Wednesday, October 30, 2019

Alcohol Effect on the Human Liver Research Paper

Alcohol Effect on the Human Liver - Research Paper Example The liver has often proven to possess the capability of regenerating itself, but the effects of alcohol eventually overpower and wear it down, resulting in Damages are difficult to reverse. The alcohol consumption has several immediate and some durable effects. Although it is true that moderate drinking is beneficial to an individual’s health, such as reduce the risk of heart problems, too much consumption of alcohol can be detrimental to an individual’s health. Alcoholism is probably the most prevalent drug abuse in the US currently. In 1995, research by the American Bureau of statistics exhibited that 67% of all population over the age of 12 admitted having drunk beers within the previous year. Surprisingly almost fifty percent of them admitted to having drunk alcohol beverages within the past month. It has been implied that the reason for the rise of alcohol users, is that the beverage is pleasant, relaxing and is regarded as a social beverage by many. Consuming of a lcohol beverages occasionally may not have serious damage, however, drinking alcohol in excess can seriously destroy a person’s liver, resulting to conditions that are dangerous and potentially fatal. When an individual takes alcohol, the person feels euphoric in that the individual experiences a rush in the body that causes them to be happy (Black, 2010). This effect of alcohol on the human body makes alcohol a popular drink among individuals in the society. The use of alcohol has long-term effects on a person’s health and one of the most affected organs in the body is the liver. The liver has a critical function in the body’s metabolism in that it processes the food that we take in the digestive system.

Monday, October 28, 2019

Engage in personal development in health Essay Example for Free

Engage in personal development in health Essay Outcome 1 1. Within my role as a support worker it is my duty to support an individual to complete everyday tasks. This can be activities such as food shopping, house chores, preparing food and drinks, making and attending appointments, attending college or day centre facilities, or participating in clubs for people with special needs. I have a responsibility to ensure the activity is achievable for the client and that I am providing the right support to achieve this. 2. As a support worker I have a duty to adhere to the codes of practice set out by my employers and also to ensure I adhere to the regulations set out by law. National Occupational Standards (NOS) ensure I give the appropriate support and care to an individual. Outcome 2 1. Reflective practice means thinking about and evaluating what I do and discussing any changes which could be made. Thinking about how I could have done something differently, what I did well and what I could have done better. It also means reflecting our own values, beliefs and experiences which shape our thoughts and ideas. By continuously evaluating my performance I am able to ensure I am providing the expected level of service set out within the companys guidelines. 3. Everyone has different values, beliefs and experiences. We are more likely to be friendly and welcoming to people that share the same values and beliefs as us and less friendly to those that do not. However within my role it is expected that I provide the same level of care to every individual. Identifying your own beliefs and values will enable you to be aware of your reactions to others and enable them not to impact on the way you work. This is an important part of personal and professional development. Outcome 3 1. Codes of practice are put in place to enable you to understand your role and your responsibilities. Care plans are in place for each individual and the support I am required to provide is person-centred. I have a duty to ensure I am aware of each individual’s needs and to highlight any area I believe needs refocusing. Training should be relevant to the needs of individuals and provided by the company to ensure I adhere to regulations set out by law and the policies and procedures in place adhere to the current NOS guidelines. Outcome 4 1. Planning and reviewing my development usually takes place during planned supervision with my manager and my yearly appraisal. However I can approach either of my team leaders if I believe I require further training that is relevant to my role, they will speak with management on my behalf. Outside sources of support such as care managers, learning disabilities team or CQC may also highlight areas they feel further training is required if it is relevant to an individual I am to provide support too. Outcome 5 1. Attending training courses has enabled me to provide a level of care that is specific to the needs of the individual I am providing support too. During team meetings we may discuss serivce users and their needs. If a colleague has found something that works for them they will highlight it and it may be something I can use when working with that individual.

Saturday, October 26, 2019

Lolita: The Etymology of a Nymphet :: Essays Papers

Lolita: The Etymology of a Nymphet The novel Lolita concerns a relationship characterized by obsession by a middle aged man, Humbert, for a prepubescent girl, Lolita. This fictional relationship has been a source of many questions as to what the writer, Vladimir Nabokov, had in mind when he wrote the novel. Thus, the novel has been looked at from different aspects in attempting to come up with what it portrays. Humbert, in his flowery description of Lolita, uses the word "nymphet" to refer not only to her but also to other girls of her age and characteristics. Little girls that came his way before Lolita, he describes as nymphets too. The purpose of this analysis will be to discover what exactly Humbert refers to as a nymphet in the novel Lolita in relation to the type of image today's society sees as a nymphet with the goal of establishing whether or not the novel portrays the influence of a nymphet. It will attempt to find the similarities and differences between the image of a nymphet that Lolita portrays and the real life image of today. The history of the word "nymphet" in English does not go beyond 1955 when the novel Lolita was published because its first use is in the novel. It was introduced into English by Mr. Humbert Humbert himself. Through his unique sexual perception, Humbert describes the behavior or the sexually luring ability of little girls as unnatural or nymphic: "Now I wish to introduce the following idea. Between the age limits of nine and fourteen there occur maidens who, to certain bewitched travelers, twice or many times older than they, reveal their true nature which is not human, but nymphic (that is, demoniac); and these chosen creatures I propose to designate as "nymphets (16)" Nymphic is adjectival for the noun 'nymph' and the Microsoft Encarta Encyclopedia defines nymphs to be, in "Greek and Roman mythology, lesser divinities or spirits of nature, dwelling in groves and fountains, forests, meadows, streams, and the sea, represented as mortal and beautiful creatures that were sometimes love objects to olympian maidens, fond of music and dancing." They could also be "vengeful and destructive", a character that will be shown to work against Humbert, not physically, but emotionally. Humbert's image of a nymphet is enhanced by the thoughts and memories of Annabel that he harbors. He sees Lolita as a reincarnation of Annabel: "It was the same child - the same frail, honey-hued shoulders, the same silky supple bare back, the same chestnut head of hair" (39). Lolita: The Etymology of a Nymphet :: Essays Papers Lolita: The Etymology of a Nymphet The novel Lolita concerns a relationship characterized by obsession by a middle aged man, Humbert, for a prepubescent girl, Lolita. This fictional relationship has been a source of many questions as to what the writer, Vladimir Nabokov, had in mind when he wrote the novel. Thus, the novel has been looked at from different aspects in attempting to come up with what it portrays. Humbert, in his flowery description of Lolita, uses the word "nymphet" to refer not only to her but also to other girls of her age and characteristics. Little girls that came his way before Lolita, he describes as nymphets too. The purpose of this analysis will be to discover what exactly Humbert refers to as a nymphet in the novel Lolita in relation to the type of image today's society sees as a nymphet with the goal of establishing whether or not the novel portrays the influence of a nymphet. It will attempt to find the similarities and differences between the image of a nymphet that Lolita portrays and the real life image of today. The history of the word "nymphet" in English does not go beyond 1955 when the novel Lolita was published because its first use is in the novel. It was introduced into English by Mr. Humbert Humbert himself. Through his unique sexual perception, Humbert describes the behavior or the sexually luring ability of little girls as unnatural or nymphic: "Now I wish to introduce the following idea. Between the age limits of nine and fourteen there occur maidens who, to certain bewitched travelers, twice or many times older than they, reveal their true nature which is not human, but nymphic (that is, demoniac); and these chosen creatures I propose to designate as "nymphets (16)" Nymphic is adjectival for the noun 'nymph' and the Microsoft Encarta Encyclopedia defines nymphs to be, in "Greek and Roman mythology, lesser divinities or spirits of nature, dwelling in groves and fountains, forests, meadows, streams, and the sea, represented as mortal and beautiful creatures that were sometimes love objects to olympian maidens, fond of music and dancing." They could also be "vengeful and destructive", a character that will be shown to work against Humbert, not physically, but emotionally. Humbert's image of a nymphet is enhanced by the thoughts and memories of Annabel that he harbors. He sees Lolita as a reincarnation of Annabel: "It was the same child - the same frail, honey-hued shoulders, the same silky supple bare back, the same chestnut head of hair" (39).

Thursday, October 24, 2019

Being a Muslim :: Papers

Being a Muslim Yes I think it is hard to be a Muslim in a country like England for example if you go to school or work you have to miss some of the prayers. Five Pillars of Islam Shahadah A Muslim expresses his/her faith in the following words: Ash-hadu anla ilaha illal-Lahu Wahdahu la Sharika Lahu wa-ash-hadu anna Muhammadan abduhu wa rasuluhu The English translation of the Shahadah is as follows: " I bear witness that there is none worthy of worship except Allah, the One, without any partner. And I bear witness that Muhammad is His servant and His Messenger." The declaration of faith consists of two different parts, i.e., the absolute belief in the Unity of Allah (God) and the belief in the Holy Prophet Muhammad as a mortal human being and the Messenger of Allah. A Muslim accepts Allah as the only God, and only Master, Lord and Ruler with no partner sharing in any way His Being, Powers and Attributes. He is One; He is Unique; He is not the father of any one, nor He has or had any father. He is Almighty and Self-Sustaining. He is there forever, and will be there forever. A Muslim believes in Allah as the Ruler and must not disobey Him. In fact everything that exists in the universe obeys Him. He is the Fashioner of all the Universes that may exist. This statement makes one to completely submit to the Will of Allah and that is why one who declares this belief is called a Muslim - one who completely submits to the will of Allah. Salat Salat is one of the five pillars of Islam, it is a most important element of the faith. It is prayer of a very high level. The Holy Quran repeatedly enjoins the offering of salat and indeed declares it to be a fundamental characteristic of a believer. The benefits of salat are countless. The Holy Quran says: "And enjoin Prayer on thy people, and be constant therein.

Wednesday, October 23, 2019

Counseling gifted students

The child who is gifted has different sets of needs and challenges which are indeed complex ones. The bigger bulk of responsibility lies in the hands of the parents and then the school. A lot of studies have been conducted to establish what these needs are, how one gifted child differs from another, and the varying interventions that may be employed to enhance and meet the unique requirements of the gifted child. This paper attempts to explain in precis guidelines in counseling the gifted students according to how they conduct themselves within and outside the academe.This will include a discussion of some issues that address the parents’ roles and those that may be acquainted with the students. Discussion Giftedness comes in diverse ways, and educators, parents alike follow some hard and fast rules in determining students who fall into specific categories of giftedness. This definitely spells problems as findings in studies show. ~Background Terman brought the Binet intellige nce inventory to the United States in the early 1920s. This intelligence test became widely used for categorizations of giftedness as well.Eventually, other tools were developed to classify giftedness since the measurement of intelligence was no longer sufficient to put people or children into the categorizations. For instance, many who got average or below average scores in the tests possess creativity in other areas not just measured in the IQ tests. During Lewis Terman’s time, he succeeded to identify many with 130 and above IQs who faired and did well in professional work. Gone was the picture of a â€Å"puny, pasty-faced bookworm† (Papalia et al., 2001)which used to depict someone with high intelligence. What emerged were profiles of well-adjusted, vocationally superior students and adults. With this sample, there was not one who came out as a person as close to the intellectual capacity as that of Einstein. Einstein was thought to be described as possessing the i nsatiable drive and the â€Å"furious impulse to understand† (Papalia et al. , 2001 in Michelmore, 1962, p. 24). Today, many specialists look into the minds of a gifted student by defining and measuring creativity.This entails that a person possesses the ability to provide a novel idea or solution to a problem, make solutions which others have not discovered before, or finding very unusual solutions. It takes into consideration that high creativity may not be found with the high academic intelligence criterion. Classic researches by Anastasi and Schaefer 1971, Getzels in 1964, 1984, Getzels and Jackson in 1962, 1963, all reveal the â€Å"modest correlations† linking IQ and creativity (Papalia et al. , 2001).From this development, Guilford proposed the two kinds of thinking: the convergent and divergent. IQ tests measure convergent thinking which looks for accurate and single correct answer or solution. The tests for creativity seek divergent type of thinking (Papalia e t al. , 2001 in Guilford, 1956, 1959, 1960, 1967, 1986 & Torrance, 1966, 1974). ~Interventions and Enrichment Programs are varied depending on the institution in which the student/s is enrolled; however, most schools are mandated and are trained to identify or recognize children with gifted or exceptional abilities.The US Department of Education identifies the basic two approaches employed in meeting the complex needs of this oftentimes marginalized segment of students. Enrichment enlarges and intensifies skills and knowledge base by providing the student with additional classroom projects or activities; field trips can be very important to enhancing a student’s creativity and coaching by an expert in the child’s specific talent or interest. Another approach is acceleration which is oftentimes urged by experts and educators.Children skip a grade or take a placement test to be classified in a specific or particular subject or advanced courses. The counseling course then often takes a route along these two approaches. Once the child is identified as possessing some remarkable qualities that are unusual to his age or group, the parents are advised to provide the enrichment the child needs. In whatever the case, teachers often are placed in positions to identify these creative streaks and expected to make the necessary interventions to help the student make use of his talents.In most cases, children suffer some debilitating â€Å"handicaps† due to their unusual creativity; such as a combination of ADHD and the giftedness (they call it â€Å"twice exceptional) (Mahoney, 2007). This is where parents and especially teachers must be fully trained to spot complications that go with being gifted. ~What a teacher can do for gifted students One of the glaring realities of academics is that with normal schooling, majority of the school materials are based on developmental norms. This only means one important and relevant thing concerning the gifted st udent: they are highly inappropriate for him.Hence, even if many of these teachers may be willing to find ways to help them, the teachers may have deficiencies in handling their cases or the experience to know what efforts to pursue that are more applicable to these students. For instance, the regular manner of teaching is the reductionistic method; the taking of large chunks of information and breaking these into â€Å"bite sized† portions for schoolchildren. However, in stark contrast, the minds of the highly exceptional have the capacity to â€Å"swallow† large portions of these materials in a single time.They thrive on more complex and difficult subjects. Because of this scenario, students who receive â€Å"normal school† treatment may be forced to go at the slow pace and may appear incapable among their peers. Teachers must be made aware that alongside other difficulties, specific manifestations may be evident as symptoms of their difficulties; e. g. , havi ng messy school work because their hands cannot cope with the speed of their minds, or may even be poor spellers and poor performers in rote memorization. In other words, these students with their contrasting difficulties just don’t seem to fit.Students with exceptional abilities need the help of not only one or two people but if possible many individuals. It takes a concerted and coordinated effort from different entities for many students with giftedness to benefit from. There is first and foremost the contribution of the educational community as important and crucial partners to assure that the following outcomes be attained: 1) Every individual with exceptionalities be provided with individualized assistance and encouragement from a professionally competent as well as caring or empathic specialist.This means that students with exceptionalities are recipients of the expertise of teachers with the right trainings; school counselors with sufficient skills and knowledge in gu iding individual students with more than average capabilities; and an educational pool of experts within the community whose aims or goals are to keep on innovating the strategies to enhance the students’ abilities. 2) That the educator whose practice is geared towards giftedness be empowered and provided with the right opportunities for teaching and learning effective means of this specific profession.This implies that not only in the national, regional level, every teacher or instructor in each local institution both in the private and public arena be given the chance for the basics in detecting giftedness and guiding problems and challenges that exceptional students face. 3) That validated and effective instructional practice and training be used in the specialty ensuring the students of updated methods and processes in the field of giftedness (Coleman, 2000). ~The School Counselor’s roleThe rationale for laws that are put in place requiring every school employing t he services of a school counselor is well supported by researches for the special and constant needs of students who come with different degrees and measures of difficulties. Because the viewpoint of highly gifted students is definitely beyond what ordinary students may envision their circumstances, academics and life in general may be, this heightened perception always entail disadvantageous results in their manner of conducting their lives. At the outset, with this picture, children must have caring adults who see their world and the way they perceive things.What are the basic needs that children or students have with highly exceptional abilities? Two primary needs are important to examine: the need for these students to feel comfortable with their giftedness that create both immense possibilities as well as their corresponding difficulties, and the need to cultivate, expand, and utilize their potential. In addition, the powerful internal drive to highlight and build on these abil ities may be frustrated or blunted by several means with dire consequences resulting to a student’s paralyzing emotional injury.The goal then for the parents, teacher or school counselor is to magnify on the child becoming an asset rather than emphasizing on such possibilities as pursuing and achieving fame, high economic status or even a Nobel Prize. It is important that the goal for the educational community is for gifted students who will develop into an individual adult who will become comfortable with his innate capabilities and has used them productively. ~Issues of Confidentiality and the need to disclose Many problems are faced by students who are highly creative.This includes the need to conform to the majority, seemingly lacking in motivation, lack of insights into their asynchronicity, the parental lack in terms of knowledge or understanding into their child’s dilemmas, underachievement and a host of others. These are further complicated by lack of experts i n the local level. To be specific, school counselors will have to examine the eventualities when counselees are confronted with concerns such as confidentiality and the need to disclose. Psychotherapy or counseling with minors is quite a challenging work considering that its very nature poses many complications in many areas.There are ethical and legal issues to consider aside from protecting confidentiality for the minor client. The therapist must have acquired a comprehensive knowledge (a priori knowledge, as expected from a professional psychotherapist) with regards to the complexities involved in an issue/s he or she will be dealing with to steer clear further unnecessary complications. Applying ethical standards, to breach the confidentiality of things of which the counselor has become a privy to because of the client’s trust might be necessary considering the overall scenario.For one thing, the patient is still a minor. The parents must be involved in the whole process of counseling until emotional and mental healing is achieved (ASCA, A. 7. , A. 8. , and B. 1, 1998). In surveys conducted, there is a common sentiment by teens that eventually, when there is endangerment and/or threats that may be involved, they consent to having that confidentiality breached. They would still want their parents or caregivers to be finally involved and included in their dilemma (Isaacs & Stone, 1999).Based on this study, the minors expect that though their privacy ought to be respected, they also recognized that there are still certain limitations to this confidentiality. At the bottom of this problem is the premise of collaboration of parents, the child, the school with the teachers and school counselor in active roles and the other aspects of the society. What is crucial here is the time and effort expended to thoroughly explain the limitations of confidentiality and other provisions existing within the helping relationship (Isaacs & Stone, 1999).It is not foolpro of and perfect but so far the best approach in every situation where minors are the primary clients. Reference: American School Counselor Association. 1998. Ethical Standards for school counselors. Alexandria. VA: Author. Retrieved February 18, 2008. Bourg, Allison, 2007. Counseling the Gifted: Andy Mahoney puts talent, experience to good use. Retrieved February 28, 2008. Coleman, M. R. 2000. Conditions for special education training: CEC Commission Technical Report.Arlington, VA. Isaacs, M. L. , & C. Stone. 1999. School Counselors and confidentiality: Factors affecting professional choices. Professional School Counseling, 2(4). 258 -267. Accessed February 8, 2008. ProQuest Database. Isaacs, M. L. , & C. Stone. 2001. Confidentiality with minors: Mental Health Counselors’ attitudes toward breaching or preserving confidentiality. Journal of Mental Health Counseling. 23(4), 342-357; Accessed February 18, 2008. Papalia, Diane, Sally W. Olds &Ruth D. Feldman. 2001. Human develop ment, 8th ed. McGraw Hill. U. S. A.

Tuesday, October 22, 2019

Principles of war essays

Principles of war essays The Liberation of Groningen - An Urban Battlefield April 1945 marked a significant date in history for the Canadian soldiers that were involved in a major urban battle during World War II, The Liberation of Groningen. This historic event was fought between an all Canadian Corps and a multi-element German force. The principles of war that were evident in this conflict was economy of effort and concentration of force. Both the Canadians and Germans used these principles to their advantage and disadvantage. Economy of effort was the principle of war that was misapplied by the Canadians during The Liberation of Groningen. Instructions were given to neither use airpower nor employ heavy artillery as they penetrated into the city. By substituting manpower for firepower the Canadians suffered 209 casualties, 43 were fatal.# Although heavy causalities were incurred for the Canadian corps, the commanders intent of leaving the city undamaged was achieved. There were very few civilian casualties and the citys infrastructures such as the railway station, hospital and natural gas plant remained intact. The Germans applied the principle of economy of effort effectively. They were very familiar with the city and had great knowledge of the surrounding terrain putting them in a strong defensive position. They employed males between 16 and 60 years to build a vast network of trenches, anti-tank ditches and weapons pits. Aerial photos revealed that these defensive works made Groningen a veritable fortress that would be heavily defended.# As a result of these defensive maneuvers by the Germans, the Canadian troops realized that they had to take a different approach to overtake the city. They would have to clear the streets going house by house. This type of urban warfare slowed the attackers progress and inflicted heavier casualties. The Germans applied the principle concentration of forc...

Monday, October 21, 2019

Document Analysis of Wittes Economic Policy Reform Essay Example

Document Analysis of Wittes Economic Policy Reform Essay Example Document Analysis of Wittes Economic Policy Reform Essay Document Analysis of Wittes Economic Policy Reform Essay Sergei Witte, the author of this document of economic policy reform was appointed to the position of Minister of Finance in 1893. He was appointed Minister of Finance during the reign of Alexander III to help Russias struggling economy. Witte was a very influential Minister of Finance achieving the ultimate goal of putting Russia on the gold standard in 1897. 1 This was one of the main reasons as to why this document was written in 1899, because Russia could now implement radical economic policies due to the foreign investment it received because it had the gold standard. Witte was an admirer of Western European style economies, and did not approve of Russias policy of exporting raw materials and importing finished goods. By halting the policy of exporting raw materials and importing finished goods, Witte believed that this would be a fundamental factor in the industrialisation of Russia. Lionel Kochan believed that Sergei Witte was one of the most important men in Russia in pioneering its eventual success to industrialise. Although Kochan was an admirer of Witte, many western European historians believed that Wittes reforms hindered and not helped Russias economy, such as domestic industries which did not benefit from contracts and subsides. 3 The document of economic reform was addressed to the Tsar, Nicholas II. This document is meant for the Tsar to read and is extremely secret. Witte hoped Nicholas II would give his approval to his ideas of economic reform for Russia. The style in which Witte wrote the document is to inform the Tsar of the flaws in Russian economy and almost to scare the Tsar into immediate and radical change in economic policy. However, in various parts of the document, Witte seems to be somewhat sycophantic towards the Tsar, possibly in an attempt to win the approval of the Tsar to implement his economic policies for Russia. Nicholas II has been described as an ineffective ruler4 and this may have influenced the way in which Witte wrote the document. Witte knew that Nicholas relied on senior politicians to help him run the country and used this to his advantage in this document by highlighting some of Russias shortfalls when pitted against major European powers. This was a major factor in the construction of this document with only two years previous to it being written Russia received gold standard status which meant their currency could now be exchanged for all other gold standard currencies in the Europe. This made it easier for foreign capital to be invested into Russia. The idea of foreign capital being invested into Russia was a new innovation because before this document was written Russia had adopted an isolationist economy, and believed that, unlimited free trade did not permit the economy to develop calmly. The reason set out by Witte about the drastic need of foreign investment needed is to speedily furnish our country with abundant and cheap goods. Witte believed that this would therefore lead to businesses in Russia to seek out new technological advances which will ultimately bring down the price of goods for the consumer. When Witte wrote the document the current economic system in Russia was poor. The economy was geared towards exporting raw materials and importing finished goods, and because Russia were not supplying there own economy with finished goods, it meant that the average consumer in Russia had to pay a lot more for products than countries in western Europe. An example of this was an Englishman pays 26 kopecks for a pood of pig iron, an American will pay 32 kopecks, but a Russian pays up to 90 kopecks. This shows that Russians had to pay almost three times what western Europeans and Americans paid for their goods. When this document was written the policy of protectionism was adopted in Russia. This meant that high tariffs were imposed on imported goods, to protect Russian businesses. Although this is an understandable approach to protecting a certain economy it meant that Russian businesses did not have to compete for trade and therefore the standard of goods could be low, with no technological advancements. With the new economic policy Witte was trying to implement it meant that Russian entrepreneurs had to develop their ideas and ways in which they make their goods, in order for them to be cheaper for the Russian people. Witte also points out in the document that Russia needs to develop mass production industries, widely dispersed. and where competition play has the dominant role. This shows Wittes admiration of western European economies by wanting to create mass production industries, and shows his vision that Russia could be a major economic power. However, Witte understands the drawbacks of relying on foreign trade to boost the economy. He describes it as very dangerous to rely on foreign trade for the lowering of our prices. In his conclusion of the economic policy for the empire, Witte sets out six main points as to how his new economic policy for Russia is going to work. In it he says that the tariff of 1891 will not amended until the renewal of the trade treaties. Witte here shows his understanding that sudden changes to the current Russian economy will cause shocks that will have unprecedented damage to the businesses in Russia. Witte also shows understanding of the importance of domestic industry to Russia, he shows that without domestic industry, the influx of foreign capital will not be as much as before the new economic policy was implemented. This document is very reliable as a historical source. Although it was translated from Russian to English. Overall, Witte knew that although foreign capital was important to the new economic policy, he also understood that the protectionist system of old was important Russia. Witte therefore recognised that with the balance of domestic industry and foreign capital Russia could have a prosperous economy.

Sunday, October 20, 2019

Blackberry Right Strategy Essay Example

Blackberry Right Strategy Essay Example Blackberry Right Strategy Essay Blackberry Right Strategy Essay The implementation of correct strategy in an organization is of vital importance. The reason for this is that strategy helps an organization to reach goals and it helps an organization to prosper. The correct Strategy and implementation also helps an organization to have a competitive advantage over its rivals. An organization with a competitive advantage can dictate terms to its rivals and can buy of niche markets supplying similar products. The aim of this assignment is to form an analysis of the strategic positioning of blackberry’s firm. This assignment will compare blackberry to its arch rivals and will review if blackberry’s performance is better than its rivals or not. We will also explain the reason behind the rebranding phase from the change of Research in motion to Blackberry. We will assess if we agree with the current strategies or not, and give a reason to why we think so. RESEARCH IN MOTION REBRANDS ITSELF AS BLACKBERRY CEO Thorsten Heins announced that his company will no longer be known as Research in Motion at a Blackberry event. He stated that it will be rebranded as â€Å"BLACKBERRY†. We have reinvented the company, and we want to represent this in our brand, Heins said. One brand. One promise. Our customers use a BlackBerry, our employees work for BlackBerry, and our shareholders are owners of BlackBerry. (Website 1). Blackberry is also changing its stock symbols to reflect the change. It will be listed as BBRY in NASDAQ and BB in TSX. * It’s out with the old and in with the new as RIM rebrands itself with a new name, a new operating system and a new phone. It’s a bold step for a company that made several missteps after ruling the smartphone segment and believes it must start over from scratch with new products and a new brand. By changing its name and launching an excellent operating system that runs on impressive phones, BlackBerry is doing more than writing a new chapter. It’s starting a new book. The importance of this cannot be overstated as the company that once defined the smartphone segment struggles to remain relevant in the era of Google and Apple. Even though Blackberry is turning this new leaf through Rebranding they must not forget that whilst they were regrouping their competitors were constantly improving. Samsung and Apple in particular have become so dominant in the mobile industry. They managed to get into the cell phone industry through their Brand names Samsung and Apple which are world renown and very reliable products. Once in they took the world by storm by releasing A grade products in the Smartphone industry and have just made their Brands stronger. Blackberry needs to recognize their presence and start becoming much more innovative than they have been in the past. They need to ensure that they build a strong brand to compete and become better than the likes of Samsung and Apple. STRATEGIC POSITIONING OF BLACKBERRY Strategic positioning is the overall intended objectives and approach to a situation. Most business managers will carefully develop a well thought out strategic position and take considerable steps to communicate it to staff clearly so that all parts of the business can be operating towards the firms stated goals. Blackberry has to realise that they are competing in a high velocity market which is turbulent. What this means is that the technology is improving at such a rapid pace that they have to keep up to the pace otherwise they will fall back in the race to supremacy in the phenomenon of Smartphones. Short product life cycle poses a huge threat to Blackberry therefor in order to eliminate this demon they need to ensure that they constantly invest aggressively in Ramp;D to stay on the leading of technological know how (Corporate Strategy Notes, Tailoring Strategy to Fit Specific Industry and Company Situations, Page 4 of 8). At Present Blackberry is not doing so therefore their strategic position is unstable and they face the problem of falling behind their current rivals and new rivals. A case in point is Blackberry. Not so long ago, it was arguably the standard corporate accessory. If you were working for a blue chip multinational, chances are that a Blackberry phone was your standard issue kit. Now it’s very different. Apple’s iPhone has successfully made the transition from niche to mainstream use, while Samsung and other android mobile providers have developed feature-rich devices for non-Apple users. Blackberry got squeezed from both sides, and is now struggling to define its relevance. It recently launched its new product, the Z10, which at first glance could be mistaken for the iPhone. While it’s not easy for a brand to create a strong and differentiated competitive position in a crowded marketplace, that’s a more sustainable strategic alternative than either a) copying your competition or b) ignoring your competition in the hope that it will go away. As competitive positioning strategies go, this â€Å"head in the sand† approach is not only wishful thinking, but does nothing to build a brand’s credibility. Effective competitive positioning demands that you understand not only the real benefits your product offers to your customer base, but that you also understand and can articulate how those measure up against your competitors. Pretending they don’t exist gets you nowhere. The strategy chosen by Blackberry is dependent on situational factors and the direction the organizations owners wish to take. At present the situational factors include the threat and competition posed by Apple and Samsung in particular as they are emerging and improving day by day therefore Blackberry has to have the right strategy in order to keep up with them. Blackberry’s strategic position in the market is unstable at present because of the several external and internal forces being presented. The reason that we say it is unstable is because internally Blackberry is carrying out their strategies efficiently. That doesn’t mean that they are in a good place, because you can have Great Strategies, but they could be implemented poorly and in this case you can have mediocre strategies which are being implemented brilliantly. The efficient implementation masks that the strategy is mediocre but as we see in the performance of the product on a financial and technological level it does not live up to the standards in the competing smartphone industry. Therefore this is our core reason for saying that Blackberry’s strategic position is unstable. IF they don’t change their strategic position from being unstable to stable it may cause them to falter in years to come. If Blackberry releases a new line of Smartphones and they are a flop in the industry they will go from bad to worse and the consequence of that will result in the company losing lots of profit. If they do decide to formulate new strategies and implement them with efficiency it will result in them being able to compete in the market more fiercely and they would become much more financially and technologically stable. Whilst it is very easy of the tongue to say we are just going to adopt new strategies and succeed, we need to ensure we carry out Research and Development actions to ensure we obtain vital information to devise a plan of how we are going to go forward. RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT Research and Development departments are common in many larger companies, especially those working with newer products or technologies subject to important shifts. While research and development work can be instrumental in creating new products or adding features to old products, the work that the department does is more complex than simple innovation. Ramp;D is connected to marketing, cost management and other parts of business strategy. (Website 2) Blackberry has made a valiant effort with their Ramp;D department however it isn’t fully up to the standards of their competitors in the ndustry. This doesn’t mean that they are bad, their competitors are just on another level at present. More efficient Research and Development will ensure they get on par or even surpass the performance of their competitors. Blackberry has been good in the development phase as they have had their set norms being the Curve, Bold and Torch which they have developed and upgraded really well ov er the years. The curve has had the 8900 which was primarily 2G, however through development they now offer the 9380 which has a 2G-3G option and that is just focusing on one aspect. Others may include a slimmer phone, more user friendly buttons, variety of different colour options etc. This shows us that the Smartphone is constantly improving however it isn’t going that extra mile to ensure that they get a larger market share. A possible reason for this is that Blackberry is content with their profit as it stands and they do not want to risk investment being lost if they have a new proposition being a flop. The consequences of Risks are Rewards or Punishment and there is a very fine line between them. Blackberry has come out their shell in recent months with their release of the Q10 and Z10 Smartphones however it hasn’t really lifted off the ground very well. Sales are low and there consumers prefer the Apple iPhone or the Samsung S3 because they feel it is much easier to use and it has more to offer. The new release looks somewhat identical to the iPhone, some begin to think that Blackberry has adopted the strategy of copying the competition thinking that it may benefit them however the technology also has to match that of the iPhone, and so far it isn’t living up to those standards. Therefore Blackberry needs to go back to the drawing board and carry out thorough Research and Development programmes on how they really want to move forward because the Q10 and Z10 is more of a flop then a success as it stands. Even though the overall outlook on the new release is good, it still falls short of the standards of its competitors. Blackberry needs to find that cutting edge and decisive new form of technology that will allow them to compete up there with the likes of Samsung and Apple or even better them. For now they are just playing second fiddle and trying to catch up to the rapid pace that their competitors are moving at. The External Environment PORTER Porter’s 5 force analysis plays a vital role in how Blackberry goes about working around competition, and how they isolate competitive advantage or disadvantage of the company. It will also enable Blackberry to strategize accordingly to ensure they are up to standards in the market. 1. Competitive pressures associated with the market maneuvering and jockeying for buyer patronage that goes on among rival sellers in the industry†. The 1st Force enables for Blackberry to distinguish their Rival sellers in the industry and be able to release new cutting edge technology that is better than theirs in order for them to keep up to speed and stay ahead of the competition. 2. â€Å"Competitive pressures associated with the threat of new entrants into the market†. This Force enables Blackberry to realise that there is alwa ys the threat of new entrants in the market. To eliminate this pressure Blackberry always needs to have the latest technology to ensure that if new entrants emerge in the market with good technology they can compete with them or eliminate them instead of losing market share. 3. â€Å"Competitive pressures coming from the attempts of companies in other industries to win buyers over to their own substitute products†. The 3rd Force shows Blackberry that companies like Samsung and Apple who are generally associated with Tv’s and Ipod’s respectively in a totally different industry can come into the market with substitute products and compete with them. At present Samsung and Apple have first class products with the best technology and Blackberry is falling back very fast. This is a major area of concern and is an area where Blackberry needs to catch up with very fast or it will result in them soon being a midget in the market. 4. â€Å"Competitive pressures stemming from buyer bargaining power and seller-buyer collaboration†. From the 4th force Blackberry realise that it must have a good customer relationship in order for them to gain a bigger market share. Blackberry must allow the buyer some bargaining power otherwise the buyer will feel hard done by and may seek elsewhere. There must be a good level of collaboration between buyer and supplier that will ensure that Blackberry moves forward smoothly in the market. 5. â€Å"Competitive pressure stemming from supplier bargaining power and supplier-seller collaboration†. The 5th force shows Blackberry that they must have a good relationship with their suppliers in order to obtain their materials at good low prices. If the collaboration is good the result would be low production cost and higher profits. (Corporate Strategy Notes, Analysing the External Environment, Page 2 0f 6) GENERAL INDIRECT ENVIRONMENT (PESTEL) There are some factors that Blackberry has no control of in the external environment and they have to work around these problems. On the Political Sphere they are affected by the taxation policy which may ultimately affect their returns therefore they need to ensure that their profits are good and their tax is up to date which will enable them to be in the safe zone with the tax man. They have to also come to terms with the foreign tax regulations. The Economic sector is probably one of the most delicate. Changes in the economic sector have to be acted upon stealthily because it can affect the Blackberry in a big way. Inflation poses a big threat because with inflation comes higher cost for everything. Interest rates also play a major role. Social influence is a sector which Blackberry thrives on. The social sector includes lifestyle changes, levels of education, social mobility etc. The aim of Blackberry is to attract the masses with their product which will enable them to become more connected socially. Their Blackberry Messenger service does wonders in regard to this because it allows people to network at a high pace. The technological environment poses one of the biggest threats to Blackberry. As technology is rapidly improving it will be up to Blackberry to keep up with the pace, if not then they will lag behind and may suffer losses. They have no control over how fast technology improves therefore they will have to be on the ball. The Environmental sector includes waste disposal and energy consumption in connection with Blackberry. Blackberry needs to find the most efficient and green methods in manufacturing their product in order for them to save money and be safe in regard to the protection laws. Blackberry has to ensure at all times that they do not violate any labour laws and Employment laws. They must also make sure that they are keeping up to scratch with the Health and Safety Standards to ensure they don’t obtain any fines that would cause them loss of profit. (Strategic and Operations Management, Module 5, External Environment Assessment, General Indirect Environment, Page 23) SWOT ANALYSIS The purpose of the Swot analysis for Blackberry is to clearly identify their strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats. It is important for Blackberry to know where they stand and where they need to improve. Blackberry has various strengths in the industry. Their social networks are among the best out there and this is probably the only reason that Blackberry is surviving in the market. They need to continue using this as their major advantage over their rivals. At present Blackberry has a large consumer base because of its social network BBM, it enables people to network socially and for business. Blackberry need to continue enhancing the technology in this sphere to ensure they keep the market interested with the product. Another Strength of Blackberry is that they offer you a variety of phones to choose from, it isn’t as limited as to the likes of Samsung and Apple. This offers the customer a choice as to what they prefer, many may not like a specific design so they opt for something else and Blackberry has many choices to offer therefore this is a major strength for them. Blackberry has many weaknesses which they need to rectify in order to keep up to the likes of Samsung and Apple in the industry. Blackberry does not advertise as much as Samsung and Apple, this means that their rivals are getting much more exposure than them. They need to rectify this matter otherwise they will quickly lose market share and consumer base. They need to advertise on platforms like television, radio and billboards in busy areas in order to make customers aware of their product. Blackberry has a lot of software problems which need to be rectified. They don’t have many features as to the likes of Samsung and Apple, this means that they begin to lag behind the likes of their competitors. Therefore Blackberry needs to carry out Ramp;D programmes in order for them to come up to standards. There will always be opportunities for Blackberry in the market and they need to pounce on them in order to move forward consistently. Blackberry Applications are constantly improving and this forms a major opportunity for them as customers like good applications and with the improvement they can lure more customers in. Blackberry Pricing is becoming more and more affordable for the average man and this is a good opportunity for Blackberry to cut profits and lower prices in order to get a large customer. Threats are the major concern of Blackberry because this is what dictates how they perform in the market based on the performance of their competitors. The major threat comes from the likes of Samsung and Apple because of their ability to be innovative to the extremes and release cutting edge technology on a regular basis. This will cause Blackberry to seriously lag behind therefore it poses a major threat. RECCOMENDATIONS We recommend that Blackberry develops new strategies in order to compete strongly in the market again because as it stands with their current strategies they are fairly unstable and in huge trouble if they mess up the slightest bit. Blackberry needs to do more advertising compared to Samsung and Apple to ensure that they are able to compete in the industry strongly. They need to implement long term corporate strategies in order to better their strategic positions. They need to have excellent strategies and implement them accordingly in order to become a better company. Blackberry needs to do more market research on the external environment. As we know the external environment is uncontrollable however Blackberry must develop back up plans that will enable them to adapt to change accordingly in the external environment. They need to research and monitor the progress of their competitors in order to keep up to par or keep ahead of them in the technology sphere in order to claim a larger consumer base. Blackberry needs to carry out more thorough Ramp;D programmes in order for them to develop new cutting edge technology which they can offer to their consumers, they further need to incorporate many more features in the phone which will make consumers much more interested in the product. The prime reason that we do not agree with the current strategies of Blackberry is because with their current strategies their strategic position is very weak. In order to change this Blackberry needs to adopt all of the above in order to come up to scratch with their rivals. CONCLUSION We have come to a collective agreement that Blackberry is still a major force in the smartphone industry however they are beginning to fade because of the competition in the industry. Blackberry lacks a good decisive strategy in order to compete on the levels of Samsung and Blackberry. Their technology is good but it’s not the best. They are not able to keep up to the speed that technology is improving and this is causing them to fall behind very fast. More thorough Ramp;D programmes and better strategies will enable them to fight their way back into the market and will give them the opportunity to get on par with their competitors and even surpass them. If they decide to keep their current strategies they will face the consequence of losing their large consumer base which they have achieved with great difficulty. They will lose a massive market share to the likes of their rivals and new entrants into the smartphone industry. Their stock shares have dropped drastically over the last few months because their sales have dropped substantially and the release of their new phone Z10 has not lived up to their expectations. Therefore this will result in them further falling behind in the industry. Now it is up to their corporates to formulate and devise new strategies and implement them with efficiency in order to move forward.

Saturday, October 19, 2019

Engineering Materals Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Engineering Materals - Essay Example Crevice corrosion is a localized and geometrically controlled form of corrosion. They are the products of situations containing a stagnant solution and corrosion friendly microenvironments. This type of corrosion can occur between rivet heads, lap joints, in threads and anywhere a small crevice is formed in which at least one side is a metal. As in all types of corrosion, an anodic reaction: exists which propagates over the entire surface. However, the geometry of the crevice restricts cathodic reaction such that the dissolved oxygen cannot be replaced. Thus the region within the crevice becomes exclusively anodic while the region outside becomes cathodic. An electric imbalance result attracting the negative ions into the crevice. The small size of the crevice screens the incoming ions such that the concentration of the chloride and the hydrogen ions increases within the crevice. The pH of the solution within the crevice decreases from 6 to as much as 2 or 3. This increased acidity causes further corrosion within the crevice resulting in massive material erosion from within the crevice region. In most cases, crevice corrosion is not visible from the outside and this hidden nature makes inspection as well as rectification difficult. This is schematically represented in the figure shown: Pitting corrosion is a form of localized corrosion as it does not spread laterally across an exposed surface rapidly but penetrates into the metal very quickly, usually at an angle of 90o to the surface. Stagnant solution conditions favor pitting corrosion. The presence of halide ions, chloride, fluoride bromide and iodide, can all pit metals. The most aggressive ion depends on the metal and ion combination. The effect of pitting is to cause holes on the metal surface which can corrode a large amount of material from the surface. The mechanism of pitting can be divided into two processes – the initiation

Friday, October 18, 2019

The Saudization of Iraqi Families Living in Saudi Arabia Essay

The Saudization of Iraqi Families Living in Saudi Arabia - Essay Example The Sixth Development Plan i.e. of 1995-2000 conceives a total of approx 472 billion Riyals, which includes nearly approx 212.7 billion Riyals from the private sector. At the end of the plan, investment increased by 2 % (approximately) to 481 billion Riyals out of which 292 billion Riyals were invested from the private sector itself (Kawach, 2003). Saudi Arabia implements ‘Saudization’ as a growth strategy that reinstates the foreign workers with Saudis. It is primarily initiated by introducing economic reforms to open up the economy. This is to done not only to increase effectiveness through costless & efficient markets, but to create new jobs through the extension of the inflows of FDIs. It is one of the main conditions of WTO membership, and also with the GCC countries (Looney, n.d.). The government has created a set of educational, political, and social reforms. The Saudization program focuses mainly on the youth’s unemployment. The government initiates contribution of Saudi women in labour market, where it accounts about 10.2 % of women holding jobs. These create an intense pressure on Saudi authorities to create approximately 160,000 jobs per year. Literature review forms an important and integral part of any dissertation. But the topic of this research being quite unconventional, there has not been much of the literature available on the issue. Therefore, it is planned that the literature review of the dissertation would be made up with the available contemporary publications available on this burning issue of the Middle – East. Acculturation is the main element in understanding of social work services in West. In supplying social work services to a cultured Arab family in the West, it is important to see the balance of acculturation and its various effects on families. The cultural aspect in Arab societies were transformed by immigrants who were from Western nations, though the rate of acculturation influenced differential

V Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2750 words

Professionalism and Clients Interests - Essay Example Chartered Surveyors have the contractual obligation to meet the demands and expectations of their clients as stipulated in their engagement contract provided however that these demands and expectations are within the ambit of the law. Should conflict ensue, the chartered surveyor’s duty does not end with a recommendation of appropriate measures to his client to abide with the dictates of the law and implement processes to correct or rectify any variance, delinquency or transgression. The chartered surveyor is likewise mandated by RICS’ code of conduct to ensure that the correct resolution as provided for by the provisions of the law is followed according to the letter of law, rules and regulations. The fiduciary obligation of chartered surveyors to their clients is that all the recommendations and findings that the surveyor will make are in accordance and congruent with the letter of the law.  Ã‚  The chartered surveyor should be the advocate of the code of conduct of his profession as he adheres to these standards, it follows that his actions are strictly guided by the regime of his profession as well as his own moral beliefs and principles. Although the chartered surveyor has an obligation to his client, such responsibility is secondary to the duty of the chartered surveyor to the public’s welfare. The chartered surveyor’s primary goal should also include the maintenance of the integrity of his industry and ensure that the norms enunciated in the code of conduct.... The chartered surveyor is likewise mandated by RICS’ code of conduct to ensure that the correct resolution as provided for by the provisions of the law is followed according to the letter of law, rules and regulations. The fiduciary obligation of chartered surveyors to their clients is that all the recommendations and findings that the surveyor will make are in accordance and congruent with the letter of the law. The chartered surveyor should be the advocate of the code of conduct of his profession as he adheres to these standards, it follows that his actions are strictly guided by the regime of his profession as well as his own moral beliefs and principles. Although the chartered surveyor has an obligation to his client, such responsibility is secondary to the duty of the chartered surveyor to the public’s welfare. The chartered surveyor’s primary goal should also include the maintenance of the integrity of his industry and ensure that the norms enunciated in th e code of conduct are obeyed with utmost fidelity. The professional’s best service to his client is to translate such requirements in accordance with governing laws, implementing rules and regulation. Obligations and Contracts Surveying is one of the professional services that can be procured through a regular engagement contract with a certified or chartered surveyor. As in other contracts, a contract to engage the services of a chartered surveyor shall include the scope and terms of reference of the services covered. This contract shall govern the relationship of the chartered contractor and the client. The terms of reference shall list all of the services, duties and

Thursday, October 17, 2019

How a management consultant identifies a potential client Essay

How a management consultant identifies a potential client - Essay Example Management consulting may involve the identification and cross-fertilization of best practices, analytical techniques, change management and coaching skills, technology implementations, strategy development or even the simple advantage of an outsider's perspective. It generally brings formal frameworks or methodologies to identify problems or suggest more effective or efficient ways of performing business tasks. "Management consultants are primarily concerned with initiating and implementing technological, organisational and behavioural changes. Their work involves providing objective appraisals where it is often easier for an expert outsider to see the broader picture and reorganise the long-term requirements of an organisation." In management consultant, identifying a potential client is a very important aspect. One would consider a business organisation that has not been performing well as a potential client. The organisation should be big enough and ready to pay management consultation fees. Such a business organisation would not decline the service of a management consultant for they would be willing to achieve their organisational goals. If given a management consultation by a potential client, then I would start the consultation work immediately. This would involve a number of approach and steps to follow in order to fully identify the real problem with the firm. When it comes to consultation work itself, it involves a management consultant team which must include senior management as well as employees at all levels. A newly-hired graduate will start in a supporting role in team projects and will be involved in the following activities; Taking Responsibility for Gathering and Collating Data At a start of any management consultation, the necessary data has to be gathered and collated. This is the responsibility of a newly hired graduate in a management consultation firm. He goes to the firm that requires management consultation and gathers all the necessary data and put it together. (www.prospects.ac.uk/links/ManConsult/) Processing Figures to be Presented by Senior Colleagues to the Client's Senior Management The figures to be presented to the client's senior management by the management consultant senior colleagues are processed. This is done to ensure that the client senior management get just only the most essential data as far as management consultation is concerned. (www.prospects.ac.uk/links/ManConsult/) Interviewing Clients and other Individuals It is still the work of a newly hired graduate to interview the clients and other individual to gather more information that might be necessary in management consultation work. This should be done in a tactful manner in order to get the correct feedback and also to ensure the clients and other individuals cooperate to provide the information a newly hired graduate is seeking. (www.prospects.ac.uk/links/ManConsult/) Researching External Sources such as the Internet or other Relevant Databases It is still the responsibility

Management Information Systems Research and its Impact on Sustainable Paper

Management Information Systems and its Impact on Sustainable Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) - Research Paper Example In response, businesses have established information systems, which help keeping track of all their activities right from the planning stage to the delivery of value to the final consumer in the product market (Allingham & Oconnor 160). The highly competitive entrepreneurial atmosphere demands that managers should be clear concerning aspects of the business, should plan effectively, and should be in position to make fast smart business decisions at each stage of the operation chain in order to succeed (Leidner & Elam 139). This has gradually led to the evolution of the Management Information System (MIS), as a tool for supporting the decision making function of the organization; many studies have highlighted the multiple benefits of the MIS as a decision making tool of the organization. However, it is an undeniable fact that the continued deterioration of natural environments in the modern global business era poses greater risks as well as opportunities for the present businesses, which further underpins the need to fine tune the organizational thought processes towards sustainability (Thongpoon, Ahmad, & Yahya 5). In that respect, modern organizations are facing yet another crucial challenge of generating decisions that focus on sustainability and innovative environmental strategies, thereby leading to the evolution of the modern Sustainable SMEs that are fine-tuned towards social responsibility as well as sustainable development. The SSMEs research is still growing, thereby increasingly highlighting the modern SSMEs focus on environmental responsibility as well as technology up-gradation for strategic business advantages. Generally, environmental responsibility encompasses the measures to reduce, recycle material, while technology up-gradation entails the use of computer based systems such as the MISs among other innovative tools. A vast proportion of literature covers the contributions of the MIS to the establishment

Wednesday, October 16, 2019

How a management consultant identifies a potential client Essay

How a management consultant identifies a potential client - Essay Example Management consulting may involve the identification and cross-fertilization of best practices, analytical techniques, change management and coaching skills, technology implementations, strategy development or even the simple advantage of an outsider's perspective. It generally brings formal frameworks or methodologies to identify problems or suggest more effective or efficient ways of performing business tasks. "Management consultants are primarily concerned with initiating and implementing technological, organisational and behavioural changes. Their work involves providing objective appraisals where it is often easier for an expert outsider to see the broader picture and reorganise the long-term requirements of an organisation." In management consultant, identifying a potential client is a very important aspect. One would consider a business organisation that has not been performing well as a potential client. The organisation should be big enough and ready to pay management consultation fees. Such a business organisation would not decline the service of a management consultant for they would be willing to achieve their organisational goals. If given a management consultation by a potential client, then I would start the consultation work immediately. This would involve a number of approach and steps to follow in order to fully identify the real problem with the firm. When it comes to consultation work itself, it involves a management consultant team which must include senior management as well as employees at all levels. A newly-hired graduate will start in a supporting role in team projects and will be involved in the following activities; Taking Responsibility for Gathering and Collating Data At a start of any management consultation, the necessary data has to be gathered and collated. This is the responsibility of a newly hired graduate in a management consultation firm. He goes to the firm that requires management consultation and gathers all the necessary data and put it together. (www.prospects.ac.uk/links/ManConsult/) Processing Figures to be Presented by Senior Colleagues to the Client's Senior Management The figures to be presented to the client's senior management by the management consultant senior colleagues are processed. This is done to ensure that the client senior management get just only the most essential data as far as management consultation is concerned. (www.prospects.ac.uk/links/ManConsult/) Interviewing Clients and other Individuals It is still the work of a newly hired graduate to interview the clients and other individual to gather more information that might be necessary in management consultation work. This should be done in a tactful manner in order to get the correct feedback and also to ensure the clients and other individuals cooperate to provide the information a newly hired graduate is seeking. (www.prospects.ac.uk/links/ManConsult/) Researching External Sources such as the Internet or other Relevant Databases It is still the responsibility

Tuesday, October 15, 2019

Securities Markets 2 (Assignment) Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

Securities Markets 2 ( ) - Assignment Example The parent company of CAO is China National Aviation Fuel Group Corporation (CNAF), which is the largest state owned enterprise in PRC region (Prima Professional, n.d). The parent company is a well-known aviation transportation and logistics service provider in PRC. CNAF owns 51% of total shares that are issued by CAO. The year, 2005, was not at all good for CAO, since it had to face a loss of $550 million (China Daily Information Company, 2007). The situation led to the collapse of the institution, until it was revived by its parent company. The facts that are learnt from performance of CAO, regarding valuation of derivative, are elaborated in this section (Ernst & Young Global Limited, 2014). The CAO, in the initial period of their business, â€Å"traded in over-the-counter (OTC) swaps and exchange-traded futures† for protecting their business from risks associated with procurement of oils. The company purchased and sold risk free options on behalf of airline companies, who are their clients. So, there is a good source of income for CAO from the bid-ask spread, without exposing the company to vitality of the oil markets. During the third quarter of 2003, the company started to conduct options trades as speculators for earning profit from constructive market movements, which was observed in the oil-related commodities market. The company had started trade on the belief that oil prices will move upward. The trading strategy indicated purchase of call option and sale of put option simultaneously (Amato and Gyntelberg, 2005). Thus, it created a synthetic long position in the oil market, without purchasing the commodity outright. When price of the oil increased, the ca lls, which were purchased earlier, exercised at a profitable rate. The puts were not exercised and the company profited from premiums, which were collected from the options at the time of sale (IBS Case Development Centre, 2010). The put that were sold in the security market were not

Child Abuse and Maltreatment Essay Example for Free

Child Abuse and Maltreatment Essay Child abuse is a global problem, which unfortunately happens in every society, culture and communities. The term â€Å"Child Abuse† refers to intended acts that result in physical or emotional harm to children. Child abuse covers a wide range of behavior from physical assault by parents or other adult caretakers to neglect of child’s basic need. Child abuse is a social problem that affects millions of children each year, children less than 3 years of age being the most frequent victims. (Edelman Mandle, 2010) For this article, the author chose to discuss child abuse and maltreatment in preschool age children. There are many forms of child abuse such as sexual abuse, physical abuse, verbal abuse, emotional abuse, neglect and abandonment/ separation. In this age most common abuses are physical, sexual, emotional and negligence. As a health care provider when we are assessing a case of child abuse, we always need to check the background of the child’s family child, by checking parenting skills of caretakers, employment and education status of the parents, financial conditions at home and environment of the house (safe and clean for the child). We also need to check for any history of drug and alcohol abuse among family members, care taker’s personal limitations and certain cognitive or medical conditions (such as mental retardation or depression) of care takers, all these can effect child’s care tremendously. (Jarvis, 2011) Signs and symptoms nurses need to check for when they are assessing a preschool child for abuse are as follows: Physical Child abuse: Child has unexplained recurrent injuries, burns, fractures, bruises and bald patches. Child shows sign of fear and hesitation during physical exam (he is trying to pull himself away from examiner). Child has difficult time concentrating and shows self-destruction tendencies aggression towards others. Child is wary of adults and injuries on the body are inconsistent with the childs age and developmental phase. (Center of Child Protection and Family Support, 2012) Sexual Child Abuse: Child has unusual or excessive itching in the private areas. Genital or anal area is torn, stained or underwear has blood spots. Child’s genital or anal areas could be injured, due to bruising, swelling or infection. Child plays inappropriately with his toys and makes inappropriate drawing according to his age. Suddenly child starts thumb sucking or brings out discarded cuddly toys to play. Child also exhibits a sudden loss of appetite or on the other hand eats compulsively, he starts being isolated or  withdrawn from family/friends and becomes worried when clothing are being removed. Child frequently wets him/herself and often has nightmares. (Center of Child Protection and Family Support, 2012) Emotional Child Abuse: Parents or caretakers frequently yell, threaten or bully the child. They are ignoring the child as a form of punishment, giving him the silent treatment for his needs and also show no signs of affection and love (i.e. hugs kisses and tapping the back). Child shows severe sign of depression, extreme withdrawal or aggression towards other people. Child could be overly compliant with his caretaker orders, too well-mannered and too neat or clean. Child also displays extreme inhibition while playing. Child could have extreme attention seeking behavior or failure to thrive behavior. (Center of Child Protection and Family Support, 2012) Child Neglect: Child has poor personal hygiene, unkempt clothes and hair. Child stays constantly hungry and seems very thin compared to the peer age group. Child has many unattended physical problems or medical needs, eg dental work and glasses. Child is frequently absent from school and forgets his lunch. Child has no social relationship with other kids and shows destructive tendencies. (Center of Child Protection and Famil y Support, 2012) If children been abused by parents and care givers during infancy, toddler and preschool age. They show sign of developmental delay in displaying language, motor and social skills. Abused preschoolers respond to peers and other adults with more aggression and anger than do non-abused children. It is important for the nurse to understand certain cultural health practices that may be misidentified as child abuse. For example In Southeast Asian countries like Laos and Vietnam, people from Mien cultural beliefs in natural healing and use homemade remedies to treat most of the child disease. When a child suffers from restlessness, unremitting crying, agitation, constipation and loss of appetite, parents of the child use string of inner pulp (found in a special reed).The pulp is then dipped lightly in pork fat and lit. The flame is passed quickly over the skin above the pain site, which raises blisters on the skin or sometimes burn the skin which can easily misidentified as child abuse. To cover the blister and burn areas, they use Tiger Balm afterward. Only older person in the family can do this ritual to cure child pain. (McIntyre Silva, 1992) To report the child abuse in California State, nurse needs contact the California Department of Social services  (toll-free number is 1- 800-422-4453) or call Sacramento county Child Protective Services child abuse hotline at 916-568-6635. Any person who has knowledge of or observes a child whom he or she knows or reasonably suspects has been a victim of child abuse or neglect may report the known or suspected instance of child abuse or neglect. (California Department of social services, 2012) Description of report mechanism: Mandated reports of child abuse or neglect must include: †¢ The name, business address, and telephone number of the mandated reporter; †¢ The capacity that makes the person a mandated reporter; and †¢ The information that gave rise to the reasonable suspicion of child abuse or neglect and the source or sources of that information. If a report is made, the following information, if known, also must be included in the report: †¢ The child’s name, child’s address, present location and if applicable child’s school, grade, and class. †¢ The names, addresses, and telephone numbers of the child’s parents or guardians. †¢ The name, address, telephone number, and other relevant personal information about the person or persons who might have abused or neglected the child. (California’s Child Abuse and Neglect Reporting Act, 2006) References: California’s Child Abuse and Neglect Reporting Act: Reporting Rules for Health Care Providers, (2006). Retrieved from November 27, 2012 from: http://www.teenhealthlaw.org/fileadmin/teenhealth/teenhealthrights/ca/06_CA_ChildAbuseChapter.pdf California Department of social services. (2012). Child Abuse Prevention Services. Retrieved November 27, 2012 from: http://www.childsworld.ca.gov/PG1319.htm Center For Child Protection and Support,( 2012). Retrieved November 26, 2012 from: http://www.centerchildprotection.org/report_abuse.htm Edelman, C., Mandle, C. (2010). Health Promotion Throughout the Life Span. (7th ed.). Retrieved November 26, 2012 from http://pageburstls.elsevier.com/books/9780323056625/S6/0 Jarvis, C. (2011). Physical Examination and Health Assessment (6). Retrieved November 26, 2012 from http://pageburstls.elsevier.com/books/978-1-4377-0151-7/id/B9781437701517000078_c00007 McIntyre, T., Silva, P. (1992). Beyond Behavior. Culturally Diverse Childrearing Practices: A busive or Just Different? Volume 4,

Monday, October 14, 2019

Global System for Mobile (GSM) Communication Overview

Global System for Mobile (GSM) Communication Overview Tara Rushdi Haydar Sinar Selahaddin Merdan Rojgar Mewlud Murad Contents (Jump to) Introduction What is GSM? GSM Network Architecture What is Roaming? What is GRAN? Requirement need for building GSM Generation of GSM Conclusion References Introduction GSM is a connection between two people − a caller and the called person – is the basic service of all telephone networks. To apply this service, the network must has ability to set up and maintain a call, which includes some tasks: identifying the called person, determining the location, routing the call, and ensuring that the connection is continued until conversation lasts. After the transaction, the connection is terminated. In a fixed telephone network, providing and managing connections is an easy process, because telephones are connected by wires to the network and their location is permanent from the networks’ point of view. Whereas, in a mobile network, the establishment of a call is more complex task, because it doesn’t have wire and permanent location. It enables the users to move by wireless (radio) connection. What is GSM? GSM stands for Global System for Mobile Communication and is an open, digital cellular technology transmits mobile voice and data services. It is a  digital  mobile telephony system that is widely used technology in the world. The GSM market has more than 70 percent of the worlds digital cellular subscribers. The GSM makes use of narrowband  Time Division Multiple Access (TDMA)  technique for transmitting signals. The GSM was developed by using digital technology. It has an ability to carry 64 kbps to 120 Mbps of data rates. GSM operates at either the 900  MHz  or 1800 MHz frequency band. In Europe, operates in the 900MHz and 1.8GHz bands and in US, operates 1.9GHz and 850MHz bands. The GSM is a circuit-switched system that divides each 200 kHz channel into eight 25 kHz time-slots. Cell phones use GSM network by searching for cell phone towers in the nearby area. GSM carriers have roaming contacts with other GSM carriers and typically cover rural areas more completely. GSM also has the advantage of using SIM (SubscriberIdentityModule) cards. The SIM card, which acts as your digital identity, is tied to your cell phone service carrier’s network rather than to the handset itself. This allows for easy exchange from one phone to another without new cell phone service activation. Today, more than 690 mobile networks provide GSM services across 213 countries and GSM represents 82.4% of all global mobile connections. According to GSM World, there are now more than 2 billion GSM  mobile phone users worldwide. GSM World references China as the largest single GSM market, with more than 370 million users, followed by Russia with 145 million, India with 83 million and the USA with 78 million users. GSM network architecture The GSM network is divided into three major systems: The operation and support system (OSS) The switching system (SS) The base station system (BSS)     Ã‚   GSM network architecture The Operation and Support System (OSS) The OSS stands for operation and support system. The function of OSS is that monitors and controls the system. The aim of OSS is that customer cost-effective support for centralized, regional, and local operational and maintenance activities that are needed for a GSM network. An important task of OSS is to ensure a network overview and support the maintenance activities of different operation and maintenance organizations. The Switching System The switching system (SS) is responsible for performing call processing and  Subscriber-related functions. The switching system (SS) includes some functional units: Home location register (HLR)—The HLR is a database used for storage and management of subscriptions. The HLR stores permanent data about subscribers, including a subscribers service profile, location information, and activity status. When a person buys a subscription, he/she is registered in the HLR of that operator. Mobile services switching center (MSC)—The MSC performs the telephony switching functions of the system. It controls calls to and from other telephone and data systems. Also, it performs toll ticketing, network interfacing, common channel signaling, and others functions. Visitor location register (VLR)—The VLR is a database that contains temporary information about subscribers that is needed by the MSC in order to service visiting subscribers. The VLR is always integrated with the MSC. When a mobile station roams into a new MSC area, the VLR connected to that MSC will request data about the mobile station from the HLR. Later, if the mobile station makes a call, the VLR will have the information needed for call setup without having to interrogate the HLR each time. Authentication center (AUC)—A unit called the AUC provides authentication and encryption parameters that verify the users identity and ensure the confidentiality of each call. The AUC protects network operators from different types of fraud found in todays cellular world. Equipment identity register (EIR)—The EIR is a database that includes information about the identity of mobile equipment that intercepts calls from stolen, unauthorized, or defective mobile stations. The Base Station System (BSS) All radio-related functions are performed in the BSS, which consists of base station controllers (BSCs) and the base transceiver stations (BTSs). BSC—The BSC provides all the control functions and physical links between the MSC and BTS. It is a high-capacity switch that provides functions such as handover, cell configuration data, and control of radio frequency (RF) power levels in base transceiver stations. BTS—The BTS handles the radio interface to the mobile station. The BTS is the radio equipment (transceivers and antennas) needed to Service each cell in the network. BSC controls a group of BTSs. MS MS stands for Mobile Station. It is a combination of terminal equipment and subscriber data. The terminal equipment is called ME (Mobile Equipment) and the subscribers data is stored in a separate module called SIM (Subscriber Identity Module). Therefore, ME + SIM = MS. The SIM card contains an identification number of the user and list of available networks. What is Roaming? Roaming allows a mobile subscriber to automatically make and receive voice calls, send and receive data, or access other services when travelling outside the geographical coverage area of their home network, by means of using a visited network. Roaming is technically supported by mobility management, authentication and billing procedures. Establishing roaming between network operators is based on – and the commercial terms are contained in – dedicated roaming agreements. If the visited network is in the same country as the home network, this is known as national roaming. If the visited network is outside the home country, this is known as international roaming. If the visited network operates on a different technical standard than the home network, this is known as inter-standard roaming. GSM Roaming, which involves roaming between GSM networks, offers the mobile subscriber the convenience of being able to use a single number, a single bill and a single phone. The convenience of GSM Roaming has been a key driver behind the global success of the GSM Platform. The GSMA’s  GSM Coverage Maps  are a unique resource containing information supplied and approved by the members of the Association. The network, services and roaming information are continually updated to reflect the evolving situation worldwide. Interactive coverage maps, updated quarterly, allow you to navigate to see where exactly you can use your phone. What is GRAN? GRANis an abbreviation of  GSMRadio Access Network. It consists of  Base Transceiver Stations  (BTS) and  Base Station Controllers  (BSC). Its purpose is to manage the radio link between  mobile phones  and a  telecommunicationcore network. This access network provides access to both  Circuit switched  (CS) and  Packet switched  (PS) core networks. Aradio access network(RAN) is part of a mobile  telecommunication  system. It implements a  radio access technology. Conceptually, it resides between devices like a mobile phone, a computer, or any remotely controlled machine and provides connection with its  core network  (CN). Depending on the standard, mobile phones and other wireless connected devices are varyingly known as user equipment (UE), terminal equipment, mobile station (MS), etc. RAN functionality is typically provided by a silicon chip residing in both the core network as well as the user equipment. Network Management Subsystem (NMS) The Network Management Subsystem (NMS) is the third subsystem of the GSM network in addition to the Network Switching Subsystem (NSS) and Base Station Subsystem (BSS). The purpose of the NMS is to monitor various functions and elements of the network. The operator workstations are connected to the database and communication servers via a Local Area Network (LAN). The database server stores the management information about the network. The communications server takes care of the data communications between the NMS and the equipment in the GSM network known as â€Å"network elements†. These communications are carried over a Data Communications Network (DCN), which connects to the NMS via a router. The functions of the NMS can be divided into three categories: Fault management Configuration management Performance management These functions cover the whole of the GSM network elements from the level of individual BTSs, up to MSCs and HLRs. Fault management The aim of fault management to detect different type of problems then solve them rapidly. Fault management provides the network operator with information about the current status of alarm events and maintains a history database of alarms. The alarms are stored in the NMS database and this database can be searched according to criteria specified by the network operator. Configuration management The purpose of configuration management is to maintain up-to-date information about the operation and configuration status of network elements. Specific configuration functions include the management of the radio network, software and hardware management of the network elements, time synchronization, and security operations. Performance management In performance management, the NMS collects measurement data from individual network elements and stores it in a database. On the basis of these data, the network operator is able to compare the actual performance of the network with the planned performance and detect both good and bad performance areas within the network. Requirement need for building GSM Hardware and software A typical GSM base station, can’t do anything without a suite of components that maintain databases, perform call- ­switching functions, and so forth. This infrastructure is expensive (typically around $250,000) and complicated to configure, and it needs to be stored in an air-conditioned room. Obviously, that’s impractical in the kinds of places  ­OpenBTS is designed for. As a result, the system replaces much of the physical infrastructure of the core network with VoIP software–in this case, an open-source program called Asterisk that can be installed on any off-the-shelf PC. IP Connection Cell-phone users on an OpenBTS network can reach each other even if the system isn’t connected to the Internet, but reaching someone outside the network requires an Internet connection. On Niue, the group used five-gigahertz IP radios to link the BTS unit to Telecom Niue’s wired Internet infrastructure, four kilometers away. Burgess says that response time can get a bit sluggish if the Internet connection isn’t very good, but it doesn’t take much bandwidth to make the system functional. Power supply The system deployed on Niue draws about 60 watts of power, supplied by three marine batteries of the type that many locals use on their boats. Because the system’s power requirements are so low, Burgess says, a base station could also run on solar or wind power. GSM  handset OpenBTS re-creates the technology behind GSM (the global system for mobile communications), which is used by the majority of mobile phones in the world. Any GSM phone will â€Å"see† an OpenBTS network as a standard cell network and interact with it normally. Antenna Like any cell network, an OpenBTS system requires an antenna to facilitate signaling. Different types of antennas can be used, according to the range the operator wants the network to have. Generation of GSM First generation technology(1G) First-generation mobile systemsused analog transmission for speech services. It offered handover and roaming capabilities, but it was unable to interoperate between countries. So, this is disadvantage of first-generation. Second generation technology(2G) Second generation mobile system used digital transmission. It able to use handover and roaming capabilities. It uses FDMA, TDMA, and CDMA. Third generation technology(3G) Third generation technology has fast data transfer rate. It enables to add services like mobile television, GPS, and video conferencing. Services include a wide area wireless voice telephony, video call, and broadband wireless data, all in mobile environment. Fourth generation technology(4G) Fourth generation technologyhas more bandwidth and services than 3G. The expectation for the 4G technology is the high quality audio/video streaming overend to end Internet Protocol, and work at 100 Mbps for mobile users and upto 1 Gbps over fixed stations. The word â€Å"MAGIC† also refers to 4G wireless technology which stands for Mobile multimedia, Any-where, Global mobility solutions over, integrated wireless and Customized services. Fifth generation technology (5G) Fifth generation technology has changed the means to use cell phones within very high bandwidth, high connectivity, and has extraordinary data capabilities. User never experienced ever before such a high value technology. The 5G technologies include alltype of advanced features which makes5G technology most powerful and in huge demand in near future. 5G technology including camera, MP3 recording, video player, largephone memory ,dialing speed, audio player and much more you never imagine. 5G technology going to be a new mobile revolution in mobile market, so may be incoming days 5G technology takes over the world market. Conclusion Year by year, the GSM system improves and its subscribers increases around the world. It divides into three main parts that are OSS, SS, and BSS. These parts include some important department that manages the system, stores information of users, and another tasks. GSM has ability to roam worldwide and has roaming agreements in place with foreign operators globally. So, users can easily use their same SIM in another cities or countries. GSM network facilitate easier access to cellular and satellite platforms across international lines. Using digital technology, it employs both speech and data channels in its system. In addition, GSM has network management subsystem that detects problems and solves them, maintains information up to date, and detects good and bad performance of a network. References http://searchmobilecomputing.techtarget.com/definition/GSM http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/GSM_radio_access_network http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Radio_access_network http://www.gsma.com/aboutus/gsm-technology/roaming https://www.eff.org/files/filenode/global_system_for_mobile_communication_technology.pdf http://www.tutorialspoint.com/gsm/gsm_overview.htm http://cellphones.about.com/od/phoneglossary/g/gsm.htm http://www.academia.edu/3099956/Generations_of_Wireless_Communication._From_0G_to_5G_Abhi http://www.technologyreview.com/hack/418552/build-your-own-cellular-network/

Sunday, October 13, 2019

Douglas MacArthur Essay -- essays research papers

Douglas MacArthur was a US soldier, born in Little Rock, Arkansas, USA. The son of a Union army hero during the Civil War (they are the only father and son to win the Congressional Medal of Honor) and a mother ambitious for his success, he trained at West Point (1903), rose steadily in the army, and demonstrated his bravado on a secret mission to Mexico (1914). In World War 1 he commanded a brigade in combat in France (1918), where he earned a reputation for bravery (wounded three times) as well as foppery - he carried a muffler and a riding crop into the line, but not a helmet or a gas mask. After serving as the superintendent of West Point (1919–22), he completed his second tour of duty in the Philippines. Appointed army chief-of-staff in 1930 (the youngest ever), he offended liberal-...

Saturday, October 12, 2019

Great Gatsby Essay -- essays research papers fc

F. Scott Fitzgerald's 'The Great Gatsby' / Gatsby's Desire for Daisy exploring why Gatsby had such an obsessive desire for Daisy. The writer purports that Gatsby began by pursuing an ideal, not the real woman. In fact, he could not recognize the type of person she had become since they last saw each other. Gatsby lives in a dream world and Daisy is part of that dream. As the novel progresses, however, Gatsby's feelings change. Bibliography lists Fitzgerald's The Great Gatsby : The Role of Nick Carraway as a Character in the Novel In 5 pages, the author discusses F. Scott Fitzgerald's 'The Great Gatsby,' and the role that Nick Carraway played as a character in the novel. When determining the role of Nick Carraway as he was used in this book, one must consider that he is a contrast to Gatsby. One is dark and the other is light. One is rich and materialistic. The other is representative of America's traditional moral codes. Nick Carraway is the novel's main catalyst, for not only telling the story, but also for showing the differences in society. Without Nick Carraway's influence, 'The Great Gatsby' would not have nearly the same effect. No additional sources are cited. Filename: Pcfsfnc.doc F. Scott Fitzgerald's 'Great Gatsby' / Corrupt Vision Of The American Dream This 5 page report discusses F. Scott Fitzgerald's 1925 novel 'The Great Gatsby' and explains the ways in which Gatsby presents a twisted and corrupted version of the 'great American...

Friday, October 11, 2019

Company Law Legal Organisations Essay

Introduction Thor plc is a Public Limited registered company as per the provisions of Companies Act 1985, listed in London Stock Exchange.   A public limited company must have at least two directors to manage the business affairs of the company apart from a qualified company secretary.   Further public limited companies are also permitted to offer shares to the public to raise funds by way of public offer of shares to a minimum value of   Ã‚ £50,000. Thor plc is a commercial catering company   which has both shares and debentures to its credit.   A public limited company is governed by its Memorandum and Articles of Association which details the entire internal and external boundaries of a director beyond which a director cannot act in any manner.   Chapter 2 Section 171-177 of Companies Act 2006   provide about scope and nature of general duties of a director. Some of the important general duties are : Duty to act within powers and in accordance with the company’s constitution (M&A) and exercise powers dutifully.(Sec.171) Section 172 states that a director must promote and work to the success of a company in bona fide and in good conduct for any long term decisions, in the interests of company employees, fostering the business relationship with business suppliers, customers and others, consider the company’s operations, its impacts on environment     and community.   A director must have interest to maintain the reputation of the company. Section 173 states that a director has the power to exercise independent judgment which is in accordance with the provisions and compliance of legal provisions enabled by Companies Act 2006 and authorized by Company’s constitution and which is not restricted and in contradiction with the agreement entered into between the director and the company. Section 174 states that a director must exercise reasonable care, skill and diligence. Section 175   provides that a director is in a position to always avoid a conflict of interest. Section 176 provides that a director must not accept any benefits   from third parties. Third parties means a person other than the company, a person acting on behalf of a company, an associate body or a body corporate. Section 177 provides that a director can always declare interest in a proposed transaction or arrangement. The proposed interest must be disclosed or declared either in a meeting with other directors, by a notice to other directors in accordance with Section 184   (notice in writing) or Section 185 (general notice). A director need not disclose interest in case the director is of the opinion that (a) the proposed interest for a transaction may give rise to a conflict of interest. (b) To an extent, if other directors are aware of transaction. ( c) The proposal need to be considered in a meeting of directors or by a committee of directors appointed for this purpose under company’s constitution. Section 178 deals with civil consequences of breach of general duties by   a director. Companies Act 1985 imposes a statutory prohibition that it is a criminal offence if a director without the prior permission of the Board, considers an option to sell or buy shares or debentures.   Insider trading is a criminal offence under Financial Services Act 1986 as per sections 61-62A when a private investor or person suffers a loss from breach of statutory duty which is caused by a director. Under Criminal Justice Act 1993 Part V, if a person knowingly commits insider trading, it will be considered as offence if, buy or sell shares is performed in a regulated market, where there is intermediary professional. Encourages another person to deal with such proposals of insider trading. Disclosure of information to persons who are outside of office, employment or profession. All the above offences are penalized either with fine or imprisonment of up to seven years. Mary in the capacity of a director, is entitled to sell Thor Plc shares which are held by Mary in the position of a director only after the prior intimation to the Board and after a resolution has been passed to that extent that certain number of shares held by Mary, the director of Thor plc can be sold. Mary has committed a serious offence by neither intimating the Board about selling of shares, nor took the consent of the Board in which case,   Mary has invited penalties under Companies Act 2006. Further, Mary has also encouraged another shareholder Graham to sell shares by revealing the confidential business information about the company which is also another serious offence which was not supposed to be performed by a director who is in the Board of a company. Mary as director has violated all the legal rules of Companies Act 2006 and has violated the rules of Thor plc. In view of the above, Mary is either required to pay a penalty or seek assistance from a legal practitioner 2(a) In October 2008, certain of the codified directors’ duties come into force. Explain briefly the relevant fiduciary duties which will be applicable prior to that date Directors have the major decision making power in a company. No other position in a company is greater than the position of a director.   The duties of directors are designed in a way that companies’ interests are protected, shareholders interests are protected in order to make corporate business as transparent and efficient.   There are many rules, statutory duties and fiduciary duties for a director’s position which have to be fulfilled in accordance with Companies Act 1985 and as amended by Companies Act 1989.   The government is of the opinion that codification of directors’ duties which are included in the Companies Act 2006, which was granted permission from Royal Assent on 8th November, 2006, ensures the law to be consistent and also enables directors to not to breach any duty that is written in law. Prior to the codification of directors’ duties, the fiduciary duties were prevalent which are briefly explained as below. Further fiduciary duties are of two categories. (1) Duty to act in good faith in the interest of the company and not for any collateral purpose. (2) Duty to not to permit conflict of personal interest with that of duties to be discharged as director of a company.   Ã‚  Fiduciary duties can never be breached by a director wherein case, the director would be held responsible for any loss suffered thereof.   Any profit or loss that is made from the discharge of duties by   a director, must be disclosed to the company in all respects.   Directors owe duties to the company only and not to individual members.   A director must disclose any interest in a proposed contract or a contract in a meeting of the directors of the company.   Director’s service contract must be kept available for inspection by the members.   Service contracts for more than five years must be approved in a general meeting.   Further a director must notify the company about any personal interest in shares of the company.   Personal liability for a director is more when   a director is participating directly or indirectly in fraudulent trading in the event of a company being liquidated or wrongful trading when a company is being declared as an insolvent and the court holds director as liable. When a company is in insolvent liquidation, the directors of the company are not eligible to incorporate another company in the same name or similar to the existing name for a term of five years. In case if a director is floating another company with the similar name, director becomes personally liable for the debts of such new company. Further an officer or director who signs cheques or orders for goods on behalf of the company is also held personally liable for all the transactions of the company, when the name of company does not appear on cheques or order documents.  Ã‚   Company records have to be kept at the registered office for inspection of company law officials or such other authorized persons as per Companies Act 2006. Fiduciary duties of a director are of equal source of personal liability as that of general duties of a director.   All fiduciary duties are self-explanatory whereas all general duties are specific and task-oriented for each director.   Breach of director’s duties result in either as offence, personal liability or termination of directorship as per the provisions of Companies Act 2006. There are totally four directors in Edu-con Ltd who are managing the business affairs of the company.   The constitution of Edu-con Ltd is governed by its Memorandum and Articles of Association of the company which details the powers and duties of directors of Edu-con Ltd and further statutory laws and provisions of Companies Act 2006 apply to Edu-con Ltd for both filing the required statutory documents and for detailing the duties of directors of Edu-con Ltd.,   All the four directors of Edu-con Ltd for responsible for execution of general duties as well fiduciary duties of the company. Part 10 Chapter 1 Section 154 – 169 of Companies Act 2006 details about appointment and removal of directors. Chapter 2 of Part 10 Section 170 – 177 of Companies Act 2006 details about general duties of   directors. Section 252 of the Companies Act 2006 details about persons connected with a director. Section 253 of the Companies Act 2006 details about members of director’s family.   Section 254 states about a body corporate with which the director is connected.   Vera Freet lives with her partner, Bertram Boss who owns a business by name â€Å"Bell Agentis†. Vera Freet did not disclose partner Bertram Boss in any Board meeting and neither while selling the land adjacent to â€Å"Bell Agentis† for value  £350,000 to Edu-con Ltd., whereas it is important for a director to disclose about family members and also about any interest in business proposal that is related to the business management of Edu-con Ltd., Wilson Rabbit who is another director of Edu-con Ltd., has earned a commission of  £900 for awarding a printing contract to Bees Books Ltd.,   In this aspect, Companies Act 1985 states that disclosure of transactions that are within a sum of    £1000 in a financial year need not be disclosed by a director as long as it is a secret commission in terms of monetary benefit earned by a director. It is also important that the acts of directors are within the purview of Articles of Edu-con Ltd., and considered not as an offence.   However it is important that the Board must be notified about the paying of commission by Bees Books Ltd., to the director even though it is a small amount,   for all good purposes and to keep the transparency of the transactions. According to the EU Directive when a company is taken over by another company, existing board or change in board effects the value of   the company. In the present case, Edu-con Ltd has been taken over by another company, and subsequently there is also a change in the board members which means the existing four directors of Edu-con Ltd no longer carry the position of director. Any transactions that are still in term period do not hold good when a director ceases as board member which is relevant in the case of   Wilson Rabbit who has been receiving commission from Bees Books Ltd for printing contract. Similarly the land that is acquired from Bell-Agentis can also be reconsidered whether it should be retained by the new board members.   The new board has every right and authorized to write-off all the transactions that were exercised by previous board basing on the interest of the new board and for making the business good. Conclusion Companies Act 2006 is yet to come into force effectively by the end of the year 2008 as there are many changes in Company Reform Bill to bring order to all the existing UK companies and for all the new companies that are being incorporated. However it is important to always refer Companies Act 1985 as well Companies Act 2006 for deriving the maximum benefits in the matters related to directorships and financial related matters. References Companies Act, 2006 Reviewed 14 April 2008 http://194.131.210.216/eappub/includeimages/2007041722C1FAUHD_Companies%20Act%202006.pdf Company Law guide http://www.youngandpearce.co.uk/corporat.htm Companies Act 2006 and duties of directors Reviewed 17 April 2008 http://www.bytestart.co.uk/content/legal/35_2/companies-act-directors-duties.shtml Companies Act, 2006 Reviewed 14 April 2008 http://www.opsi.gov.uk/acts/acts2006/pdf/ukpga_20060046_en.pdf Explanatory Notes to Limited Liability Partnerships Act 2000 Chapter 12 Reviewed 14 April 2008 http://www.opsi.gov.uk/ACTS/acts2000/en/ukpgaen_20000012_en_1 Partnership Act, 1890 Reviewed 14 April 2008 http://www.hmrc.gov.uk/manuals/bimmanual/BIM72505.htm http://www.opsi.gov.uk/ACTS/acts2006/ukpga_20060046_en_1 http://www.opsi.gov.uk/si/si2007/uksi_20072194_en_7 http://books.google.co.in/books?id=zb7VqRT4hOgC&pg=PA44&lpg=PA44&dq=selling+of+shares+by+director+of+a+company+is+a+criminal+offence&source=web&ots=9RfouwoVBz&sig=8REfcxgg1RLBiW-dxrG-4ioh6uw&hl=en#PPA52,M1 UK Government’s new Company Law Reform Bill Reviewed 14 April 2008 http://www.mallesons.com/publications/2005/Dec/8221850W.htm