment to Outstanding Customer Service. 11. Measure, Manage and Measure Again. 12. Effective Communications with Members. Management Team and Company Structure The management team is comprised of all the founders of The Santon Health and Fitness Center Keleabetswe Sepengused, Marcelino Maliti Moises, Gonste Bokaba and Kgabo Lucia Mathibe. Director of Marketing and sales The director of marketing and sales is responsible for all the marketing of the company needs for example promotion, advertising, market research and sales Mrs. Keleabetswe Sepeng used to be the marketing and sales manager for Virgin Active from 2005 -2011 she will take charge of the same post in the new company. Mrs Sepeng is highly recognized in the industry and has a masters degree in marketing Chief Financial Officer The chief financial officer is responsible for the over all financial control and management of the company. The duties and responsibility involve creating control, managerial and evaluating measures for proper, ethical and legal financial control Mr. Marcelino M Moises will take the position of CFO Chief Financial Officer since he has the most qualified and has the most experience in the field after having worked for Planet fitness for over 10 years Mr. Marcelino has a Bachelor of Accounting Sciences and BA degree in Business Administrations Chief Executive Officer The chief executive officer is the highest position in the company, the duties and responsibilities of the CEO is the overall running of the entire organization, make decisions for the entire organizations .planning ,leading, organize ,controlling Mr. Gontse Bokaba will take the position of CEO Chief Executive Officer of the organization. Mr. Gontse Bokaba has worked for SAA South African Air Lines for more than 5 as the chief operations manager. Mr. Gontse Bokaba has a Master degree in Business Management Chief Operations Officer The chief operations officer is responsible planning, coordinating and managing the operations of the company theses include office administrations, overseeing that both products and services are Mrs. Kgabo Lucia Mathibe will exercise the position of COO Chief Operations officer or Managing Director because she has been the manager at a day Spar for many years so she has both insight and knows the beauty industry in and out. Mrs. Kgabo Lucia has a degree in Business Administrations and a master in Human resource management. As well as head the human resources department seeing as he has experience in recruiting and staffing. CEO Gontse DOM Keleabetswe CFO Marcelino COO Lucia Industry structure The South African health and fitness industry is dominated by a handful of large firms being Virgin Active, Planet fitness and Smart Gym. However these large health and fitness service providers are not exploring the entire market and meeting the specific needs that we have been able to identify in the market. They are to large to satisfy the distinctive needs of the entire market in terms of innovation and creativity and personalised serviced as well as the simplification of life. They are also slow to react to changes in the business environment as well as the new trends and developments in the world of health and fitness. Industry Trends Individual usage of fitness and health care training equipment has increased. Body work out and exercise has become a daily life routine of many people around the world in the last decade. Fitness memberships are increasingly getting popular in office environment around the world Companies are including health memberships as part of employee remuneration package. Long- Term Prospectus To ensure a continual development of the health and fitness industry in the country. To raise awareness of the increase of obesity and heart deceases in the country and to promote healthy living Market analysis Johannesburg is a capital city of Gauteng. It is the major harbor of South African business. All the major companies of business are based in Joburg. The current population of Johannesburg is 11million. All types of professions are found in Johannesburg. So, it is a competitive advantage to make business in Johannesburg. Market segmentation It focuses on fitness, health and beauty. Our target market when it comes to the gym, is for everyone especially families and for the beauty spa, our target market are young adults, male and female from the ages of 13-55 years. They have to earn a minimum of R3000 and more. For children between 13 and 20, parents have to be responsible for their membership. The money is going to be deducted every month in the parents accounts, for their childrens membership. The centre and beauty Spa would work very hard to see consumers being satisfied about what the centre delivers. Customers perceive more value from a good or service that seems to deliver more benefits for money. Market research will cover the following: customer needs, cultural elements, social connections, where family members, friends or associates can influence how, what, and when consumers buy, personnel elements, marketers for the fitness centre and beauty Spa. See opportunity in reaching young girls who are concentrating on their career and looking good when going to work and going out with friends, older women and men who are taking care of their health because of many diseases like obesity, high blood etc. Target market selection Target customers: the primary customer is children, young adults and adults. These customers are ages 12-65 years There approximately 3000 customers: 15% children, 50% young adults and 35 adults. 70%percent of young adults and adults are celebrities who spent most of their time at Sandton. Some of them homes are there. Competitors Analysis Our main competitors are Virgin Active, Planet Fitness and Smart gym Sandton Fitness Centre and Beauty Spa is the environment that is created in the facility. Our customers feel more relaxed and comfortable in a program that is focused on them. We have designed the childcare center to be visible from the main workout floor. Young mothers can oversee the child play while working out. Our main concern is to provide our customer with a direction who will organize each of our members healthy eating program and providing our members with a personal trainer who will ensure that a member do right exercise all the time according to his/her workout plan Marketing plan Sandton Fitness Center will focus on creating a brand image in the Johannesburg and Sandton area. We will Participate in the major events of health care awareness and education programs. Sandton Fitness Center will start by targeting low income segment of market downtown Sandton and Johannesburg area. We will convince people about the benefits and needs of wellness programs. This will be accomplished by aggressively pursuing interaction and relationships with peoples in public health awareness programs and by sending newsletters and emails through Social interactive websites like Face book, Twitter and Msn and Google messenger. Pricing Our prices and promotions are always subject to change especially when we take into account the fluctuating membership enrollments; however, for the most part our initial fees for our services will be R300 and R80 monthly for a general membership. We will also offer to customers the option of paying daily fees. This fee will be R50 charge for a days use of any service that our business provides. In addition we can offer to individuals the option of using exclusively our day spa for just one day. To use this option we will charge a standard fee of R25. For another pricing option we will give customers the option of paying an annual fee up front for R1, 100, this would be a saving of over R150. This move would benefit us as well considering we will see an immediate return on our investments allowing us to re-pay our debt quickly. This type of pricing will set us over many of our competitors rates; however the most important opponent will be outbid. Planet fitness, which comes closest t o what we provide, will be outbid by over R600 and other competitors do not offer the level of resources that we will sell to our customers. In this way we feel that the service we sell and the price we offer can overcome or compete heavily with every competitor in the market. PromotionPlan   We will attempt to use a variety of strategies in order to make contact with potential members. A fairly cheap and easily accessible form of advertisement will be the Internet. By running our own website, www.SandtonFitnessCenter.com we can reach a wide variety of customers. This is also a fairly cheap way in which to get our name out since it will only cost our company $9.95 to launch and run the site annually. Another cost effective way to market our name will be to have various sales promotions and use flyers to get the word out. By making use of the following mediums of communication newspapers, magazines, television and radio as the medium of advertisement. In addition they will print 5,000 brochures for creating awareness in the market about their health care services; they will be distributed in major health care seminars and events where officials from Fitness Plus will participate. Operational plan Service Execution Timeline: Sandton Fitness Center will follow this service execution model to enter in the health club market. General trainer payroll and even provide our members with online scheduling, registration, bill payment and more. Establishing and maintaining membership opportunities is essential to owning successful business and our business may have monthly specials or different membership level in order to maximize sales. Our online registration system allows families to complete registration 34/7 from any internet connected computer. We created custom club sign-up forms and website., process most types of payment, manage room to block and reservations, create name badges, auto sent reminder e-mails and mange our members over complete reports. Business Location Sandton Fitness Centre and Beauty Spar is located in Nelson Mandela Square at Sandton city, is only 25km from Johannesburg international airport Task February March April May June July August Choosing location Website development Hiring, training and admin staff Advertising Opening of health club Location: Sandton Fitness Center will start its business in main street area of Coral Gables; there is presence of already established health clubs such as Golds Gym and Coral Gables Adventure Boot camp. Legal Environment: There are no current legal obligations for Fitness Plus health club. Personnel: Fitness Plus will start with a total of 10 initial staff members that includes owners as well. Facilities and Equipment Fitness Centre offers a large selection of equipment: Treadmills (20) Bicycles (10) Steppers Stairmaster Body trek Cross aerobic trainer Weights Services: Sandton Fitness Center will provide following health related services: Aerobics Cycling Boxing Yoga Pilates Muscle Training Diabetes Obesity Control Beauty treatments eg. massages, pedicures, manicures, facials Benefits and Features: State of the art facility with latest equipment from quality manufacturers Low cost with monthly, quarterly and annual subscription plans. Personal qualified trainers to help our members achieving results without wasting much time Why people need this service? Health care and fitness club market in around South Africa have been serving to a high income segment of late. Average income of health club member is R 50000 as of 2006 survey. This leaves a large segment of low-income customers with unmet needs. Fitness Plus will primarily exist to provide health care facility to the lower income class without compromising on quality of service. Challenges: Fitness Plus will face a challenging situation in creating its brand image and attracting customers towards their services due to presence of already established players in the local market such as: Virgin Active Planet Fitness SmartGym Financial Plan Sources of Capital Investment requirement R5, 000,000 Total Investment R5, 000,000 Startup Expenses Health club development R1, 000, 000 Personnel R290, 000 Capital Expenditures R500, 000 Consulting Services R100, 000 Promotion R60, 000 Total Start-up Expenses R1, 950, 000 Our company, Sandton Fitness Center will meet capital needs by talking to various money sources. These sources will include family members, banks, venture capitalist, and personal savings. We hope to receive R5 million before we even begin our venture. By the first year we will be losing R2.4 million with an expected 1,000 members. By the second year we will have double our member to 2,000 and have a combined loss of R25 around 2.4 million including the first years losses. By the third year with 3,000 members, we will show a profit of R1 million. We hope by explaining this outlook to investors they will be convinced of our legitimate venture. Also by showing our belief in the company we each will invest R250,000. We project getting R3 million from venture capitalist and the rest of the money from a bank loan that would be paid off by the fifth year of operation. Pro forma Income Stament Projected Income Sandton Fitness Center Income Statement YEAR1 YEAR2 YEAR3 YEAR4 Sales R1,260,000.00 R 2,520.000 R3,780,000 R3,970,000 Net sales R1,260,000.00 R2,520,000 R3,780,000 R3,970,000 Gross Profit 0 R 1,077,520 R 1,267,521 Operating Expenses Payroll expense R551, 000.00 R551, 000 R 551,000 R 551,000 Payroll tax expense R38, 570.00 R38,570 R 38,570, R 38,570 Bad debts expense R194, 500.00 R194, 500.00 R194, 500.00 R194, 500.00 Promotional Expense R62, 009.95 R62, 009.95 R62, 009.95 R62, 009.95 Office supplies expense R220, 000.00 R220, 000.00 R220, 000.00 R220, 000.00 Utilities expense R120, 000.00 R120, 000.00 R120, 000.00 R120, 000.00 Insurance expense R200, 000.00 R200, 000.00 R200, 000.00 R200, 000.00 In-club entertainment R1, 000.00 R1, 000.00 R1, 000.00 R1, 000.00 Lease costs for building R1, 200,000.00 R1, 200,000.00 R1, 200,000.00 R1, 200,000.00 Depreciation expense, office equipment R15, 400.00 R15, 400.00 R15, 400.00 R15, 400.00 Maintenance and repairs expense R50, 000.00 R50, 000.00 R50, 000.00 R50, 000.00 Miscellaneous selling expense R50, 000.00 R50, 000.00 R50, 000.00 R50, 000.00 R2,702,479.95 R2,702,479.95 R2,702,479.95 R2,702,479.95 Other Expenses Building of pool R110, 000.00 Building of basketball courts R350, 000.00 Building of tennis courts R75, 000.00 Building of track and indoor soccer field R370, 000.00 Spa features R120, 000.00 R1,025,000.00 Net Income R 2,467,479.95 Projected Balance sheet Year 2009 Year 2010 Rm Rm Non-current assets Intangible assets Tangible assets Investments Taxation recoverable 237.6 121.9 2.0 4.9 366.4 260.3 137.5 2.8 5.9 406.5 Current Assets Inventories Amount receivable (debtors) Six-month deposits Cash and cash equivalents 24.3 134.7 90.5 249.5 26.6 146.9 2.0 105.3 280.8 Current liabilities Amount payable(creditors) Bank overdraft Net current assets Total assets less current liabilities (157.5) (62.6) (220.1) 29.4 395.8 (159.8) (40.1) (199.9) 80.9 487.4 Non-current liabilities Amount payable (creditors) Bank and other borrowings Provisions Net assets (2.6) 0.6 (22.2) 370.4 (2.7) (0.7) (20.2) 464.3 Capital and reserves Shareholders funds 370.4 464.3 Pro forma Cash Flows (3-Year) Sandton Fitness Center Plus Year 1 Year 2 Year3 Cash Received Cash from Operations Cash Sales R1, 230,000 R4, 940,000 R14,751,000 Cash from Receivables R0 R0 R0 Subtotal Cash from Operations R1,230,000 R4,940,000 R14,751,000 Additional Cash Received New Borrowing R1,000,000 R0 R0 New Other Liabilities (interest-free) $ 0 R0 R0 New Long-term Liabilities R0 R0 R0 Sales of Other Current Assets R0 R0 R0 Sales of Long-term Assets $ 0 R0 R0 New Investment Received R0 R0 R0 Subtotal Cash Received R2,230,000 R4,940,000 R14,751,000 Expenditures Expenditures from Operations Personnel R290, 000 R840,000 R940,000 Consulting Services R90, 000 R480,000 R480,000 Promotion R5,000 R6,000 R6,000 Subtotal Spent on Operations R385,000 R1,326,000 R1,426,000 Additional Cash Spent Taxes R32,290 R338,580 R1,302,500 Principal Repayment of Current Borrowing R0 R0 R0 Other Liabilities Principal Repayment R0 R0 R0 Long-term Liabilities Principal Repayment R0 R0 R0 Purchase Other Current Assets R0 R0 R0 Purchase Long-term Assets R810,000 R810,000 R1,345,000 Dividends R0 R0 R0 Subtotal Cash Spent R1,227,290 R2,474,580 R4,073,500 Net Cash Flow R1,002,710 R2,465,420 R10,677,500 Cash Balance R1,012,710 R3,478,130 R14,155,630 CONCLUSION Through the plan that we have outlined we feel confident that although a very intricate and complex process to start and run such a company, we can accomplish such an ambitious endeavor. We have analyzed the market, covered expenses, visualized a goal, and planned accordingly. Our company would be a sound investment because assets and collateral would insure re-payment and realistic projections allow for error if they are needed. To be realistic, we cannot guarantee a success, but as the proverb goes, A hero is one who knows how to hang on one minute longer and this is the entrepreneurial spirit that we will carry throughout the life of our fitness center.