Five Skills that a Forensic Accountant Needs to Possess Research Paper

Five Skills that a Forensic Accountant Needs to Possess - Research Paper Example The country’s top accredited organization of accountants, AICPA (American Institute of Certified Public Accountants) made a study on what are the top skills for a forensic accountant needs to possess to become effective with his or her job. The respondents of the study were academics and practitioners. a. Analytical and detail oriented Their study revealed that a forensic accountant has to be analytical. Both the academics and practitioners that a forensic accountant must have the analytical proficiency that would provide an invaluable insight to the practitioner in its engagements than the regular auditing and problem solving skills (AICPA a, nd). Frauds are deliberately concealed and uncovering them requires analytical skills and dedication to details in addition to the usual auditing and problem solving skills of accountants. b. Interpretive skills or intuitive investigative skills The ability to interpret data and simplify them were also ranked as the second among accounta nts and academics (AICPA a, nd). They complement the analytical skill of a forensic accountant for this skill allows the practitioner to determine the usefulness of such data. Other respondents called this intuitive investigative skills or the ability to intuitively associate information for it to be useful in any forensic accounting investigation (AICPA a, nd). c. Soft skills/effective oral communicator The ability to communicate effectively was deemed important in the practice of forensic accounting. This is both oral and written communication. This skill is essential for a forensic accountant to possess because the nature of the work requires the practitioner to provide an expert opinion either orally (i.e. giving expert opinion in court of laws, providing consultancy advise to clients) or in a form of a formal written report (AICPA a, nd ). Forensic accounting is such a complex discipline and the ability to simplify information and language that can be easily understood by verif ier of facts or clients is an essential skill. d. Skepticism In the study, some respondents wrote it as â€Å"skepticism† which is essential for an investigative work. This became an important skill of a forensic accountant in cases where the practitioner is tasked to uncover or investigate fraud. e. Ethical Being ethical is ranked as one of the top five skills of a forensic accountant because this skill is â€Å"consistent with the mission of the forensic accountant† (AICPA a, and pg. 11). In plain language, forensic accountants are the antidote to frauds and scams and if they themselves are susceptible to unethical behaviors which they are tasked to investigate and uncover, the general public will be left with nothing to shield them from such undesirable financial practices. In addition to these five skills that a forensic accountant must profess, the practitioner must also have the ability to review large volumes of financial statements and documents. A forensic acc ountant must also be grounded on the various business models that companies use. The practitioner must also be able to prepare and dispense expert reports under a strict timetable (Owojori and Asaolu, 2009).  

Dwi case with multiple fatalities Essay Example for Free

Dwi case with multiple fatalities Essay Driving while being intoxicated is a serious crime. This becomes more serious when the charge is juxtaposed with multiple fatalities including DWI charges. These charges include underage driving, underage drinking, resisting against arrest and public damage. (Kar, 145) Such an incident took place in Middletown in 1999. This is a perfect example of the multiple fatalities while driving. Henry Bitchel was 15 when he crashed his 1966 Ford on a public telephone booth. The officer in charge booked the offence and tried to measure his blood alcohol level suspecting him being drunk. To this Henry resisted and thus offence was created against the law. However with the help of force the officer registered the blood alcohol level was placed in a much higher than the permissible level. (King, 126) Thus four major charges were lodged against Henry. The first was of underage driving without a valid license, the second charge was underage drinking as he was 15 years of age. The third was resisting arrest and it should be stated that Henry could have well done without this one. The last one was damage of public property in form of a telephone booth. The fifth and the main issue that was charged against Henry was the case of drinking while driving. (Lamb, 243-245) It should be noted that the law is enforced for the betterment of civic society and the good of the civilians. Therefore it is evident that the citizen should follow these rules. Otherwise, as in the case of Henry, there could be multiple fatalities including DWI charges and that is a must avoidable scenario. Works Cited: Kar, P; History of US Automobile Market (Kolkata: Dasgupta Chatterjee 2005) pp 145 King, H; Civic Fitness Today (Dunedin: HBT Brooks Ltd. 2005) pp 126 Lamb, Davis; Cult to Culture: The Development of Civilization on the Strategic Strata. (Wellington: National Book Trust. 2004) pp 243-245

Phases of Liquid Crystals

Phases of Liquid Crystals Introduction to Liquid Crystals A liquid crystal is a thermodynamic stable phase characterized by anisotropy of properties Without the existence of a three-dimensional crystal lattice, generally lying in the temperature Range between the solid and isotropic liquid phase, hence the term mesophase. Liquid crystal materials are unique in their properties and uses. As research into this field Continues and as new applications are developed, liquid crystals will play an important role in Modern technology. This tutorial provides an introduction to the science and applications of these materials. The term liquid crystal signifies a state of aggregation that is intermediate between the crystalline solid and the amorphous liquid. As a rule a substance in this state is strongly anisotropic some of its properties and yet exhibits a certain degree of fluidity, which in some case may be comparable to that of an ordinary liquid. The first observations of liquid crystalline or mesomorphic behaviour were made towards the end of the last century by reinitzer and lehmann. What are Liquid Crystals? Liquid crystal materials generally have several common characteristics. Among these are a rodlike molecular structure, rigidness of the long axis, and strong dipole and/or easily polarizable substituents. A dipole is present when we have two equal electric or magnetic charges of opposite sign, separated by a small distance. In the electric case, the dipole moment is given by the product of one charge and the distance of separation. Applies to charge and current distributions as well. In the electric case, a displacement of charge distribution produces a dipole moment, as in a molecule. The distinguishing characteristic of the liquid crystalline state is the tendency of the molecules (mesogens) to point along a common axis, called the director (the molecular direction of preferred orientation in liquid crystalline mesophases). This is in contrast to molecules in the liquid phase, which have no intrinsic order. In the solid state, molecules are highly ordered and have little translational freedom. The characteristic orientational order of the liquid crystal state is between the traditional solid and liquid phases and this is the origin of the term mesogenic state, used synonymously with liquid crystal state. Note the average alignment of the molecules for each phase in the following diagram. A mesogen is rigid rodlike or disclike molecules which are components of liquid crystalline materials. It is sometimes difficult to determine whether a material is in a crystal or liquid crystal state. Crystalline materials demonstrate long range periodic order in three dimensions. By definition, an isotropic (Having properties that are the same regardless of the direction of measurement. In the isotropic state, all directions are indistinguishable from each other)liquid has no orientational order. Substances that arent as ordered as a solid, yet have some degree of alignment are properly called liquid crystals. Liquid Crystal Phases Liquid crystal phases are formed by a wide variety of molecules. They can be divided into two classes, thermo tropic and allotropic. Transitions to thermotropic phases are initiated by changes in temperature, while those to lyotropic phases can also be initiated by changes in concentration. Thermotropic Phases Thermotropic liquid crystals can generally be formed by prolate (calamitic) molecules or oblate (discotic) molecules. Liquid crystal phases formed by calamitic molecules fall into three different categories: nematic, chiral nematic, and smectic. Nematic Liquid Crystal Phase The simplest liquid crystal phase is called the nematic phase (N). It is characterized by a high degree of long range orientational order but no translational order. Molecules in a nematic phase spontaneously order with their (for calamitic molecules) long axes roughly parallel. Schematic diagram of a nematic liquid crystal A uniformly aligned nematic has a preferred direction, often described in terms of a unit vector called the director. More generally a bulk nematic will contain domains. The orientation of the director is constant in each domain but is different in different domains. Viewed under a polarizing microscope the defect regions linking these domains appear as dark threads Chiral Nematic Liquid Crystal Phase Chiral molecules can also form nematic phases called chiral nematic (or cholesteric) phases (N*). This phase shows nematic ordering but the preferred direction rotates throughout the sample. The axis of this rotation is normal to the director. An example of this is shown in Fig (b). The distance over which the director rotates by 360 is called the chiral pitch and is generally of the order of hundreds of nanometres, the wavelength of visible light. A non-chiral nematic phase can be thought of as a chiral nematic with an infinite pitch. Fig (b). Smectic Liquid Crystal Phases Smectic phases have further degrees of order compared to the nematic phase. In the simplest smectic phase, the smectic-A (SmA) phase, the molecules order into layers, with the layer normal parallel to the director. Within the layers, liquid like structure remains, as shown in Fig. 1.3. Closely related to the SmA phase is the smectic-C (SmC) phase. Here the molecules form a layer structure but the long axes of the molecules, and hence the director, lies at an angle to the layer normal, as shown in Fig. 1.4. There are many other smectic phases which have long range order within the layers Smectic phases can also be formed by chiral molecules, leading to chiral smectic phases. Discotic Liquid Crystal Phases Liquid crystal phases formed by discotic molecules fall into three different categories: discotic nematic, discotic chiral nematic, and columnar. The discotic nematic is similar in structure to the calamitic nematic, although in this case the short axes of the molecules tend to lie parallel. The same holds for the discotic chiral nematic phases. Columnar phases are the discotic equivalent of the smectic phase. Here the molecules form columns. In the simplest case the short axes of the molecules lie parallel to the axis of the column and the columns are randomly distributed in space. More complicated discotic phases exist, where the short molecular axes lie at an angle to the column and translational order exists between the columns, analogous to the more complicated smectic phases. Other Thermotropic Phases Most of the phases exhibited by low molecular mass liquid crystals are described above. Recently however there has been much interest in the so-called `banana phases formed by bent-core molecules Some of these phases are chiral although the molecules forming them are achiral. Some high molecular mass polymers, liquid crystalline polymers (LCP), can also form liquid crystal phases. These fall into two categories depending on where the mesogenic part of the molecule is located. If the mesogenic unit is contained within the main polymer chain then it is termed a main chain liquid crystal polymer (MCLCP). These fall into two categories depending on where the mesogenic part of the molecule is located. If the mesogenic unit is contained within the main polymer chain then it is termed a main chain liquid crystal polymer (MCLCP). Lyotropic Liquid Crystal Phases Lyotropic liquid crystal phases are formed by amphiphilic molecules. These often consist of a polar head group attached to one or more non-polar chains and are often known as surfactants (surface active agents). A schematic is shown in Fig. 1.5. When these are dissolved in an appropriate solvent they self-assemble so the polar (hydrophilic) heads protect the non-polar (hydrophobic) tails. These structures are known as micelles. At low surfactant concentrations these are roughly spherical, as shown in Fig. 1.6. As the surfactant Concentration increases then other phases are formed. These include the hexagonal phase where the amphiphiles form cylinders that pack in a hexagonal array and the lamellar phase where the amphiphiles form a bilayer structure. Structure-Property Relationships in Liquid Crystals Despite this there exists only a poor understanding of how changes in molecular structure affect material properties. For liquid crystals this is complicated by several factors. Firstly, liquid crystal phases are formed by materials from the whole spectrum of chemical classes: organic, organometallic, and biological molecules can all form liquid crystal phases. Secondly, mesogenic molecules are generally quite large. A typical low mass mesogen will have from about 40-100 atoms. For liquid crystalline polymers and dendrimers this can be closer to a few thousand atoms. Liquid crystals tend to be flexible. This inhibits crystallization, preventing the direct transition from an isotropic liquid to a crystalline solid. It also leads to a large degree of conformational freedom, so properties are generally determined by more than just the equilibrium structure. Finally liquid crystal molecules often contain disparate parts (such as alkyl and perfluoroalkyl chains) that can have a large effect on the phase behaviour. Investigation of these factors by experimental or theoretical means should hopefully lead to a better understanding of structure-property relationships in liquid crystals. In principle the relationship between molecular structure and macroscopic properties can be investigated through the synthesis of series of similar mesogenic compounds. This however can be time consuming and may involve many difficult and expensive syntheses. Thus, the ability to determine the properties of a molecular structure before synthesis would be desirable. It is here that simulations can play an important role. Simulations on general molecular models can be used to find features that can lead to a particular property or phase. Atomistic simulations can be used to determine material properties of a particular molecular structure. Chemical Properties of Liquid Crystals Liquid crystals can be classified into two main categories: thermotropic liquid crystals, And lyotropic liquid crystals. These two types of liquid crystals are distinguished by the mechanisms that drive their self-organization, but they are also similar in many ways. Thermotropic transactions occur in most liquid crystals, and they are defined by the fact that the transitions to the liquid crystalline state are induced thermally. That is, one can arrive at the Liquid crystalline state by raising the temperature of a solid and/or lowering the temperature of a Liquid. Thermotropic liquid crystals can be classified into two types: enantiotropic liquid crystals, Which can be changed into the liquid crystal state from either lowering the temperature of a Liquid or raising of the temperature of a solid, and monotropic liquid crystals, which can only be Changed into the liquid crystal state from either an increase in the temperature of a solid or a Decrease in the temperature of a liquid, but not both. In general, thermotropic mesophases occur Because of anisotropic dispersion forces between the molecules and because of packing Interactions. In contrast to thermotropic mesophases, lyotropic liquid crystal transitions occur with the Influence of solvents, not by a change in temperature. Lyotropic mesophases occur as a result of Solvent-induced aggregation of the constituent mesogens into micellar structures. Lyotropic mesogens are typically amphiphilic, meaning that they are composed of both lyophilic (solventattracting) And lyophobic (solvent-repelling) parts. This causes them to form into micellar structures in the presence of a solvent, since the lyophobic ends will stay together as the lyophilic ends extend outward toward the solution. As the concentration of the solution is increased and The solution is cooled, the micelles increase in size and eventually coalesce. This separates the newly formed liquid crystalline state from the solvent. A very large number of chemical compounds are known to exhibit one or several liquid crystalline phases. Despite significant differences in chemical composition, these molecules have some common features in chemical and physical properties. There are two types of thermotropic liquid crystals: discotics and rod-shaped molecules. Discotics are flat disc-like molecules consisting of a core of adjacent aromatic rings. This allows for two dimensional columnar ordering. Rod-shaped molecules have an elongated, anisotropic geometry which allows for preferential alignment along one spatial direction. The rod-like low molar mass (LMM) liquid crystals, such as 5CB shown in the following Diagram: require an extended conformation of the molecule which must be maintained through the rigidityand linearity of its constituents. That is, in order for a molecule to display the characteristics of a liquid crystal, it must be rigid and rod-shaped. This is accomplished by the interconnection of two rigid cyclic units. The interconnecting group should cause the resulting compound to have a linear planar conformation. Linking units containing multiple bonds such as -(CH=N)-, -N=N-, -(CH=CH)n-, -CH=N-N=CH-, etc. are used since they restrict the freedom of rotation. These groups can conjugate with phenylene rings, enhancing the anisotropic polarizability. This increases the molecular length and maintains the rigidity. Applications of Liquid Crystals Liquid crystal technology has had a major effect many areas of science and engineering, as well as device technology. Applications for this special kind of material are still being discovered and continue to provide effective solutions to many different problems. Liquid Crystal Displays The most common application of liquid crystal technology is liquid crystal displays (LCDs.) This Field has grown into a multi-billion dollar industry, and many significant scientific and Engineering discoveries have been made. Liquid Crystal Thermometers As demonstrated earlier, chiral nematic (cholesteric) liquid crystals reflect light with a wavelength equal to the pitch. Because the pitch is dependent upon temperature, the color reflected also is dependent upon temperature. Liquid crystals make it possible to accurately gauge temperature just by looking at the color of the thermometer. By mixing different compounds, a device for practically any temperature range can be built. The mood ring, a popular novelty a few years ago, took advantage of the unique ability of the chiral nematic liquid crystal. More important and practical applications have been developed in such diverse areas as medicine and electronics. Special liquid crystal devices can be attached to the skin to show a map of temperatures. This is useful because often physical problems, such as tumors, have a different temperature than the surrounding tissue. Liquid crystal temperature sensors can also be used to find bad connections on a circuit board by detecting the cha racteristic higher temperature Optical Imaging An application of liquid crystals that is only now being explored is optical imaging and recording. In this technology, a liquid crystal cell is placed between two layers of photo conductor. Light is applied to the photoconductor, which increases the materials conductivity. This causes an electric field to develop in the liquid crystal corresponding to the Intensity of the light. The electric pattern can be transmitted by an electrode, which enables the Image to be recorded. This technology is still being developed and is one of the most promising Areas of liquid crystal research. Other Liquid Crystal Applications Liquid crystals have a multitude of other uses. They are used for nondestructive mechanical Testing of materials under stress. This technique is also used for the visualization of RF (radio frequency) waves in waveguides. They are used in medical applications where, for example, transient pressure transmitted by a walking foot on the ground is measured. Low molar mass (LMM) liquid crystals have applications including erasable optical disks, full color electronic slides for computer-aided drawing (CAD), and light modulators for color electronic imaging. As new properties and types of liquid crystals are investigated and researched, these materials are sure to gain increasing importance in industrial and scientific applications.

The personal :: essays research papers

Yahoo! My Yahoo! Mail Welcome, demetriasmith2002 [Sign Out, My Account] Mail Home - Mail Tutorials - Help Mail | Addresses | Calendar | Notepad What's New - Mail Upgrades - Mail Options Check MailCompose Search MailSearch the Web Get unlimited calls to U.S./Canada Folders[Add - Edit] Inbox Draft Sent Bulk (26)[Empty] Trash[Empty] My Folders[Hide] junk What's your Credit Score? See it FREE! Netflix DVD Rentals Delivered! Credit poor? Try us! FREE year's supply of groceries worth $1,800! Previous | Next | Back to Messages Printable View - Full Headers DeleteReplyForwardNot SpamMove... This message is not flagged. [ Flag Message - Mark as Unread ] To: "Donald" From: "Washer Dryer Combos" Add to Address Book Date: Sun, 17 Jul 2005 15:32:28 -0700 Subject: It’s stylish, it’s compact and it’s on us Get a Washer/Dryer Combination for nothing!! See here. You are getting this excellent cyber correspondence you inquired about it or you are a past official member of one of our several online services. If you want to be disconnected from this prominent email service any more. Go ahead and Go Here. The HTML graphics in this message have been blocked. [Show HTML Graphics - Edit Preferences] DeleteReplyForwardNot SpamMove... Previous | Next | Back to Messages Save Message Text Check MailCompose Search MailSearch the Web Move Options [New Folder] Inbox junk Forward Options As Inline Text As Attachment Reply Options Reply To Sender Reply To Everyone Mail Shortcuts Check Mail Ctrl++C Compose Ctrl++P Folders Ctrl++F Advanced Search Ctrl++S Options Help Ctrl++H Address Book Shortcuts Add Contact Add Category Add List View Contacts View Lists Quickbuilder Import Contacts Synchronize Addresses Options Addresses Help Calendar Shortcuts Add Event Add Task Add Birthday

Problem of Young Generation Essay

Although some generational differences have existed throughout history, modern generational gaps have often been attributed to rapid cultural change in the postmodern period  ·Culture is not merely an accumulation of works and knowledge which an à ©lite produces, collates and conserves in order to place it within reach of all, or that a people rich in its  ·past and its heritage offers to others as a model which their  ·own history has failed to provide for them †¦ Culture is not  ·limited to access to works of art and the humanities ; it is at  ·one and the same time the acquisition of knowledge, the  Ã‚ ·Culture is the name for what people are interested in, their thoughts, their models, the books they read and the speeches they hear, their table-talk, gossip, controversies, historical sense and scientific training, the values they appreciate, the quality of life they admire. All communities have a culture. It is the climate of their civilization.  ·Today, teenagers spend more time in front of media than they do sleeping. Between Internet, facebook, cell phones, television and music, the teens are almost always plugged into the media. Media has significant influence over the formation of youth culture. The media culture is dangerous because it provides adults with a way to communicate to youth without permission slips or chaperones. The media culture is not interested in raising young people in virtue and character. Rather, the media exploits youth in order to make money at the expense of their moral character. To see an excellent documentary on how the media exploits youth culture, see the PBS Frontline documentary, Merchant’s of Cool.

Free Essays on Japanese Internment

Right after the Japan’s sneak attack on our naval base at Pearl Harbor fear spread throughout the country. Many feared for their loved ones now joining the Second World War, many feared for the economy, their lives and safety at the home front. The biggest concern with safety at the home front was another attack from Japan. Since we were now a war with Japan many believed that the Japanese living in the U.S were a potential danger. They feared that the Japanese here could help Japan attack the U.S. As the days progressed the fear of the U.S decided to put all Japanese born here or not in relocation camps. Men women and children were stripped of their rights as U.S citizens, lost all their belongings and put in relocation camps where military officials guarded them closely. More than 120,000 Japanese American and Japanese immigrants participated in the Japanese Internment. May 16th, 1942, Gordon Kiyoshi Hirabayashi was at the FBI office in Seattle Washington A few days earlier Gordon had ignored the military order stating that â€Å"all persons of Japanese ancestry† to register for evacuation to the sate fairground at Puyallup, south Seattle. From there they would be shipped to relocation camps in California and Arkansas. He was reminded he could face a year in prison for not cooperation Gordon still refused to register for evacuation, after they offered him one last chance to do so. After being placed in the King County jail a police agent discovered in his briefcase a diary in which Gordon wrote how he had violated curfew orders that kept Japanese Americans off the street in the weeks before evacuation. The find was reported to the U.S attorney general, who quickly filed an additional criminal charge against Gordon for curfew violation. Gordon said he disobeyed the curfew because he â€Å"†¦ received a lift- perhaps it is a release- when I consciously break the silly old curfew.†(70) He also said, â€Å"If I were to register and cooper... Free Essays on Japanese Internment Free Essays on Japanese Internment Right after the Japan’s sneak attack on our naval base at Pearl Harbor fear spread throughout the country. Many feared for their loved ones now joining the Second World War, many feared for the economy, their lives and safety at the home front. The biggest concern with safety at the home front was another attack from Japan. Since we were now a war with Japan many believed that the Japanese living in the U.S were a potential danger. They feared that the Japanese here could help Japan attack the U.S. As the days progressed the fear of the U.S decided to put all Japanese born here or not in relocation camps. Men women and children were stripped of their rights as U.S citizens, lost all their belongings and put in relocation camps where military officials guarded them closely. More than 120,000 Japanese American and Japanese immigrants participated in the Japanese Internment. May 16th, 1942, Gordon Kiyoshi Hirabayashi was at the FBI office in Seattle Washington A few days earlier Gordon had ignored the military order stating that â€Å"all persons of Japanese ancestry† to register for evacuation to the sate fairground at Puyallup, south Seattle. From there they would be shipped to relocation camps in California and Arkansas. He was reminded he could face a year in prison for not cooperation Gordon still refused to register for evacuation, after they offered him one last chance to do so. After being placed in the King County jail a police agent discovered in his briefcase a diary in which Gordon wrote how he had violated curfew orders that kept Japanese Americans off the street in the weeks before evacuation. The find was reported to the U.S attorney general, who quickly filed an additional criminal charge against Gordon for curfew violation. Gordon said he disobeyed the curfew because he â€Å"†¦ received a lift- perhaps it is a release- when I consciously break the silly old curfew.†(70) He also said, â€Å"If I were to register and cooper...

Respiratory Virus essays

Respiratory Virus essays Respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) is a very common virus that causes mild cold-like symptoms in adults and older healthy children. It can cause serious respiratory problems in young babies, especially those born prematurely, who have heart or lung disease, or who are immunocompromised. # RSV was first founded in an outbreak of copious rhinorrhea in a colony of chimpanzees; the chimpanzee coryza agent was soon isolated from human infants with similar illnesses.# Respiratory Synctial Virus (RSV) is an infection that is contagious that resembles the common cold a lot of times. RSV is the most common viral pathogen that causes lower respiratory tract infections in infants.# RSV infection in infancy cause severe bronchiolitis and pneumonia and may incline children to the following development of asthma, the most common chronic illness of childhood. RSV is the most single related cause of pneumonia and bronchiolitis. Epidemics of the virus are seen each winter, 80% of infections typically occur during a three-month period.# The virus is not typically severe during infancy but it is rare if it happens. (As, in my case I was born with the RSV virus and was hospitalized for eighteen days and was put on assisted ventilation.) In infants RSV infection can spread to the bronchial tubes and lungs. The virus can also infect adults, in where the infection can cause viral pneumonia, which is sometimes followed by a bacterial infection of the lower respira tory system.# RSV is the largest single cause of childhood hospitalization and is therefore a major drain on public health resources. Each year more than 90,000 infants are hospitalized with the RSV infection, and nearly 75% of bronchiolitis cases and more than 50% of pneumonia cases are hospitalized also because of the infection.#The infection usually lasts from four to twenty-one days. If the infection is severe it could last a ...

Human Trafficking

Human Trafficking Free Online Research Papers By definition human trafficking is the commerce and trade in the movement or migration of people, legal and illegal, including both legitimate labor activities as well as forced labor. Human trafficking is now one of the fastest growing criminal industries in the world, with the total annual revenue for trafficking in persons estimated to be between $5 billion and $9 billion. The Council of Europe states that people who are being trafficked has reached epidemic proportions over the past decade, with a global annual market of about $42.5 billion. Trafficking victims typically are recruited using deception, fraud, the abuse of power, or outright abduction. Threats, violence, and economic leverage such as debt forgiveness and the promise of a â€Å"good† life can persuade a victim into being exploited. When I first started to research the issue of human trafficking I really did not know as much as I thought I knew about the issue. Soon I started to understand the economics of such a business, how easy it is to make lots of money, how universal the demand, how difficult it is to prosecute. Human trafficking is a low-risk, high-profit enterprise, and because it looks to the casual observer and even to cops like garden variety prostitution, it is tolerated. And worse, it is growing. At the beginning of my research I learned about a girl named Shauna. In Shaunas case, she made friends with a new girl at school. Shauna described the girls so-called father as a guy who hired Shauna and her new friend to clean condos. He always gave them money for the mall and she remembers that he was always very attentive to her. She says she could never have predicted that the man would hurt her. The father turned out to be a trafficker and the new friend was his recruiter. How could a high school girlfriend be part of such a terrible plot? The father or one of his cohorts slipped Shauna a date rape drug in a glass of water. She was beaten and raped repeatedly by a group of men. Shauna says that she remembers talk of money changing hands and a conversation about going to Texas. When she was finally dropped off after her captors were threatened by investigators, she was overdosing on six different drugs and had to be revived three times on the way to the hospital. The trafficking operations are described by law enforcement as being mob-like networks; some are mom and pop, still others are local city-wide networks. The kids are either brought to a prostitution district or they are moved around to large work sites like New Orleans, and the Mississippi coast or they are even moved around to convention cities. They are brought to where there is demand, something which, experts will tell you, exists everywhere across the United States. Research Papers on Human TraffickingThe Relationship Between Delinquency and Drug UseThe Effects of Illegal ImmigrationNever Been Kicked Out of a Place This NiceDefinition of Export Quotas19 Century Society: A Deeply Divided EraHip-Hop is ArtGenetic EngineeringMarketing of Lifeboy Soap A Unilever ProductAssess the importance of Nationalism 1815-1850 EuropeTwilight of the UAW

Yeo soft drinks division SBU strategic market plan Case Study

Yeo soft drinks division SBU strategic market plan - Case Study Example Yeo Hiap Seng soft drinks division was chosen as the strategic business unit in the marketing plan. It is a division of the company in Singapore and it is the unit charged with the soft drinks marketing in the company. Being a large company with different products, YHS (Yeo Hiap Seng) strives to optimize the performance of the company through the individual contribution of the subdivisions.Soft drinks appear to be slowly but steadily overtaking hot drinks as the largest beverage sector in the world (Deloitte, 2008). A report by Zenith international shows that the consumption of the soft drinks is rising by 5% each year. As an industry, soft drinks market is rapidly expanding (Aqua-Trace, 2008). The industry is faced by several market trends and factors that either push or pull them to lead them in the direction that we view them to proceed.The companies operating in this industry are therefore generally faced by several challenges that include ever-changing consumer tastes, in crease d emphasis on products safety and the rising power of the retailers at the global level.Due to the several factors that are considered while having a picture into what happens with this industry, it is important to explore the opportunities for process improvement which could ultimately lead to better quality products and in the process guarantee safety of the product for the consumer while at the same time optimizing resources to provide best profits. A view of all the important industry factors with an eye into the future gives a positive prospect that ultimately secures a company's business or operations in the future. Although United States remains the biggest market currently, Asia likely to be the major driver of the sales in the near future (Deloitte, 2008). The soft drinks industry is pictured by opening into the entire beverage industry. The beverage industry has had its opportunities and challenges. Constant dynamism in consumer demands and preferences, call for new ways of attracting new customers while maintaining the old ones. Since this is the only way to increase sales and consequently achieve growth. The beverage companies strive to court customers, offer high quality products, efficiently distribute them, ensure safety and keep prices low. These must all happen with the eyes still open so as to able to exploit new opportunities by launching new products. The company therefore succeeds by quickly exploiting new opportunities. As a subsection of the beverage industry; the soft drinks market has been growing quite significantly, particularly in the emerging markets which include Asia as a key player

Change management principles Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Change management principles - Essay Example Emmerichs et al (2004) provides a sound definition of workforce planning stating that it is â€Å"an organizational activity intended to ensure that investment in human capital results in the timely capability to effectively carry out the organization’s strategic intent.† (Emmerichs et al, 2004, p. ix) Workforce planning is an active phenomenon in Australian corporation, both in governmental and private-sector organizations. In particular, the Australian health workforce is facing a period of major reform with active participation from various national health workforce advisory committees. The best part is that the Australian government provides full support to the health workforce planning and research activities both at the national and state/territory levels. This paper addresses issues relating to the significant reform the workforce planning is going through and what kind of impact it has on the organizational operations. Besides the issue of organizational behavior is also discussed in the paper. Before going into further details, it is important first to look at the strategic planning objectives and the impacts it has on the organization. Strategic workforce planning can be considered as a recent approach in comparison to traditional human resource planning in an organization. The primary objective of a workforce planning is to analyze as well as forecast workforce skills required by the organization to achieve its relevant business strategies. It is important to mention that a workforce planning benefits extensively from the active participation as well as input of different business units within the organization. To be a successful workforce planning, Emmerichs et al (2004) talk about the inclusion of three important factors in the plan: a) active participation of managers, b) accurate and relevant data, and c) appropriate workload and inventory projection models for the effectiveness of

African american history Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words - 1

African american history - Essay Example She was a victim of slave trade and was sold at the young age of 8 to the wealthy Wheatley family in Boston. The family gave her the name Phillis, and Wheatley was mandatory for her as a surname. They taught her how to read and write, and after seeing her talent in poetry, they encouraged her to pursue it. Many praised her work, amongst them white colonists who could not believe that a slave could write such excellent poetry. She was the first African American woman and poet to publish a book. Her downfall began with the death of her master, John Wheatley, and afterwards the death of her two infant children, then came the imprisonment of her husband, Peter. This made her succumb to illness, and passed away in 1784 due to disease and poverty (Franklin, John and Alfred, 131). This originated from West Africa in 1741. It was a day for slaves to elect black people who would be placed to rule the black communities in power. Those elected by the slaves would include kings, judges, governors and other high officials to rule over them. The slaves were given a day off by their masters to join others in dances and parties. Slaves were made to dress well, as when they dressed badly it would be a bad image for the masters. The selected official was not legally recognized as a leader, but he acted as a go-between between the black people and the whites. He also ensured that the law was upheld in his area of jurisdiction (Melish, 122). It originated from the Southern and Northern states and was an accord reached for the period of the Constitutional Convention in Philadelphia in 1787. This agreement stated that three-fifths of the slaves were considered for taxation and representation in the Congress. It meant that slaves would be considered as human beings and part of the population and not as property. It stated as a dispute as the Northern States did not want slaves to be taken as a section of the population, rather they should be

Run Flat Tyres Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3500 words

Run Flat Tyres - Assignment Example For any car to perfectly work then it entirely depend on; how large the air chamber between the rim and the tire is, the pressure that the tire can support and the strength quality of the tire. In the reflection John & James (2000) thinks that one big technology that has total revolutionized the car industry is the Flat tire technology since this is a type of tire that losses air very slowly that one would not even notice thus enabling the pressure of the tire to be substantially low enough to cope with the new situation. These strong internal construction that is able to withstand the weight of the car in case of a deflation. This type of tire has the capability to take a car even up to a distance of 80km at the speed of 80km/hr. Most of us have probably been faced with most of the that are associated with flat tire; maybe you missed a date, had to change a tire while being rained on because you didn’t want to miss an appoint meant, or your car tire went flat in the middle of nowhere then it’s for the same reasons that made the stake holders to come up with a tire system that could solve most these problems associated flat tire. In their review Anson & Mike (1998) believes that the idea of coming up with a flat tire system dates back to as early as the early 1980s. It was at this time when this idea was applied in a practical situation. This idea then had been applied on Porsches 959 sports cars. The designer of this car built it to be able to cruise to a top speed of 200mph and thus he recommended tire system that would not disintegrate if it lost air pressure at this high speed it was meant to reach. This idea worked for this car and this was what would give the engineers the needed confidenc e to further look into making these tires for all the cars. According to their writing Anson & Mike (1998) they say that the run flat tires were first commercially produced in the year 1935 though quite different from today’s design since it had an

Self-Determination & Nationalist Movements in the Age of the Cold War Essay

Self-Determination & Nationalist Movements in the Age of the Cold War - Essay Example   By reviewing the historical data, it is eminent that most of the countries from the East Asian region are largely affected by the World War II. The impact of World War II has also been fruitful, considering the fact that most of the East Asian nations received independence. Despite this, the newly independent nations and territories have also experienced considerable problems, as these nations are unable to receive any support from other nations. There are large numbers of countries belonging to the East Asian region such as Myanmar, Malaysia, Thailand, Singapore and Vietnam those had received its independence immediately after the World War II.Since, after the World War II those aforementioned countries that experienced tremendous issues relating to political turmoil, ethnic strife, social inequities and weaker economic condition in composition to the Western nations. Vietnam has also experienced similar issues to a considerable extent. It is worth mentioning that prior to the c ommencement of World War II, Vietnam was noted to be under the control of France. During the 19th century, French has arrived in the Indo-China region and intended to establish their colonial state within that particular area. Prior to the outbreak of World War II, France ruled Vietnam as its Kingship country. During the Second World War, Vietnam has been facing numerous problems including poverty, illiteracy, health issues and invaders, which had become a major barrier in the process of the nation’s overall development.

Explain why United States based media conglomerates are so successful Essay

Explain why United States based media conglomerates are so successful on the world media markets - Essay Example Yet, the synthesis between the local and the global in content has become the order of the day as it is successfully adopted and implemented by the United States based media conglomerates. Since media plays a vital role in the cultural lives of millions of people and the fact that media sector is by and large controlled by American interests, there have been arguments in favour of the idea ‘cultural imperialism’. Although the central postulate of cultural imperialism thesis remains valid due to the lopsidedness in the global media market, the so-called cultural imperialism through the American cultural products cannot be seen as one sided as the theorists of cultural imperialism perspective understood it to be. In the light of the recent developments taking place in the media sector, especially the regional media in the developing countries and the changes bought by the new media technologies, this paper intends to examine the case of United States based media conglomerates and their role in what is happening around us. The core concern of the essay is to examine what is remaining relevant with the arguments and concerns regarding American media supremacy and the criticisms provided by the contesting theoretical doctrines from the vantage point of the tremendous transformations occurring with the global media conditions from the very beginning of twenty first century. The term global media denotes the collective of big media players and multinationals working in the integrated global media environment. They spread around the globe and significant share of the national markets and have the ability to pace up the opening up of new markets or even invent emergent markets. However, both global and local media organisations represent the characteristics of each other. Thussu (2007) has asserted that the development of

Run Flat Tyres Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3500 words

Run Flat Tyres - Assignment Example For any car to perfectly work then it entirely depend on; how large the air chamber between the rim and the tire is, the pressure that the tire can support and the strength quality of the tire. In the reflection John & James (2000) thinks that one big technology that has total revolutionized the car industry is the Flat tire technology since this is a type of tire that losses air very slowly that one would not even notice thus enabling the pressure of the tire to be substantially low enough to cope with the new situation. These strong internal construction that is able to withstand the weight of the car in case of a deflation. This type of tire has the capability to take a car even up to a distance of 80km at the speed of 80km/hr. Most of us have probably been faced with most of the that are associated with flat tire; maybe you missed a date, had to change a tire while being rained on because you didn’t want to miss an appoint meant, or your car tire went flat in the middle of nowhere then it’s for the same reasons that made the stake holders to come up with a tire system that could solve most these problems associated flat tire. In their review Anson & Mike (1998) believes that the idea of coming up with a flat tire system dates back to as early as the early 1980s. It was at this time when this idea was applied in a practical situation. This idea then had been applied on Porsches 959 sports cars. The designer of this car built it to be able to cruise to a top speed of 200mph and thus he recommended tire system that would not disintegrate if it lost air pressure at this high speed it was meant to reach. This idea worked for this car and this was what would give the engineers the needed confidenc e to further look into making these tires for all the cars. According to their writing Anson & Mike (1998) they say that the run flat tires were first commercially produced in the year 1935 though quite different from today’s design since it had an

Explain why United States based media conglomerates are so successful Essay

Explain why United States based media conglomerates are so successful on the world media markets - Essay Example Yet, the synthesis between the local and the global in content has become the order of the day as it is successfully adopted and implemented by the United States based media conglomerates. Since media plays a vital role in the cultural lives of millions of people and the fact that media sector is by and large controlled by American interests, there have been arguments in favour of the idea ‘cultural imperialism’. Although the central postulate of cultural imperialism thesis remains valid due to the lopsidedness in the global media market, the so-called cultural imperialism through the American cultural products cannot be seen as one sided as the theorists of cultural imperialism perspective understood it to be. In the light of the recent developments taking place in the media sector, especially the regional media in the developing countries and the changes bought by the new media technologies, this paper intends to examine the case of United States based media conglomerates and their role in what is happening around us. The core concern of the essay is to examine what is remaining relevant with the arguments and concerns regarding American media supremacy and the criticisms provided by the contesting theoretical doctrines from the vantage point of the tremendous transformations occurring with the global media conditions from the very beginning of twenty first century. The term global media denotes the collective of big media players and multinationals working in the integrated global media environment. They spread around the globe and significant share of the national markets and have the ability to pace up the opening up of new markets or even invent emergent markets. However, both global and local media organisations represent the characteristics of each other. Thussu (2007) has asserted that the development of

Review and Critical thinking Essay Example for Free

Review and Critical thinking Essay Review Questions Syncopation is placing emphasis or accents on beats that are unexpected, or, alternatively. Is music that combined the music of marches with the rhythms of African music. The instruments used for ragtime are used in jazz. Cornetist who helped to create jazz music . His music had a loud piercing sound that be heard in the distance. Bebop had faster rhythms and more complex harmonies. A form of jazz that emphasized improvisation. In hot jazz multiple musicians did improvisation, In classic it was one. Critical Thinking Questions Both use improvisation at some point. A difference is that classical music try not to improvise but jazz music use it all the time. A characteristic of jazz is that it uses a of improvisation. Another characteristic is that it has influence from its african roots. What they mean by that is that jazz is Americas music, it was created in america and was given a lot attention. Even the government gave attention to it. Buddy bolden was one of the people to create jazz, not much is know about his music, but some people that heard his music have said it was a loud piercing sound that can be heard from a distance. Improvisation is creating music in the moment by responding to the other players around you. Jazz music uses improvisation almost all the time, most jazz pieces use improvisation.

Motivation in a Pharmaceutical Company in Greece

Motivation in a Pharmaceutical Company in Greece The pharmaceutical sector faces stiff competition but a motivated salesforce can provide competitive advantage and facilitate in consolidating the presence of a firm in a highly regulated market. This study will test the relevance of modern motivation theories in the context of the recent financial crisis and add to the literature. The need for motivating sales representatives in the pharmaceutical sector is discussed in the presence of downward employment pressures on the sector in Europe. This research will attempt to determine the applicability of the extrinsic and intrinsic motivators for salesforce motivation in pharmaceutical firms of Greece. The most significant extrinsic factors determined by literature include salary, opportunity of hierarchical advancement and bonuses, while the most important factors in terms of intrinsic motivation include challenging assignments, flexible work arrangements, team-based job design, verbal recognition, career development and self-efficacy. This research will identify the techniques that can be used to enhance salesforce motivation in pharmaceuticals sector of Greece. Determinants of sales representatives motivation in a Pharmaceutical company in Greece during the current recession 1.0- Introduction The sales representatives working for pharmaceutical firms in Europe face significant probability of downsizing due to the increasing focus on salesforce effectiveness measures as opposed to the traditional approach of placing importance to the size of the salesforce (Herwig 2003, pp. 42-56). The recent financial crisis has also led to the dwindling of jobs in Greece and across the European continent. The pharmaceutical industry is faced with cut-throat competition and a highly motivated salesforce can provide competitive advantage to a firm and facilitate continuing profitability and consolidation of the market share in a highly regulated market (Danner and Ruzicic 2006, pp. 2-5). This research proposal is intended to develop an appropriate approach to measure the significance of the determinants of motivation in the context of Greece and the financial crisis. 1.1- Statement of the problem What factors determine the motivation levels for sales representatives at pharmaceutical firms in Greece given the conditions prevalent during the current financial crisis? 1.2- Aims and Objectives This research aims to determine the interaction of motivational factors for the salesforce teams in pharmaceuticals with changing economic conditions. It will test the relevance of modern motivation theories in their attempt to explain the importance of the determinants of motivation in the context of an impending financial crisis in Greece. The following are the objectives of this research. To identify the factors that help determine the motivation levels for sales representatives unique to the pharmaceutical sector in Greece. To study the cultural factors that influence motivation of sales representatives. To test the impact of a lack of job security on the motivation levels of salesforce in the pharmaceutical sector. To determine the methods of motivation acceptable to sales representatives. To identify the most useful technique that can be used to enhance motivation levels of sales employees. 1.3- Significance of the research There is a scarcity of sector related studies of salesforce motivation in the context of Greece; therefore, this research highlights the debate regarding the importance of motivating sales representatives in the pharmaceutical sector (Shim 2006, pp. 6-8). This study tests the relevance of motivation theories in the context of the recent financial crisis and adds to the modern literature that can be further studied in a regional context. The need for motivating the salesforce in the pharmaceutical sector is discussed in the presence of downward employment pressures on the industry. This study intends to incorporate the cultural differences and their impact on the success of motivation techniques utilised by firms (McAlister and Vandlen 2006, pp. 1-2). 2.0- Literature Review Erez and Isen (2002, p. 1055) use the expectancy theory to predict the motivation level of an individual and test the extent of motivation created in individuals based on their perception that hard work will result in superior performance in terms of rewards, recognition and satisfaction. The study indicated that when the link between performance and outcome is specified, all three components of expectancy motivation are influenced positively (Erez and Isen 2002, pp. 1065-1066). Seijts et al., (2004, p. 227) define goal setting theory as the contention that goal commitment leads to a higher task performance compared to a vague performance goal. The results indicate that goal orientation can complement the motivation created through goal setting and influence an improvement in performance of an employee. Maslow (1954) developed a theory of motivation and personality that provided a hierarchy of needs with the satisfaction of physical needs at the lowest level of hierarchy and self actualisation at the highest level; the theory argued that the first level of hierarchy must be fulfilled before an individual can proceed to the next level. Borkowski (2010, pp.118-124) discussed the ERG theory that provides an alternative approach to the hierarchy of needs by identifying three categories of needs: existence, relatedness and growth. The existence includes all the basic necessities required by an individual to survive, relatedness facilitates the development of relationships in the society and growth relates to achievement and success (Locke and Latham 2006, pp. 265-267). However, the ERG theory suggests that an individual can attain higher levels of hierarchy before fulfilling the lower level of needs. This theory also accounts for the difference in needs between different cultures and societies and caters to the explanation of the frustration-regression principle; implying that an individual may need existence related objects once relatedness is not satisfied (Bernard 1992, pp. 56-59; John 2005, pp. 16-19). McClellands theory of needs suggests that three needs of an individual need to be satisfied including achievement, power and affiliation; individuals are motivated by a combination of these needs and some individuals may exhibit a strong tendency to be motivated by one of these factors (Borkowski 2010, pp. 125). Schultz et al., (2006, pp. 23-27) discuss the equity theory predicts that workers often tend to react to the speed of the individuals surrounding them at work. The study tests the relevance of equity theory in explaining worker motivation and find that workers tend to react to the speed of co-workers but the reactions tend to vary significantly from one individual to another. Malik and Naeem (2009, pp. 26-28) study the motivational preferences of pharmaceutical salesforce in the context of the developing world and identify using a questionnaire analysis that the three most important motivators include pay and fringe benefits, job security and promotion opportunities. It is also found that the motivation created through pay and fringe benefits has similar impact on all demographics. The motivational impact of job security was the highest amongst sales representatives with less than ten years experience owing to the high unemployment and the recent financial crisis. Therefore, it is prescribed that special emphasis should be placed on severance pay, outplacement and early retirement before initiating downsizing of pharmaceuticals salesforce (Woodbine and Liu 2010, pp. 28-30). McAlister and Vandlen (2006, pp. 1-3) highlight the importance of extrinsic and intrinsic motivators for salesforce motivation in pharmaceutical firms. The most significant extrinsic factors found in the study include salary, opportunity of hierarchical advancement and bonuses, while the most important factors in terms of intrinsic motivation include challenging assignments, flexible work arrangements, team-based job design, verbal recognitions, career development and self-efficacy. The study also argues that taking cultural and generational differences into account can also prove to significantly improve salesforce motivation. Singh (2010, p. 72) also studies the importance of intrinsic and extrinsic factors, that may lead to higher job satisfaction in pharmaceutical salesforce and finds that growth, relationships with co-workers, promotion expectation, recognition, job security, operational procedures, delegation and quality of work supervision can lead to significant increase in m otivation (Jansson and Vessman 1997, pp. 202-203). The internal promotion schemes and growth from inside the company can improve motivation amongst salesforce. The study also indicates that demographics have no significant impact on motivation levels in sales force (Gonsalves 2008, p. 3). Longino (2007, pp. 1-13) found that salesforce motivation and performance in pharmaceutical firms is significantly high when an appropriate territorial distribution and design is used by these firms. Danner and Ruzicic (2006, pp. 1-7) argue that pharmaceutical salesforce are no more governed by the size of the team and instead by salesforce effectiveness; the widespread downsizing in the salesforce of pharmaceutical firms around Europe can lead to major concerns regarding job security and de-motivate the sales representatives. Therefore, increasing job security proves to be the most important factor for salesforce motivation in pharmaceuticals during the current financial crisis (Barnett 1999, pp. 6-10). 3.0- Research Methodology The research will utilise a combination of the qualitative and quantitative methods to determine the significance of the factors that lead to increased motivation for sales representatives (Longino 2007, pp. 1-4). The determinants of motivation highlighted by the literature review will be the focus of the analysis in the context of Greece and the recent financial crisis. The measurement of the impact of these factors on motivation levels will be quantitative; however, the research will be reinforced by a qualitative analysis of the motivation techniques used by pharmaceutical firms using a case study approach (Hongchatikul 2008, pp. 12-13). The secondary research will examine the literature that focuses on developing innovative means for handling sales representatives with different profiles and segments. Primary data for this research will be collected by developing a questionnaire for the sales representatives working at pharmaceuticals firms. 3.1- Sampling Methodology The sampling methodology chosen for this study involves a multi-stage sampling process involving two distinct phases of selection process of the firms used for analysis (Alan 2011, pp. 21-26). The initial stage involves the selection of the sectors that are the focus of this research; this is based on conscious selection of the large scale pharmaceutical firms operating in Greece. The second stage includes the selection of the sales representatives for questionnaires using a non-probability sample as the goal is to select a maximum size for the sample and the minimum sample size will be a hundred sales representatives (Gordy 2000, pp. 139-148). The research may also involve interviews with pharmaceutical firm managers depending on the resources and the cooperation available from the companies. 3.2- Resources The dissertation will accomplish a review of the literature on sales force motivation, motivation techniques and the impact of a recession on sales force motivation levels. The research resources include eminent online journals including the Science Direct, Blackwell Synergy, Jstor, Ebrary, Springer Link, Ingenta Connect, Google Books and Google Scholar, and the books and publications available at the library. The resource pool will be filtered after conducting a preliminary review of the literature available and the relevant literature will be sorted for inclusion into the dissertation. 3.3- Ethical Obligations It is crucial to uphold the integrity of research process and the ethical conduct of the researcher is manifest from the fact that a replica of all the literature and data used for the research will be maintained and made available upon request. The contact to the moral risks posed during the exploration process is also diminished by certifying that the researcher uses a manageable sample for case analysis to be able to conduct an in-depth analysis of the motivation techniques used by the selected firms (Nelson 2004, pp. 4). 4.0- Conclusion The research on salesforce motivation in the pharmaceuticals sector in Greece will not only add to the existing pool of literature on salesforce motivation but it will also create interest in the testing of modern theories of motivation and the impact of the recent financial crisis on the determinants of salesforce motivation (Iguisi 2009, pp. 147-149). This provides incentive for sector based studies on salesforce motivation and an opportunity to compare the results obtained in different industries and across diverse cultures and economies. References Alan, B., (2011). Business research methods. Oxford: Oxford University Press. Barnett, C., (1999). Motivation theories: Integration. New Hampshire: Whittemore School of Business and Economics, University of New Hampshire. Bernard, W., (1992). Human motivation: Metaphors, theories and research. Michigan: Sage Publishers. Borkowski, N., (2010). Organisation behaviour in healthcare. Sudbury: Jones and Barlett Publishers. Danner, S., and Ruzicic, A., (2006). The European pharmaceutical industry: Delivering sales excellence in turbulent times A roadmap for getting the basics right and exploring the future. Munich: Roland Berger. Erez, A., and Isen, A., (2002). The influence of positive effect on the components of expectancy motivation. Journal of Applied Psychology, Vol. 87 (6), pp. 1055-1067. Gonsalves, B., (2008). Retaining and motivating your sales force in Asia. New York: Mercer Series. Gordy, M., (2000). A comparative anatomy of credit risk models. Journal of Banking and Finance, Vol. 24 (1), pp. 119à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â‚¬Å"149. Herwig, J., (2003). Motivate and reward: Performance appraisal and incentive systems for business success. New York: Palgrave MacMillan. Hongchatikul, U., (2008). The impact of organisational development interventions on employee commitment and motivation and customer satisfaction: A case study. Bangkok: Graduate School of Business, Hua Mak Campus. Iguisi, O., (2009). Motivation related values across cultures. African Journal of Business Management, Vol. 3 (4), pp. 141-150. Jansson, S., and Vessman, J., (1997). The industrial point of view: Competence development in Pharmaceutical industry. American Journal of Pharmaceutical Education, Vol. 61, pp. 202-203. John, M., (2005). Organizational behaviour I. Essential theories of motivation and leadership. New York: M.E Sharpe Incorporation. Locke, E., and Latham, G., (2006). New directions in goal setting theory. Current Directions in Psychological Science, Vol. 15 (5), pp. 265-268. Longino, E., (2007). Sales management control, territory design, sales force performance, and sales organisational effectiveness in pharmaceutical industry. Boca Raton: Eric Longino. Malik, M., and Naeem, B., (2009). Motivational preferences of pharmaceutical sales force: Empirical evidence from Pakistan. Pakistan Economic and Social Review, Vol. 47 (1), pp. 19-30. McAlister, R., and Vandlen, C., (2006). What types of rewards or recognition practices motivate individuals to be creative and innovative, particularly those in RD functions whose products are developed over long time periods? Cornell: Cornell University. Nelson, K., (2004). Motivating high performance in pharmaceutical sales teams: Key compensation and team process factors. New York: Lantern Group. Rye, D., (1998). 1,001 ways to inspire: your organization, your team, and yourself. Victoria: Castle Books. Schultz, K., Schoenherr, T., and Nembhard, D., (2006). Equity theory effects on worker motivation and speed on an assembly line. Boston: Harvard Business School. Seijts, G., Latham, G., Tasa, K., and Latham, B., (2004). Goal setting and goal orientation: n integration of two different yet related literatures. Academy of Management Journal, Vol. 47 (2), pp. 227-239. Shim, S., (2006). Adoption of pharmaceutical sales force automation systems: An exploratory study. South Orange: Stillman School of Business, Seton Hall University. Singh, V., (2010). Job satisfaction among pharmaceutical sales force in South Africa: A case with special reference to Cape Town. Ä °Ãƒâ€¦Ã… ¸letme AraÃ…Å ¸tÄ ±rmalarÄ ± Dergisi, Vol. 2 (2), pp. 63-74. Woodbine, G., and Liu, J., (2010). Leadership styles and the moral choice of internal auditors. Electronic Journal of Business Ethics and Organisation Studies, Vol. 15 (1), pp. 28-35.

Opposites Attract Essay -- Personal Narrative Essays

Opposites Attract    Perhaps we all have the same memory of the first boy-girl party we attended. The floors were waxed, the music loud, the air thick with the smell of cologne. The boys stood on one side of the room and the girls on the other, each affecting a nonchalance belied by the shuffling male loafers and the occasional high birdlike sound of a female giggle.    Eventually, one of the taller, better-looking boys, perhaps dogged by two slightly shorter, squeakier acolytes, would make the big move across the chasm to ask the cutest girl to dance. Eventually, one of the girls would brave the divide to start a conversation on the other side. We would immediately develop a certain opinion of that girl, so that for the rest of our school years together, pajama parties would fairly crackle when she was not there.    None of us would consciously know it then, but what we were seeing, that great empty space in the center of the floor as fearful as a trapdoor, was the great division between the sexes. It was wonderful to think of the time when it would no longer be there, when the school gym would be a great meeting ground in which we would mingle freely, girl and boy, boy and girl, person to person, all alike. And maybe that's going to happen sometime in my lifetime, but I can't say I know when.    I've thought about this for some time, because I've written some loving things about men, and some nasty things too, and I meant them all. And I've always been a feminist, and I've been one of the boys as well, and I've given both sides a pretty good shot. I've spent a lot of time telling myself that men and women are fundamentally alike, mainly in the service of arguing that women... ... we still managed to pick partners and dance. It's the dance that's important not the difference (I shouldn't leave out who leads and who follows. But I speak to that from a strange perspective, since any man who has ever danced with me can attest to the fact that I have never learned to follow.)    I have just met the dance downstairs. My elder son has one of his best friends over, and he does not care that she is a girl and she does not care that he is a boy. But she is complaining that he is chasing her with the plastic spider and making her scream and he is grinning maniacally because that is just exactly the response he is looking for, and they are both having a great time. Two children raised in egalitarian households in the 1980s. Between them the floor already stretches, an ocean to cross before they can dance uneasily in one another's arms.

Adolph Coors :: Biography Biographies

Adolph Coors My Personal Interest: The Rise and Fall (Literally) of Adolph Coors After already sharing my thoughts of my family, and myself, I felt as though neither of my favorite personal interests would accomplish the task at hand. It was Saturday afternoon, and I still didn’t have a good personal interest topic to write about. I started mind-mapping, writing every topic I could think of, including: The Real Civil War; Mental Instability – Possession or Illness; Finding the Perfect Home – Mortgage and All; and even The lightning Capital: Why Here? Then I realize I must dismantle the subject, so as to fit it on only 3 or 4 pages. The project is becoming a lot tougher than I anticipated; I start scratching out ideas. A half hour later, I have a page with many scribbles, no topics, confusion, and thirst. I walk swiftly and irritably, to the refrigerator, open the door, and grab a cold, wet, Coors Light, tall can. I found my personal interest topic. There in my hand, I was holding history: â€Å"The Rise and Fall, Literally, of Ado lph Coors. I try to imagine the thoughts of Adolph Coors as he was plunging 6 stories to his death. How or why would he have fallen from a beautiful Virginia Beach hotel-room? In the past 9 years, the prohibition of 1920 had made life more difficult, but could Adolph’s desires and ambition end this way? Throughout his entire life he showed nothing less than a strong driving force in everything he attempted and accomplished. On February 4, 1847, Adolph was born in Barmen, Prussia. His parents passed away only 15 years later. Finding necessity for a quick occupation, Adolph started an apprenticeship at the Henry Wenker Brewery. The ambitious young man paid for his apprenticeship by working at the brewery as a bookkeeper. He completed his apprenticeship in a short three years, 1 year less than expected. This would be young Adolph’s first of many overachievements. After finishing his lessons, he worked at three other breweries in the area until 1868, when avoiding a military draft seemed necessary. He then left for the bright stars and stripes of America. Stowing away, he landed at Port Baltimore, Maryland. For the next 5 years, Adolph worked in several industries, ranging from gardening to his first love, brewing.

City Demographics and Crime Profile Essay

Houston is the largest city in Texas and the fourth largest city in the United States. According to 2009 census, the city had a population of approximately 2. 2 million people and the city occupies a space of 600 square miles. Houston is a multi-cultural state due to the fact that the city is a host to many academic institutions and many industries. Houston city has large number of young population and this has been contributed to by an influx of immigrants in the state. More than 90 languages are spoken in Houston (Miller, and Larry, 2008) The city is ranked third among the cities with large number of Hispanics and Mexican-American in the United States. The city scores high number of Hispanics in the state of Texas. The city also has high numbers of illegal emigrants who mostly reside in the Greater Houston area. Houston has the largest number of Nigerian-American population in United States and they constitute more than 2% of the population. The city a median household income of $36,616 where as the median income for a family is 40,443. emales have a median income of $27,371 while men has a median of $32,084. 16 percent of families and 19 percent of the population live below the poverty line. The city is home to many emigrants from Asia with more than 30,000 emigrants in 2007. Crime in Houston increases as one goes to the outer highways. It is therefore advised that people walk with care when taking highways in the outskirts of the city since harassment tend to be more common in areas that are outlining Interstate Hig hway 45from Southern Beltway to the northern belt. Crimes in these areas include shootings, muggings, and robberies. Many people in Houston tend to ignore threats but people are mostly advised that some to accomplish their threats. The most notorious district that people are advised to avoid is the Westchase which consist of Hillcroft past Westheimer and Daury Ashford. Mission Bend is safe and all is required is caution. Richmond and the West Oaks area hwy 6 all the way to 1 Stebner Airline is generally safe (Miller, and Larry, 2008). Staying in Hotels near Williowbrook, Tombal, Cy-Fair, Spring and the surrounding area is relatively safer since there are fewer panhandlers as compared to areas around Galleria. Bellaire and West University are also good areas but people are advised to avoid Beechnut, Chimney Rock and 610. The more one moves from town, the it becomes risky to walk at night. Areas such as Wards, Gulfton, Fondren South West and Sharptown are risky at night and it even advised to walk with caution during the day. Houston was ranked 46th city in United States in murder cases as per 2005 and the rate of murder per capita rate is 16. 3. The murder rate for the city is ranked third among cities in the United States with a population of more than 1,000,000. Even though cases of murder have been on the increase, non-violent crimes have significantly reduced by 2% in 2005. Some media sources have attributed the increasing crime rate on the aftermaths of Katrina. Houston is also one of the major drug hubs in the United States; traffickers use the city to supply marijuana, cocaine, heroin, methamphetamine, and MDMA to distributors in other cities in the United States. Houston is in top position in state of Texas in auto-theft. In 2007 alone, 31,000 motor vehicles were stolen in the metropolitan area of Houston (Wallman, 2006) Due to the mix in population in the city, there is high rate of crimes and this has given the police department to control crime. Illegal emigrants in Houston makes crime rates hard to control.

Sample Sop for Iit Madras

If one were to ask my friends to describe me they would call me a very pleasant, diverse, active and intelligent woman. My outstanding   academic performance at school , active participation in academics with strong quantitative and analytical abilities,   in addition to good leadership and communication skills earned for me   the â€Å"Young Student Scientist† title from the Ministry of Human Resource Development from among the thousands of students who applied for it nationally. Throughout my student career,   I have been a top ranker. I was in the top 0. % of  Ã‚   all engineering aspirants in my state, which secured me a place in   Government College of Engineering, one of the premier engineering institutions   in India. My four years of undergraduate studies   and my exposure to various aspects of curricular, co and extra curricular activities have   given a strong foundation to my analytical skills. My deep interest in   complex and intricate coding a nd the application of basic math skills have   enabled   me to channel my quantitative and conceptual skills in analysing business issues. I have always enjoyed being   appreciated by the faculty members for my diverse interests and accomplishments. During these four years   of engineering studies, I interacted with students from different states of varied cultural and social backgrounds. Working with these students on group   assignments, presentations, food festivals and other events taught  Ã‚   me to be   more tolerant, open minded and empathetic. It   made me a better team player. I am interested in factors that affect the competitive performance of a business concern and the manner in which changes   in technology affect an organization's structure and long-term business strategy. I am determined to become a   powerful business Analyst and 10 years down the line I want to be the creator of a world class IT company. In order to gain an appreciation of these and related issues, it is essential for me to have a strong grounding in   Management. This would enable me to understand better the   complexities that lie behind the working of an organization and broaden my horizons, so that my avenues are not restricted to a particular trade or industry. I have come to the conclusion that studying at INDIAN INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY-MADRAS will definitely be the catalyst in putting me on the road to success.

Managing Transitions Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Managing Transitions - Essay Example Therefore, if change is inevitable, the question the author brings up is how to manage the transition so that the change occurs smoothly. The change, according to the author, is an event, an inescapable event. Company CEO's eventually age and retire. Or an entire industry, such as the automotive industry in the US, is adversely affected by costs spiraling out of control over a long period of time, which results in a financial crisis for the entire industry. No longer is business a usual possible. The question addressed by the author is this - when these events confront the business, what is the process of change which will allow the business or organization to transition smoothly through the change, and become stronger as a result. The marketplace is littered with examples of companies which did not succeed in answering this question. They did not succeed, according to the author, because the change process is a cultural, and psychological - social process, and not simply an event. For example, when a new CEO takes the reigns of a company, he of she does so with new ideas, and the desire to expand the business to new markets and new customers. By definition, this means that the company must change; they must transition out of an existing psycho-social culture and take on a new one which is representative of the new leader. This is a process that often takes years. The company that understands this, and manages the transition well, remaining productive with existing business while creating new opportunities is the company which succeeds. The company which allows the transition to consume valuable resources which are needed to 'feed' the existing business often winds up 'starving' its current clients, or pushing its people past the point of effectively. The results are declining productivity, profits, and can result in the total implosion of a business. The author uses the three step model for managing change which has been identified since 1935. First called the "unfreeze, change, refreeze' model by Kurt Lewin. Lewin used the example of changing the shape of an ice cube as an illustration of changing the social culture of an organization. Simply chipping away at the ice cube does not change its shape; it reduces the ice cube to shavings. Energy must be put into the social system, held in a 'frozen' state by the existing market, cultural and social forces in order to bring the system to a pliable state where transition is possible. Next the entire process of transition must be managed. The process often requires new control systems, new training or existing staff as well as new staff. Managing the process often can require bringing in an outside consultant, a new player who is put in a position of non-biased authority to assist all stakeholders to make adjustments to a changing social order. When the process of change has transacted, and the new culture is emerging, a final surge of energy is required by the system in order to 'refreeze the system in its new state, and prevent old habits and old culture from reemerging in the newly transitioned organization. William Bridges described this three step process as follows. He calls the unfreeze process as the 'ending, loosing, or letting go' phase. One could call this a death phase, as old habits and methods must be terminated, and left behind. However, this death is the

The Education System in Great Britain Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

The Education System in Great Britain - Essay Example Assessment Reform Group, 2006 research argues that various teaching practices rely on the understanding of language and socials behavior with the learning environment. The strategies in teaching frequently recommend for the use of various teaching aids to ensure that all students are incorporated especially those that need special attention like the autism students. There should be a clearly defined teaching structure and daily routine entangled with the use of visual cues where appropriate. According to Broadfoot, teachers should ensure that they use unambiguous classroom language to make clear their teaching and enhance proper understanding of the students in all their teachings. Clear explanations and regulations in classes, playground, and other social rules should be emphasized by the teachers. Additionally, there should be sharing of the purpose of activities and assessment as well as their intended outcomes.Assessment Reform Group, 2006 research argues that various teaching pr actices rely on the understanding of language and socials behavior with the learning environment. The strategies in teaching frequently recommend for the use of various teaching aids to ensure that all students are incorporated especially those that need special attention like the autism students. There should be a clearly defined teaching structure and daily routine entangled with the use of visual cues where appropriate. According to Broadfoot, teachers should ensure that they use unambiguous classroom language to make clear their teaching and enhance proper understanding of the students in all their teachings. Clear explanations and regulations in classes, playground, and other social rules should be emphasized by the teachers. Additionally, there should be sharing of the purpose of activities and assessment as well as their intended outcomes.   Assessment Reform Group, 2006 argues that learning is one of the most basic processes in a personal life course. It is second to one o f the most contrived processes, the assessment of that learning. Most developed countries have been making efforts to pursue reliable and valid means of assessing peoples’ learning, a process that generates a high volume of published discourse and not infrequently, dissent as well as the documentation of various assessment policies which are inclusive of practices and theories. Some of the discourses include the ways learners can move the next stage ensuring their learning progress.

Dividend Policy Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Dividend Policy - Essay Example Various analysts have examined that the dividend policy could highly affect shareholders’ wealth (Gul et al., 2012). The ability of a firm to distribute cash and increase the wealth of shareholders depends on the earnings capability of the firm and its capacity to raise fund from the external sources (Brealey, 2012). There are two ways of raising funds which are debt and equity (Kelly, 2012). Debts are the instrument where the holder gets a fixed payment along with interest (Denis and McKeon, 2012). On the other hand, the equity holders are the owner of the company to the extent of their holding (Hillier et al., 2011). However, as per the Modigiliani and Miller (M&M) model, the dividend policy of an organization has negligible or no effect on the shareholder’s wealth because the firm value is independent of its dividend policy. Moreover, in the accounting process, the dividend paid or received is calculated in cash flow which is very important for calculating the enterp rise value through discounted cash flow method (Brooks and Mukherjee, 2013). Policy Structure of Tesco PlcTesco Plc is one of the largest retailers globally. It is a British multinational, founded in 1919 and is headquartered in England. The payment of dividend has been consistent for 5 years. Nevertheless, in recent days, the wealth of shareholders has been weak as the profit generation of Tesco has been low, but it recovered in 2013-14 as the dividend paid is  £1,193m in comparison to  £1,186m in 2012-13.

Human Rights in Islam Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Human Rights in Islam - Essay Example The purpose of this paper is to explore the UDHR and compare it to the stipulations of Islam, finding similarities and differences between the two. This will show that, whilst the majority of the articles represent facets of Islam, there are a number of areas in which the UDHR fails to represent this religious tradition. One of the most obvious similarities between Shariah law and the UDHR is that they both oppose discrimination based on race, gender, language, nationality or religion. The Quran suggests that ‘when the Trumpet is blown, no ties of kinship will exist between them on that day, nor may they question one another’ (The Quran, 23:101). This essentially makes reference to the fact that Allah will not discriminate based on these things on judgement day. The Cairo Declaration on Human Rights in Islam (CDHRI) is essentially an Islamic version of the UDHR, and also includes this sentiment as the very most important thing, which suggests that there is a high amount of compatibility between the two. Islam itself is seen to be a very all-encompassing religion, as it encourages people of all races to convert to the religion, again suggesting that the UNDR and Islam are similar in content in this department. Another element that is common to both the UNDR and Islam is the focus on women’s rights and equality between genders. For example, the CDHRI suggests that women have ‘equal human dignity’ (Hashimi, 1997) and therefore should be treated as well as men are. Islam and the CDHRI also both place emphasis on the fact that men and women both have the right to choose their own spouses regardless of race or pressure from outside parties. The UDHR also expresses this, suggesting that ‘Men and women of full age, without any limitation due to race, nationality or religion, have the right to marry and to found a family. They are entitled to equal rights as to marriage, during marriage and at its dissolution’ (United Nation s, 2012, Article 16). The reference to dissolution is also important, as Islam is well-regarded for being one of the first religions to allow women the right to divorce their own husbands by choice (Hashimi, 1997). Both Islam and the UDHR place an emphasis on living quality. It seems sensible to both parties to encourage living standards to be the best possible, as all humans have the right to live cleanly and safely. The Quran puts this sentiment very nicely, suggesting that ‘he who saves a life will be as if he had saved the lives of all humankind’ (The Qur’an, 5:32). There are further quotes which support the fact that Islam is for the preservation of human life, rather than destroying it, and saving a life is incredibly important in the religion. The aim of Islam is to ensure that everyone lives a long and happy life (Hashimi, 1997). Similarly, the UDHR suggests, in article 25, that ‘everyone has the right to a standard of living adequate for the health and well-being of himself and of his family’ (United Nations, 2012). This is yet more evidence for the fact that the UDHR and Islam stand for several similar principles in a number of matters. There are, however, a number of times in

Contractual issues Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Contractual issues - Essay Example Her employer refused to provide her unemployment benefits arguing that Crowe was dismissed for cause. Consequently, she disqualified from obtaining benefits. Based on the findings of the South Carolina Department of Employment and Workforce, she was not fired for cause. Crowe was entitled to obtain her benefits without disqualification. Based on clause 41–35–120 (2) of the South Carolina Code, an employee is entitled to unemployment benefits that should run between one to six months after being dismissed for cause (South Carolina Legislature, 2014). The case ended with the judge affirming that Crowe was entitled to unemployment benefits because she was not dismissed for cause. The ethical dimensions in this case is that AnMed did not consider Crowe’s claims that taking flu shot could make her go through pain and die from a debilitating infection. Though her actions were sensible, AnMed did not establish an appropriate way of engaging Crowe to understand her problem (American College of Healthcare Executives, 2012). An administrator should first consider the situation that led to the dismissal. After the determination that she was not dismissed for cause, it would be necessary to give her employment

Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002 Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002 - Research Paper Example Many firms have been able to meet these long-standing regulations by relying on the domain knowledge while the periodic regulations were met through the knowledge from corporate legal staff. However, this system has since changed and adapted a new regulatory environment that includes the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002 (Sarbanes-Oxley). All the publicly traded companies are required to comply with this new act; changing the regulator culture from the initial legislative act. Sarbanes-Oxley and a host of other related regulations has fostered for the governance, risk and compliance aspects of regulations for both American-based and international companies. The congress enacted this act with the aim of mitigating unprecedented financial fraud. Its core objective is to ensure the accuracy and legitimacy of corporate financial disclosures for purposes of safeguarding the interests of investors and other shareholders. Before the introduction of this act, most of the public corporations were reluctant to abide by some of the regulations such as complying with the environmental reporting requirements. With the introduction of the Sarbanes-Oxley act, more accountability has been realized and tougher penalties have been set for defaulters, compelling most of the organizations to abide by the set regulations. This is a clear indication of the efficiency of the act in minimizing fraud (Orin, 2008). Sarbanes-Oxley also requires that the SEC undertakes regular reviews on financial reports in a systematic and professional manner for the reporting companies. The scope of this review encompasses environmental liabilities to ascertain whether the system is in compliance with regulations. The top executive officials of the firm are obligated to ensure accurate and authentic disclosure of potential liabilities to the public domain. With increased scrutiny and accountability, the regulatory act works to avoid fraud now and in the future (Orin, 2008). As documented in the

Flipkart Case Study Essay Example for Free

Flipkart Case Study Essay Flipkart.com is a story of the two young computer science graduates brothers Sachin Bansal (26) and Binny Bansal (25) from IIT-Delhi 2005 batch who left their jobs in amazon.com (an American multinational E-commerce company) in 2007 with a dream to become India’s top retail Outlet In E-commerce Industry. They came up with an idea to sell books including novels online. Flip kart’s timeline shows it was to start as a price comparison platform, but there werent enough e-commerce sites to compare. So, both the Bansals, who were colleagues at IITDelhi, and then at Amazon.com, thought, â€Å"why not start an e-commerce site?† That was the genesis of Flip kart. From an initial investment of Rs. 4 Lakh this So they started to make a website, although it was a bigger task to create a website with 50,000 titles but wouldn’t be impossible for IITians†¦ so finally they created which took about a month and a half to start a basic working website with 50,000 titles and grown our catalogue to over 1 Lakh available titles. On 5th September 2007 they launched the company’s URL i.e. Flipkart.com for the first time in just an apartment room. . The website was launched on 15th Oct 2007. Flip kart is an Indian ecommerce company headquartered in Bangalore, Karnataka. From a start-up with an investment of just four lakh rupees, Flip kart has grown into a 100 million revenue online retail giant in just five years. Flip kart focused on online sales of books initially. The process involved in online shopping for books has gone through drastic changes and is more secure right now. A customer could use our user-friendly web page to place an order, once the order is placed online – the book is taken off the online inventory. In case of unavailability – it will be purchased from a supplier. The Book will then get packed and couriered on the same day. Flip kart is currently tied up with around 12 courier service providers. Flip kart also use Indian Postal services to reach areas without courier providers. Logistics play an important role in our business. But it later expanded to electronic goods and a variety of other products. The key differentiators are Availability of variety of goods of various categories, online shopping experience on the site and post sales experience. Apart from this the Cash on Delivery service is also one of the main reasons which keep it apart from  other E- commerce portals. The cash-on-delivery model adopted by Flip kart has proven to be of great significance since credit card and net banking penetration is very low in India. . Flip kart offers multiple payment methods like credit card, debit card, net banking, e-gift voucher, and Cash on Delivery. IDEA Binny Bansal and Sachin Bansal saw a good opportunity in the market around e-commerce. Also, regular job was not as challenging. The excitement and satisfaction that comes with building something of a long lasting value is addictive enough for them to continue this. They started flipkart.com because they themselves felt the need for a good online book store. E-commerce sector is one of the toughest to get into in India. They believe that they can make a difference here. They wanted to create something which has a long lasting value and which we can be proud of. An attractive neutral name is what they looked for. Good domain names were hard to get. They were looking at names that did not just speak of books alone, but one that could suit any category of Products that we may add in future. Also, they wanted to have a catchy name with high recall potential. Flip kart could in simple terms mean ‘Flipping things into your Kart’. CURRENT POSITION OF FLIP KART Flip kart started with selling books. In 2010, they added to their catalogue media (including music, movies and games) and mobile phones and accessories. In 2011, product launches included cameras, computers, pens office supplies, computer accessories, home and kitchen appliances, personal care, health care, gaming consoles, audio players and televisions. In 2012, product launches includes health beauty products, Life style products which includes watches, belts, bags luggage. In November 2011, Flip kart launched a new Electronic Wallet feature that allows shoppers to purchase credit to their Flip kart account using credit or debit cards, and can subsequently be utilised to make purchases on the site, as and when required. From June 2012, Flip kart allowed people to buy toys, posters and from October 2012, Flip kart entered into apparel retailing. ACQUISITIONS MADE BY FLIPKART.COM 2010 â€Å"WE READ†, social book discovery tool 2011 MIME260, a digital content platform com 2011 Chakpak.com is a bolly wood news site that offers updates, news photos and videos 2012 Letsbuy.com is Indias second largest e-retailer in electronics. Flip kart has bought the company for an estimated US$25 million. ACHIEVEMENTS MADE BY FLIPKART.COM Flip kart owners have been featured in Business Today as one of the top 25 start-ups of 2009.They have been also nominated for Ernst and young award for the best entrepreneur of 2010. Apart from that they have been featured multiple times in start up news as well as mainstream news. Today, they are recognized as number one in the industry. As a testimony to the superior customer experience, the company has consistently recorded repeat purchase rates of more than 50%. They have also managed to get a registered buyer in every small town and city and hope to constantly improve their service standards. Flip kart’s reported sales as follows:- IN FY 2008–2009- 40 million IN FY 2009–2010- 200 million IN FY 2010–2011- 750 million IN FY 2011–2012- set to cross the 5 billion As Internet usage in the country increases and people get accustomed to making purchases online. Flip kart projects its sales to reach US$1billion by year 2014 and is aiming at generating a revenue of 50 billion (US$1billion)2015. Ranks among the countries top 30 website. Customer base of more than 2 million. 30 shipment on daily basis Daily sales have increased to 2.5 crores. POPULAR PRODUCT CATEGORIES 1. Clothing: T-shirts, Jeans, Sports Wear, Trousers, etc. 2. Footwear: Casual Shoes, Formal Shoes, Flats, Heels, etc. 3. Beauty Personal Care: Trimmers, Shavers, Soaps, Brushes, etc. 4. Mobiles Tablets: Samsung, Micromax, Nokia, Sony, etc. 5. Laptops Accessories: HP, Dell, Sony, Lenovo, Pen Drives, etc. 6. Books: Literature Fiction, Biographies, Novels, EBooks, etc. 7. Baby Care Toys: Vehicle Action Toys, Stuffed Toys, Diapers, etc. 8. Sports Fitness: Cricket, Football, Basketball, Badminton, etc. TOP BRANDS 1. Clothing: Adidas, Puma, Reebok, Lee, etc. 2. Footwear: Puma, Adidas, Reebok, Fila, etc. 3. Watches: Casio, Fastrack, Citizen, Timex, etc. 4. TV: Sony, LG, Samsung, Philips, Panasonic, etc. 5. Sports Fitness: Speedo, Nivia, Yonex, Cosco BUSINESS MODEL Creating and maintaining a person-to-person trading community Function as a value added facilitator Provide a supportive infrastructure Zero inventory without having traditional sales force Profit centers: Domestic business International business and Payment Largest online trading forum Compelling and entertaining environment Establishing trust safety programs Cost effective and Convenient trading Strong community affinity An intuitive user interface ORDER LIFECYCLE Get the item Procure from Supplier (Just-in-time) (Supplier selection) Keep Inventory (Inventory Prediction, Planning) Clean Check for sanity Pages missing, MRP printed lesser than told to you Pack the item Tamper proof, weather proof, breakage proof Select courier hand-over Courier performances vary across regions a LOT Get tracking id communicate to customer Follow-up for timely delivery Take care of returns (faulty product/user changes their mind) Minimize returns MARKETING STRATEGY Flip kart has been mostly marketed by word of mouth advertising. Customer satisfaction has been their best marketing medium. Flipkart very wisely used SEO (Search Engine Optimization) and Google Ad-words as the marketing tools to have a far reach in the online world. Flipkart.com official Face book page has close to 9 lakh likes. Flipkart recently launched a series of 3 ads with the tag line No Kidding No worries Kids were used to create the adverts to send out the message if a kid can do it, you can also do it. All in all to create a great customer experience. EXPANSION PLANS They aim at 10 times growth and eyes at $ 1Billion sales by 2015. They will look at bigger investments in their supply chain and technology. Investment will be made in large warehouses and increased automation of their process, so that the product is not delayed. They intend to enter in to various new categories and expand their current categories as well. Everything except for groceries and automobiles will be available on Flipkart in future. To go further in the value chain, Flipkart is looking at associations with a larger number of suppliers and partners, both nationally and internationally. PERSONEL ANALYSIS Great customer service Easy to use website, hassle free payment system Cash on delivery/Card on delivery mode of payment Focused on user experience ADVANTAGES Attract users to the site Provide selection Make it easy to Find Discover products Provide details to evaluate a product Description, Specifications, UGC. Price well Have to be competitive to the most obvious options Provide convenient payment options Online, COD Confirm payment CONCLUSION They started off in 2007 by setting up three centres across India without funding. Six months ago, they reached number one status. They are also four times bigger than their nearest competitor. The company started off small; today they have grown ten times over the last one year and aim to touch the Rs 400 crore mark by March 2013.