Wednesday, December 25, 2019

The Success Of A Career - 873 Words

In a world where the rationale of our youth is quickly dismissed as meaningless clichà ©s, it is easy for our heart’s true passion to drown in a sea of deceitful ambitions. Frequently, it takes many trials and lack of success as well as achievements, for one to truthfully discover him/herself. I instinctively progressed through the motions of life. The big encouragement came from none other than Nelson Mandela, whose famous saying, â€Å"it always seems impossible until it’s done† has always been a great motivation and inspired me not to get discouraged with failure; rather look forward to your goals. Many options were available and choosing a career as I grew up kept altering, until one day when I saw how helping other people is my sole purpose of life. Getting to know more of physician assistant drove me into the thoughts of pursuing it as a career. Every day is a gift to be embraced wholeheartedly. It is our job to fill that day with a hopeful and meaningful purpose. My educational experiences sparked my first consideration of a career in physician assistant and encouraged me to further explore this interest. I took the challenge and went a step-forward to concentrate in physiology at Georgia State University. The advanced courses provided a strong foundation in practicing clinical case studies behind adult and childhood diseases. I started enjoying basic diagnostic skills in blood chemistry, EKG and imaging studies. At the same time, I started giving community services toShow MoreRelatedCareer Success6811 Words   |  28 PagesANALYSIS OF THE RELATION BETWEEN SUBJECTIVE CAREER SUCCESS, ORGANIZATIONAL COMMITMENT AND THE INTENTION TO LEAVE THE ORGANIZATION Pep SIMO Mihaela ENACHE Josà © Maria SALLAN LEYES Vicenà § FERNà NDEZ ALARCÓN Pep SIMO Lecturer, Department of Business Administration, Technical University of Catalonia, Barcelona, Spain Tel.: 034-93-7398171 E-mail: pep.simo@upc.edu Mihaela ENACHE (Corresponding author) Assistant Professor, Department of Business Administration, Technical University of Catalonia, BarcelonaRead MoreSuccess Of A Mathematics Career992 Words   |  4 PagesSuccess in a mathematics career is determined by a number of factors such as motivation, encouragement, hard work, and skill. The people we network with and people that educate us contribute to these factors. As the amount women completing their college careers continue to increase, we are still a minority in STEM fields, particularly mathematics. This has been proven first hand as I have yet to have a female mathematics professor at the University I attend. Thus I reached out to Dr. Sarah ReznikoffRead MoreCareer Strategies for Success6136 Words   |  25 PagesThe current issue and full text archive of this journal is available at www.emeraldinsight.com/0959-6119.htm Hotel managers’ career strategies for success Christos Akrivos Department of Tourism Management, Greek Open University, and Department of Business Administration, Athens Technological Institution, Athens, Greece Career strategies for success 107 Adele Ladkin ICTHR, School of Services Management, Bournemouth University, Poole, UK, and Panayiotis Reklitis Department of BusinessRead MoreA Career Process : Preparing For Career Success765 Words   |  4 PagesPreparing for Career Success Taxation is which the government finance the expenditures by setting charges on the corporate entities and individuals, it’s usually used to encourage an economic decision and to fund different public expenditures. Moreover, it finances the public goods and services such as, streets cleaning and lighting. Because of that the UAE is planning to start collecting a value added tax at 5% in the beginning of 2018. Which can be a strong tool to help achieving the goals ofRead MoreCareer Journey For Success : My Career Path941 Words   |  4 Pages Career Journey to Success My career path was rerouted after the birth to my son. I was managing a 24-hour Alarm Monitoring Call Center with two years of college education in Psychology. Due to an inconsistent work schedule and difficulty locating Psychology courses that worked around my schedule, I decided to change my career path to Business Management, since I already had nearly 8 years experience in supervision and management. My mentor introduced me and made me familiarRead MoreAcademic Success : Career Goals1088 Words   |  5 PagesAcademic Success Educational success is important if you want to reach the goals for a successful career in life. This course was beneficial in helping to reach the educational success need to prepare for your career. The first lesson learned is your learning style to help become successful. Even though one style of learning is only needed to succeed, learning different styles of learning will give you greater success. This essay will explain what was learned and how it will be applied inRead MoreAchieving Success Of Education And Career1539 Words   |  7 PagesTo achieve success in education and career one must be dedicated and committed to our goals. You must have a clear objective what the goals are and have the proper plan to accomplish your success. Dedication with the proper approach will certainly bring success both in your education and career goals. Just wishing your goals will not bring you success, you must have a desire, the eagerness and driving force to be successful. You must make sacrifices and have a plan in mind. The first part of theRead MoreAcademic Success : Career Goals930 Words   |  4 Pages Continuing Academic Success Continuing Academic Success remain beneficial to my life by reason of I hunger a better paying job to provide for my family and I realize studying strong and working hard will secure success in school and in life. The benefits of creating an educational goal remain as follows limitations of stress, focus on time management and lastly exceptional writing skills. Educational and career goals primarily focus on the ability to secure and maintain successfulRead MoreSkills And Skills Of The Career Success760 Words   |  4 Pages It has grown into a society that many people strive to be in to gain career and technical skills. It has a reputation for allowing students to learn the abilities necessary to be successful in adulthood. I am here today carrying out the task to talk about this year’s theme, â€Å"Connecting You to Career Success,† as way to help me develop my public speaking skills. As a member of SkillsUSA, I want to be successful in the career of my dreams. This is a thought that is shared by many others, and is oneRead MoreAcademic Success : Career Goals1378 Words   |  6 PagesContinuing Academic Success Brianne Ard Gen/201 June 29, 2015 Christina Gruca Continuing Academic Success Introduction â€Å"Motivation is defined as the general desire or willingness of someone to do something, but often finding the desire within you can prove difficult. One of the keys to success is to be able to self-motivate and not depend on external forces to deliver your drive† (Stone, 2015, para. 1). Starting something new in life, such as deciding to earn my master’s degree in Psychology

Monday, December 16, 2019

The Character of Othello Essay - 609 Words

The Character of Othello As the play progresses, Othello’s character goes through many changes which happen as a result of him falling victim to Iago’s evil schemes. At first he is introduced as an army general who is respected for what he does but still discriminated against for being black. Othello is a victim to racism throughout the play. He is often referred to as â€Å"the Moor† even by his beloved Desdemona and is also called by more offensive terms. Iago uses animal imagery in referring to Othello as an â€Å"old black ram†. The use of animal imagery degrades Othello and use of the word â€Å"black† implies that black people were thought to be as low as animals. Emilia also calls Othello â€Å"the†¦show more content†¦He decides to put doubt in Othello’s mind with regards to Desdemona and â€Å"undo her credit with the Moor†. He tells Othello to â€Å"beware of jealousy† and â€Å"the green eyed monster† and echoes Brabantio’s words of Desdemona having â€Å"deceived her father† and in order to make sure his ‘poison’ has sunk in he repeatedly says that he fears he has upset Othello’s mood. â€Å"I see this hath a little dashed your spirits†, â€Å"I ‘fait h, I fear it has† and â€Å"My lord I see you’re moved†. In doing so Othello’s character starts to change for the worse. Moreover, Iago sins against Desdemona and Cassio by degrading them in Othello’s eye and as he does so he hurts Othello. Iago says that in sleep he heard Cassio say â€Å"Sweet Desdemona let us be wary, let us hide our love† and states that Cassio â€Å"laid his leg over his thigh and sighed, and kissed, and then cried ‘Cursed fate that gave thee to the Moor’†. This causes Othello to be overrun with jealousy and anger and to no longer think clearly. He makes a savage threat against Desdemona saying he will â€Å"tear her all to pieces† and he tells Iago to let him hear him say â€Å"that Cassio’s not alive†. Othello is now under the complete influence of Iago and his emotions. His anger is overwhelming him and his feelings for Desdemona have almost vanished as he plans to kill her, â€Å"let her rot and perish, and be damned tonight, for she shall not live†. Iago thenShow MoreRelatedCharacter Analysis : Othello 1255 Words   |  6 PagesPavle Burazor Ms. Ã…  kiljević ENG3U1 06-Jan-2015 Character Flaws in Othello The play Othello bears great similarity to that of the Greek myth of Sisyphus, the king of Ephyra; where Sisyphus was sentenced to forever push a boulder up a hill. This makes resemblances the climb to a climax and the fall, with three main characters, each pushing a boulder up a hill; Othello one of trust, Iago one of manipulation and Roderigo pushing one of foolishness. When they finally reach the top of the hill it beginsRead MoreCharacter Analysis Of Othello1235 Words   |  5 PagesOthello is not just about one tragedy but several tragedies of suffering and injustice. The play ends in fatalities and heartbreak from the consequences of jealousy and racism. Othello is a well-respected military man who does not let race stand in the way of earning his reputable status and attention of beautiful Desdemona. But, when the seed of jealous is planted, Othello becomes easily manipulated into believing false accusations because of his own personal insecurities. He becomes a menace toRead MoreOthello Character Analysis1555 Words   |  7 Pagesinherent weakness lies in his linguistic capabilities, the very same capabilities Othello uses to win over Desdemona, and to defend himself during his trial in front of the duke. In Smith’s reading, Othello only reverts to his barbarian state when experiencing extreme pressure, as he lacks the other means to express the futility of what is felt, which results in violence. However, when a closer look is taken at what Othello knows about the culture he has tried to hard to assimilate to, it can be seenRead MoreOthello Character Analysis905 Words   |  4 Pages1. Throughout the drama, â€Å"The Tragedy of Othello†, Iago successfully manipulates Cassio various times. In the writing, Shakespeare creates Iago’s plan to demote Cassio from being Othello’s lieutenant, the role Iago dreamt of, by tricking Cassio to get drunk so that he will raise chaos and result in Cassio being demoted. This worked out f or Iago when Cassio accepts Iago’s encouraging words and began to drink heavily, this would result in Cassio ultimately fighting and stabbing Montano in a drunkenRead MoreOthello Character Analysis1076 Words   |  5 PagesThe Mediterranean Sea of Jealousy Harriet Williams delves into the waters of jealousy and deceit in Oliver Parker’s Othello. Adapting Shakespeare for the screen can be problematic, as Oliver Parker discovered with his 1995 directing debut, Othello. I sat down with Oliver Parker, to discuss the challenge of portraying the actions of a noble Moor who brutally sacrifices his beloved wife over a strategically placed handkerchief. The characterisation of Iago, whose evil maneuverings create an irrevocableRead MoreOthello Character Analysis1562 Words   |  7 PagesCompare the roles and functions of the female characters in Othello. Othello by William Shakespeare is set in 16th century Renaissance Venice before transitioning to the island of Cyprus. It follows the relationship between the black Venetian general and â€Å"valiant Moor† Othello and his new wife Desdemona, the daughter of an important Venetian senator. Throughout the play, we encounter three main female characters; Cassio’s mistress Bianca, Othello’s wife Desdemona as well as her maid and Iago wifeRead MoreOthello Character Analysis1678 Words   |  7 Pagesmasterpieces and tragedies such as Hamlet, Othello, Macbeth, King Lear and Romeo and Juliet caused a remarkable turning point in English literature as whole, and English drama in particular.His play Othellois one of his unforgettable tragedies. The play of Othello is the finest example of Shakespeare’s poetic and narrative style. Thus, Shakespeare is known as the most influential dramatist whose tragedies found the way to interact with the audience.Shakespeareâ€⠄¢s Othello is about jealousy, revenge and deceptionRead MoreOthello Character Essay1510 Words   |  7 PagesShakespeare’s Othello Character Discussion Katie Olszewski Othello is a playwright by William Shakespeare. In Othello, a black man named Othello has married the daughter of a Venetian government official, Desdemona. After their marriage Othello is sent to Cyprus to battle the Turks. Fortunately for, the Turks were drowned at sea and no battle took place. Iago was Othello’s flag carrier and thought that his rank should be higher. So Iago plotted to ruin Othello’s life and it startedRead MoreOthello Character Analysis1241 Words   |  5 PagesOthello, a play written in the setting of Venice City during a period of war between Venice and Turkey in the 16 century is one of the numerous William Shakespeare’s plays. Othello a middle-aged black moor who is also a general in the defense forces marries Desdemona, a white aristocratic lady against the wishes of her father. Their love, however, does not have the happily ever after ending due to the manipulations, deceptions, and scheming of Iago who is driven by revenge and selfi sh ambitions.Read MoreOthello Character Analysis1378 Words   |  6 PagesWilliam Shakespeare’s play â€Å"Othello† like most of his plays is about the premature death of a character who may or may not be considered a tragic hero. Othello, the Moor of Venice, follows him, his wife Desdemona, Cassio, and the main protagonist Iago through a series of unfortunate events that are supposed to be about jealousy between coveting a boss’s wife and a job promotion. The story turns to Iago when he turns into a commanding force that dishevels every character in the play. This is all done

Sunday, December 8, 2019

Significance of Global Business-Free-Samples-Myassignmenthelp.com

Question: Discuss how globalization and doing business globally are important issues for the contemporary organization. Answer: Introduction This section focuses on how globalization and doing business globally are important issues for the contemporary organization. The challenges that globalization creates for the business is elucidated in this report The meaning and significance of global business is also explained in this study The different stages in the phase model of the globalization and the strength as well as weaknesses inherent to each stage is reflected in this study. The challenges or issues that occur in the firms while doing business in the international market is also explained in this study. Background The first section highlights on the meaning of global business This second section focuses on the stages of the phase model of globalization. The four stages of the globalization phase framework involves- exporting, cooperative contract, strategic alliance and wholly owned affiliates. The strength and weaknesses of each stage is also explained in this part. The third section elucidates on the issues that the organization faces while doing business in the global market. These issues involves-legal, language, political, cultural, cost of resource and moral standards. Conclusion This part reflects that globalization has both strength and weaknesses. In fact, it not only creates issues but also provides huge opportunity for the contemporary organization. It also shows that although doing business globally creates challenges for these organizations, it also aids in expanding the business globally. However, the need for effective strategy and proper planning by the businesses is recommended in this part. Discussion Global business signifies the enterprise that is dong business across the globe (Peng 2016). With the advancement in technology and expansion of international trade, the business becomes incentivized in selling products as well as services in the international market. It has been opined by Dunning (2014) that, operating business on the global level facilitates the companies to reduce cost, expand share in the market and become highly competitive. Global business facilitates the organizations to access new customers as well as markets. Wider market reach and customer base increases the potentiality of the business in making higher sales and profit. Thus in turn benefits the enterprise to expand their operations into the international markets. Apart from this, global business also increases the competition within the enterprise. As the companies enter the international market, it faces huge competition from the local businesses. However, for gaining higher market share and outperform r ivalries, global business are forced to innovate new products of better quality and sell it at relatively less price (Folsom et al. 2012). In addition to this, effective strategy adopted by these businesses also helps them to sustain in the competitive business environment. Globalization not only impacts the people, enterprise, workforce and customers but also all other aspects including transactional as well as cultural relationships. The phase framework of globalization indicates the stages that the enterprise goes through while selling the product in the global market. The phase framework of globalization mainly begins with exporting and then develops through cooperative contracts stage and strategic alliance to the wholly owned affiliates. It has been found by some researcher that, every enterprise does not follow phase model stages and thereby skips many stages. According to UKEssays. (2018), the enterprise might effectively change the selling of products or services from the domestic orientation to the global orientation by following every stage of this phase model. Exporting is considered as simplest stage of this model as it the less costly method for the enterprise to initially move its product to the global market. However, this stage has been considered as the best approach of expanding the business in the global market. Thus, the four stages of this phase globalization model are illustrated below: Exporting-Recent evidences reflect that global trade has steadily grown at higher rate as compared to nations productivity. Export means selling of domestically manufactured products to the customers in the international market. The main strength of exporting is that enterprises become independent on the domestic market for the sale of the products. However, selling overseas benefits the companies as potential market becomes bigger. In addition to this, strength of this stage is that it helps the enterprise to keep control on the production quality. On the contrary, the risk associated with exporting is increasing barriers in trade, higher financial cost, larger political and legal complexity (UKEssays. 2018). For example, although the fashion industry in Australia exporting their clothes designs internationally helps them to expand their business globally, the cost of shipping increases the product price. Thus, the exported goods become highly expensive and competitive. Cooperative contract- This stage of this model mainly consists of two generally used kinds involving- Franchising and Licensing. Licensing refers to an agreement where the domestic enterprise or licensor attains royalty payments in order to permit another enterprise or licensee in producing licens. Hanley and Prez (2012) opines that the utilization of licensing in the industry increases the risk gap. For example, as the licensor gives up their control over product quality or service sold by international licensee, this licensee becomes rivalries. For example, an Australian company Telstra using the licensee stores is located in most cities as well as shopping centers. Besides this, the organizations also have the franchising options. Franchising is basically collection of the companies where the producer and franchisor licenses the business to other enterprise or franchisee. On strength of franchising is that operating system becomes recognized with brand that has been licensed as fr anchisee. Moreover, the franchise system utilizes precise way to service their customers. But the risk associated with franchising is greater as compared to that of licensing. The franchisor is basically not obliged to renew franchise where the goodwill of the business reverts to their franchisor. In fact, there are some franchises that have restrictions in those places where it might operate the business. Strategic alliance- This phase refers to the agreement where the enterprise combines vital resources, risk, individuals, technology and costs. Over the last few years, strategic alliance has become more important in global economy. Strategic alliances are mainly of four kinds including- equity and non- equity strategic alliances, strategic alliance, joint ventures and worldwide strategic alliances. Joint ventures has been most general forms of this strategic alliance in which it includes- several enterprises and people in partnerships for specific purpose. The major strength of strategic alliance is that the firms holding complementary assets choose joint venture as means of entering the host market (Warner and Sullivan 2017). On the contrary, this stage involves some risk that includes- clash of enterprise culture, dealing with the conflicting strategies as well as corporate values and cost of coordination. For example, a joint venture recently occurred was merger between vodaphone and 3 mobile that falls under joint enterprise of VHA. VHA basically markets its services and products under the brand of Vodaphone but retains rights for using 3 brand in Australia. Wholly owned affiliates-This is the final stage of this phase model. These enterprises are basically foreign offices and producing plants, which are owned by parent company. The main strength of this stage is that the parent enterprise gains profit and hence has control over internal facilities. On the other hand, one major risk of application of this stage in business is expenditure of purchasing existing business or developing new operations. In some circumstances including the enterprise specific assets, the wholly owned affiliates might decrease risk of opportunistic partners behavior in some uncertain business environment. For example, MEPAU an Australian enterprise is the wholly owned affiliates, which makes its investments in the New Zealand and Australian energy industry. If this company succeeds, then the payoff might be huge while if they fail the losses also become immense. Doing business globally is generally the worthy attempt, but it brings with it several issues. Although these companies have the ability to sustain these issues, some of these offset the profit. Although there has been increase in globalization of the business as well as commerce, this poses several issues to the business seeking foreign presence. As a result, numerous strategic aspects are considered in order to sustain in the competitive marketplace. These challenges or the issues that occur in the firms while doing business in the international market is discussed below: Legal issues- the enterprise doing business globally are sometimes forced to pay extra taxes as well as import duties while importing from other nations (IvoryResearch.com 2018). In addition to this, as the legal issues of the global business is challenging, it leads to fines as well as penalties without appropriate legal advice. Language issues- Barriers in language is one of the negative aspect of doing business in global market. One of the issues that the global business faces in the recent years is communication. Language barriers occur within several international businesses for doing their business in the global market. It has been opined by Piekkari, Welch and Welch (2014) that, as communication is highly dependent on language, it impacts the business operations of the enterprise. If the executive is from the abroad and do not speak local language, this reinforces huge barriers between this executive and other employees in the organizations. In this case the business then relies on the translators when making the business contracts. However, the intricacies of the contracts are lost while doing this translation. In addition to this, if the business outsources its customer service to another nation, then these customers might struggle in understanding the individuals whose local language is different fr om their language. Cultural issues- Varied cultures having different values impacts the performance of the business. It has been evident from recent facts that gender inequality becomes problematic in nations where the women are not provided equal opportunities or rights as that of men. Furthermore, as different styles of marketing in different nations differ, cultures creates huge problem to the business (Ferraro and Briody 2017) Additionally, there are some cultures that do not take contracts seriously and hence this adversely affects the business operations. Therefore, most of the business implements various methods in order to learn cultural intricacies while doing business globally. Compliance and regulations issues- The consulting organizations that provide services to the multinational enterprises, it creates issues as they have to follow different rules as well as regulations which governs it products and services (Smallbusiness.chron.com. 2018). Political issues-This is one of the vital challenges that the business faces while doing business in the international market. Political issues signify adverse business consequences owing to the policies adopted by the government or other public sector enterprises. Political issues are also represented in the forms of corruption practices. (Smallbusiness.chron.com 2018). For example, an enterprise might lose contract owing to unethical dealings of government. In addition, if the organization becomes involved in abuses of human rights in other nations, then the companies might attain bad reputation. In order to reduce the political risk, enterprises respond by lobbying the government. Cost of the resource issues- Enterprises entering the overseas market requires financial investment as well as rise in manpower. Timescales also creates several issues in the organization. As the cost of resources increases while doing business globally, the overall business cost increases. Now a- days, the enterprise takes long- term view as well as build proper timescales into their budget projections. Inconsistent morale standards- One of the key issues that global business faces at present is maintenance of local ethical standards (Shaw and Barry 2015) The companies doing business in the international market might have inconsistent morale standards as the resources hired might lack ethics. It can be seen from the above study that although globalization and doing business globally creates issues in the contemporary organizations, it also benefits these enterprises through tax incentives, international partnerships, proper business environment and increases in growth of business. For mitigating these issues, these organizations should make appropriate plan in choosing the location. This in turn benefits the enterprise to make smooth transition while expanding its global footprint. Moreover, the four stages of the globalization phase model also have immense affect on the business. As each stage of this model inherent its risk level, it is necessary for the enterprises to implement these phases in strategic manner. However, the leaders of the organizations should make conscientious planning and adopt effective strategy while doing business globally. In addition to this, they should also analyze the target market and competitors before adopting any practices in the business . Thus, it might help these enterprises to improve their operations while doing business in the global market. References Benn, S., Edwards, M. and Williams, T., 2014.Organizational change for corporate sustainability. Routledge. Crane, A. and Matten, D., 2016.Business ethics: Managing corporate citizenship and sustainability in the age of globalization. Oxford University Press. Dunning, J.H., 2014.The Globalization of Business (Routledge Revivals): The Challenge of the 1990s. Routledge. Ferraro, G.P. and Briody, E.K., 2017.The cultural dimension of global business. Taylor Francis. Folsom, R.H., Gordon, M.W., Spanogle, J.A., Fitzgerald, P.L. and Van Alstine, M.P., 2012.International business transactions: a problem-oriented coursebook. ThomsonReuters. Hanley, A. and Prez, J.M., 2012. Are newly exporting firms more innovative? Findings from matched Spanish innovators.Economics Letters,116(2), pp.217-220. IvoryResearch.com - VIP Essay Dissertation Writing Service. (2018).International Business Challenges in a Globalised World - IvoryResearch.com - VIP Essay Dissertation Writing Service. [online] Available at: https://www.ivoryresearch.com/samples/business-essay-example-international-business-challenges-in-a-globalised-world/ [Accessed 3 Apr. 2018]. Lee, Y., Shin, J. and Park, Y., 2012. The changing pattern of SME's innovativeness through business model globalization.Technological Forecasting and Social Change,79(5), pp.832-842. Peng, M.W., 2016.Global business. Cengage learning. Piekkari, R., Welch, D. and Welch, L.S., 2014.Language in international business: The multilingual reality of global business expansion. Edward Elgar Publishing. Shaw, W.H. and Barry, V., 2015.Moral issues in business. Cengage Learning. Smallbusiness.chron.com. (2018).Challenges of Operating a Business in a Global Economy. [online] Available at: https://smallbusiness.chron.com/challenges-operating-business-global-economy-75865.html [Accessed 3 Apr. 2018]. Smallbusiness.chron.com. (2018).What Issues Arise When Doing Business Globally?. [online] Available at: https://smallbusiness.chron.com/issues-arise-doing-business-globally-56877.html [Accessed 3 Apr. 2018]. UKEssays. (2018).Phase Model of Globalization. [online] Available at: https://www.ukessays.com/essays/management/stages-in-the-phase-of-model-of-globalisation-management-essay.php [Accessed 3 Apr. 2018]. Warner, M. and Sullivan, R. eds., 2017.Putting partnerships to work: Strategic alliances for development between government, the private sector and civil society. Routledge.

Sunday, December 1, 2019

Obesity and How Society views it

Throughout the human history, weight gain and fat storage have been seen the signs of fertility and prosperity. Currently, due to the rise of living standards, excess weight and obesity are posing a growing threat to health in many countries around the world.Advertising We will write a custom research paper sample on Obesity and How Society views it specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Obesity is a chronic disease that prevails in both developed and developing countries and affects children as well as adults. This problem is urgent to the extent that it replaces more traditional public health concerns including infectious disease and malnutrition as negative depositors to person’s health. In addition, as obesity is the major risk factor for other chronic and non-communicable diseases, it is just a matter of time before the same high mortality rates for such diseases will be viewed in developing countries. The same rates existed in industrialized countries 20 years ago thought having good developed market economies (Takrouni, 2008). Finally, obesity is referred to as abnormal or excessive fat accumulation to an extent that human health may be affected (Takrouri, 2008). Statement thesis Obesity is a serious disease that is being heavily discussed in the United States and is contributing to the development of other chronic conditions and dangerous disorders. The weight excess influences the organism and provokes heart diseases and disorders of blood-vascular system. The weight gain also provides a considerable stress on other organs and, therefore, weakens the immune system of the organism. However, there are cases when excess weight is the outcome of genetic heredity, which is often serves as a viable excuse for obese people. Therefore, there is the necessity to shatter all the myths and to make people lead a healthy life style. The Epidemic of Obesity It is undeniable that the epidemic of obesity has no so cial, economic, technologic, and geographic boundaries. This especially matters as the skyrocketing rates of this disease are closely associated with metabolic syndrome affecting the rate of mortality and morbidity of obesity. Approximately, two hundred and seventy million (270,000,000) people in the world are considered to be obese and the number is assumed to reach three hundred and fifty million (350,000,000) in coming 2026 (Kushner and Bessesen, 2007, p. 100). The problem of the excess weight has become more urgent in the United States during the last three decades. In particular, one third of adults are obese.Advertising Looking for research paper on health medicine? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More What is more deplorable is that this obesity proliferation has no gender, age, and racial distinctions (Kushner and Bessesen, 2007, p. 100). The more significant concern is connected with the impetuous growth of the childhood obesity. The statistics counts that the United States has each sixth child suffering from obesity (Kushner and Bessesen, 2007, p. 100). Obesity is considered to cause major impacts on the health care costs, economic costs, and social costs because its swift growth has almost outstripped the HIV/AIDS. To be more precise, 2005 witnessed about 75 % of American people suffering from HIV/AIDS and almost 86 % are the victims of excessive weight (Mooney et al., 2008, p. 42). Therefore, apart from preventive measures of obesity, which are viable solutions for assisting in slowing down the rates of disease, there should be some alternative and effective methods of treatment. This can be achieved through government research and implementation of scientific projects aimed at facilitating the public education on issues concerning obesity. Proper treatment to those who are already suffering from obesity should be administered and proper care given so as to assist them to overcome the problem of excess weight. Obesity management needs urgent attention, especially in rural areas. Health care services should be decentralized to local areas for easier access to all people who need them. Therefore, these individuals should be seriously targeted for treatment to prevent obesity proliferation in the United States. There is also the necessity to create awareness of the disease as a major health problem because government and some health care systems pay insufficient attention to it. Obesity as a Disease Apart from genetics, most cases of patient’s obesity are the outcome of unhealthy food intake and actual lifestyle. There are few people who think over the reasons of such chronic diseases as heart failure, diabetes, and asthma are excess weigh and careless attitude to the food allowance. Taking into consideration the weight issues, the above chronic disorders can be considered as symptoms. Therefore, the obesity is the root of all problems that should be eliminated immediat ely. According to statistics, â€Å"even with improved management of comorbidities associated with obesity, the estimated number of excess death in 2000 association with obesity was 111.909† (McKnight, 2005, p.1) With regard to the above, a healthy life style, culture of food consumption and human behavior are the main pillars of healthy existence.Advertising We will write a custom research paper sample on Obesity and How Society views it specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More This is why when buying food and other product, people should stick the appropriate rules. However, the lack of education and proliferation of food culture still leaves much to be desired. In addition, people should stop spending money on weight loss products but spend more on the processes of developing health actions, behavior, and eliminating poor lifestyles (Finkelstein et al., 2003) Other Chronic Conditions That Make It Hard To Overcome Obesity The oc currence of chronic disorders is difficult to eliminate for a person who tries to reduce or improve when they have excess weight. Such chronic disorders include the heart disease causing many lethal outcomes, particularly among the American population. Arthrosclerosis is another chronic condition emerging as a result of obesity problems, diabetes, and genetics inheritance. The presented complications aggravate the process of treatment considerably (DeBruyne et al., 2007, p. 372). In addition to the above-defined chronic conditions, there are some other factors hampering obesity treatment. It should be admitted that obesity prevention and therapy should be carried out with the help of effective strategies and, therefore, common measures are not likely to be implemented. Hence, it is necessary to consider all risk factors, future complications that might occur as well as side effects. Therefore, these chronic diseases are major stumbling blocks for people suffering from obesity. Types of Illness Relating to Obesity and Consequences of Stigma Cardiovascular, hypertension, mortality diabetes, and breathing difficulties are related with obesity. Sometimes obesity does not have a negative impact on health. But it might cause stress, anxiety, loss of self-esteem, and depression. This is excess weight affects both the health and the psychological status of a person (Ross, 2003). Attention to obese people has spread worldwide due to high and shocking rates of obesity and its health problems particularly in the United States of America. Obese people experience stigma and discrimination leading to serious consequences for their emotional and psychological health. More importantly, obesity stigma is experienced in all aspects of person`s life because such people are poorly treated by their counterparts at work and other social spheres. The state of being obese makes people lazy, passive and indifferent to life; they might even lose the sense of existence. This is especial ly typical of people with inferiority complex that often develops among people suffering from excess weight. Before considering the stigma of weight, it is necessary to study the phenomenon of stereotypes that serves as the basic condition for obesity biases. According to Brownell (2005), â€Å"the content of all stereotypes varies along two dimension of more and less socially desirable traits: warmth and competence† (p. 111).Advertising Looking for research paper on health medicine? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Such theoretical model closely relates to stigma of obesity. Hence, the content of stereotypes mentioned above can be applied to obese individuals because such people can commonly react to the presented factors. However, this particular bias is more concerned with the issues of controllability and visibility. It is proved that the problem of excess weight is a negative stigma because is visible and treated to be controllable (Browneell, 2005, p. 111). Arising from the above, there is an assumption that negative perception of excess weight can create negative reactions and stereotypes which, in their turn, provoke people’s resentment and contempt Obese adults who experience stigma have developed high rates of social isolation because they feel like they are not accepted by the society. Social reluctance to accept such people cultivates the lack of self esteem and refusal to socialize with people agreed with the stereotype frames. Another consequence of stigma is that it leads to a negative consequence of poor eating behaviors or habits such as overeating by some people in response to stigmatizing encounters (Richards, 2009). Problems Encountered by Doctors When Treating the Obese Patients Obesity is an important clinical issue that can not be ignored. Therefore, it needs provision of professional and critical health care services directed at improving the health of the population in the United States. Unfortunately, the health care centers are full of insensitivity and judgment toward the obese people creating difficulties and limits for treatment. The main problem encountered by the doctors is lack of understanding and appropriate ethical treatment. For instance, the doctor may unintentionally communicate some form of discrimination that may negatively affect the client’s care and hence preventing him/her from visiting the healthcare centers in future. Therefore, irrelevant treatment can prevent doctors from prescribing the right medical and trea tment procedure for their patients (Kaplan, 1999). Obesity, a Global Problem and Its Effect on Children and Women Obesity has been rated among the increasing epidemics in developed countries and rapid spread in developing countries. In the United States, approximately 125 million grown-ups have problems with weight, 70 million citizens are experiencing obesity and around 10 million have severe obesity problems (Ogden, 2010). Childhood and women obesity is also on the peak in the United States. This ration of population, hence, has a greater probability of diabetes mellitus development and hypertension rise that increases the risk of acquiring heart diseases and other chronic diseases associated with obesity (Ogden, 2010). The weight of these children enhances bulling and discrimination by other children who have normal weights thus ruining their self–esteem. Today`s children belong to a generation that is full with computer games and television therefore, they have less time to exercise or even go out to play some outdoor games which encourage physical exercises. A part from watching and playing video games, food is readily available at any time they feel like eating (Coakley, 1999). Preventive Measures to Overcome Obesity Parents need to be the role models of their children by insisting on benefits of exercise and well balanced diets. This can be achieved through creating of healthy playing environments by carrying out regular physical exercises like cycling, taking a walk together and swimming activities. Parents need to motivate their children so that they can participate fully in sports and dances and pay attention to physical exercises and even enjoy doing it (Christopher, 2003). Implementation of food culture will help a great deal in obesity reduction and elimination. This can be achieved by preparing and eating the food together as a family and creating new ways to reward children for work well done like talking them out on shopping trips other than making for them fatty foods. Health care providers should offer improved services to their patients through the improvement of physical and social environment of health care settings. For example, they should provide bathrooms, which heavier clients can easily accept, have meeting rooms that have large exam tables and blood pressure cuffs with good size and reading materials that do not imply discriminative context (Coakley, 1999). They should also try to improve their interpersonal interactions with the obese clients through being sensitive in everything they do and communicate to them to avoid embarrassing situation during the treatment process. They should avoid any judgmental comments and instead offer encouragement on the objectives of heath and fitness actions. The victims of the obese problem should be encouraged to take the stigmatization encounters in a positive manner and use that as their stepping stone to overcome the problem rather than to accept the given situatio n and doing nothing to rectify the situation at hand. Depression and stress contribute nothing to weight reduction but deprives away a person’s self esteem and happiness. Thus, these people need to wake up and find solutions to their issues immediately to avoid early deaths (Barry, 2007). The chart presented below provides an explicit, comparative analysis of the actual situation in the United States: Obesity Share by Nation The given statistics provided by Consumer shows that the United States have on of the highest obesity level. Conclusion Prevention of obesity would result into maximized burden of heart problems and, therefore, it will play a big role in reducing the health care budget. Through the reduction of obesity, other diseases associated with it will also decrease. Therefore, problem of obesity should be given much attention and serious preventive measures should be implemented so that the disease could be treated or prevented. A good obesity prevention program s hould include balanced diet, exercises, and active involvement of parents and guardians in these programs. Apart from local measures this problem should be presented at the international level because other countries (developing in particular) should also be engaged in the solution searching process. Hence, the world government should think about effective strategies of economic and social improvement to insure people with a sufficient level of living. Finally, it is necessary to pay attention to ethical and moral aspects when treating obese people. Reference List Barry, L. (2007).Heart Care for Life: Developing the Program That Works best for him/her. Yale: Yale University Press. Brownell, K. D. (2005). Weight bias: Nature, Consequences, and Remedies. US: Guilford Press. Christopher, K. (2003). A community-based obesity prevention program for minority Children: rationale and study design for Hip-Hop to Health. US: Harvard University Press. Coakley, E. (1999). The Disease Burden Ass ociated with Overweight and Obesity. New York: Must and company. DeBruyne, L. K., Pinna, K., and Whitney, E. N. (2007). Nutrition and Diet Therapy. US: Cengage Learning. Finkelstein E. A., Fiebelkorn, I. C., and Wang, G. (2003) .National medical spending attributable to overweight and obesity: How much, and who’s paying .Chicago: Finkelstein. Kaplan, J. (1999). Caloric imbalance and public health policy. US: JAMA. Kushner, R. F, and Bessesen, D. H. (2007). Treatment of the obese patient. US: Springer. McKnight, L. (2005). Obesity management in family practice. Germany: Birkhà ¤user. Mooney, L. A., Knox, D. and Schacht, C. (2008). Understanding Social Problems. US: Cengage Learning. Ogden, J. (2010). The Experience of Obese and the Many Consequences of Stigma. Journal of Obesity. Richards, L. (2009). Poor Quality of Obesity Care in the U.S. Nature Reviews Endocrinology, 5(6), p. 291. Web. Ross, A. (2003).Obesity: etiology, assessment, treatment, and prevention. New York: Huma n Kinetics. Takrouri, M. S. (2008). Editorial: Obesity is a Spreading Modern Life Health Problem. The Internet Journal of Health. Web. This research paper on Obesity and How Society views it was written and submitted by user Peyton King to help you with your own studies. You are free to use it for research and reference purposes in order to write your own paper; however, you must cite it accordingly. You can donate your paper here.

Tuesday, November 26, 2019

Three Conferences That Created the Dominion of Canada

Three Conferences That Created the Dominion of Canada About 150 years ago the three British colonies of New Brunswick, Nova Scotia, and Prince Edward Island were considering the possibilities of joining together as a Maritime Union, and a meeting was set in Charlottetown, PEI for September 1, 1864. John A. Macdonald, then Premier of the Province of Canada (formerly Lower Canada, now Quebec, and Upper Canada, now southern Ontario) asked if representatives from the Province of Canada could also attend the meeting. The Province of Canada contingent showed up on the SS Queen Victoria, which was well supplied with champagne. That week Charlottetown was also hosting the first real circus Prince Edward Island had seen in twenty years, so accommodation for the last-minute Conference delegates was a bit short. Many stayed and continued discussions on board ship. The Conference lasted for eight days, and the topic rather quickly switched from creating a Maritime Union to building a cross-continent nation. The discussions continued through formal meetings, grand balls, and banquets and there was general approval for the idea of Confederation. The delegates agreed to meet again in Quebec City that October and then in London, United Kingdom to continue to work on the details. In 2014, Prince Edward Island commemorated the 150th anniversary of the Charlottetown Conference with celebrations all year long, across the entire province. The PEI 2014 Theme Song, Forever Strong, captures the mood. The Quebec Conference of 1864 In October 1864, all the delegates who had been present at the earlier Charlottetown Conference attended the conference in Quebec City, which simplified getting an agreement. The delegates worked out many of the details of what the system and structure of government for the new nation would be like, and how powers would be shared between provinces and the federal government. By the end of the Quebec Conference, 72 resolutions (called the Quebec resolutions) were adopted and became a substantial part of the British North America Act. The London Conference of 1866 After the Quebec Conference, the Province of Canada approved the union. In 1866 New Brunswick and Nova Scotia also passed resolutions for a union. Prince Edward Island and Newfoundland still refused to join. (Prince Edward  Island joined in 1873 and Newfoundland joined in 1949.)  Towards the end of 1866, delegates from the Province of Canada, New Brunswick, and Nova Scotia approved the 72 resolutions, which then became the London resolutions. In January 1867 work began on drafting the British North America Act. Canada East would be called Quebec. Canada West would be called Ontario. It was finally agreed that the country would be named the Dominion of Canada, and not the Kingdom of Canada. The bill got through the British House of Lords and the House of Commons quickly, and received Royal Assent on March 29, 1867, with July 1, 1867, the date of the union. Fathers of Confederation Its confusing to try and figure out who the Canadian Fathers of Confederation were. They are generally considered to be the 36 men representing the British colonies in North America who attended at least one of these three major conferences on Canadian confederation.

Friday, November 22, 2019

FORD Surname Meaning and Origin

FORD Surname Meaning and Origin The Ford surname is generally believed to have originated as  a name bestowed on someone who lived near a ford or river crossing, from the Old English ford, meaning pass or crossing. Ford may also have derived from English places named Ford, such as Ford in Northumberland, Ford in Somerset, Ford in Shropshire, Ford in West Sussex and Forde in Dorset.   According to the Dictionary of American Family Names, it is also possible that the use of the surname Ford arose in a particular family as an Anglicization of one of several Irish surnames, including  Mac Giolla na Naomh  (a personal name meaning servant of the saints)  and  Mac Conshmha (a personal name comprised of the elements con, meaning dog and  snmh, meaning to swim),  whose  final syllable  was once wrongly thought to be the Irish  th, meaning  ford, as well as  Ãƒâ€œ Fuar(th)in, meaning cold little ford, derived from fuar, meaning cold. Surname Origin: English Alternate Surname Spellings: FORDE, FFORDE, FOARD, FOORD Where in the World is the FORDSurname Found? While it originated in the Netherlands, the Ford  surname is now most prevalent in the United States, according to surname distribution data from Forebears. However, it is also somewhat common in Chile and Columbia. The name was more common in the United States during the 1880s than it is now, especially in the states of New York and New Jersey. The Ford  surname is now most common based on percentage in the U.S. states of Alaska, Arkansas, New Jersey, Illinois, and Connecticut, according to  WorldNames PublicProfiler.   Famous People with the Last Name FORD Gerald Ford - 38th president of the United StatesTennessee Ernie Ford -  American recording artist and television hostJohn Ford -  American  Academy Award-winning director, best known for WesternsGlenn Ford (Gwyllyn Samuel Newton Ford) - Canadian-born American actorHenry Ford -  American industrialist and  founder of the Ford Motor Company Genealogy Resources for the Surname FORD Ford Surname DNA ProjectOver 300 members have joined this DNA surname project which uses Y-DNA, mtDNA and autosomal DNA to piece together various Ford lines back to common ancestors. Common English Surnames: Meanings and OriginsLearn about the four types of English surnames, plus explore the meaning and origin of the 100 most common English last names. Ford Family Crest - Its Not What You ThinkContrary to what you may hear, there is no such thing as a Ford  family crest or coat of arms for the Ford surname.  Coats of arms are granted to individuals, not families, and may rightfully be used only by the uninterrupted male line descendants of the person to whom the coat of arms was originally granted. FamilySearch - FORD GenealogyExplore over 4 million  historical records and lineage-linked family trees posted for the Ford surname and its variations on the free FamilySearch website, hosted by the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. FORD  Surname Family Mailing ListsRootsWeb hosts several free mailing lists for researchers of the Ford  surname. DistantCousin.com - FORD Genealogy Family HistoryExplore free databases and genealogy links for the last name Ford. The Ford Genealogy and Family Tree PageBrowse genealogy records and links to genealogical and historical records for individuals with the popular last name Ford from the website of Genealogy Today.- References: Surname Meanings Origins Cottle, Basil.  Penguin Dictionary of Surnames. Baltimore, MD: Penguin Books, 1967. Dorward, David.  Scottish Surnames. Collins Celtic (Pocket edition), 1998. Fucilla, Joseph.  Our Italian Surnames. Genealogical Publishing Company, 2003. Hanks, Patrick and Flavia Hodges.  A Dictionary of Surnames. Oxford University Press, 1989. Hanks, Patrick.  Dictionary of American Family Names. Oxford University Press, 2003. Reaney, P.H.  A Dictionary of English Surnames. Oxford University Press, 1997. Smith, Elsdon C.  American Surnames. Genealogical Publishing Company, 1997. Back toGlossary of Surname Meanings Origins

Thursday, November 21, 2019

Novel Response Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Novel Response - Essay Example However, somehow despite the hostile environment and state, immediate sense of awe and wonder that is evoked is felt.  The members come to realize that they play a vital role individually and corporately to return the land. P. 72  "Shall we head up further for him, to the crags? Theres an Ogre or two and could introduce a Hag to it, up there." "Certainly not," said Caspian. "I should think not, indeed," said Truffle-hunter. "The same variety needs nothing on the minor." Besides the appropriate requirements. The imagination of the sense of unity and responsibility drives them to stand up for change in something real. P. 187 â€Å"However, the new bout went well. The shield may have certainly been used well by Peter and make use his feet skillfully. He almost played Tig with Miraz; shifting his ground to keep out of range, making the enemy work.† It is all about taking steps driven by the desire for change in order to attain the destroyed glory. (Lewis) The main conflict in the book is leadership tussle between a prince who is fighting for his crown and a false king who has taken the mantle. The prince was dethroned because he was young. Therefore, he was seen as not capable of leading. It narrows down to a battle of only two men who are to determine the fate of the entire world. This conflict is an external conflict that later involves all the members of the land. The conflict is resolved through battle and unity amongst the members of the land ending up in victory. The most favorable part is when Miraz is challenged by Peter to a High King duel. Peter become victorious as Miraz had tripped over a tussock and could never get up. Lord Glozelle whom he had earlier insulted in revenge killed him. The Narnians did the consequent battle with the help of Aslan. Finally Caspian is crowned as King of Narnia by Aslan, and this resulted to the door opening at the edge of the cliff. Telmarines who had gathered were give an option to choose to

Tuesday, November 19, 2019

Project risk and Procurement Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

Project risk and Procurement - Essay Example The differences appear because the future is not known or is not exactly predictable. Thus, it is evident that risk exists from the onset of an activity. The risks generally arise because either there are hazards within the activity or there is a lack of certainty about the activity which is being undertaken. Therefore, the nature of risks becomes identifiable in terms of information, control and resources (skills, money, time and equipment). Broadly, risk can be classified as litigation, reputation risk and environmental risk (Lansdowne, 1999). For example, one of the major cigarette manufacturing companies had to recall around 3 million cigarettes once it became aware of the fact that their cigarettes were potentially contaminated. This created significant negative publicity for the company and resulted in loss of reputation (Egbuji, 1999). Furthermore, this has also resulted in reduced revenue. In the similar way, Toyota, the giant car manufacturing company had to recall a number of products because of some issues in the braking system. This hampered the reputation of the firm badly (Elsenstein, 2013). However, the activities of Toyota after this incident took place, exemplifies the way how a company should manage its risks. This report seeks to investigate about the different types of risks associated with project management. In addition, the report will also throw light on activities undertaken by companies for managing the risks in small and large projects. The risk measurement techniques usually applied by the companies will be also discussed in this project. Risk in Project Management In the recent past, major corporate disasters such as the Enron Collapse, insolvency of Lehman Brothers etc. have increased the need of efficient corporate governance (Cervone, 2004). Similarly, catastrophic natural disasters, such as Earthquakes, Tsunami and man-made tragedies such as terrorism activities have greatly increased the risk awareness and its consequences (Bar ki, Rivard and Talbot, 2001). A company involved in project activities also encompasses different risk management activities (OGC, 2007; Otway, 1992). There are several types of risks associated with projects such as mechanical engineering, construction projects or information technology projects. In the context of project management, risk is defined as â€Å"a problem that has not happened†, but is yet to occur (Pavlak, 2004, p.20). As a result of that risk management is positioned high in every project manager’s agenda (Pender, 2001). There are various types of risks associated with project management. The most common risks are as follows: - Cost risk: - Cost risk is typically the escalation of the project cost due to improper estimation of the cost and scope creep. The cost risks are directly associated with the financials of the company. One of the most common examples of cost risk is the over budget. Project managers often falter in determining the cost requiremen t of the entire project and as a result of that the budget exceeds and companies experiences financial loss (Williams, 2005). Schedule Risk: - The schedule risk is the type risk in which managers fear that a certain activity will take longer than the expected time. Such kind of

Sunday, November 17, 2019

American Housing and Global Financial Essay Example for Free

American Housing and Global Financial Essay To do this, lawmakers needed to understand what had happened, particularly because housing had until then seemed like such a bright spot in the US economy. The US housing â€Å"bubble† in the early 21st century In his 2001 letter to shareholders, Fannie Mae CEO Franklin Raines wrote, â€Å"Housing is a safe, leveraged investment – the only leveraged investment available to most families – and it is one of the best returning investment to make. Home will continue to appreciate in value. Home values are expected to rise even faster in this decade than in the 1990’s. His optimism was due in part to the importance Americans attributed to owning a home. The importance was reflected in Fannie Mae’s motto, which was â€Å"Our Business in the American Dream. † Raines was not alone in touting the advantages of housing as an investment. While house prices in particular region had suffered temporary declines at various points, average housing prices across the United States had risen fairly steadily since at least 1975 (see Exhibit 1). This trend accelerated in 1996, and reached about 12 percent per annum in late 2005 and early 2006. Many observers felt that this rise in prices was due in part to the Federal Reserve’s policy of maintaining low interest rates after the 2001 recession. In the period from 1980 to 2001, the Federal Funds rate (an overnight interest rate that bank charged each other and which the Federal Reserve targeted) had generally tracked economic conditions (see Exhibit 2). After 2001 and until July 2004, however, the Fed kept interest rates low in spite of signs of growth in output and prices. Perhaps fearing a recession that did not materialize, the Federal Funds rate was set to only 1 percent from July 2003 to July 2004. After this, anxiety about inflation seemed to gain the upper hand and interest rates were increased steadily, with the Federal Funds rate reaching 5. 25% in September 2006. A debate over house prices started around 2004. Some economists, such as Dean Baker, the co-director of the Centre for Economic and Policy Research claimed at the time that house prices were like a bubble ready to burst, and that the economy needed to brace itself for a loss of $2 to $3 trillion in housing wealth. Others felt that, even though increases in housing prices had far outstripped increase in residential rents, this was reasonable in light of the low interest rates. Even in October 2005, when it was common to hear mentions of a housing bubble, developer Bob Toll disagreed and complained â€Å"Why can’t real estate just have a boom like every other industry? Why do we have to have a bubble and then a pop? † Meanwhile, several economists pointed out that house price increases were concentrated in particular areas such as San Francisco and New York, where zoning restriction made it difficult to expand the housing stock. Professor Chris Mayer of Columbia University saw the attraction of these areas coupled with the inability to increase supply as allowing house prices in these areas to remain high â€Å"basically forever†. Nothing that Tokyo real estate was still more expensive than real estate in Manhattan, he stated: â€Å"There’s no natural law that says US housing prices have to stop here. None. † While house prices reached eye-popping levels in what Chris Mayer called â€Å"superstar cities,† construction was booming elsewhere. Cities like Phoenix, as well as many communities in Florida and around Los Angeles, saw such a torrid pace of construction that builders had difficulty even procuring the cement they needed. New houses in these areas were often snapped up by eager investors and newspapers relished reporting on individuals who managed to resell houses at a gain even before they took possession of them. According to Loan Performance Inc, more than 12% of Phoenix-area mortgages were obtained by investors in 2004, as compared to just 5. 8% nationwide in 2000. Home finance before the 1990’s In the United States, it was common to talk about the â€Å"Traditional† fixed 30 year mortgage. This instrument required the borrower to make a constant stream of monthly payments during the 30 year term of the loan. These payments were specified in advance; so the interest rate on this loan was fixed. Many of these traditional loans allowed borrowers to ‘pre-pay† their mortgages without penalty. When interest rates declined, borrowers often took advantage of this feature and refinanced their homes at lower rates. Savings and Loan Associations (Samp;Ls) already offered mortgages with constant payments before the Great Depression, though they were typically less than 12 years long. At the time, other lenders mostly offered short-term mortgages that needed to be refinanced because they had â€Å"balloon† payments at the end. During the Great Depression, many households went into default in part because this refinancing became difficult. One government response was to create the Home Owners Loan Corporation (HOLC), which made simultaneous offers to borrowers and lenders. If they both agreed, lenders received HOLC obligations in exchange for their claims against households, although this exchange required bank to recognize a loss on their assets. Households, meanwhile, freed themselves of their previous obligation by accepting new ‘self-amortizing’ mortgages with fixed payments whose terms were based on new assessments of their home’s worth. After WWII, banks and Samp;Ls originated many fixed 30 year mortgages and held them to maturity. The results were not always happy. When short-term interest rates rose in the early 1980’s, the yield on mortgage assets fell below the cost of paying depositors for their funds. This mismatch was one of the causes for the failure of about half of the 32,234 Samp;L’s that existed in 1986. Because the government insured the Samp;L’s depositors, it incurred considerable losses and had to set up a special institution to dispose of the failed Samp;L’s assets. The Samp;L crisis also boosted the securitization of mortgages by two governments sponsored enterprises (GSEs), Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac. Fannie Mae was originally created in 1938 as a government agency. Like Freddie Mac, a twin that Congress chartered in 1970, Fannie Mae eventually became a privately owned publicly traded company. Starting with bundles of mortgages purchased from mortgage originators, the GSEs created and sold mortgage-backed securities (MBSs), which delivered to holders the payments made on these mortgages. In exchange for a fee, the GSEs guaranteed the interest and principal on these loans. This meant that, assuming the GSEs remained solvent (or that the government came to their rescue if they found themselves in financial trouble), the only payment risk faced by the holders of these MBSs was the risk that the underlying mortgages would be repaid before they were due (Known as prepayment risk). Congress capped the size of the loans that GSEs could accept. In 2006, for example, the maximum loan for single-family homes was $417,000. To limit their credit risk, the GSEs used standards that were similar to those of traditional originators. To secure sufficient collateral, they took only senior mortgage and generally required the loan-to-value ratio (LTV) to be below 80 %. The LTV was computed as the ratio of the mortgage to the property’s market value at the time of origination. Before underwriting loans, the GSEs also looked at the borrower’s income and employment status, level of other assets, and history of foreclosures and bankruptcies. Consistent with the rules of GSEs, home lenders before the 1990s only lent to borrowers they deemed credit worthy, and generally required documentary evidence on these variables. Until the practice was penalized by a 1977 law, most lenders also denied mortgages to people living in certain â€Å"redlined† communities, where these were predominantly inner city neighborhoods with large black populations. An avenue that remained open to borrowers with problematic credit histories was to apply through conventional lenders for loans insured by the Federal Housing Administration (FHA). The lenders then had to verify that the loan met FHA requirements and the process for doing so was somewhat more time-consuming than in the case non-FHA mortgages. In spite of these standards, about 8 % of FHA loans were past-due in 1993, while the delinquency rate on standard mortgages was only 3 %. FHA loans were packaged into mortgage-backed securities by Ginnie Mae, a government owned corporation that dealt exclusively with federally guaranteed mortgages. Innovation in the mortgage In the 1990s new firms started to lend money to borrowers that did not qualify for ‘prime’ mortgages. Rather than lending directly, many of these firms sought the help of mortgage brokers to whom they paid commissions. The US Department of Housing and Urban Development’s list of lenders who specialized in such ‘subprime’ loans increased from 63 lenders in 1993 to 209 in 2005. Wall Street firms Lehman Brothers, Bear Stearns, Goldman Sachs, Merrill Lynch and Morgan Stanley all acquired such lenders, though all but Lehman Brothers and Bear Stearns did so only in 2006. One obvious difference between ‘subprime’ and ‘prime’ loans was that the former had higher interest rates and fees. There was, however, no precise dividing line between the two, so that there was no consensus on how to measure the fraction of subprime loans. According to one definition, the value of these loans grew from about 1% of new mortgages in 1993 to 20% in 2006. At the same time, the FHA share dropped from 11% to 1. 9%. An independent analysis by the Wall Street Journal concluded that 29% of the home loans made in 2006 had high interest rates. A large fraction of these loans refinanced existing loans. In many cases, these refinancing loans increased the borrowers’ mortgage debt and thereby made it possible for households to keep some cash for other purposes. From being virtually unknown in the 1980s, Countrywide Financial became the largest mortgage lender in 2005. A 2003 government report showed that it was also the leading mortgage lender to minority homeowners, as well as one of the largest providers of home loans in low-income communities. When this report was released, Countrywide’s CEO Angelo Mozilo said: ‘We’re extremely proud of our accomplishments, as they clearly demonstrate our long-standing commitment to provide all Americans with the opportunity to achieve the dream of homeownership. These results underscore our ongoing efforts to discover new approaches to turn individuals and families into homeowners, to develop new loan products that reduce or eliminate the obstacles to homeownership and to make it easier for families to qualify for loans. Contrary to what had been standard practice in the past, lenders such as Countrywide did not offer the same interest rate to all borrowers. This customization was facilitated by the use of automated statistical models that predicted the likelihood of default on the basis of borrower characteristics. Interestingly, the first statistical tools that came into wide use were those developed by Freddie Mac (called Loan Prospector) and Fannie Mae (called Desktop Underwriter). These were introduced to make it easy for mortgage originators to know whether their loans would be acceptable to the GSEs, though their use expanded well beyond this purpose. One variable that played a key role in these models, and which had apparently been absent from previous methods of qualifying borrowers for mortgage, was the borrower’s credit score. While there were several approved commercial credit score formulas (regulators did not allow scores to depend on race, gender, marital status or national origin), the most popular one was the FICO score invented by the Fair Isaac Corporation. This score, which ranged from about 300 for poor credit risks to about 850, appeared to give considerable weight to the punctuality with which borrowers had paid their previous obligations. One reason these scores became important in mortgage applications was that studies by Freddie Mac had shown a strong correlation between FICO scores and defaults on mortgages in the pre-1995 period. One type of mortgage that became popular among subprime lenders was known as 2/28 because its rate was fixed for 2 years and then became variable for the remaining 28 years. This mortgage was quite different from adjustable rate mortgage (ARMs) offered to prime borrowers. The introductory rate on 2/28 was above the typical rate offered on 30-year fixed mortgages, whereas ARMs for prime borrowers had initial rates below those on fixed mortgage. Also, rates on 2/28s rose considerably when they were ‘reset’ after 2 years. According to the President of the Federal Reserve Bank of Boston Eric Rosengren, the average initial rate for subprime mortgages issued in 2006 was 8. 5% (when the conventional 30-year mortgage rate was below 6. 4%) and reset to 610 basis points above the 6-month LIBOR rate (which averaged about 5% in 2006) after 2 years. In the case of reasonable 2/28 mortgages, there were pre-payment penalties if the mortgage was pre-paid in the first two years but there was no cost associated with pre-paying right before the interest rate was reset. From the point of view of mortgage brokers, this arrangement was attractive because it ensured that many borrowers would refinance after two years, allowing brokers to collect new origination fees. Borrowers were also told that this arrangement was good for them because, if they made timely payments, their FICO score would improve and they would be able to refinance at a lower rate. There were widespread allegations that some borrowers in this period received home loans on terms that were substantially less favorable than those of conventional or FHA loans for which these borrowers would have qualified. It was also claimed that unsophisticated borrowers had been duped into signing mortgage that continued to have severe pre-payment penalties even after interest rates had been reset to high levels. A lawsuit in Michigan claimed that a mortgage broker working for a unit of Lehman Brothers ‘confused and pressured’ an elderly couple so that they would sign a loan whose interest rate would reach 17. 5%. Several borrowers told Federal officials that they had simply been laid to regarding their future monthly payments. What is certain is that some borrowers agreed to make payments that were impossible for them to keep up with over time. A 79-year old retired engineer named Robert Pyle, for example, moved from a $265,000 to a $352,000 mortgage in 2005 and cleared his credit card debts in the process. Almost immediately after signing the mortgage, which involved over $33,000 in fees, he found himself unable to cover the $2200 monthly payment. Terry Dyer, the broker who issued Robert Pyle’s mortgage said, â€Å"It’s clear he was living beyond his means, and he might not be able to afford this loan. But legally, we don’t have a responsibility to tell him this probably isn’t going to work out. It’s not our obligation to tell them how they should live their lives. † Some subprime loans required less documentation than was traditionally demanded. Instead of requiring proof of income of independent appraisals of the value of the home, some subprime mortgages were based only on â€Å"stated income† or â€Å"stated value†. Stated income loans were very convenient for borrowers who had casual jobs that were difficult to document, though they opened the door to fraud by both borrowers and brokers. Another dimension in which some subprime loans departed from traditional ones was in their down-payments requirements.

Thursday, November 14, 2019

The Mathematical Connections in the De Stijl movement Essays -- Essays

The Mathematical Connections in the De Stijl movement De Stijl or â€Å"The Style† is a movement that originated in Holland with the first publication of the periodical De Stijl in 1917. The works produced took art to a whole new level, pushing creativity to the new modern era. The emergence of the De Stijl movement coincided with constructivism in Russia, with influences from Cubism and the artist Kadinsky. However, the movement was not confined to just one art form. Similar to the Blue Rider and Bauhaus movements, De Stijl spanned to other forms of art like sculpture, furniture design, architecture, and graphic design. The movement continued up until the last published issue of De Stijl in 1931. Major contributors to the group include Piet Mondrian, Theo van Doesburg, and Georges Vantongerloo. These artists helped to define the De Stijl through their use of form and geometry inspired by mathematics. The De Stijl movement is recognizable in the simplistic use of forms on a plane. Pieces produced during the period of the periodical’s production are distinguished from other abstract work of the time in this use of geometry. Unlike Cubism, De Stijl is more structured and less interested in conveying a particular object through analysis of the different perspectives. The De Stijl went beyond such an interpretation and headed towards a more utopian goal of perfect balance. Paul Overy explains, â€Å"The single element, perceived as separate, and the configuration of elements, perceived as a whole, were intended to symbolize the relationship between the individual and the collective (or the universal)† (8). This idea can be described as almost mysticism in that they were concerned with the overall symboli... ...ple, their exploration with simple forms, planes, axis, and grids resulted in a balance. This balance, in turn, was part of the utopian idea of the De Stijl. The utopia represented the new age arising with technology and the future. It is no surprise that the De Stijl movement is one of the major forerunners of modern art, setting its own â€Å"formula† for inspiration. Works Cited Jaffe, H.C.L. The De Stijl Group: Dutch Plastic Art. Trans. Roy Edwards. J.M. Meulenhoff, Amsterdam. Joosten, Joop. â€Å"Paint and Sculpture in the Context of De Stijl.† De Stijl: 1917-1931 Visions of Utopia, pp. 50-67. Phaidon, Oxford: 1982. Overy, Paul. De Stijl. Thames and Hudson, London: 1991. Troy, Nancy J. The De Stijl Environment. The MIT Press, London: 1983. Warncke, Carsten-Peter. The Ideal as Art De Stijl 1917-1931. Benedikt Taschen, Germany: 1991.

Tuesday, November 12, 2019

Communication’s Effect on Effective Conflict Management

The process of effective conflict management is very complex. There are many elements that one must master in order to become effective at conflict resolution. In life, we will be faced with a myriad of people, all with different views and opinions; so naturally, we will be faced with conflict at some point in our lives. Once conflict is initiated (intentionally or not), it is important to keep a cool head and remember a few steps. According to our textbook, there are 5 stages for successful conflict resolution which are prelude to conflict, the triggering event, the initiation phase, the differentiation phase, and the resolution phase (Cahn & Abigail, 2007). It is very important to identify and learn these stages so they can be present in our minds during times of conflict. The first stage is the prelude to conflict stage. This stage deals with the tension that arises right before a conflict becomes external. Communication plays a large role in this stage. If communication fails, conflict will ensue. Communication can fail if one or more involved parties communicate with a negative connotation, tone, or word choice. Other things such as sharing too much information or not enough can also have a detrimental effect on communication at this point. All of these factors, although generally considered small components of communication, can lay the foundation for conflict. During this stage, the correct thing to do is to stop talking for a brief moment and examine one’s own emotions in an attempt to control them. Oftentimes, our inability to control our emotions will cloud our judgment and will only help to escalate the issue. It is also important to deal with the preconceived notions that we may have as these too can have an impact on our judgment. According to the attribution theory, â€Å"people act as they do in conflict situation because of the conclusions they draw about each other† (Cahn & Abigail, 2007). In most cases, our body language will also betray us and will project the negative feelings we may be experiencing. Many times, we can misread a person and this may lead to what is known as false conflict. â€Å"Perception of conflict is a cognitive factor that encompasses an individual’s position toward conflict in general,†(Ben-Ari & Hirshberg, 2009). It is for this reason that it is very important to make a serious effort to eliminate prejudgments and any negative body language that goes with it. Taking these steps during phase 1 will prevent setting a tone of hostility and will eliminate any unnecessary conflict. Phase 2 of the conflict refers to the actual event or events that trigger the conflict. This is a very important factor because by determining the trigger, we can focus on what the real conflict is and identify it. By focusing on the trigger, we can focus on the events and facts, rather than on the emotions behind the conflict. When addressing a conflict it is important to stay professional at all times,† (â€Å"Diffusing conflict,† 2010). This will help keep the focus on the conflict itself and should help keep communication from becoming hostile. It is also important to isolate and identify the true conflict as oftentimes, resulting emotions will cloud our better judgment. Once we have a better assessment of what the true conflict is, we can move to the next phase of the process. The next phase is known as the initiation phase. During the initiation phase, it is important to state the problem. Ideally, this process should foster communication. In order to move forward towards a successful resolution, it is important that all sides get to state their side of the conflict. Communication at this point becomes critical to solving the problem. It is also important to keep an open mind and listen to everything that is said. In many cases, others may have been offended by something we do or say without us knowing it. In order to successfully resolve the conflict, it is not enough to simply state the conflict and listen to all sides of the issue, but rather it is important to present possible solutions to the problem. The most effective way to ensure resolution is to formulate an adequate conflict strategy. Conflict strategies are â€Å"overall plans consisting of a cluster of behaviors that people use in a specific conflict situation† (Abigail & Cahn, 2007). This should occur during the following phase which is known as the differentiation phase. During this phase, it is advised that you analyze the information exchanged in the previous stages and work to formulate an adequate conflict strategy suitable for this particular conflict. Ideally, this process should foster an open, honest communication amongst the affected parties. It is important that everyone involved keep an open mind so that all possibilities are heard and so that we may keep our conflict strategy flexible. Again, communication plays a pivotal role in determining the success of the conflict strategy. The use of active listening and clear communication will be useful in getting all resolution ideas out on the table. It is important to be clear about what you expect from this conflict but it is of equal importance to listen to what the other party is seeking from this conflict. The final phase is the resolution phase. During this step, the affected parties should work together to achieve a realistic resolution that will benefit both parties. Part of good communication is having good listening skills. Once you reach this step, the conflict should be de-escalated and should be much easier to find middle ground. Since all sides have stated their positions and desires in the previous steps of this conflict, it is important to remember that emotions may still be raw. Communication and respect should take precedent in this phase in order to avoid falling into the pitfalls of conflict once again. A good resolution should fulfill certain requirements in order to be considered a success. First and foremost, the resolution should be considered fair and reasonable. Although, realistically, not everyone will get their way, everyone should be able to feel like they understand why they are not getting what they feel like they deserve. Feeling that the resolution was fair and unbiased will help prevent future conflict. The agreement should also be realistic and specific enough so that everyone may know what needs to be done and when. In order to proceed, everyone needs to understand what their role is for this resolution. It is also important to clarify the details of the resolution such as defining whether it is self-governed or whether it counts on others to enforce it (Ohrd, 2010). Once these precedents have been set and everyone understands the terms of the agreement, resolution is complete. One additional step is to follow up. Following up is not a traditional step in the conflict management process, but it has become a very important way of â€Å"going above and beyond. It serves as a gesture of goodwill and also helps to ensure that the terms of resolution are being met. It is also just as important to ensure that one keeps their own end of the resolution during the follow up phase as failure to do so will only cause yet another conflict to arise. As a customer service representative, I am faced with conflict on a daily basis. My communication skills have to be sharp as I am an over-the-phone representative for a national cell phone company. I deal with people from all walks of life and from all parts of the country. Usually, when a person phones in to the cell phone company, it is because they are experiencing an issue or are upset about something. Finally understanding the affect communication has on the conflict process has helped me improve in my conflict resolution skills at work. While at work, my main tool is communication since I am over the phone and I must get my point across verbally. One of my main functions is to de-escalate a customer that is calling in upset. Often, a customer will call in screaming and yelling because of their anger and frustration. At first, it was very hard not to get upset and respond in a similar manner. I have learned that I am the face of the company and in the customers’ minds, I am the company itself so the conflict is not with me personally, but rather the company. With this in mind, I realize how important it is for me to keep my tone and word choice professional. Phase 1 is extremely important in my job because it lays the foundation for how the call will go. Once a call gets off to a bad start, it is very hard to turn it around, so I have to get it right. Phase 2 usually occurs very early on in the call since the customer calling already knows what their conflict is. It is my job to actively listen to what issues the customer is experiencing and then move on to phase 3 so that I may analyze what the customer said and identify the problem. Although most customers are very straightforward with stating the problem, sometimes even they are not sure about what the real conflict is. They only know the issues they are experiencing. One common example of this is when a customer calls in to cancel their line because their bill is consistently high. After listening to what they feel is the problem, my phase 3 procedure is to analyze their account and identify the cause of the high bills. On my most recent example, the cause of the high bills was minute overages. I proceeded to check their account’s history and they had consistently been going over in their minutes for months. Phase 4 of my conflict resolution in this case would involve explaining the true cause of the high bills and suggesting a plan that better fits the customer’s needs. This solution is often met with some resistance, initially, because the customer does not see the benefit for them. They see a plan with more minutes that will cost them more money, so it is my job to help the customer see the benefit of what I am proposing. Someone who usually pays $30 in overages on average per month would benefit greatly by changing to a plan that is $10 more per month but would include enough minutes to suit their use. In order to achieve this, effective communication must take place. By phase 4, I should have already calmed the customer down, listened to their issues, and identified the problem. When presenting the solution, I must also be very careful in my tone and word choice as these are my tools to resolve the conflict. Both my tone and word choice have to project confidence and professionalism. Customers need to feel that they are dealing with a professional who is a specialist to help them so that they can keep an open mind to what I will suggest to them. The 5th phase is the resolution phase. In this particular situation, the customer has the last word in choosing the resolution, but it is my job to steer them towards a resolution that is positive for both the customer and the company. This final process requires that we recap all of the information discussed and reinforce that the decision being made is the correct one. This provides additional closure to help the customer feel confident that they are making an informed decision with a professional company. The last step of the conflict resolution process in this scenario is the follow-up. We have several methods of performing follow-ups with our customers. One way of following up with the customer is through our post-call surveys. Customers receive follow-up calls from our customer service department and answer a series of questions as to how their customer service representative treated them and if their conflict was solved adequately. This is a very important step because aside from re-affirming the importance of communication with our customer, it also helps the company know what types of conflict are not being resolved efficiently. Another way that the company seeks to follow-up with our customers is by having customer service representatives perform follow-up reviews on customers’ accounts. Generally, we are given time at the beginning of our shift to review the accounts we have handled previously. We document whether or not the customer has called back within 48 hours of their last contact with us. The theory behind this is that if we are doing an effective job of resolving conflict with the customer as a company, the customer’s issue should be resolved in one call. If the customer has called back within 48 hours of their call with you, then you did not adequately solve their issues and the conflict continued. By performing follow-up reviews, the company can keep track of your one call resolution accuracy and can coach each representative on specific types of calls that they need help on based on their one call resolution review. This follow up review is effective in that it shows the company’s commitment to getting the conflict resolved for the customer and it also shows the company’s commitment to helping the employee succeed and improve. The process of conflict management, although complex, relies heavily on the use of effective communication. Conflict management is a part of daily life and recognizing the importance of communication will increase the rate of success in dealing with conflict. Learning to communicate clearly and openly will make mastering the art of conflict management a much more pleasant experience.References http://www.ohrd.wisc.edu/onlinetraining/resolution/step8.htm

Saturday, November 9, 2019

Making Decisions Based on Demand and Forecasting Essay

1.Report the demographic and independent variables that are relevant to complete a demand analysis providing a rationale for the selection of the variables. (Independent variables are the variables that have effect on the demand of Pizza). List 5 and explain the effect of each of them on the demand of Domino’s Pizza. I currently reside in Allentown, Pennsylvania, which has a current population, based off of the 2010 Census data, of 118,032 people. The large amount of people that reside in the 18 square mile city, which is the third largest in the state, allows for huge competition amongst the local chain and privately owned pizza restaurants. Within the city limits of Allentown, Pennsylvania, there are 3 Domino’s pizza restaurants within 13.2 miles of each other. The average median income per household is $49,025 and $37,356 per family. This can affect the demand of pizza based on the price of the pizzas being sold. The lower the income of a family is, the lesser the chances they will purchase take-out or fast food. Typically, families that are on a fixed or smaller income will live on a budget and normally that does not include the luxury of eating out. Looking at the price of various Domino’s Pizza, Pizza Hut and various local pizza restaurants, the average cost of a large, plain cheese pizza pie is $10.42. While this may be a good price to some, families with a higher number of members may not be willing to pay $10+ per pizza due to the fact that they most likely have to purchase in multiple quantities. 15 percent of the Allentown, Pennsylvania population get around by means of transportation other than a car, therefore a pizza restaurant offering delivery services will be a benefit to those not able to pick their pizza up. The local average fee for pizza delivery is $2.00, based off of two of the large chain pizza restaurants delivery fees. The local privately owned pizza restaurants do not charge a delivery fee, which is a greater demand for those residents looking to spend the least amount of money on their pizza lunch or dinner. Many pizza restaurants offer various pizza order specials, such as 2 large plain pies for $19.99. While that is a great offer, the larger chain pizza restaurants such as Domino’s and Pizza Hut offer various specials like a large pizza for 8.00 or a large 3-topping pizza for $7.99. The only disadvantage of these specials is that the pizzas vary in their large size from restaurant to restaurant. 2.Find the price elasticity of demand for Pizza online. Is it elastic, unit elastic, or inelastic? Explain how the price elasticity of demand can affect your decision to open the pizza store and your pricing policies? Price elasticity of demand is defined as â€Å"the ratio of the percentage change in quantity demanded to the percentage change in price, assuming that all other factors influencing demand remain unchanged† (McGuigan, 2011, pg. 70). With the average cost of pizza in Allentown, Pennsylvania being $10.42, it is still a very high demand product. If the price of pizza were to go up, the demand for pizza may drop slightly, making the demand in price insensitive. There are certain determinants that will affect the price elasticity such as disposable income and the prices of competitors’ products these cannot be controlled by the firm. Determinants that can affect the price elasticity of pizza that can be controlled by the firm are price, advertising, product qua lity and customer service (McGuigan, 2011, p. 69). The price elasticity demand for pizza is and will most likely always be inelastic, because even though the cost of the ingredients to make pizzas may increase and decrease, pizza is a very popular product and will always be in high demand. Being a part of the Domino’s Pizza franchise, offering the various weekly and monthly specials will guarantee that the demand for pizza will not decline by a huge rate should the need to increase pricing arises. This will not affect my decision to open a Domino’s Pizza franchise, I am confident that the demand for pizza will only slightly decrease if economic reasons forces pricing to rise. My pricing policies will always be in line with Domino’s corporate structure, therefore being able to offer special deals on pizzas will counter balance the rise on individual pizza pies. 3.Explain the cross price elasticity. List 3 goods that you consider substitute to pizza in your area. How do they affect your decisions? (opening the store and pricing policy) Cross price elasticity is defined as â€Å"the ratio of the percentage change in the quantity demanded of Good A to the percentage change in the price of Good B, assuming that all other factors influencing demand remain unchanged† (McGuigan et al, 2011, pg. 87). If the price of pizza’s rises and the demand decreases by a certain percentage then this causes the need for pizza boxes will decline. This will be considered a negative cross price elasticity, and the two goods are complementary. On the other hand, if the price of pizza increases, and the demand for an alternative product increases, then this is considered substitutes, and the cross price elasticity is positive. Some substitutes for pizza in the event the price rises could be Subway sandwich platters, KFC family bucket meals, and Chinese food platters. Families buy pizza because of the large quantity for a cheap price, but if the prices were to increase, then these same families may look for similar alternatives that will not empty their wallets. These are possible alternatives that offer a large quantity of food at a reasonable price that can affect the demand of pizza. However, monitoring the costs of the competing fast food restaurants in the Allentown, Pennsylvania area will allow Domino’s to offer certain specials and pizza deals to the community that can keep their demand at a high rate. 4.Explain how you will forecast the demand for pizza in your community for the next four (4) months, using the regression equation including the assumptions that were used. Justify the assumptions made related to the forecast. 5.Based on the forecasting demand, price elasticity, and cross price elasticity discuss whether Dominos should establish a restaurant in your community. Provide a rationale and support for the decision. Establishing another Domino’s Pizza restaurant in the Allentown, Pennsylvania area will be a good idea because there is a true demand for pizzas. Referring to the price elasticity and the cross price elasticity, the positive outweighs the negative sides of supply and demand. Whether or not the price of pizzas goes up, the demand will always be sufficient enough to warrant the decision to open up a new restaurant. The price elasticity is inelastic because if and when the price of pizza increases, the demand for it will not be greatly affected. Domino’s Pizza’s financials for first quarter 2013 were released and the pizza giant had revenues up 8.6% from Q1 2012, and their net income was up 65.9% for the same period in 2012 (Dominos.com, 2013). This proves that even during the decline in the economy, the demand for pizza stays at the top. Domino’s Pizza sells more than one million pizzas daily, it is safe to assume that opening a new Domino’s in the Allentown area will not be a bad decision.