Thesis Satisfaction Essay Example for Free

Thesis Satisfaction Essay Related attitudes, such as organizational commitment (Farkas Tetrick, 1999) and job involvement (Babnik, 2010), which are necessary in present times, where all firms are looking for competitive advantage and especially through their people (Galanou, Dimitris, 2010). One of the most often cited definitions on job satisfaction is the one given by Spector (1979) according to whom job satisfaction has to do with the way how people feel about their job and its various aspects. It has to do with positive employee attitudes and actions are what create positive customer experiences. Employees who have higher job satisfaction are usually less absent, less likely to leave, more productive, more likely to display organizational commitment, and more likely to be satisfied with their lives (Lease, 1998). Murray (2009) stated that there is a common problem within the operation when employees are dissatisfied enough with their jobs and this dissatisfaction affects their job performance. Numerous studies have shown that dissatisfied employees are more likely to quit their jobs or be absent than satisfied employee (Hackett and Guion, 1985: and Hacliya, 1985 Kohler and Mathiu, 1993). Wilson (2008) stated that there are things that can make an employee dissatisfied, but merely removing or fixing them will not make an employee satisfied. According to the sources and data collected from the Human Resources Department of subsidiary restaurants, there are continuous issues of job satisfaction as well as job performance in the organization (HR Report 2010). According to Hawney (2008) performance management and employee satisfaction are two areas that pose challenges for job satisfaction. Job satisfaction is another subjective topic that concerns employer’s job satisfaction which can affect job performance appraisals and threaten the employer-employee relationship by creating friction between employees and their management. Lucena City is a highly urbanized city, it is also known as the gateway and melting pot city of Southern Luzon. It is considered one of the most important commercial and trading centers of Southern Tagalog. Economic activities in Lucena City are heavily concentrated in constricted central business district (CBD) is home to a large cluster of different business enterprises which is one advantage of this city on developing restaurant industry. The study will be conducting fast food restaurants also known as quick service restaurant. The researchers would like to come up with this research study for several purposes to develop individual skills and strategies as a future manager in one’s field. To clarify with the different factors affecting employee satisfaction this includes rational thinking, questioning, and an open mind with issues of employee satisfaction in order to update oneself. Getting a historical and background study is crucial to attain some of the dissatisfaction that should not be carried out in the workplace in order to attain a productive organizational climate which is applicable to the restaurant industry students. Theoretical Framework One of the theories of employee satisfaction, called the two-factor theory of Herzberg (1959) pointed out two factors that could satisfy and dissatisfy an employee in his job (also known as Motivator- Hygiene Theory) which attempts to explain satisfaction and motivation in the workplace. This theory states that satisfaction and dissatisfaction are driven by different factors motivation and hygiene factors. The first factor would be the motivational factors that would encourage an employee to have a better work performance, and as a result will attain satisfaction such as challenging work, recognition, responsibility that give positive satisfaction, arising from intrinsic conditions of the job itself, such as recognition, achievement, or personal growth. Motivators refer to factors intrinsic within the work itself like the recognition of a task completed. These factors can include job promotions, bonuses, and public recognition. The other factor would be the hygiene factors, which are not necessarily motivating but would elicit dissatisfaction if they were inadequate. Conversely, hygiene’s tend to include extrinsic entities such as relations with co-workers, which do not pertain to the worker’s actual job. Hygiene factors status includes job security; salary; management; fringe benefits and work conditions that do not give positive satisfaction, though dissatisfaction results from their absence. These are extrinsic to the work itself, and include aspects such as company policies; job security; supervisory practice; wages/salary and management. If management wishes to increase satisfaction on the job, it should be concerned with the nature of the work itself, the opportunities it presents for gaining status, assuming responsibility, and for achieving self-realization. On the other hand, if management wishes to reduce dissatisfaction, then it must focus on the environment policies, procedures, supervision, and working conditions. Conceptual Framework Mausner, Peterson and Capwell (1997) stated that the term employee satisfaction is multidimensional: â€Å"there can be satisfaction with the specific activities of the job; with the place and working conditions under which the job is performed; or with specific factors such as economic rewards, security, or social prestige†. Field (2008) lists several factors that makes employees more satisfied good relationship in the organization; good relationship with the manager; recognition for achievements; advancement in careers; personal growth and development; feedback and support and company benefits. It is the key ingredient that leads to recognition, income, promotion, and the achievement of other goals that lead to a feeling of fulfilment (Kaliski, 2007). Poor performers can be satisfied if they are paid well and treated well while good performers can be unsatisfied it they are paid poorly but well treated. An employee who is dissatisfied can cause irreparable damage to the organizational effectiveness. The more employees feel that what they are doing affects the overall goal of the restaurant in a substantial way, the more satisfaction they get from what they are doing. It appears that job satisfaction can be increased for all employees, but the increase is greater for those who have strong needs for growth. Customer satisfaction is correlated with employees satisfaction, as satisfied employees are likely to perform better on the job (Silva, 2006). In other words, employee satisfaction could lead to customer satisfaction. Issues of wages, holidays and working hours have to be cleared (http://www. citehr. com/99603-employee-satisfaction-survey-training html).

Export Finance in India Essay Example for Free

Export Finance in India Essay Credit and finance is the life and blood of any business whether domestic or international. It is more important in the case of export transactions due to the prevalence of novel non-price competitive techniques encountered by exporters in various nations to enlarge their share of world markets. The selling techniques are no longer confined to mere quality; price or delivery schedules of the products but are extended to payment terms offered by exporters. Liberal payment terms usually score over the competitors not only of capital equipment but also of consumer goods. The payment terms however depend upon the availability of finance to exporters in relation to its quantum, cost and the period at pre-shipment and post-shipment stage. Production and manufacturing for substantial supplies for exports take time, in case finance is not available to exporter for production. They will not be in a position to book large export order if they don’t have sufficient financial funds. Even merchandise exporters require finance for obtaining products from their suppliers. This term paper is an attempt to throw light on the various sources of export finance available to exporters, the schemes implemented by ECGC and EXIM for export promotion and the recent developments in this field. Concept of Export Finance: The exporter may require short term, medium term or long term finance depending upon the types of goods to be exported and the terms of statement offered to overseas buyer. The short-term finance is required to meet â€Å"working capital† needs. The working capital is used to meet regular and recurring needs of a business firm like purchase of raw material, payment of wages and salaries, expenses like payment of rent, advertising etc. The exporter may also require â€Å"term finance† for medium and long term financial needs such as purchase of fixed assets and long term working capital. Export finance is short-term working capital finance allowed to an exporter. Finance and credit are available not only to help export production but also to sell to overseas customers on credit. Objectives of Export Finance: †¢ To cover commercial Non-commercial or political risks attendant on granting credit to a foreign buyer. †¢ To cover natural risks like an earthquake, floods etc. An exporter may avail financial assistance from any bank, which considers the ensuing factors: a) Availability of the funds at the required time to the exporter. b) Affordability of the cost of funds. Appraisal: Appraisal means an approval of an export credit proposal of an exporter. While appraising an export credit proposal as a commercial banker, obligation to the following institutions or regulations needs to be adhered to. Obligations to the RBI under the Exchange Control Regulations are: †¢ Appraise to be the bank’s customer. †¢ Appraise should have the Exim code number allotted by the Director General of Foreign Trade. †¢ Party’s name should not appear under the caution list of the RBI. Obligations to the Trade Control Authority under the EXIM policy are: †¢ Appraise should have IEC number allotted by the DGFT. †¢ Goods must be freely exportable i.e. not falling under the negative list. If it falls under the negative list, then a valid license should be there which allows the goods to be exported. †¢ Country with whom the Appraise wants to trade should not be under trade barrier. Obligations to ECGC are: †¢ Verification that Appraise is not under the Specific Approval list (SAL). †¢ Sanction of Packing Credit Advances. Guidelines for banks dealing in Export Finance: When a commercial bank deals in export finance it is bound by the ensuing guidelines: a) Exchange control regulations. b) Trade control regulations. c) Reserve Bank’s directives issued through IECD. d) Export Credit Guarantee Corporation guidelines. e) Guidelines of Foreign Exchange Dealers Association of India. Export-import bank of India (EXIM Bank) The Export-import bank of India (EXIM Bank) was set up in January 1982 as a statutory corporation wholly owned by central government. It is managed by the Board of Directors with repatriation from Government, financial institutions, banks and business community. The main objective of Export-Import Bank (EXIM Bank) is to provide financial assistance to promote the export production in India. The financial assistance provided by the EXIM Bank widely includes the following: †¢ Direct financial assistance †¢ Foreign investment finance †¢ Term loaning options for export production and export development †¢ Pre-shipping credit †¢ Buyer’s credit †¢ Lines of credit †¢ Re-loaning facility †¢ Export bills rediscounting †¢ Refinance to commercial banks The Export-Import Bank also provides non-funded facility in the form of guarantees to the Indian exporters. †¢ Development of export makers †¢ Expansion of export production capacity †¢ Production for exports †¢ Financing post-shipment activities †¢ Export of manufactured goods †¢ Export of projects †¢ Export of technology and software’s Export financing programmes provided by EXIM Bank India EXIM INDIA offers a range of financing programs that match the menu of Exim Banks of the industrialized countries. The Bank provides competitive finance at various stages of the export cycle covering. EXIM INDIA operates a wide range of financing and promotional programs. The Bank finances exports of Indian machinery, manufactured goods, and consultancy and technology services on deferred payment terms. EXIM INDIA also seeks to co-finance projects with global and regional development agencies to assist Indian exporters in their efforts to participate in such overseas projects. The Bank is involved in promotion of two-way technology transfer through the outward flow of investment in Indian joint ventures overseas and foreign direct investment flow into India. EXIM INDIA is also a Partner Institution with European Union and operates European Community Investment Partners’ Program (ECIP) for facilitating promotion of joint ventures in India through technical and financial collaboration with medium sized firms of the European Union. The Export- Import Bank of India (Exim Bank) provides financial assistance to promote Indian exports through direct financial assistance, overseas investment finance, term finance for export production and export development, pre-shipping credit, buyer’s credit, lines of credit, relending facility, export bills rediscounting, refinance to commercial banks. Loans to Indian Entities: †¢ Deferred payment exports: Term finance is provided to Indian exporters of eligible goods and services, which enables them to offer deferred credit to overseas buyers. Deferred credit can also cover Indian consultancy, technology and other services. Commercial banks participate in this program directly or under risk syndication arrangements. †¢ Pre-shipment credit: finance is available from Exim Bank for companies executing export contracts involving cycle time exceeding six months. The facility also enables provision of rupee mobilization expenses for construction/turnkey project exporters. †¢ Term loans for export production: Exim Bank provides term loans/deferred payment guarantees to 100% export-oriented units, units in free trade zones and computer software exporters. In collaboration with International Finance Corporation. Washington, Exim Bank provides loans to enable small and medium enterprises to upgrade their export production capability. †¢ Overseas Investment finance: Indian companies establishing joint ventures overseas are provided finance towards their equity contribution in the joint venture. †¢ Finance for export marketing: This program, which is a component of a World Bank loan, helps exporters implement their export market development plans. Loans to Commercial Banks in India: †¢ Export Bills Rediscounting: Commercial Banks in India who are authorized to deal in foreign exchange can rediscount their short term export bills with Exim Banks, for an unexpired usage period of not more than 90 days. †¢ Refinance of Export Credit: Authorized dealers in foreign exchange can obtain from Exim Bank 100% refinance of deferred payment loans extended for export of eligible Indian goods. †¢ Guaranteeing of Obligations: Exim Bank participates with commercial banks in India in the issue of guarantees required by Indian companies for the export contracts and for execution of overseas construction and turnkey projects. Industrial Finance Corporation of India (IFCI) Government of India came forward to set up the Industrial Finance Corporation of India (IFCI) in July 1948 under a Special Act. The Industrial Development Bank of India, scheduled banks, insurance companies, investment trusts and co-operative banks are the shareholders of IFCI. The Government of India has guaranteed the repayment of capital and the payment of a minimum annual dividend. Since July I, 1993, the corporation has been converted into a company and it has been given the status of a Ltd. Company with the name Industrial Finance Corporations of India Ltd. IFCI has got itself registered with Companies Act, 1956. Before July I, 1993, general public was not permitted to hold shares of IFCI, only Government of India, RBI, Scheduled Banks, Insurance Companies and Co-operative Societies were holding the shares of IFCI. Management of IFCI: The corporation has 13 members Board of Directors, including Chairman. The Chairman is appointed by Government of India after consulting Industrial Development Bank of India. He works on a whole time basis and has tenure of 3 years. Out of the 12 directors, four are nominated by the IDBI, two by scheduled banks, two by co-operative banks and two by other financial institutions like insurance companies, investment trusts, etc. IDBI normally nominates three outside persons as directors who are experts in the fields of industry, labour and economics, the fourth nominee is the Central Manager of IDBI. The Board meets once in a month. It frames policies by keeping in view the interests of industry, commerce and general public. The Board acts as per the instructions received from the government and IDBI. The Central Government reserves the power up to the Board and appoints a new one in its place. IFCI also has Standing Advisory Committees one each for textile, sugar, jute, hotels, engineering and chemical processes and allied industries. The experts in different fields appointed on Advisory Committees. The chairman is the ex-officio member of all Advisory Committees. All applications for assistance are first discussed by Advisory Committees before they go to Central Committees. Financial Resources of IFCI: The financial resources of the corporation consist of share capital bonds and debentures and borrowings. a) Share Capital: The IFCI was set up with an authorized capital of Rs. 10crores consisting of 20,000 shares of Rs. 5,000 each. This capital was later on increased at different times and by March, 2003 it was Rs. 1068 crores. b) Bonds and Debentures: The Corporation is authorized to issue bonds and debentures to supplement its resources but these should not exceed ten times of paid-up capital and reserve fund. The bonds and debentures stood at a figure of Rs.15366.5 crores as on 31st March 2003. c) Borrowings: The Corporation is authorized to borrow from government IDBI and financial institutions. Its borrowings from IDBI and Govt. of India were Rs. 975.6 crore on March 31, 2003. Total assets of IFCI as on March 31, 2003 aggregated Rs. 22866 crore. Functions of IFCI: o Granting loans or advances to or subscribing to debentures of industrial concerns repayable within 25 years. Also it can convert part of such loans or debentures into equity share capital at its option. o Underwriting the issue of industrial securities i.e. shares, stock, bonds, or debentures to be disposed off within 7 years. o Subscribing directly to the shares and debentures of public limited companies. o Guaranteeing of deferred payments for the purchase of capital goods from abroad or within India. o Guaranteeing of loans raised by industrial concerns from scheduled balls or state co-operative banks. †¢ Acting as an agent of the Central Government or the World Bank in respect of loans sanctioned to the industrial concerns. IFCI provides financial assistance to eligible industrial concerns regardless of their size. However, now-a-days, it entertains applications from those industrial concerns whose project cost is about Rs. 2 crores because up to project cost of Rs. 2 crores various state level institutions (such as Financial Corporations, SIDCs and banks) are expected to meet the financial requirements of viable concerns. While approving a loan application, IFCI gives due consideration to the feasibility of the project, its importance to the nation, development of the backward areas, social and economic viability, etc. The most of the assistance sanctioned by IFCI has gone to industries of national priority such as fertilizers, cement, power generation, paper, industrial machinery etc. It has sanctioned nearly 49 per cent of its assistance for projects in backward districts. IFCI introduced a scheme for sick units also. The scheme was for the revival of sick units in the tiny and small scale sectors. Another scheme was framed for the self-employment of unemployed young persons. The corporation has diversified not only merchant banking but also financing of leasing and hire purchase companies, hospitals, equipment leasing etc. were the other new activities of the corporation in the last few years. Promotional Activities: The promotional role of IFCI has been to fill the gaps, either in the institutional infrastructure for the promotion and growth of industries, or in the provision of the much needed guidance in project intensification, formulation, implementation and operation, etc. to the new tiny, small-scale or medium scale entrepreneurs or in the efforts at improving the productivity of human and material resources. (a) Development of Backward Areas: –IFCI introduce a scheme of confessional finance for projects set up in backward areas. The backward-districts were divided into three categories depending upon the state of development there. All these categories were eligible for concessional finance. Nearly 50 per cent of total lending of IFCI has been to develop backward areas. (b) Promotional Schemes:- IFCI has been operating six promotional schemes with the object of helping entrepreneurs to set up new units, broadening the entrepreneurial base, encouraging the adoption of new technology, tackling ‘the problem of sickness and promoting opportunities for self development and Self employment of unemployed persons etc. These schemes are as such: 1. Subsidy for Adopting Indigenous Technology 2. Meeting Cost of Market Studies 3. Meeting Cost of Feasibility Studies 4. Promoting Small Scale and Ancillary Industries 5. Revival of Sick Units 6. Self-development and Self employment Scheme Export Credit Guarantee Corporation of India (ECGC) In order to provide export credit and insurance support to Indian exporters, the GOI set up the Export Risks Insurance Corporation (ERIC) in July, 1957. It was transformed into export credit guarantee corporation limited (ECGC) in 1964. Since 1983, it is now know as ECGC of India Ltd. ECGC is a company wholly owned by the Government of India. It functions under the administrative control of the Ministry of Commerce and is managed by a Board of Directors representing government, Banking, Insurance, Trade and Industry. The ECGC with its headquarters in Bombay and several regional offices is the only institution providing insurance cover to Indian exporters against the risk of non-realization of export payments due to occurrence of the commercial and political risks involved in exports on credit terms and by offering guarantees to commercial banks against losses that the bank may suffer in granting advances to exports, in connection wi th their export transactions. Objectives of ECGC: †¢ To protect the exporters against credit risks, i.e. non-repayment by buyers †¢ To protect the banks against losses due to non-repayment of loans by exporters Covers issued by ECGC: The covers issued by ECGC can be divided broadly into four groups: âž ¢ STANDARD POLICIES: issued to exporters to protect them against payment risks involved in exports on short-term credit. âž ¢ SPECIFIC POLICIES: Designed to protect Indian firms against payment risk involved in (i) exports on deferred terms of payment (ii) service rendered to foreign parties, and (iii) construction works and turnkey projects undertaken abroad. âž ¢ FINANCIAL GUARANTEES: Issued to banks in India to protect them from risk of loss involved in their extending financial support to exporters at pre-shipment and post-shipment stages. âž ¢ SPECIAL SCHEMES: such as Transfer Guarantee meant to protect banks which add confirmation to letters of credit opened by foreign banks, Insurance cover for Buyer’s credit, etc. STANDARD POLICIES ECGC has designed 4 types of standard policies to provide cover for shipments made on short term credit: †¢ Shipments (comprehensive risks) Policy: to cover both political and commercial risks from the date of shipment. †¢ Shipments (political risks) Policy:- to cover only political risks from the date of shipment †¢ Contracts (comprehensive risks) Policy:- to cover both commercial and political risk from the date of contract †¢ Contracts (Political risks) Policy :- to cover only political risks from the date of contract RISKS COVERED UNDER THE STANDARD POLICIES: 1. Commercial Risks a) Insolvency of the buyer b) Buyer’s protracted default to pay for goods accepted by him c) Buyer’s failure to accept goods subject to certain conditions 2. Political risks a) Imposition of restrictions on remittances by the government in the buyer’s country or any government action which may block or delay payment to exporter. b) War, revolution or civil disturbances in the buyer’s country. Cancellation of a valid import license or new import licensing restrictions in the buyer’s country after the date of shipment or contract, as applicable. c) Cancellation of export license or imposition of new export licensing restrictions in India after the date of contract (under contract policy). d) Payment of additional handling, transport or insurance charges occasioned by interruption or diversion of voyage that cannot be recovered from the buyer. e) Any other cause of loss occurring outside India, not normally insured by commercial insurers and beyond the control of the exporter and / or buyer. RISKS NOT COVERED UNDER STANDARD POLICIES: a) Commercial disputes including quality disputes raised by the buyer, unless the exporter obtains a decree from a competent court of law in the buyer’s country in his favour, unless the exporter obtains a decree from a competent court of law in the buyers’ country in his favour b) Causes inherent in the nature of the goods. c) Buyer’s failure to obtain import or exchange authorization from authorities in his county d) Insolvency or default of any agent of the exporter or of the collecting bank. e) loss or damage to goods which can be covered by commerci8al insurers f) Exchange fluctuation g) Discrepancy in documents. SPECIFIC POLICIES The standard policy is a whole turnover policy designed to provide a continuing insurance for the regular flow of exporter’s shipment of raw materials, consumable durable for which credit period does not normally exceed 180 days. Specific policies are issued in respect of Supply Contracts (on deferred payment terms), Services Abroad and Construction Work Abroad. 1) Specific policy for Supply Contracts: Specific policy for Supply contracts is issued in case of export of Capital goods sold on deferred credit. It can be of any of the four forms: a) Specific Shipments (Comprehensive Risks) Policy to cover both commercial and political risks at the Post-shipment stage b) Specific Shipments (Political Risks) Policy to cover only political risks after shipment stage. c) Specific Contracts (Comprehensive Risks) Policy to cover political and commercial risks after contract date. d) Specific Contracts (Political Risks) Policy to cover only political risks after contract date. 2) Service policy: Indian firms provide a wide range of services like technical or professional services, hiring or leasing to foreign parties (private or government). Where Indian firms render such services they would be exposed to payment risks similar to those involved in export of goods. Such risks are covered by ECGC under this policy. The policy covers 90%of the loss suffered. 3) Construction Works Policy: It covers civil construction jobs as well as turnkey projects involving supplies and services of both with private and foreign government. This policy covers 85% of loss suffered on account of contracts with government agencies and 75% of loss suffered on account of construction contracts with private parties. FINANCIAL GUARANTEES Exporters require adequate financial support from banks to carry out their export contracts. ECGC backs the lending programmes of banks by issuing financial guarantees. The guarantees protect the banks from losses on account of their lending to exporters. Six guarantees have been evolved for this purpose:- (i). Packing Credit Guarantee (ii). Export Production Finance Guarantee (iii). Export Finance Guarantee (iv). Post Shipment Export Credit Guarantee (v). Export Performance Guarantee (vi). Export Finance (Overseas Lending) Guarantee. These guarantees give protection to banks against losses due to non-payment by exporters on account of their insolvency or default. The ECGC charges a premium for its services that may vary from 5 paise to 7.5 paise per month for Rs. 100/-. The premium charged depends upon the type of guarantee and it is subject to change, if ECGC so desires.

The Hyper Globalist Perspective

The Hyper Globalist Perspective The aim of this assignment is to evaluate the hyper-globalist perspective on globalization using examples from the obesity. The first part of the assignment will define globalization and then briefly summarise what the hyper-globalist perspective says on globalization. The second part of the assignment will critically analyse the hyper-globalist perspective on globalization with reference to obesity and compare it to what other perspectives say about globalization. Several related cases from newspapers and journals will be used to make points as well as statistics as evidence to support the arguments and then finally incorporating all the information to make a conclusion. Globalization is defined as a process or set of processes which embodies a transformation in spatial organization of social relations and transactions, assessed in terms of their extensity, intensity, velocity and impact, generating transcontinental or interregional flows of networks of activity, interaction and the exercise of power, (Held, 1999 pp. 16). However, there are several other definitions of globalization because it believed to be difficult to define for some reason (Zadja and Rust, 2009). In 1998 alone, globalization had 3000 definitions (Zadja et al, 2008). There are different approaches to globalization and these are globalist (optimist or pessimist), inter-nationalist and transformationalist, however the author will stick to the optimistic-globalist approach on obesity. Optimistic globalist also known as the hyper-globalist approach welcomes the idea of globalisation but focuses on the potential of interconnections and stretched social relations to bring people together, improve the quality of everybodys lives, global village promoting the sharing of cultures and intermingling of peoples across the world in cities and towns, so that we are all become world citizens through global communication, travel and work flows. They admit that there are global problems too, but believe new technologies and global ideas can reduce the threat of global pollution. They say that global structures can do a better job at tackling big economic and social problems than nations and countries (Stiglitz, 2008). Obesity can be defined as having a body weigh t more than 20 per cent greater than recommended for the appropriate height and an individual can be at risk from several serious illnesses including Diabetics and Heart Disease (Nice Guidelines, 2009). World Health Organisation (2003) defines it as the presence of high levels of stored body fat. From the globalist perspective, globalization potential benefits are to improve the quality of everybodys lives. This is not so on the subject of obesity because statistics show that between 1988 and 1999, percentage of total energy intake from fat increased from 23.5% to 30.3% and between 1984 and 1998, purchases of refined carbohydrates increased by 37.2% (Rivera et al, 2002; Rivera et al, 2004;). Although the absolute increases of fat were higher in the wealthier north and Mexico City (30-32%), the poorer southern region also experienced a significant increase (22%). At the same time, trends in obesity and diabetes are reaching epidemic proportions. Overweight/obesity increased 78% between 1988 and 1998, from 33% to 59% (Rivera, 2002). Obesity is now quite high in some poor rural communities (Sanchez-Castillo, 2001): the greatest relative changes occurred in the poorer southern region (81%) compared to the wealthier north (46%). More recent figures estimated overweight/obesity at 62.5% in 2004. While the obese clearly consume sufficient energy, the same cannot be said of micronutrients: women who are underweight, normal weight or overweight/obese are equally likely to suffer from anaemia (Eckhardt et al, 2005). Obesity is also giving rise to an epidemic of diabetes which is rising fastest in the poor regions (Jimenez-Cruz et al, 2002). Over 8% of Mexicans now have diabetes, which the WHO estimates costs the country US$15 billion a year (Barcelo et al, 2003; Martorell, 2005). In 2001 Obesity was estimated to impact about 1 billion people in the world (WHO, 2002) and in 2010, it was still viewed as a global epidemic with its prevalence increasing in both developed and developing countries (Meetoo, 2010). Recently, globalization has been applauded for increasing peoples wealth but also increasing their waists lines (www.hsph.harvard.edu). An estimated 500 million adults worldwide are obese and 1.5 billion are overweight or obese (Finucane, 2011) and if recent t rends continue unabated, nearly 60 per cent of the worlds population, 3.3 billion people could be overweight (2.2 billion) or obese (1.1 billion) by 2030 (Kelly et al, 2008; Popkin 2006). It is evident that globalization has created a toxic environment (Brownell, 1994; Battle and Brownell, 1997). The term toxic refers to the unprecedented exposure to energy-dense, heavily advertised, inexpensive and highly accessible food, and this, when combined with a sedentary lifestyle, results in obesity (Gortmaker et al, 1996). Examples of the toxic environment include fast-food restaurants (Harnack et al, 2000; Nielsen et al, 2002), large portion sizes (Harnack et al, 2000; Smiciklas-Wright et al, 2003),fast-food franchises, buffet restaurants, minimarkets in petrol filling stations (Foreyt and Goodrick, 1995) and the use of microwave ovens to cook relatively cheap prepared meals with high fat and caloric content (Mintz, 1996). From the above statistics it shows that hyper-globalists are not wrong to say globalisation improves the quality of everybodys lives. Internationalists agree to this statement by saying there have been increases in global flows of money and trade around the world, (Hirst Thompson, 1999). It has improved peoples lives to some extent by increasing their wealth but as Gotmaker et al, (1996) says it has created a world of cheap food, therefore increasing peoples waist lines. Statistics still show that obesity is on the rise therefore the statement that globalisation improves the health of peoples lives is not exactly true. Transformationalists suggest that globalization is real, important and should not be underestimated (Held and McGrew, 2003), this is somehow true because if the statistics ate showing that obesity is a global epidemic, then it means the effects of globalization cannot be underestimated. The fact that there is cheap fast food everywhere around the globe according to Gotmaker, then it means globalization is real and very important and should not be underestimated because the cheap fast food it created is causing obesity around the globe. Pessimistic globalists believe that there are many groups and individuals who are the victims of globalization, such as women, unskilled manual labourers, and local tribal people, amongst many others Bauman, 1998. This seems to be true according to (Jimenez-Cruz et al, 2002) who says obesity has given rise to an epidemic of diabetes which is rising fastest in the poor regions. Pessimistic globalists are right to say some regions are victims of globalization because the poor regions mentioned by Jiminez-Cruz et al (2002) are affected by globalization and therefore; their health is not being improved but being made worse, which goes against the statement of hyper-globalists of globalisation improves the health of peoples lives. Transformationalists suggest that the impacts of globalization are uneven and distinctive. This is true when looking at the statement by Finucane, (2011) who calculated an estimated 500 million adults worldwide are obese and 1.5 billion are overweight or obese. One could argue and say 500 million is a distinctive number of people living with obesity and even the 1.5 billion people who are overweight. The unevenness of globalization is what has been already discussed in the paragraph above whereby poor regions are victims. It seems hyper-globalists have exaggerated the goodness of globalization by saying new technologies and global ideas can reduce the threat of global pollution. Looking at microwaves (new technology) they have been accused of making life easy for people to heat ready- made high calorie food causing obesity, diabetes and hypertension as mentioned above. They also said global structures can do a better job at tackling big economic and social problems than nations and countries. This statement is difficult to digest because obesity (health hazard) is on the rise which shows that globalisation has not done a better job at tackling this problem. To summarise, transformationalists are right to say they want new and progressive structures to evolve at the global level that are not present now. New and progressive structure that may deal with obesity will be ideal because obesity will not just end as obesity but will bring a lot of complications in peoples lives such as heart disease, diabete s, hypertension which is not healthy. Internationalists support transformationalists by saying that the global structures can be challenged to do a better job in tackling problems like pollution, trafficking and poverty, amongst others (obesity). In conclusion, globalization has improved the quality of life for many people in the developing world by increasing their wealth; however, it has also increased access to cheap, unhealthy foods and generated more sedentary, urban lifestyles. From a public health perspective, the combination of these changes is creating a perfect storm, a catastrophic and costly rise in obesity and obesity-related diseases in countries that, at the same time, are still struggling with malnutrition and high rates of infectious diseases. 1501 Words References Barcelo, A., Aedo, C., Rajpathak, S., Robles, S (2003) The cost of diabetes in Latin America and the Caribbean. Bulletin of the WHO, 81:27. Bauman, Z. (1998) Globalization: The Human Consequences, Columbia University Press Brownell, K.D (1994) Get slim with higher taxes (Editorial) New York Times 15 December 1994: A-29 OpenURLBattle, E.K., Brownell, K.D. (1997) Confronting a rising tide of eating disorders and obesity: treatment vs prevention policy. Addictive Behaviour 21(6): 755-65 Eckhardt, C.L., Torheim, L.E., Monterrubio, E., Barquera, S., Ruel, M. (2005): Overweight women remain at risk for anemia in countries undergoing the nutrition transition. Presentation at the 18th International Nutrition Congress, Durban: South Africa Finucane MM, Stevens GA, Cowan MJ, et al. (2011) National, regional, and global trends in body-mass index since 1980: systematic analysis of health examination surveys and epidemiological studies with 960 country-years and 9.1 million participants. Lancet, 377:557-67. Foreyt JP, Goodrick GD (1995) The ultimate triumph of obesity. Lancet, 346(8968): 134-5 Gortmaker, S.L., Must, A., Perrin, G.A. et al (1996) Television watching as a cause of increasing obesity among children in the United States, 1986-1990. Arch Pediatric Adolescent Medicicine 150: 356-62 Harnack, L.J., Jeffery, R.W., Boutelle, K.N (2000) Temporal trends in energy intake in the United States: an ecologic perspective. American Journal of Clinical Nutrition 71: 1478-84 Held, D. (1999) Global Transformations: Politics, Economics and Culture, Stanford University Press: London Held, D., McGrew, A. (2003) The Great Globalization Debate, in D. Held and A. McGrew (eds.) The global transformations reader, Cambridge: Polity. Hirst, P.Q., Thompson,G. F. (1999) Globalization in Question: The International Economy and the Possibilities of Governance, 2nd Edition. Cambridge: Polity Press Jimenez-Cruz, A., Bacardi Gascon, M., Jones, E. (2002) The Fattening Burden of Type 2 Diabetes on Mexicans. Diabetes Care 2002, 27:1213-1215 Kelly, T. Yang, W., Chen, C.S., Reynolds, K., He, J. (2008) Global burden of obesity in 2005 and projections to 2030. International Journal of Obesity: London, 32:1431-7 OpenURLMartorell, R. (2005) Diabetes and Mexicans: Why the Two Are Linked. Preventing Chronic Disease, 2:1-5 Meetoo, D. (2010) The imperative of human obesity: an ethical reflection, British Journal of Nursing, Vol. 19, No. 9 pp.563-568 Mintz, S. (1996) Taking Food, Tasting Freedom: Excursions in Eating, Culture and the Past. Beacon Press: Boston Nielsen, S.J., Siega-Ritz, A.M., Popkin, B.M. (2002) Trends in energy intake in U.S. between 1977 and 1996: Similar shifts seen across age groups. Obesity Research 10: 370-8 National Institute of Clinical Excellence, NICE (2006) Obesity: the prevention, identification, assessment and management of overweight and obesity in adults and children, London: NICE http://www.nice.org.uk/guidance/CG43 last viewed 05/12/2012 Popkin, B.M. (2006) Global nutrition dynamics: the world is shifting rapidly toward a diet linked with non-communicable diseases. American Journal of clinical Nutrition, 84:289-98 Rivera, J.A., Barquera, S., Campirano, F., Campos, I., Safdie, M., Tovar, V. (2002) Epidemiologial and nutritional transition in Mexico: rapid increase of non-communicable chronic diseases and obesity. Public Health Nutrition, 5:113-122 Rivera, J.A., Barquera, S., Gonzalez-Cossyo, T., Olaiz, G., Sepulveda, J. (2004) Nutrition Transition in Mexico and in Other Latin American Countries. Nutrition Reviews, 62: S149-S157 SÃ ¡nchez-Castillo, C.P., Lara, J.J., Villa, A.R., Escobar, M., Gutierrez, H., Chavez, A., James, W.,P.,T (2001) Unusually high prevalence rates of obesity in four Mexican rural communities. European Journal of Clinical Nutrition, 55: 833-840 Description: OpenURLSmiciklas-Wright, H., Mitchell, D.C., Mickle, S.,J (2003) Foods commonly eaten in the United States, 1989-1991 and 1994-1996: are portion sizes changing? Journal of American Diet Association 103: 41-7 Stiglitz, J (2008) Economic Foundations of Intellectual Property Rights, 57 Duke Law Journal 1693 World Health Organization, WHO (2002) The World Health Report 2002: Reducing risks, promoting healthy life. WHO, Geneva World Health Organization, WHO (2003) Diet, Nutrition and the Prevention of Chronic Disease. Report of a Joint WHO/FAO expert consultation. WHO, Geneva Zajda, J.L., Davies, L. Majhanovich, S (2008) Comparative and Global Pedagogies: Equity, Access and Democracy in Education, Springer Zajda, J.L., Rust, V.R. (2009) Globalisation, Policy, and Comparative Research: Discourses of Globalisation, Springer

Women and Mathematics Essay -- Argumentative Persuasive Essays

Women and Mathematics Call me a bigot if you want but men are better mathematicians than women. Year after year, men score higher on the SAT’s, more men receive prestigious educations from the best technical schools in the nation, and men obtain more degrees, secure more jobs and get promoted more often. â€Å"The ETS report on students taking the SAT examinations indicates that males have traditionally scored 40-50 points higher on the mathematics section† (Women) â€Å"In 1996, California Institute of Technology’s enrollment was 75% male, Massachusetts Institute of Technology’s enrollment was 62% male, Renssalear Polytechnic Institute’s enrollment was 77% male, Rochester Institute of Technology’s enrollment was is 68% male, and Worchester Institute of Technology’s enrollment was 79% male† (Baron’s). The future for women who enter the work place as mathematicians is no more encouraging. â€Å"Roughly three times as many wom en are unemployed and six times as many women are in part time positions. The female mathematicians who acquire these full time jobs are less likely than men to be promoted to a position such as full or associate professor† (awm-math.org). Females’ lack of success as mathematicians has nothing to do with their mathematical potential. The reason females do not excel in mathematical fields can be explained by high school course selection, social pressures and support and not by genetic differences. Psychologists have studied the impact of environment on human development for years. Most would agree that environment does shape us and play a role in some way or another. It is no wonder that mathematics has the tendency to turn women off. The world has ... ...cs. In the years, the country has started to realize the injustice it has been doing females in the field of mathematics. I believe that in the future these biases and disadvantages will be a thing of the past. Females have the mental capability to perform on an equal level with all respected and distinguished male mathematicians, but first social pressures and stereotypes must be eliminated. Works Cited [1] Association for Women in Mathematics. Education and Career. http://www.awm-math.org/. [2] Chipman, Susan F. Women and Mathematics: Balancing the Equation. Lawrence Erlbaum Associates Publishers, 1985 [3] Custard, Edward T. The Princeton Review Student Advantage Guide to the Best 301 Colleges. Random House, Inc. New York, 1996 [4] Nolan, Deborah. Women in Mathematics: Scaling the Heights. The Mathematical Association of America, 1997

Best Buy Essay -- essays research papers

Best Buy was founded in 1966 by the current CEO Richard M. "Dick" Schulze. Based out of Eden Prairie, Minnesota the corporation currently has 446 stores and earned over 83 million in total revenue last year. Best Buy carries a wide variety of products consisting of Major Appliances, video and audio equipment, computers, software, music, and wireless technology. When analyzing this corporation it is important to pay close attention to its current and future services and products, any problems with the corporation, the future direction Best Buy is headed, what can be done for the corporation, and what it can do for you as a consumer or employee. Best Buy is currently the number one computer retailer throughout the U.S. and offers multiple promotions. In December of 1999, Best Buy signed an agreement with Microsoft to offer yearly and monthly contracts through MSN, Microsoft’s internet service provider. This pact was an advantage for both companies. Microsoft helped Best Buy develop their website and promote eCommerce. They also bought 200 million in Best Buy stocks raising the price from $1.49 a share to $49.95. Best Buy in return is offering MSN to the 200 million customers that pass through its doors on a yearly basis. One of the largest money makers for Best Buy is its three year product service plan (PSP). The PSP is almost pure profit, and has formed into something ver...

International Business Machines (IBM) :: essays papers

IBM International Business Machines Corporation The Big Blue is often a name use by many to describe the world’s largest provider of computer of hardware, software, and service. Years ago many said International Business Corporation (IBM) wouldn’t as prosperous, but who would have said they were wrong. Know one would of forecast the success of IBM. It was obvious that they would be successfully because computers are extremely important in todays world. Without computers society wouldn’t be advance in technology and other areas. Many of IBM customers consist of such companies as insurance companies, airlines, some banks, and many other large corporation. IBM sales consist of programs for large companies with enormous computer system which needs software. IBM is also trying to get involve in the on-line service. The history of the International Business Machine Corporation began with a 40 year-old salesman name Thomas Watson. In 1914 Thomas Watson was a National Cash Register, he was trying to save a company known as the Computing-Tabulating-Record Company(C-T-R).At this time he was trying to sell or marketed C-T-R’S Hollerith machine and other tabulators to the US government during WW1. He wanted to sell punch cards tabulator. Once he had supplied the US government, with these tabulators, he had triple (C-T-R) revenues to nearly $15 million by 1920. In 1924 Computing-Tabulating-Record was change to International Business Machines.IBM then began to take over the worlds market for tabulators, clocks, and electric type writers. By 1940 it was the us largest office firms that deals with machines. There sales had reach $50 million. In the year of 1944, IBM had perfected the the calculator it was known as Harvard Mark I. It was actually a electromechanical calculation. It is said that this was the first potentially computers. In 1951 Remington Rand’s came out with the UNIVAC it began to replace the IBM machine. In the 1960s and the 1970s IBM came out quickly and built a market share near 80%. IBM used its superior marketing. In 1952 Thomas Watson Jr became president and presented its first computer, 701. While Jr was president he introduce the Stretch system, which get rid of vacuum tubes. Also during this time the first family computes, which were called the 360. In 1957 the first programming language came, it was called FORTRAN. and also the first floppy it was introduce in 1971. IBM then came out with more advance computers such as System/38 in 1978 and the AS / 400 in 1988.

Knowledge and justified true belief

Prior to Edmund Gettier, philosophers believed that knowledge was equivalent to justified true belief.   Since Plato, it had generally been agreed among philosophers that there are three criteria of propositional knowledge, individually necessary and jointly sufficient (Pryor, 2005; Cushing, 2000).   Before the Gettier philosophy, the following JTB Analysis (justification, truth, and belief) formed the basis of the theory of knowledge: â€Å"S knows that P iff: P is true (truth criterion) S believe that P (belief criterion) S is justified in believing P (justification criterion)† A classic example of the above proposition would be the one by Carl Ginet on fake barns.   A person is driving through rural Pennsylvania where there are a lot of fake barns: mere wooden fronts that look like barns from the road.   The person driving through is not aware of this and has no reason to suspect it.   As the person looks off to his or her right, and sees something that looks like a barn, then that person believes, â€Å"That’s a barn.†Ã‚   As a matter of fact, it is a barn, as it is one of the few barns in the region which is not a fake.   But then that person would just be lucky.   If he or she had looked at a fake barn instead, then he or she would have believed that it was a barn (Pryor, 2005). In this case then it would seem that the person’s belief that he or she drove by a barn is justified or reasonable simply because it looks like a barn and the person was not informed that the region was full of fake barns.   Then in this case, the person’s belief is also true.   But then the question is if that person knows that he or she is driving by a barn (Pryor, 2005). It seems then that justified true belief is not sufficient for knowledge.   It is this theory that Edmund Gettier is criticizing. Exposition Gettier’s main objection is to the claim that justified true belief is sufficient for knowledge.   He presented examples in which the subject has a justified true belief which intuitively fails to count as knowledge (Pryor, 2005).   He does not question whether the three criterion are each necessary.   Rather, what Gather provides is that these propositions are not jointly sufficient.   In other words, Gettier provides that we can justifiably believe the true proposition P but not necessarily know P (Cushing, 2000). In his philosophy, Gettier (1963) makes two important points.   First, the proposition wherein S is justified in believing P is a necessary condition of S’s knowing that P is open to the possibility that a person is justified in believing a proposition that is in fact false. The second point is that for any proposition P, if S is justified in believing P, and P entails Q, and S deduces Q from P and accepts Q as a result of this deduction, then S is justified in believing Q (Gettier, 1963).  Ã‚   Stated differently, these two points represent two assumptions: 1) it is possible for someone to be justified in believing something false; and 2) if S is justified in believing P and P entails Q, then S is justified in believing Q (Cushing, 2000). A classic Gettier example to illustrate these two points or assumptions would be the one about the Ford car.   Suppose a person called Smith has a justified belief   that someone in his office owns a Ford.   It is also true, as a matter of fact, that someone in the office does indeed own a Ford.   However, Smith’s evidence for his belief concerns Jones, from his office, who as it turns out does not own a Ford.   Smith’s belief that someone in the office owns a Ford is true because someone else in the office owns a Ford (not Jones). The person who in fact owns a Ford is actually, for example, called Brown.   Yet all of Smith’s evidence concerns Jones, and not Brown, so it seems that intuitively, Smith doesn’t know that someone in his office owns a Ford.   It would seem then that Smith doesn’t know, even though Smith has a justified belief that someone owns a Ford, and as it turns out, this belief happens to be true (Pryor, 2005). From the above example, it would seem that Smith has a justified belief in a true proposition (in that someone in his office owns a Ford), but this is not to say that he has knowledge of that proposition (since the owner of the Ford is Brown, not Jones, as Smith thought).  Ã‚   What Gettier (1963) thus tells is that even if the three criterion composed of truth, belief, and justification are individually necessary for knowledge, they are not jointly sufficient (Cushing, 2000).   This has been widely called as the Gettier Problem (Pryor, 2005; Cushing, 2000; Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy, 2006). Thus, the JTB Analysis, previously mentioned as the existing proposition prior to the Gettier problem, does not state a sufficient condition for someone’s knowing a given proposition (Gettier, 1963).  Ã‚  Ã‚   In the example given on the Ford, the Gettier problem arises because of the proposition that a person knows that someone owns a Ford based on evidence that falls short of certainty.   If knowledge requires absolutely certain evidence, then the person Smith in the Ford example would not be in a position to know that someone owns a Ford .   His (Smith’s) evidence after all was not absolutely certain or infallible because he was mistaken as to who owned the Ford (Pryor, 2005). Assuming that Gettier’s philosophy is correct, then a possible solution to the Gettier problem then would be that knowledge is justified true belief where the reasoning on which a person’s belief is based on does not proceed through any false steps or falsehood (Pryor, 2005).   However, the Gettier examples need not involve any inference, so there may be cases of justified true belief in which the subject fails to have knowledge although the S’s belief that P is not inferred from any falsehood. The lesson from the Gettier problem then is that the justification condition by itself cannot ensure that belief that is true cannot be mistakenly identified as knowledge.   Even a justified belief (which is belief based on good evidence), can be true because of luck (Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy, 2006), such as the example on the Ford car wherein Smith’s belief that someone owns a car is true in the sense that someone (Brown) does indeed own a car, but Smith’s justified belief or good evidence as to the someone who owns the Ford actually pertains to someone else (Jones). Assuming that Gettier is correct, a possible option for working out an account of what knowledge is.  Ã‚   Knowledge is justified true belief absent luck or accident.  Ã‚   Gettier’s fourth condition to knowledge (on the absence of falsehood) is not necessary as his cases indicate that a person can still hold on to a true belief based on luck or accident.   The third criterion in the JTB Analysis, on justification, itself requires that luck be excluded (Sudduth, 2005).   Thus, justified true belief may be sufficient for knowledge only if you eliminate luck or accident. Conclusion According to Gettier (1963), justified true belief can fail to constitute knowledge.   Justified true belief may not be sufficient for knowledge, and he further tells us that the three criterion of truth, belief, and justification are not jointly sufficient.   Gettier proposes a third condition, that true belief should not be based on any falsehood.   However, his philosophy involves the elements of luck or accident which allows the subject to hold on to a true belief.   Thus, it would seem that justified true belief may be sufficient for knowledge providing luck or accident are eliminated from the justification criterion. REFERENCE Cushing, Simon.   (2000).   Edmund Gettier: â€Å"Is Justified True Belief Knowledge?†Ã‚   University of Michigan-Flint.   Retrieved November 1, 2006 from Gettier, Edmund L.   (1963).   Is Justified True Belief Knowledge?   Analysis 23: 121-123.   Transcribed into hypertext by Andrew Chrucky, September 13, 1997.   Retrieved November 1, 2006 from: http://www.ditext.com/gettier/gettier.html Pryor, Jim.   (Spring 2004).   Theory of Knowledge – The Gettier Problem.   Princeton University.   Retrieved November 1, 2006 from: http://www.jimpryor.net/teaching/courses/epist/notes/gettier.html Sudduth, Michael.   (2005).   Justification and the Gettier Problem.   Dr. Michael Sudduth’s Philosophy Courses Webpage.   Retrieved November 1, 2006 The Analysis of Knowledge.   (January 16, 2006). Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy.   Retrieved November 1, 2006 from: http://plato.stanford.edu/entries/knowledge-analysis/