ASEAN Economic Integration 2015 Essay

As the world today becomes more complex in term of politics and economics, there are agreements or treaties created in order to maintain the stabilization and development. One of the significant things that most states mainly concern about is the economic development; as a matter of fact, since the collapse of the Soviet Union, the world has given more priority to the economic development. On top of that, there were creations of free trade agreement among countries or regions; for instance, ASEAN was created in the purpose of regional development especially in economic. Moreover, ASEAN has proposed an objective to be succeeded in 2015 which is known as the economic integration or ASEAN Economic Community. There are three important factors that lead to the creation of ASEAN economic integration in 2015. First, ASEAN free trade area for free flow of goods is an agreement to reduce the trade barrier across the ASEAN countries, found in 1992 (The ASEAN Secretariat, 2012). At first, there were only six members of ASEAN joining and discussing about the free flow of goods during the early 1990s. In 2000, ASEAN has reached four more members such as Cambodia, Laos, Vietnam, and Myanmar, and those countries were not developed much in economic; so, as the former six members could reach the similarity development in term of economic, the proposal that was concerned over the free trade area is still existed. It needs time for the new member states to reach the development as the ASEAN has defined the year 2015 for the economic integration, and it means that the new member states need to develop themselves until they reach the demand from the other member in productivity which it was estimated to be in 2015. Additionally, in order to reach this objective, it needs the entire new member states have higher economic growth and sign for agreement on trade. Once a country has free trade, it could lead to the international competition and also developing the country. Second, ASEAN framework agreement on services was created in order to limit the flow of services, established in 1995 and also known as the factor leading to economic integration (Hai, 2004). The aim of creating this agreement is to promote the free flow of services in the economic integration 2015. As some countries in ASEAN still need to develop, all of the member states have to cooperate well among other especially in trade and education. On top of that, technological transfer from state to state could  lead to the skillful labor forces. While having skillful forces, it makes easier for state to attract the investment. As all of the members consist of skill labors and form as a regional group, they can gain the beginning power in term of production and services. Furthermore, ASEAN will play more roles in the world economic competition on free flow of services as well as the productions. Accordingly, it could increase in service market; for instance, Singapore is one of the developed countries that is considered as the knowledge based economic which is referred to the use of services beside productions (Yue, 2001). Another factor that leads to the creation of ASEAN economic integration 2015 is the ASEAN investment agreement (AIA). It is an agreement between the member states for the open and free flow of investment throughout the region as well as to enrich the competitiveness and attraction of Direct Foreign Investment. This agreement focus on four blueprints such as progressive liberalization of investment among member states, enhancing the protection of investors and their investment, improvement of regulations to increase investment, and promotion integrated investment area. Due to these principles, it can contribute a lot advantages to member states mainly for three aspects. First, because of the free flow of investment into the regime, ASEAN has gained the Capital increase. Even when there was the Asian Financial crisis, ASEAN remained strong with the growth of threefold accounted from US$ 23 billion in 1998 to US$ 69 billion. Obviously, the intra-ASEAN has also been expanded to US$ 10.7 million, and for the foreign direct investment, it keeps growing which accounted for US$ 30.1 billion (2012). Second, AIA is one of main causes that create jobs for most of ASEAN citizens which approximately in total of 600 million people. When there were direct foreign investments, many factories and companies consumed labor forces to work in their firm; therefore, as a result, ASEAN employment rate will rise remarkably. Last but not least, the economic development is surely achieved by the free flow of investment. There will be advancement in any field such as infrastructures, technology, healthcare, education, etc when it comes to the accessibility to the manufacturing or services. All in all, the ASEAN investment agreement is the driving cause that provide three important benefits like increasing capital, creating more jobs, and improving economic development. After mentioning about the factors that lead to the ASEAN economic integration  2015, we can inferred that it is important for ASEAN to be ready for the economic integration 2015 as it could lead ASEAN to become a highly developed region that plays important role in the world economic. References Hai, T. C. (2004). Mutual Recognition of Surveying Qualifications within the ASEAN Framework Agreement on Services. Fig.net. Retrieved from http://www.fig.net/pub/monthly_articles/november_2004/teo_november_2004.pdf The ASEAN Secretariat. (2012). The ASEAN Free Trade Area. Asean.org. Retrieved from http://www. asean.org/communities/asean-economic-community/category/overview-10 Yue, C.S. (2001). Singapore: Towards a Knowledge-Based Economy. Retrieved fromhttp://www.d1074616.domain.com/worldcapitalinstitute/makciplatform/files/Singapore_Towards%20k-Economy_0.pdf Topic: Preparing for the ASEAN Economic Community 2015: What Can We and Government Do? The Practice of Liberalism in the ASEAN Economic Community: Changing Challenges into Positive Opportunities for the Success of Indonesia in the ASEAN Economic Community in 2015 ASEAN Economic Community or commonly called the AEC will be realized in the next two years. AEC planned to take place in 2015. In order to realize the AEC in 2015, all ASEAN countries should liberalize trade in free movement of goods, services, investment, skilled labor, and freer flow of capital, as listed in the AEC blueprint. Based on this, the ASEAN Economic Community can be used as a container for the potential benefit for the countries incorporated in it, but on the other hand also simultaneously AEC can be a boomerang effect for countries that are not yet ready to face the AEC in 2015. Therefore, the free market which will be implemented in the 2015 AEC makes the countries who are members of ASEAN are competing to prepare its resources in order to compete and survive in a free competition because they do not want to become victims of exploitation in the AEC 2015. Indonesia as one of the countries that are members of the ASEAN community is also incorporated in this economic int egration. Preparation of Indonesia in facing the AEC 2015 which is getting closer to the finish line is  interesting to discussed, given the euphoria in welcoming the 2015 AEC Indonesia is still not so pronounced, whereas the 2015 AEC will begin in two years. In this case if Indonesia does not merely want to be a spectator of the exploited towards the existence of economic integration in ASEAN (AEC), Indonesia needs to realize the integrated challenges that will be faced in the implementation of the AEC in 2015. It aims to make Indonesia can change the challenges they face into opportunities in order to get benefits due the AEC 2015. In analyzing the challenges to be faced by Indonesia, I would like to use the perspective of the theory of liberalism considering that the establishment of the AEC as a free trade area, single market aims to make ASEAN more dynamic and competitive market which is the implementation of liberalism. The liberal understanding of international political economy as an application of the theory and methodology of international economics that separates the interaction between economics and politics. The existence of a strong and active role in the mechanism of the market has eclipsed the government authorities who are the main actors of the country. Economics and politics are two arenas are supposed to be separated and each operating according to the rules of logic and its own logic. Because liberals believe that economic factors are the determinant of all social processes and then according to them that international political economic phenomena can be explained by the various existing theories in economics. Linked to the challenges faced by Indonesia in AEC 2015 was that the implementation of the liberalism in the economic field may be adversely affected because there is no one system that was created in this world is perfect. The following are the negative impacts of the implementation of the liberalization of the economy: First liberalism in the world economy can enlarge the gap between countries. Second, liberalism will create a dependency relationship between rich countrie s with poor countries. Third, the market mechanism system will cause adverse monopoly power. Fourth, Liberalism tends to bring instability in the economy. Based on the four negative impact of liberalism, we will know how the challenges faced by Indonesia significantly and further more we can know the appropriate ways in facing the challenges toward ASEAN Economic Community 2015. The first negative impact of the implementation of liberalism is liberalism in the world economy can enlarge the gap between countries. The liberalization of various sectors of the economy will create  free competition in the world market. It means, when free competition occurs, then the countries that have relatively high levels of the economy will be stronger, while those with relatively low levels of the economy will be weak. In this case the economic level ASEAN countries are very diverse. Specifically, the level of economic progress in ASEAN classified into (1) a group of developed countries (Singapore), (2) a dynamic group of countries (Malaysia and Thailand), (3) group of middle-income count ries (Indonesia, the Philippines and Brunei Darussalam), and (4 ) group of underdeveloped countries (Cambodia, Myanmar, Laos, Vietnam). It is unfortunate that position of Indonesia based on the economic level in ASEAN is in the group of middle income countries. Though Indonesia to all its potential and its resources can be make itself as a big country compared to other ASEAN countries. It is caused by conditions in the Indonesian national which tends to be unstable. Not only economic, but also political stability in Indonesia was not stable Moreover when we link to the increase corruption case that lately occurred in Indonesia. So in order to overcome this problem required an integrative solution formulated by the national government to improve national conditions in Indonesia. The solution does not only focus on economic reform but also to improve political stability to run healthier. Infrastructure Improvements, reform the institutional and governance in order to have integrated coordination, and improving the quality of human resources in Indonesia are three main keys to deal the challenges faced by Indonesia in AEC 2015. Second, liberalism will create a dependency relationship between rich countries with poor countries. One problem that occurs is the policy of privatization of State Owned Enterprises (SOE)/(BUMN) a country that is purchased by a foreign country as a consequence of liberalization. Because the state â€Å"considers† itself no longer able to manage and finance the production process of the SOEs, though generally an entity or SOE firms that are closely related to lives of many people. So it does not rule out the influence of one countries to the other countries might have a strong influence. In this case, the government should be firmly protecting state-owned property because no denying that with the ASEAN economic community of state sovereignty would fade. It must have been the challenge for Indonesia in which Indonesia should build the image of dignity as a strong state despite sharing sovereignty between ASEAN  countries. Not only has the strong ability of diplomacy Indonesian government should also set up a strong military device to build an image as a big country. Third, the market mechanism system will cause adverse monopoly power. It means, if in practice a developing country cannot adapt itself to free trade competition in AEC 2015, it can be said that country would only be a victim of other major countries which are able to dominate the market. It can be ascertained that the products made ​​in state are victims of free trade can be dead in the market. In this issue, Indonesia should know the economic actors who will compete at the AEC 2015. Where we know that most of the Indonesian economic actors come from entrepreneurs who run Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs). SMEs engaged in various economic activities which are now considered by all stakeholders as an important sector in addressing the problems faced by the nation’s unemployment and poverty. The role of SMEs that currently there were approximately 55 million units and businesses throughout Indonesia, not only expected to increase employment, and tackle the problem of unemployment, but it also can accelerate regional development. It implies that the role of government is no longer only help the growth of SMEs in the national level, but how to make Indonesian SMEs can compete in the global marketplace. At least, there are three main problems faced by SMEs in Indonesia: (1) the issue of financing for capital, (2) technological issues which some SMEs still have not been able to optimize existing technology, (3) marketing issues. Associated to the three problem s mentioned above, the government should focus on solving the problem of SMEs in Indonesia given that economic actors in Indonesia are mostly SMEs. The solution is intended to provide micro-credit in the financing of capital and also not forget to provide integrated technical training on the technology used and also how to market their products efficiently. Fourth, liberalism tends to bring instability in the economy. In the free trade later, AEC 2015 will lead to price volatility and exchange rates tend to be irregular. This condition will increase the uncertainty in the national economy when a country cannot use it properly. In order to maintain economic stability and to avoid improper policy making, Indonesian government who has responsibility in fiscal economy policy and Indonesian Banks as a central bank who has responsibility in monetary economic policy makers must collaborate in analyzing free market in the 2015  AEC. In short, ASEAN Economic Community that will be implemented in the next few years is not only opportunities but also cause threats to ASEAN countries, including Indonesia. Whether Indonesia will be a state that can take the opportunity to improve their economic or otherwise become a country that is only going to become victims of exploitation for other countries is a challenge and result of Indonesia’s preparation in facing AEC 2015. Based on the perspective of liberalism, AEC 2015 which imposes free trade among ASEAN countries poses challenges to be faced by the ASEAN countries including Indonesia. These challenges can be overcome to proper preparation of the Indonesian government to national development programs that are appropriate and sustainable in the various sectors in order to achieve the success of Indonesia in the ASEAN Economic Community 2015. Bibliography Ikbar, Yanuar.2013.Ekonomi Politik Global 1.Bandung: Rafika Aditama http://www.asean.org/communities/asean-economic-community accessed on Monday, 9 December 2013. Indra Maipita. Liberalisasi dan Globalisasi Perdagangan. 2002. Retrieved from http://www.scribd.com/doc/13312233/LIBERALISASI-DAN-GLOBALISASI-PERDAGANGAN-INTERNASIONAL-by-Indra-Maipita accessed on Monday, 9 December 2013. Departemen Perdagangan Republik Indonesia: Buku Menuju ASEAN Economic Community 2015. (http://ditjenkpi.kemendag.go.id/website_kpi/Umum/Setditjen/Buku%20Menuju%20ASEAN%20ECONOMIC%20COMMUNITY%202015.pdf). http://www.smescoindonesia.com/infos/news/read/95 accessed on Tuesday, December 10, 2013. http://finance.detik.com/read/2013/10/05/104457/2378640/1036/di-forum-apec-2013-syarief-hasan-beberkan-3-masalah-ukm-indonesia accessed on Tuesday, December 10, 2013. ——————————————– [ 2 ]. http://www.asean.org/communities/asean-economic-community accessed on Monday, 9 December 2013. [ 3 ]. Indra Maipita. Liberalisasi dan Globalisasi Perdagangan. 2002. Retrieved from http://www.scribd.com/doc/13312233/LIBERALISASI-DAN-GLOBALISASI-PERDAGANGAN-I NTERNASIONAL-by-Indra-Maipita accessed on Monday, 9 December 2013. [ 4 ]. Departemen Perdagangan Republik Indonesia: Buku Menuju ASEAN Economic Community 2015. (http://ditjenkpi.kemendag.go.id/website_kpi/Umum/Setditjen/Buku%20Menuju%20ASEAN%20ECONOMIC%20COMMUNITY%202015.pdf). [ 5 ]. http://www.smescoindonesia.com/infos/news/read/95 accessed on Tuesday, December 10, 2013. [ 6 ]. Ibid. [ 7 ]. http://finance.detik.com/read/2013/10/05/104457/2378640/1036/di-forum-apec-2013-syarief-hasan-beberkan-3-masalah-ukm-indonesia accessed on Tuesday, December 10, 2013.

Developing yourself as an effective Human Resources practitioner Essay

Briefly summarise the HRPM and comment on the activities and knowledge specified within any one professional area, at band two, identifying those you consider most essential to your own HR role The HRPM is a working tool that underlines behaviours, knowledge and skills that the CIPD understand are needed for the personal and workplace development on all levels of the HR profession, and how it will add value to yourself and your organisation. It looks at improving things not just at the present time but looks forward at how improvements can be made in the future. It has been created to be of use to all levels of professionals in all sectors in any part of the world. The HRPM is set out over ten professional areas; there are 8 specialist Professional areas that specify the activities and knowledge that are needed to provide HR support to your organisation. They are Service delivery and HR, employee relations, performance and reward, employee engagement, learning and development, resourcing and talent planning, organisation development and organisation design. There are also two core professional areas, ‘insights, strategy and Solution’ and ‘Leading HR’, they are at the centre of the map and are professional areas that are considered relevant to all HR Professionals at any stage in their career. The ten professional areas cover what you need to do and what you need to know at all four bands and the behaviours you will need to carry out your activities. The eight behaviours identify how professionals should be carrying out their daily work activities to ensure that they achieve success for themselves and their organisation . The eight behaviours are Role model, Curious, Decisive thinker, skilled influencer, courage to challenge, driven to deliver, collaborative and personally credible. The behaviours are all about helping you to identify how to carry out your professional activities in order to benefit your organisation; each behaviour comes with a contra behaviour which outlines the negative impact. The behaviours are then split out into four bands, (The relationship between professional and customer, where they spend their time, the focus of the activity what services are provided, how  their contribution and how their success is measured) they set out the competencies you need at each level of the HR career, and it also has guidelines to help move from one level to the next. I have chosen the professional area of resourcing and talent planning at band two. I believe that the most essential activities and knowledge of my role within band two is advising and managing individuals or teams based on HR issues and problems. I help managers to identify the skills and capabilities they need to deliver current and future work and support them in making the right choices to fill the need. I manage and resource talent, ensuring they are fit for purpose and can deliver required out comes. I have the knowledge on how to execute a recruitment plan to agreed standards and deadlines and I know how to deliver effective talent and succession solutions whilst working with managers needs. I can also use a variety of induction and transitional tools as an outlined below. I have just finished a module on Resourcing talent in my CIPD level three; I have used the knowledge gained to improve the recruitment and talent management process in my organisation. I arranged meetings with directors and managers to discuss a more effective way of recruiting, and suggested ways to train and develop the staff that we already have. I also created more effective exit interview and appraisal forms, improved the induction process and brought in sifting tools and interview documents. Outline how an HR practitioner should ensure the services they provide are timely and effective As the sole HR practitioner in my company, I deal with many varied customers. I need to ensure that I deal with them in a fair, timely and efficient manner at all times. I have given three examples of customers as per below; Payroll/finance I assist the Payroll/finance department in many ways but mainly I provide them with reports on sickness and absences or changes to pay/salary due to overtime, pay rise or a promotion as an when required. Managers/Line managers I assist Mangers and Line mangers to support their staff and help keep them informed of any changes to policies and procedures. They also require my assistance when the need arises to take on new staff. Recruitment Agencies I assist recruitment agencies when managers/line managers inform me that they are looking for new staff. I will prove the agencies with a good brief of the job and all necessary information they will need. Then keep an open communication with them regarding interviewees. Prioritising conflicting needs Often customers will need help information or reports from me at the same time. As I am the sole HR practitioner in my work place it is important for me manage my time effectively. I will make a list of the jobs I need to get done and then check the deadline for each and prioritise in order, often there are conflicting needs, when this happens I contact the customers involved and let them know that I have other jobs that need doing with equal importance often talking this over resolves the problem and deadlines are moved or I am able to send parts of reports over and send the rest at a later date. Effective communication in my workplace In my organisation I tend to use the following methods of communication; I have given examples below:- Verbal – Telephone or face to face This method of communication works well for me when I need to inform a manager if I am unable to meet a deadline or if there is a delay with  sending a report, speaking to them face to face or over the phone I will be able to get much better feedback with regards to rescheduling the deadlines and what they require of me. The disadvantage of this is that I would have no record of the conversation and details can be forgotten, with this in mind I always follow up any conversation with an email to reiterate. Written- Email I find that in my organisation an email is best for communication when you need to give managers or staff information or reports as you can ensure that all the information is passed across and none is missed as could be the case if you were to tell them face to face. The disadvantage of this method is that sometimes emails go missing, so I will always call and check the managers have received the email and also use a read receipt on the email. I would also use email to invite attendees to interview; I will be able to send them a list of documents required and information of the date and time. I would also call and speak to them to get confirmation of attendance in case they do not check their emails regular or do not have a lot of access to a computer. The company intranet The company intranet is great for letting staff know about up and coming changes in the work place or staff social functions as it is open to view but all members of staff. The disadvantage of using the intranet is that not everybody may use it, or check it regularly. I would always send a backup email with updates via email or make sure that it is communicated to staff through their line managers. Effective Service delivery Delivering services on time It is important in my job that I respond to all requests from customers in a timely and efficient manner, I am the sole HR Practitioner in our  organisation and I cannot delicate or ask advice. With this in mind I need to spot problems early, isolate and solve before it becomes an issue. I also need to prioritise my work load and deal with each job as efficiently as possible, it is important for me to communicate clearly with each person requesting work from me regarding the urgency of the job, sometimes line managers will issue a job as a priority when in actual fact they do not need the requested report until next week. Delivering services on budget I am not asked to comply to a budget, but I am always aware of funds and I make a conscious effort to keep costs low where possible. Dealing with difficult customers I have to deal with negative employees in my organisation; I deal with this by listening to the employees’ complaint. Sometimes that is all it takes to resolve the issue, as they feel that their grievance is being listened to. I always make sure to ask relevant questions, this lets them know that I am listening and helps me to decide if they have a valid complaint, or if they are just sounding off. I will always follow this on by asking if they would like my help or support in the matter. Most of the time they just wanted somebody to listens to them. Handling and resolving complaints I don’t see complaints as a bad thing in my organisation; I think that I can learn from them so that things can be done better or I can put in place things that are missing. Feedback is a good thing regardless of whether it is positive or negative. I have set up a suggestion box in the kitchen so that employees can give feedback or complain anonymous. If an employee makes a serious complaint I will always defer to the directors and line managers.

History and Revolutions Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

History and Revolutions - Essay Example Historical events, properly understood, should therefore enlighten not only in terms of the chronology of particular events, but on the impact a particular event had both in the local history of a particular society, and the wider world history of the human race. Revolutions, like other historical phenomenon, are no different. As John Gates suggests, given the countless studies and surveys regarding revolutions, a proper historical understanding of the phenomenon assumes that revolutions "evolve[s] over time, changing as a result of changes in the political, social, and economic circumstances" in which they develop in, must be fully understood (1986, p. 535). Thus, in illustrating the historical importance of revolutions, this essay will argue that revolutions, as an historical phenomenon, is a crucial process that contributed to the emergence and consolidation of the modern world by altering a society's political, economic, and social structures at the local level, and consequently introducing new ideas, institutions, and ideals for the world in the international level. Revolutions have always been associated with change. According to Huntington1, (1968) it is a modernizing concept resulting to political modernization and development (p. 265). He argues that they are most likely to occur in societies that experienced "some social and economic development" where "political modernization and political development have lagged behind the processes of social and economic change," limiting the phenomenon to transitional states, which are neither highly traditional nor highly modern (Huntington, 1968, p. 265). Thus, Huntington makes the distinction between Western revolutions in France and Russia from Eastern revolutions in China and Vietnam based on the type of old regimes. On the other hand, in Barrington Moore's Social Origins of Dictatorship and Democracy, he distinguishes between three types of modernization processes2 different societies underwent through revolutions (Zagorin, 1973, pp. 39-40). Both typologies present an important aspect of revolutions - they presented revolutions in light of the modernizing process it is part of. As both scholars argue, revolutions bring about modernization, however, the degree and type of modernization and development following a revolution are contingent on the type of regime preceding it and the manner that the revolution took place. Thus, Moore situates revolutions as a "decisive point of conflict" in the historical process that yields important systemic consequences determining the type of institutions that emerge after the revolutionary stage (Zagorin, 1973, p. 40). This concept of revolution echoes the proper historical understanding of revolutions through time. By treating revolutions as more than just a separate event at some point in time, but as a point within the continuum of world history, a better understanding of the phenomenon's larger historical value is achieved. In this case, "the significance of the French revolution in world history lies in its having with a powerful blast cleared the way for a new era in the life of continental Europe" (Elbaki, 1976, p. 218). Considering the immediate outcomes of the French revolution of 1789 one can see minimal improvements in the industrial and

Human Service Program and profession Unit 2 Project Research Paper

Human Service Program and profession Unit 2 Project - Research Paper Example The requirements of a senior consultant job are: four years of relevant consulting or a public sector state government consulting experience. The importance of experience is to ensure that each client gets professional strategic advice on the best possible way to conquer their tests and meet their target as the consultant fully understands the client’s needs. The senior consultant will be required to have two years exposure to leading teams. This ensures that the consultant is familiar with this field of work. The consultant should be willing to travel at almost any time. This ensures availability and flexibility of the consultant to the client’s needs. Consultant will also be needed to have 2 years experience in business mapping, design and process analysis. This is because each client has their own unique demands and therefore the consultant should be creative enough to suit the client’s needs. The last requirement will be 2 years of performing conceptual and t echnical designs. Familiarity of the senior consultant to these designs will enable clients to get professional help. My other job is titled Integrated Eligibility (Health and Human Services) Manager. This job entails the manager leading and delivering the clients engagements which identify, design, and apply creative technology and business solutions for bigger companies. The requirements of being a manager are: at least 6 years industry and consulting experience. This is to ensure that the managers posses proper problem solving skills and have the capacity to make mature judgments. Good written and oral communication skills and presentation skills are also needed. This is because they will be required to participate in information activities and research proposal activities. A Bachelor’s Degree in public policy will be needed. This is to ensure there is the application of quality standards in project delivery artifacts. Managers

Gaining Consent from Patients with Stroke Article

Gaining Consent from Patients with Stroke - Article Example There have been arguments as to whether these approaches meet the needs of these patients, since care approaches based on the current guidelines have shown deterioration of the quality of life of these patients significantly, mainly due to the loss of autonomy of these patients. This concept of loss of autonomy stands prominent since many patients with stroke lose their capabilities of communication, and in this scenario, maintenance of ethical standards in nursing care become extremely problematic. Since stroke may be associated with impairments, seeking consents from these patients in the area of care is not only an ethical requirement. Consent implies patient's participation and grants autonomy to the patient. Cohen (1991) commented that care delivered with inappropriate or inadequate consent bears the risk of inadequacy of care provision and support, and this becomes more intense in patients with stroke who are dependent and who may have perceived deterioration of mental capacity and impairment of communication due to stroke. Explanation of treatment, care, and seeking their permission to proceed with the care delivery process also ensures understanding of the individual with stroke which cannot be offered by just medical, cognitive, and functional assessments. Consent also reflects a person's thoughts, feelings, beliefs, and desires about his care. Conformity with the consent procedure allows the care processes to be responsive, flexible, person-centered, and need oriented (Keady et al. 1995). As far as nursing in neurosciences is concerned, the concept of gaining consent is applicable both for acute hospital setting and the rehabilitation setting. It is well known from the available researches that the stroke patients consider their experiences with the available rehabilitation services as less than adequate since they rarely include patients' autonomous choices. Although there are ample literature on the topic of patient autonomy, literatures examining the consent procedure in stroke patients fail to examine the issue of validity of gaining consent by neuroscience nurses adequately and beyond doubt. This clout is further aggravated by the fact that three basic ethical concepts of autonomy implied in the process of gaining consent, namely, self-governance, self-realisation, and actual autonomy are devoid of empiric evidence, although philosophical and theoretical discussions are available. Whatever empiric evidence is available mainly centre around permanent residents of nursing homes, where in reality neuroscience nurses deliver care. It is important to note that consent is related to self-determination, which is affected during or after stroke when the patient needs rehabilitation. Thus making choices about own treatment and making decisions about own health and treatment is put to test in a consent procedure, which may even include the choice of the therapist. In a patient with stroke, independence is grossly affected, and this may affect the consent in the true sense of the term. As indicated by Doyal (1997) had commented that informed consent may not be necessary in unconscious or semi-conscious patients, which often is the case in case of patients with stroke. Mangset et al. (2008) defined

Marketing - Santa Fe Grill analysis Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Marketing - Santa Fe Grill analysis - Essay Example tors that influence the clients decision to dine either at Santa Fe Grill or Joses Southwestern Cafà ©, (2) the features that customers associate each of the restaurants with, (3) the geographic and demographic description of the clients, the impact of advertising, willingness to refer their friends to the restaurant or even return to their restaurant of choice as well as their degree of satisfaction. Summary statistics, univariate and other statistical tests were conducted and results presented in the following sections. Table 1 shows the summary statistics for the responses obtained for this question. Majority of the respondents interviewed with regard to Joses Southwestern Cafà © occasionally ate there (38.2%) while for Santa Fe Grill majority of the respondents ate there somewhat frequently. Tabulation of the frequency at which respondents ate at each of the two restaurants is provided in table 1 below. Regarding whether the respondents perceived the prices at either Santa Fe Grill or Jose’s Southwestern Cafà © to be reasonable, a seven point likert scale response was used from which the results indicated that on average, the respondents in both restaurants were indifferent about the pricing (Average for this response was 4). Further tests were conducted on how much they agreed with the pricing (6 on the likert scale). Results from an independent sample t-test (table2) indicated that for both restaurant, the customers agreed with the pricing. Table 3 shows results of a cross tabulation of the respondents’ gender versus whether they recall seeing an advertisement in the past 60 days. Majority of those who could not recall seeing an advertisement in the past 60 days were males (68.80%). However, for the respondents who could recall seeing an advertisement in the past 60 days, 73.3% were males. We therefore conclude that more males recalled seeing an advertisement as compared to those that did not see it, while for females a higher number of female could not

The use of Non-Invasive Blood Pressure measurement devices to Essay

The use of Non-Invasive Blood Pressure measurement devices to accurately measure irregular heart rhythms - Essay Example The impulse for evidence-based practice is fuelled by pressures from the tax payer and the healthcare facilities who strive for lesser costs, improved access to information and better understanding of treatment and care options among the clients. Rycroft-Malone et al. (2004) defined evidence-based practice as the provision of clinical practice with the aid of the best possible evidence available. Evidence-based practice promotes change in the education/learning of nursing students that encourages them to indulge more on research that is relevant to the practice and encourages a collaborative partnership with clinicians. According to Dougherty and Lister (2011), it is vital to have a wide knowledge about the different forms of evidence that relate to the daily encounters of nurses in clinical practice. The aim of the study is to investigate evidence of the difference in the accuracy of using automated and manual blood pressure measurement device on patients with irregular heartbeats in a bid to determine the better method of obtaining the readings. A literature search was accomplished using electronic databases such as Science Direct and by hand searching. Key words included in the search included: Blood Pressure, measurements, accuracy and BP measurement devices. Undesired articles were filtered by limiting the search to articles published after the year 2000 to date to ensure that they were recent. The search was further limited to adult patients since the study involved only the adult patients. The search included both male and female patients since the study was not influenced by the sex of the patient as key terms. After a systematic research, a number of relevant literatures was obtained. 6 articles from the search were found to be relevant.

The adherence of men with CHD to the medical regimen Research Paper

The adherence of men with CHD to the medical regimen - Research Paper Example This paper illustrates that evaluating organizational culture and its readiness often takes a multi-dimensional approach as displayed by the results discussed hereafter. Basically, the investigation focused on not only looking into organizational culture but also going a step further and evaluating barriers that could possibly impede implementation of projects. These included commitment of nursing staff, physicians, and the administration to Evidence Based Practice (EBP). Additionally, evaluated is the extent to which a critical mass of nurses with strong EBP and skills scored, alongside the extent to which staff nurses have proficient computer skills. Interestingly, the scores rated from mid-range to high. Such scores are important in implementations aimed at integrating clinical inquiry into initiatives aimed at achieving organizational efficiency. It is important to mention that clinical inquiry requires a sequential and sophisticated approach and hence the findings of the study a re critical to successful implementation. Physician commitments to EBP score and the extent to which a critical mass of nurses with strong EPB and skills scored were relatively high. This does not fall short of expectations given that physicians receive more specialized training and the same can be said about nurses with strong EBP and skills. Administration commitment to EBP indirectly impacts on EBP, which makes organizational culture and efficiency very crucial to successful implementation of EBP.... These included commitment of nursing staff, physicians, and the administration to Evidence Based Practice (EBP). Additionally, evaluated is the extent to which a critical mass of nurses with strong EBP and skills scored, alongside the extent to which staff nurses have proficient computer skills. Interestingly, the scores rated from mid-range to high. Such scores are important in implementations aimed at integrating clinical inquiry into initiatives aimed at achieving organizational efficiency. It is important to mention that clinical inquiry requires a sequential and sophisticated approach and hence the findings of the study are critical to successful implementation. Physician commitments to EBP score and the extent to which a critical mass of nurses with strong EPB and skills scored were relatively high. This does not fall short of expectations given that physicians receive more specialized training and the same can be said about nurses with strong EBP and skills. Administration com mitment to EBP indirectly impacts on EBP, which makes organizational culture and efficiency very crucial to successful implementation of EBP (White, 2010). The score recorded is relatively high (4) although not maximal. This can be attributed to training and adequate commitment towards implementation of the same. Similarly, nursing staff commitment to EBP and the extent to which staff nurses bear proficiency in computer skills scored relatively low at 3. This can mainly be linked to nurse’s attitude towards implementation of the same as well as their disinterest in gaining computer skills training. Therefore, improvement in this area tops the list of approaches that can help in incorporation of clinical inquiry into day-to-day

Drama and Theater Essay Example for Free

Drama and Theater Essay What is drama? What are the similarities and differences between Greek Drama, Renaissance Drama, Kabuki Drama, and Contemporary Drama? Drama is tension. In the context of a play in a theatre, tension often means that the audience is expecting something to happen between the characters on stage. Will they shoot each other? Will they finally confess their undying love for one another? Drama derived from the Greek verb dran, meaning â€Å" to act† or â€Å"to do†, refers to actions or deeds as they are performed in a theatrical setting for the benefit of a body of spectators. Drama is often combined with music and dance: the drama in opera is sung throughout; musicals include spoken dialogue and songs; and some forms of drama have regular musical accompaniment (Banham, 1998). Drama was the crowning glory of the Athenian Age. This period has been called by different terms. It has been called the Age of Pericles because Pericles was the ruling power in Athens at the time. It has been also called the Athenian Age because Athens became the white-hot literary center of Greece, and it has been called the Golden Age because the drama flourished during this period. There were three great tragic writers: Aeschylus, Sophocles, Euripides, and Aristophanes, the greatest writer of comedy the world has ever produced ( Serrano Lapid, 1987, p. 26) Drama and Theater The theatre of ancient Greece, or ancient Greek drama, is a theatrical culture that flourished in ancient Greece between c. 550 and c. 220 BCE. It is true that there is much in human nature that loves dramatic presentation, for man loves to imitate other persons. Gestures by a narrator or an orator may be considered dramatic, but these are only disjointed actions; there is a wide step between this and dramatic actions. The Greeks gave the drama as a literary form to the world. The drama of antiquity is very different from the drama as we now know it. It had dignity, nobility, and power. It had little of the spontaneity and easy naturalness of modern plays. The Greek drama was cut up into situations or episodes, and between these episodes were choral recitations of great length. These choral recitations, though they had beauty and power, slowed the action and interrupted the forward movement of the story. The choruses however, were visually attractive. The participants, competed with each other in the splendor of their dresses and the excellence of their singing and dancing (Serrano and Lapid, 1987, p. 26-27). Some example of the Greek drama were the Story of Agamemnon and Clytemnestra , by Aeschylus and The story of Oedipus The King by Sophocles (p. 28). Primary in a true appreciation of Renaissance drama is the poetry. The theatre of their day was a poetical one. Rather than being confused by the poetry we find in these plays, we need to understand why the poetical theatre was, and is, superior in expression and more powerful in emotion than a realistic one. Their stage was conventionalor poetical while todays stage is realistic. As an example, in Shakespeares Timon of Athens Timon is disgusted with mankind, hating all of the supposedly decent people he knows. When confronted by thieves he tells them to go about their work merrily; everyone steals, and he offers examples of thievery: Ill example you with thievery: The suns a thief, and with his great attraction Robs the vast sea; the moons an arrant thief, And her pale fire she snatches from the sun; The seas a thief, whose liquid surge resolves The moon into salt tears; the earths a thief, That feeds and breeds by a composture stoln From genral excrement; each thingss a thief. (Timon of Athens 4. 3. 438-45). Kabuki, like other traditional forms of drama in Japan as well as in other cultures around the world, was (and sometimes still is) performed in full-day programs. Rather than attending a single play for 2–5 hours, as one might do in a modern Western-style theater, one would escape from the day-to-day world, devoting a full day to entertainment in the theater district. Though some plays, particularly the historical jidaimono, might go on for an entire day, most plays were shorter and would be arranged, in full or in part, alongside other plays in order to produce a full-day program. This was because it was required in kabuki play to get the audience showing different preference that is in either the history plays or domestic plays like a drama, to enjoy during the full-day program. Contemporary Drama was never very popular after World War I, drama in a realist style continued to dominate the commercial theatre, especially in the United States. Even there, however, psychological realism seemed to be the goal, and nonrealistic scenic and dramatic devices were employed to achieve this end. The plays of Arthur Miller and Tennessee Williams, for instance, use memory scenes, dream sequences, purely symbolic characters, projections, and the like. Even ONeills later works-ostensibly realistic plays such as Long Days Journey into Night (produced 1956)-incorporate poetic dialogue and a carefully orchestrated background of sounds to soften the hard-edged realism. Scenery was almost always suggestive rather than realistic. European drama was not much influenced by psychological realism but was more concerned with plays of ideas, as evidenced in the works of the Italian dramatist Luigi Pirandello, the French playwrights Jean Anouilh and Jean Giraudoux, and the Belgian playwright Michel de Ghelderode. In England in the 1950s John Osbornes Look Back in Anger (1956) became a rallying point for the postwar angry young men; a Vietnam trilogy of the early 1970s, by the American playwright David Rabe, expressed the anger and frustration of many towards the war in Vietnam. Under he influence of Brecht, many postwar German playwrights wrote documentary dramas that, based on historical incidents, explored the moral obligations of individuals to themselves and to society. An example is The Deputy (1963), by Rolf Hochhuth, which deals with Pope Pius XIIs silence during World War II. The contemporary drama does not purport to be easy; it insists on a greater understanding of all things pertinent to modern humanity and its relationships to religion, societal order, psychology in order to appreciate its message; however, it critically acknowledges that most of us remain ignorant to all the former. Thus, the drama instructs, irritates, challenges, and begs for intelligence in order to gain from its message. It remains didactic, combined with pleasure, but always wishing to challenge the current notions of authority. References http://www. clt. astate. edu/wnarey/modern_contemporary_drama. htm Banham, Martin, (1998 ed. ). The Cambridge Guide to Theatre. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press. ISBN 0521434378. Serrano, Josephine and Lapid, Milagros, (1987). English Communication Arts and Skills Through World Literature. Phoenix Publishing House, Inc.

Plans After Graduating Essay Example for Free

Plans After Graduating Essay My primary purpose of applying for the distance learning program is to further my studies by undertaking a Master’s degree course which is in line with my Bachelor’s degree. As a graduate of sociology I am aware that my expertise is in line with studying society in general and also studying specific aspects of our society. However since this is only a Bachelor’s degree it is imperative for me to pursue further studies and I feel that a more focused degree like MPM can benefit me the more as it has more theories in a specific strata of society. My secondary goal is to assure me of a long-term career in education as I am currently a college instructor in STI College Santa Rosa. It is a prequisite for any budding educator to always pile up on one’s credentials to attain not just the knowledge but also an assurance of better opportunities both in the academic world but also in government agencies as well. Upon completion of said degree I see myself continuing in the academe and also go into research on government policies and possible ways of improving the country’s state in terms of governance. My background in sociological studies is a tool that can help me be effective in research and MPM will enhance my skills and my knowledge in terms of public management. I also plan to take up my PHD inside the next 5 years depending on how long it would take to finish up my master’s degree. I am also looking forward for a possible opportunity to work for my alma mater if not Open University perhaps UPLB either a researcher or a professor. It is also my goal that through the program that I am applying for I could impact the lives of my students by sharing with them what I have learned both from the program and also from whatever research materials are already available. If I would be able to do this, the impact will be tremendous both intellectually and also in the lives of my students. From their ranks are future leaders of this country or perhaps citizens that would help improve the lives of their countrymen their different contributions.

Chromatography Lab Report

Chromatography Lab Report GC-1 (Gas Chromatography) Experiment 1, 2, 3 4 Experiment 1:- Determination of ethanol content of a mouthwash using an internal standard Experiment 2:- Determination of oxygenates in gasoline Experiment 3:- Qualitative and Quantitative analysis of BTEX (Benzene, Toluene, Ethylbenzene and Xylene) Experiment 4: Determination of volatile compounds by headspace analysis Anil Kumar Introduction Theory The experiments performed in this lab were based on Gas chromatography specifically gas-liquid chromatography. This technique involves a sample being vapourised and injected onto the head of the chromatographic column. The sample is transported through the column by the flow of inert, gaseous mobile phase. The column itself contains a liquid stationary phase which is adsorbed onto the surface of an inert solid. GC: Schematic diagram (http://teaching.shu.ac.uk/hwb/chemistry/tutorials/chrom/gcdiag.gif ) In Experiment 1: the ethanol content in a mouthwash was determined. This was done by using an internal standard of butanol. Then, solutions of internal standard with unknown solution and ethanol were made and injected into the GC. The areas obtained for each compound were then used to calculate the % alcohol in the sample. In Experiment 2: ethanol content in gasoline mixture was calculated using a standard curve of ethanol made with pure ethanol. The gasoline mixture was extracted with water to extract the ethanol in it for further analysis by GC. The GC method is used industrially to find ethanol content in gasolines, plus oxygenates like butyl ether that can contaminate drinking water.. In Experiment 3: qualitative analysis of BTEX (Benzene, Toluene, Ethylbenzene and Xylene) was performed by injecting pure solutions of these compounds in GC. The retention times obtained were recorded for each. In the second part, standard solutions of toluene and xylene were made and calibration curves were made for each. Next, the unknown sample of BTEX was injected to GC. The retention areas obtained were recorded and substituted in equations of standard curves to find the actual content of toluene and xylene in sample. In Experiment 4: the technique of headspace analysis was used to determine the volatile compounds in a contaminated soil sample. The soil sample was also deliberately contaminated with toluene and xylene and placed in a vial for 10 minutes. Then using a syringe, the headspace was sucked and injected to GC for performing a qualitative analysis (the retention times of BTEX from Experiment 3 were used). GC is continuing to be used in a number of fields as an analytical tool due to certain advantages like: Shorter run times Greater sample throughput Cheaper columns Higher signal to noise ratio Lower bleed (thinner films) High resolution power compared to others. Complex mixture can be resolved into its components by this GC method. The separation, determination and identification of many compounds withnegligibledifferences in boilingpoints is possible by this technique. Sensitivity in detection is very high with thermal conductivity detectors. One can detect upto 100 ppm, while flame detectors, electron capture and phosphorus detectors can detect ppm, parts per billion or picograms respectively. (http://www.sge.com/support/training/fast-gc-analysis/advantages-/-disadvantages-of-fast-gc) Some industrial applications of GC include: Identification and quantification of ubiquitous pollutants in the environment: analysis of various classes of persistent organic contaminants in air, water, soils, sediments and biota GC Analysis of Antioxidants Determination of ethanol in gasoline Analysis and quality assessment of alcoholic beverages – Quantitative and qualitative assessment of Alcohols in blood Aromatics (benzene, toluene, ethylbenzene, xylene) Flavors and Fragrances Permanent gases (H2, N2, O2, Ar, CO2, CO, CH4) Hydrocarbons Pesticides, Herbicides, PCBs, and Dioxins Solvents (http://www.med.cmu.ac.th/dept/vascular/alcho/research/res_out/Application%20of%20gas%20chromatography.pdf) As we can see, the varied applications of GC in industry and its advantages over other methods, performing of these GC experiments is industrially justified. Experiment 1:- Determination of ethanol content of a mouthwash using an internal standard Procedure The instrument was set to the following parameters: Injector temperature: 200 degree C Detector temperature: 250 degree C Oven temperature: 80 degree C Attenuation: between 4 and 16 Carrier gas pressure: 8-10 psi FID range: 1 Valve: Split 1 on Dilute the unknown ethanol sample and mouthwash provided with water in a 1:10 ratio. 10 ml of each was diluted to 100 ml in volumetric flask. Next, ethanol standard solution and butanol (internal standard) (each2 ml to 100 ml water) were made. Equal volumes of ethanol and internal standard were mixed. And equal volumes of sample solution and internal solution were made (each 5 ml). Now, three injections (0.3 uL each) were made of each of these solutions into the GC. From the chromatographs, the % of alcohol in sample were calculated. Observations, Calculations and Results Instrument: GC SST Instrument settings: Injector temperature: 200 degree C Detector temperature: 250 degree C Oven temperature: 80 degree C Attenuation: between 4 and 16 Carrier gas pressure: 8-10 psi FID range: 1 Valve: Split 1 on Solution Retention time Peak area Butanol 1.400 5452.57 Ethanol 0.700 3607.3 Butanol (I.S.) + Ethanol 1.400-Butanol (I.S) 0.700-Ethanol 2226.7 1341.9 Solution Retention time Peak area Int. Stan +Unknown ethanol sample Int. Stan- 1.383 Unknown ethanol Sample- 0.683 (Ethanol) 2878.8 874.3 Int. Stan + Mouthwash Int. Stan- 1.383 Mouthwash – 0.683 (Ethanol) 3373.4 2079.5 Using the formula, Rspl RI.S. = Cspl Rstd Cstd RI.S. where, R=response (peak area); spl=sample, I.S.=internal standard C= Concentration For Unknown ethanol sample, we have, Rspl = 874.3, R I.S= 2878.8, Rstd = 1341.9, R I.S. = 2226.7 Cstd = 2 % (From observation table # 1 2) Putting these values in equation, 874.3 / 2878.8 / 1341.9 / 2226.7 X 2 = Cspl On solving we get, Cspl = 1.00 % For mouthwash, we have, Rspl = 2079.5 , R I.S= 3373.4, Rstd = 1341.9, R I.S. = 2226.7 Cstd = 2 % (From observation table # 1 2) Putting these values in equation, 2079.5 /3373.4 / 1341.9 / 2226.7 X 2 = Cspl On solving we get, Cspl = 0.98 % So, % alcohol in Mouthwash is = 0.98 % in Unknown ethanol sample = 1.00 % Experiment 2:- Determination of oxygenates in gasoline Procedure Develop a set of operating conditions that will satisfactorily separate ethanol from hexane. To do this equal volume of hexane and ethanol in a small vial were combined and injected. Inject this mixture into GC and ensure two resolved peaks. Inject pure hexane to establish its identity. The oven temperature was decreased from 80 degree C to 70 and then to 60 degrees C to separate the two peaks. Prepare ethanol standards: 0.2 ml, 0.5 ml, 1.0 ml and 2.0 ml in 25 ml DI water. Concentration, 0.2 ml = 0.2/25 = 0.008 %, 0.5 ml = 0.5/25 = 0.02 % 1.0 ml = 1.0/25 = 0.04 % 2.0 ml = 2.0/25 = 0.08 % These standards were injected into GC and a calibration curve was prepared using the peak area data obtained. The unknown gasoline sample (Unknown Sample D: Ethanol in hexane) was taken and 5.0 of it was transferred to a vial. 5.0 ml of water was added and mixed thoroughly in the vial. It was allowed to stand for 5 minutes. The water layer was taken using a Pasteur pipette and injected into GC. The % ethanol was determined using calibration curve data and peak area data from step 5. Observations, Calculations and Results Instrument: GC SST Instrument settings: Injector temperature: 200 degree C Detector temperature: 250 degree C Oven temperature: 60 degree C (Earlier 80 degree C and 70 degree C) Attenuation: between 4 and 16 Carrier gas pressure: 8-10 psi FID range: 1 Valve: Split 1 on Solution Oven temperature (in degree C) Retention time Pure Hexane 60 0.500 Hexane + Ethanol 80 Hexane: 0.483 Ethanol: 0.683 (Less resolved peaks) Hexane + Ethanol 70 Hexane: 0.483 Ethanol: 0.750 (Better resolved peaks) Hexane + Ethanol 60 Hexane: 0.500 Ethanol: 0.916 (well resolved peaks) Solution Peak Area Standard 0.008 %, 2186.8 Standard 0.02 % 3509.9 Standard 0.04 % 5296.3 Standard 0.08 % 8746.5 Sample (1st Injection) Sample (2nd Injection) 1982.2 2138.1 Calculating % of ethanol in sample Equation of line from standard curve : y = 89994x + 1605.1 where, y = peak area, x = concentration of ethanol in % From Observation table # 3 we have, Area of sample = 1982.2 and 2138.1 Putting these values in equation in place of y we get, 1982.1 = 89994x + 1605.1 2138.1 = 89994x + 1605.1 On solving for x we get, x = 0.00418 % and x = 0.00592 % Averaging the two values, we get x = 0.00505 % So, the % of ethanol in the given Unknown Ethanol in Hexane Sample D is 0.00505 %. Experiment 3:- Qualitative and Quantitative analysis of BTEX (Benzene, Toluene, Ethylbenzene and Xylene) Procedure Part A: Qualitative Analysis Take 1 ml each of Benzene, Toluene, Ethylbenzene and Xylene in separate vials. Run the individual standards and record the retention times. Part B: Quantitative analysis Prepare a series of standard of toluene and para-xylene using hexane as a solvent. Make 2,4,6,8 and 10 % solutions of each of toluene and para-xylene in 50 ml volumetric flasks. For 2 %= 1 ml each of toluene or para-xylene (separate), for 4 % = 2ml For 6 % = 3 ml, for 8 % = 4 ml, and for 10 % = 5 ml to 50 ml with hexane. Prepare a calibration curve based on the peaks area data obtained. Analyse an unknown sample of BTEX provided and find the % of toluene and para-xylene in it using the standard curve data. Observations, Calculations and Results Instrument: GC SST Instrument settings: Injector temperature: 200 degree C Detector temperature: 250 degree C Oven temperature: 80 degree C Attenuation: between 4 and 16 Carrier gas pressure: 8-10 psi FID range: 1 Solution Retention time Chlorobenzene 3.866 Ethylbenzene 2.016 p-xylene 1.400 o-xylene 4.133 Toluene 1.500 From individual injections of hexane, toluene and xylene, it was seen that that the retention times for each of these were 0.500, 0.933 and 1.550 respectively. Solution Peak Area Toluene 2 % 939.8 Toluene 4 % 1254.0 Toluene 6 % 1987.6 Toluene 8 % 2260.2 Toluene 10 % 3210.0 Para-xylene 2 % 455.8 Para-xylene 4 % 985.0 Para-xylene 6 % 1168.1 Para-xylene 8 % 1791.5 Para-xylene 10 % 2222.9 Sample Run 1 Sample Run 2 10500 (Rt = 0.733) 863 (Rt = 1.600) 2966 (Rt = 0.733) 181 (Rt = 1.600) From the sample analysis, we find that the two biggest peaks are seen at Rt = 0.733. This value neither corresponds to value of Rt for toluene (around 0.900) nor xylene (around 1.350). So we cannot identify or quantitate them. The other peak (although small) which is seen occurs at Rt = 1.600 is close to Rt for xylene (Rt for 10 % xylene is 1.600). So this peak would be for xylene. We can find its concentration by making a standard curve for xylene from the data in Observation table # 7. Calculating amount of xylene in sample. From the standard curve (Graph # 2), we have the equation of line y = 217.04x + 22.45 where, y = peak area, x = concentration of ethanol in % From Observation table # 7 we have, Area of sample = 863 and 181 Putting these values in equation in place of y we get, 863 = 217.04x + 22.45 181 = 217.04x + 22.45 On solving for x we get, x = 3.87 % and x = 0.73 % Averaging the two values, we get x = 2.30 % Therefore, the sample (Unknown B) contains 2.30 % of xylene and no toluene. Experiment 4: Determination of volatile compounds by headspace analysis Procedure Soil was taken in a sealed vial and 1-2 drops each of toluene and p-xylene were added to it. Let the sample rest in the vial for about 10 minutes so that the volatile components gather in the headspace of the vial. After 10 minutes, using a syringe, suck out 0.3uL of the headspace keeping in mind that the syringe doesn’t touch the soil sample itself and headspace sample is taken from just the midway of the vial. Inject this to the GC. Perform duplicate injections if both components can not be seen at one go. Observations, Calculations and Results Instrument: GC SST Instrument settings: Injector temperature: 200 degree C Detector temperature: 250 degree C Oven temperature: 80 degree C Attenuation: between 4 and 16 Carrier gas pressure: 8-10 psi FID range: 1 Sample Retention time Compound present Soil Sample 1 1.033 1.533 Toluene P-Xylene Soil Sample 2 1.050 1.483 Toluene P-Xylene From Observation Table # 7, last experiment, we know retention times of both toluene and p-xylene. They were 0.950 and 1.550. So on comparing these Rts with the Rts obtained in these chromatograms, we can identify the peaks as toluene or xylene as done in Observation Table # 8. So, using headspace analysis, Toluene and p-xylene could be identified in the soil sample. Discussion and Conclusion In this lab, using the technique of Gas Chromatography, four different experiments were performed. In Experiment 1: the ethanol content in a mouthwash was determined. This was done by using an internal standard of butanol. Then, solutions of internal standard with unknown solution and ethanol were made and injected into the GC. The areas obtained for each compound were then used to calculate the % alcohol in the sample. The amount of ethanol present in the unknown solution of ethanol was found to be 1.00 % and the ethanol content in mouthwash was found to be 0.98%. In Experiment 2: ethanol content in gasoline mixture was calculated using a standard curve of ethanol made with pure ethanol (An unknown ethanol in hexane sample was used). The gasoline mixture was extracted with water to extract the ethanol in it for further analysis by GC. The amount of ethanol that was found to be present in this sample was 0.00505%. Firstly, we injected pure hexane and ethanol to find out their retention times and then an equal mixture was injected to see if the two peaks can be resolved or not. After doing this, the experiment was performed. The calculations for determining the % of ethanol were based on equation that was derived from the standard curve from ethanol standards. The value of peak area obtained in the chromatogram for the unknown sample was substituted in the equation from standard curve to find the ethanol concentration. This GC method is even used industrially to find ethanol content in gasolines, plus oxygenates like butyl ether that can contaminate drinking water. In Experiment 3: qualitative analysis of BTEX (Benzene, Toluene, Ethylbenzene and Xylene) was performed by injecting pure solutions of these compounds in GC. The retention times obtained were recorded for each. In the second part, quantitative analysis of toluene and p-xylene was done. Standard solutions of toluene and xylene were made and calibration curves were made for each. Next, the unknown sample of BTEX was injected to GC. The retention areas obtained were recorded and substituted in equations of standard curves to find the actual content of toluene and xylene in sample. It was found that the unknown sample had not retention that matched with the retention times of toluene which was close to 0.9550. No peaks were seen at this retention times even on duplicate runs of the sample. So it is concluded that the sample had no toluene in it. Nevertheless, a peak for xylene was seen (determined by comparing the Rt with the Rt of toluene from Experiment 3). A standard curve was made from the data obtained by running xylene standards. Now with the equation of calibration curve and the peak area of sample for xylene, the concentration of xylene present in the sample was calculated. It was found to contain 2.30 % xylene. In Experiment 4: the technique of headspace analysis was used to determine the volatile compounds in a contaminated soil sample. The soil sample was deliberately contaminated with toluene and xylene and placed in a vial for 10 minutes. Then using a syringe, the headspace was sucked and injected to GC for performing a qualitative analysis (the retention times of BTEX from Experiment 3 were used). The peaks for both toluene and xylene could be detected by GC. This conclusion was based on the fact that the peaks had comparable retention times as toluene and xylene. To conclude, we can say that we used GC for quantitative analysis like analysis of BTEX in chemicals, food, etc. or BTEX in soil. And qualitative analysis like determination of ethanol content in gasoline, mouthwash, etc. References Page # 67-73 Chromatography Laboratory Manual, Durham College 2012 Advantages of GC http://www.sge.com/support/training/fast-gc-analysis/advantages-/-disadvantages-of-fast-gc) Industrial applications of GC (http://www.med.cmu.ac.th/dept/vascular/alcho/research/res_out/Application%20of%20gas%20chromatography.pdf)

ADHD Essay -- Attention Deficit Hyperactive Disorder

ADHD Upon shadowing a fourth grade teacher at Deer Ridge Elementary School, I decided to talk with her about the students in her classroom. Mrs. Riley first set the scene of the school for me by stating that it was in the southwest suburban area of Fort Wayne, Indiana, and this particular school was not hurting for money. She then began to explain the different children in her classroom. There were twenty-eight students from a variety of different backgrounds. There were also two students with ADHD. My first thought was, "What exactly is ADHD?" and, "Would these two children stick out from the rest of the students in the classroom?". These questions are commonly asked by people who are unfamiliar with ADHD, attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder. ADHD children have specific symptoms, in which no one is certain as to what causes these symptoms to occur. Some ADHD children do have other problems associated with this disorder, for example behavioral and social problems. Children with ADHD might stand out from other children, only if they have not had the proper treatment prescribed for them. ADHD is the "developmental failure in the brain circuitry that underlies inhibition and self-control" (Barkley, 1998), or "inability to inhibit thoughts"(NIMH, 1996), that affects about five percent of school age children (McEwan, 1998). Loss of control and thought may be believed to be caused by certain impaired brain functions that are important for children to maintain attention. The prefrontal cortex, caudate nucleus, and globus pallidus are three parts of the brain that are involved with regulating attention (Barkley, 1998). In a Scientific American article, entitled "Attention-Deficit Hypera... ...Attention-Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder. Available: http://www.sciam.com/1998/0998issue/0998barkleybox3.html. September 1998. Leutwyler, Kristen. Scientific American: Analysis Paying Attention. Available: http://www.sciam.com/0896issue/0896infocus.html. August 1996. Long, Phillip W., MD. Mental Health: A Report of the Surgeon General. Internet Mental Health. Available: www.mentalhealth.com. 1995-2000. McEwan, Elaine K. The Principal’s Guide at Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder. Thousand Oaks, California: Corwin Press, Inc. 1998. National Institute of Mental Health. Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder. Available: http://www.HIMH.com. number 96-3572. 1994. National Institute of Mental Health. Subtle Brain Circuit Abnormalities Confirmed in ADHD. Available: http://www.mhsource.com/hy/brainadhd.html. July 1996.

New England Nun :: essays research papers

Q: New England Nun: Louisa’s Final Decision vs Individualism Theme   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Louisa faced a tough decision when Joe Dagget returns home because it seems like whatever love she had for him before he left has faded and now she views her wedding as more of a chore. If she is going to marry someone, it shouldn’t be because of a decision made many years ago, it should be made because she truly loves that person and is willing to spend her whole life with him.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  In order for her to marry Joe, she would need to devote her whole life and way of living to suit him and his needs. It seems throughout the story that she very much enjoys the way her life is right now. She enjoys being alone and doing things in a rather methodical way as opposed to having a husband to please and clean up after. It wouldn’t be noble for her to marry Joe and not mean it. Then she would suffer through the marriage, not being free to do what she really wants.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Mary E. Wilkins used Louisa’s character to project the idea of Individualism. As part of the main them, Louisa goes through her everyday life, dependent on nobody but herself. She also shows her Individualism in the decision she makes to not marry Joe after she hears that he loves Lily Dyer. I think that all she needed was an excuse to get out of the marriage because she wasn’t really fit to be married and share her life with another individual, she was meant to live alone and fend for herself. Throughout the story, Individualism plays a huge role by describing how she has her own routine of sewing and cooking and using her best china to eat. She needs the help of noone and getting married would mean she has someone else to look after and would have to put her own needs second.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The ending, in my opinion was a happy one because everyone got what the truly wanted out of it.

Macroeconomics Assignment Essay

1)Fiscal policy is the government’s policy with respect to spending and taxation. It is set by the federal government. It impacts our economy in a couple of ways. Since government spending is a component of aggregate demand government spending on goods and services has a direct effect on the level of aggregate demand. Taxes also effect aggregate demand, however they do so indirectly. When tax’s rise or fall, they change the disposable income of households, which alters consumption. 2)All the different government agencies present congress with the total amounts of money they would like to run their agencies for the next fiscal period. Congress haggles and tries to balance a complete budget by approving & disapproving the various amounts. Eventually the budget goes to the Senate for approval & then to the President. 3)Automatic stabilizers are elements of fiscal policy that automatically change in value as national income changes. Three examples of automatic stabilizers are progressive income taxes, welfare benefits, and unemployment benefits. 4)Fiscal policy is different in different economic systems. The government tends to play a larger role in investment spending in developing countries. A reason for this is that state owned enterprises account for a larger part of the economic activity in developing countries then they do in developed countries. Developing countries tend to rely more on government rather than the private sector to build their schools, roads, and hospitals then developed countries do. In developed countries the government tends to spend more on social services then in non developed countries. Governmental taxes also vary. In industrial countries social security taxes are common, while in developing countries they are rare. In developing countries the taxes on international t rade are very important. Fiscal policy differs greatly depending on the economic system. 5)Progressive taxes mean as income rises so does the rate of taxation. Regressive taxes mean the tax rate falls as income rises. Proportional taxes mean the tax rate is constant as income rises. Taxes are usually progressive because they help offset the effect of lower income on spending. 6)Money has many functions. It can be a medium of exchanges, a unit of account, a store of value, and a standard of deferred payment. As a medium of exchange it is willingly accepted for the payment of products and services. As a unit of account we price goods and services in terms of money. This makes comparing relative values easy. As a store of value it is not perishable. It is durable, and has the ability to retain value over a period of time. As a standard of deferred payment debt obligations are written in terms of money values. 7)Liquidity refers to liquid assets. It is a measure of asset that can easily be exchanged for goods and services. It’s important to individuals and businesses to have liquid assets in order to easily make purchases. 8)A financial intermediaries are middle men between savers and barrowers. The role of them in our economy is to provide a safe place for us to deposit our money and earn some interest on it, and to have someone to barrow from if necessary. My bank functions as a financial intermediary by playing the role between a saver and a barrower. I may deposit 100$ in account, making me a saver. The bank may then turn around and loan 90$ to someone else needing to barrow. The bank charges higher interest rates on those who barrow then it pays to those who deposit, this is how the bank makes its profit as the middle man. 9)There are a few different factors that could cause the actual expansion of money to differ from the expansion multiplier. One is if banks hold more reserves than the minimum required, they lend a smaller fraction of new deposits, this reduces the effect of the deposit expansion multiplier. Currency drain (money being withdrawn from the bank and kept in cash) also reduces the deposit multiplier. The deposit expansion multiplier indicates the maximum possible change, not necessarily the real change.

Mystery and suspense Essay

In his essay I am going to show how the writers build up mystery and suspense by looking at four short stories that have been written by † Guy de Maupasant, Edgar Allan Poe and Charles dickens†. In the fist short story I read † a vendetta† what happens is an old lady lives with her so in a little town and one night the son gets killed by a man called Nicolas ravioli then the mum who is a widow and only has the sons dog as a friend. She keeps shut up with the body and then she swears vengeance on to the body. But for months she cant think of anything but then one night she thinks of it she trains the dog to be a killer and makes it bite the neck of the victim then she takes the dog to were the killer lives and the dog kills him on her command. In the second story â€Å"the necklace† it is about a girl which dreams of being rich and have bountiful clothes but she is from a poor family so she marries a civil servant one day he comes home with tickets to a fancy ball at his work but she don’t want to go because she would have nothing to wear so he gives here 400 francs to bye a dress so she goes out and byes the best dress she can find then she has nothing to wear as jewelry so she goes to her rich friend and she lends her a bountiful necklace she goes to the ball and has the best night of there life but than when she gets home she finds she has lost the necklace the they have to replace it for a lot of money even thou they are very poor so she replaces it and has to work 10 long years to pay for it then she talks to her friend and tells her all that has happened and she finds out that it was a fake. In the third essay â€Å"the tell tale heart† there is a man that tells a story about a man who has a problem his boss has and evil eye and this eye really bugs him so he spy’s on him every night and then one night he goes in and kills the old man with the evil eye then he cuts up the man and he berries him under the floor boards then some police inspectors come around and he sits right above the body and then as time goes on he hears the heart of the old man but it is his own then he goes mad and he admits to killing him. In the fourth story † a confession found in a prison† is a story about a man that has a wife his wife’s sister is married to his brother and his wife’s sister has and evil look but one day she has a son and she dyes on holiday then his brother dies so they take in the child but the kid has got the same evil look passed down by the mother so he gets really bugged by it so one day when his wife goes on holiday the man kills the child and berries him in the back garden then he puts grass over him then some police come around and they talk to him in the garden he sits right above the body then the tell him they have some dogs to find the child then the dogs come running in and start sniffing around the ground where he is sitting then they make him move and they dg up he body then he admits it and gets put into prison. In the first story the best bit of suspense is when the lady is trying to teach the dog how to kill. The best bit of suspense in the second story is when they find out that she has gone and lost the necklace. The best bit of suspense in the third story is when he keeps going in at night and looking at the old man when he sleeps. The best bit of suspense in the fourth story is when he finds out that the little child has got the stare that his mum has. I think the best bit of suspense in all of the stories is in last story is that when he berries the body and the gardeners come and put grass on top of the body and he thinks that they will find the body. In the end I think all of the stories have lots of suspense in them but vendetta was my favorite because it has suspense murder in it and they are the types of stories that I like. I think they are all very good and they all show mystery and suspense.

Amway in China: a Case of Corporate and Brand Reputation Essay

With the turbulent regulatory environment for the direct selling industry in China, the November 2005 announcement that Amway China Co. Ltd (ACCL) had over $2 billion in sales for the second consecutive year is significant for the multilevel direct selling giant, Amway Corporation. China remains the leading market of their worldwide operations even though direct selling was banned in 1998. Their success can be attributed to responses by the corporate and local management for adapting during the ten years of business operations in China. Eva Cheng, chairwoman of Amway (China) and an executive vice-president of Amway Corporation, told a press conference in Guangzhou, â€Å"We have been told to shut down five times and to change our way of doing business four times. We depend on product quality more than our business license.† New regulations in December 2005 will pose further modifications to the Amway business model in China. â€Å"Despite the uncertainty, ACCL performed admirably,† said Steve Van Andel, Chairman of parent company Alticor. â€Å"We continue to examine our future options in China in light of the new rules, which have yet to go in effect. We are very optimistic that China will continue to be our strongest performing market.† The Company Profile Founded in 1959, Michigan-based Amway Corporation is a large direct selling company of personal care, home care, nutrition and commercial products. It is a wholly owned subsidiary of privately-held Alticor, Inc. that operates primarily through Amway Corp; Quixtar Inc.,a North American Web-based business opportunity; and Access Business Group LLC, a product development, manufacturing and logistics provider to Amway, Quixtar and other companies. Alticor Inc. and its family of companies reported sales of $6.4 billion for the performance year ending August 31, 2005. Amway operates in more than 80 countries in Asia, Africa, Europe and the Americas. Products offered include brands such as Nutrilite vitamins and food supplements, Artistry skin care and color cosmetics, eSpring system, Magna Bloc therapeutic magnets and SA8 laundry system. Access Business Group manufactures Amway’s brand products in facilities in Ada (Michigan), Buena Park (California) and Guangzhou (China). Amway’s products and services are marketed through more than 3 million independent business owners (IBOs) and sales representatives worldwide through a multilevel direct selling model. Direct sales, as defined by the World Federation of Direct Selling Associations, is â€Å"a process involving the marketing of products and services directly to consumers in a face-to-face manner, away from permanent retail locations.† Annual worldwide sales in this sector are nearly US $90 billion, half of which are in the United States and Japan. In the United States, approximately 80% of direct sales are by multi-level marketing organizations, where salespeople are paid not only on their own personal sales, but also on the sales of other salespeople whom they recruit and train through up-line and down-line relationships. History of Involvement in China Amway (China) Co., Limited incorporated as a joint venture in 1992 and opened a 152,000 square foot manufacturing plant in the Guangzhou Economic and Technical Development Zone on January 18, 1995. The Amway operations in the People’s Republic of China are part of Amway Asia Pacific Ltd., a publicly traded company until becoming privately owned in 2000, that encompasses Amway businesses in Hong Kong, Macau, Malaysia, New Zealand, Taiwan and Thailand. Initial manufacturing for the Chinese market included five homecare household cleaning products, with personal care products introduced throughout the year. Amway China commenced sales operation in the Guangdong and Fujian provinces in April 1995. Following the multilevel direct selling model of Amway, a minimum monetary investment of approximately US$85 for married couples and individuals was required to establish their own business. New distributors received training and support from their sponsors and were encouraged by motivational programs and incentives. The total sales to the network that the distributor helped recruit, train and motivate was considered in calculating bonuses. Thousands of sales representatives registered during the first years, bringing Amway’s net sales in China to $178 million for fiscal year 1997. Until the 1990’s, direct selling was not an established method of distribution in China. Chinese officials interpreted the term for direct selling, â€Å"chuanxiao,† as â€Å"passing products from one layer of participants to another layer of participants, with the product price increased at each layer† which is not a factual representation of the business model of most direct selling companies. Meanwhile, illegal smuggling of imported products, mass meetings to recruit salespersons and â€Å"get-rich-quick† schemes generated attention of Chinese officials, resulting in the first national regulation on direct selling in 1994. These regulations focused on preventing fraudulent activities and set limits on advertising for recruits and compensation for introducing new sales representatives. In 1998 – after numerous attempts to address violations of the chuanxio regulations, and two highly publicized scams in Huizhou City and Xingsha – the State Council ordered all direct selling companies to cease operations, disband distributor networks, clean up debts, and modify its sales method. Response to restriction on direct selling Forced to restructure the business, Amway worked with the Chinese officials to implement a model that would allow sales representatives to continue participation in the business. â€Å"While we will have to make a number of changes in how we operate, in all of our discussions with the Chinese government it was essential that we retain the foundation of an independent sales force to service our customers,† said Richard DeVos, president of Amway Asia Pacific. Under the approved plan, Amway’s product distribution centers throughout China became â€Å"retail locations† with Amway branded products marked at retail price. Once a Chinese consumer bought Amway products for two consecutive, they became â€Å"privileged customers who buy Amway products at a 15 percent discount for their personal use.† These â€Å"privileged customers† could apply to Amway to be sales representatives to buy Amway products directly from the retail stores at the full price, paying with the customers’ money and delivering the products to customers. They received a 15 percent commission on sales to their customers. By establishing 180 company-owned retail locations by 2005, the plan allowed an estimated 180,000 direct sellers to continue to operate within what the company terms a mode of â€Å"selling through shops, plus the use of sales representatives.† However, the approval to continue business stipulated that sales representative income was based on individual results, not those of the team – a move intended to limit the attraction of forms of direct selling that might lead to pyramid frauds. In anticipation that the regulations may change, sales representatives continued to introduce others to the business while not receiving commission from their sales. Through obtaining appropriate business licenses, approximately 80,000 sales representatives became authorized agents whose compensation included both team performance and their own sales. Corporate Sponsorships Amway continued its tradition of involvement with the community through corporate sponsorships that enhanced its reputation in China. By the end of Aug 2005, Amway China supported over 1,800 charity projects in the areas of children, health and environmental protection. These projects resulted in earning over 1,200 honors and awards. The China Charity Association granted the company the award of Exemplary Benefactor to Social Welfare in 2002. For environmental initiatives, the Chinese Ministry of Land and Resources awarded Amway China the title of â€Å"Model Enterprise for Protecting Earth’s Resources† in 2002. Other rewards include: â€Å"Star Enterprise to Contribute to the Public Welfare† by China Children and Teenagers’ Fund, â€Å"Advanced Enterprise for Excellent After-Sales Service and Product Quality† by China General Chamber of Commerce in 2003. In 2004, Fortune (Chinese Edition), listed Amway China as one of the â€Å"Most Admired Companies,† Most Influential MNC, and Most Influential Brand. Brand Positioning According to John Parker, Chief Marketing Officer of Amway Corporation, Amway views their product portfolio in terms of the way in which products support the business opportunity to enable the independent business owners to recruit, to retail, and to qualify for higher award levels. Without multilevel direct selling in China, the focus is on creating a portfolio of products and brands with a price/value relationship that allows sales representative to succeed in developing customers. Amway China produces and markets more than 160 products, including Nutrilite( food supplements, Artistry( skin care and cosmetics, personal care and home care products. To make the brand more visible and make it easier for the sales representatives to sell products to the customer, Amway China invested over 30 million US dollars for advertising in 2005. Amway broadcast films of Artistry cosmetics and Nutrilite nutrition products in 1,500 business buildings throughout China and more than 4,000 liquid crystal display televisions in Shanghai’s underground carriages. Artistry was the title sponsor bringing â€Å"The Phantom of the Opera† to Shanghai. Sponsorship of the first health runs to take place in China has coined the term â€Å"Nutrilite Health Runs† for what most countries would call 10K or marathons. For the Chinese, the Nutrilite brand has become synonymous with fitness and activity. According to the Euromonitor, Amway China was the fourth largest company in cosmetics and toiletries sales in 2005 – with a 5% market share overall. The cosmetic brand Artistry was second in overall cosmetic brand share, with 4.3%, closely following Procter & Gambles, Olay brand with 5%. It is the second largest in Color Cosmetics with 7.5% market and brand share in all regions of China. In the over-the-counter healthcare category, Amway held an overall value share of nearly 19%, far exceeding that held by the next closest competitor. Amway was the top performing player in vitamins and dietary supplements in China, capturing over 25% of vitamins and dietary supplements in 2004. Nutrilite, was the leading brand with value share of more than 13%, including the best selling brand Nutrilite Protein Powder, and its multivitamins and other dietary supplements, such as calcium and fish oil. In the home care products, Amway China is not a major player, with 0.1% of the overall market, however have brand recognition and share in laundry care and dishwashing products. The laundry detergent, SA8, is ranked ninth in the nation with 0.5% brand share and Dish Drops is ranked eleventh with a 1.1% brand share. Commitment to product development for the Chinese market includes seven laboratories for quality assurance and two research and development centers in Guangzhou and Shanghai. The Company has been awarded the Advanced Technology Enterprise for three times from 1996 to 2002. In 2004, Amway increased its investment in China by US$120 million to set up a research and development center in Shanghia to explore introducing herbal medicinal elements to its products. Continuing lobbying for resumption of direct selling in China Recognizing the large potential of direct selling in China, Amway participated in efforts of the American Chamber of Commerce, the US-China Business Council, and the World Federation of Direct Selling to lobby for Chinese participation in the World Trade Organization (WTO). Most importantly, Amway’s chairman Steve Van Andel addressed the U.S. House Ways and Means subcommittee to urge China’s accession, in order to normalize trade relations with China on a permanent basis as well as to gain trust from Chinese government. China’s accession into the WTO in 2001 was expected to help improve the environment for direct sales in the country. China committed in their WTO agreement to allow market access for â€Å"wholesale or retail trade services away from a fixed location,† requiring China to fully open up the direct sales market by December 11, 2004. After much delay, the new regulations announced in September of 2005 permit direct selling in China with a number of restrictions. The most detrimental to the multinationals in the market is that the new law defines all multi-level marketing compensation structures as illegal chuanxiao. The new regulations also impose training restrictions that all salespersons will be required to pass an examination and be certified, as well as limit sales representative compensation to 30% of personal sales. Three other requirements to obtain approval include 1) three years of foreign operating experience before being allowed within China 2) â€Å"service centers† in every province where product is sold and 3) a minimum bond of 20 million RMB plus 15% of monthly sales up to a maximum of 100 million RMB. Upcoming challenge Amway China admits that the transition to comply with the new regulations will take time given their position as the largest direct selling company in China, with 50% of the market and more than ten times the sales volume of competitor Avon. The company can continue operating under its current approval while evaluating changes needed to meet the expectations of the Chinese government and therefore are not concerned that Avon was first to receive approval from the Ministry of Commerce to engage in direct selling in China. Under the new legislation, sales representatives may sell products outside of a fixed retail location, providing Amway representatives further opportunities to generate sales. Additionally, lifting restrictions on imported products may allow Amway China to access over 450 kinds of goods from its parent company. The continuing ban on multilevel direct selling will be the most challenging aspect of Amway’s response to new regulations. Amway’s success worldwide relies on a motivated sales force through multilevel compensation. One authorized sales agent of Amway in China is quoted as saying â€Å"We still face a huge challenge in China, because multilevel marketing is where the real profits lie.† The 180,000 Amway sales representatives in China look for the company leadership to consider their interests while pursuing solutions that meet the new regulations. Eva Cheng states â€Å"We will review the nature of the authorized agents’ jobs and make whatever modifications are necessary to ensure the company’s marketing activities are not open to allegations of chuanxiao.† Questions for Discussion 1. Who are the stakeholders for Amway in China? How would a stakeholder analysis help in developing a communication strategy? What is your recommendation for a communication strategy during this transition period? 2. Why is it important for Amway to be good corporate citizen in China? Can â€Å"doing good† overcome negative or inaccurate perceptions of the direct selling industry in China? 3. To what degree has Amway standardized its brand globally? How has it adopted its promotion strategy to local conditions in China? 4. What options does Amway have to address the new regulations on direct selling in China? What are the advantages and disadvantages associated with each? Sources Amway Fact Sheet, Alticor Fact Sheet, Amway China Fact Sheet. â€Å"Amway Regulates Agents in China Market.† Alestron (March 8, 2006) â€Å"Amway Starts Promotion in China.† Alestron (May 14, 2004): â€Å"China on Verge of Opening Vast Market for Direct Selling.† Nutrition Business Journal 10, 4 (2005): 9-12. Chung, Olivia. â€Å"First Law of Direct Sales: A Clear Ban on Multi-Level Marketing in China Will Mean Harder Times for Amway and Avon.† The Standard, September 26, 2005. â€Å"Cosmetics and Toiletries in China (June 2006).† Euromonitor. â€Å"Direct Sales in China.† Washington, DC: World Federation of Direct Selling, 2005. Gee, Pauline. â€Å"Fighting fit: amway has had to persevere in China but its determination to succeed there means it now holds an enviable position. (Country Report: China).† Soap, Perfumery & Cosmetics Asia (Nov 2002): 15(1). Ho, Herbert H. The Development of Direct Selling Regulation in China, 1994-2004. Washington, DC: The US-China Business Council, 2004. â€Å"Household Care in China (October 2005).† Euromonitor. Jun, Lin, and Rebecca Karnak. â€Å"At Last, Progress on Direct Selling.† China Business Review, Nov/Dec2005. MacLeod, Calum. â€Å"China’s New Rules Open Door to Amway, Avon, Others.† USA TODAY, November 30, 2005. â€Å"OTC Healthcare in China (December 2005).† Euromonitor. Ostroff, Jim (1998), â€Å"Amway Slated to Resume Its Operations in China.,† WWD, 175 (144), 28(1).