Ethics Ethics And Integrity - 2348 Words

The paper imposes with the importance of ethics and integrity in current policing. It explains the foundation for structure of professional moral obligations, briefly depicts the indispensable core of applied ethics and describes the process of moral reasoning to give you a better appreciation of the expectations and ethical issues covering all law enforcement officers. It then defines police ethics,This paper will discus how everyday decisions influence the law officers life, in addition to those of the community. Hero’s sacrificing their lives to â€Å"Protect and Serve†. Ethics, also know as moral philosophy, is a branch of philosophy concerned with the study of questions of right and wrong and how we ought to live. Ethics involves making moral judgements about what is right and wrong, good or bad. Right and wrong are qualities or moral judgements we assign in action and conduct. Ethics proves us with a way to make more choices when we are uncertain about what do in a situation involving moral issues. Ethics in policing is a branch of applied standardizing, ethics. The most well-known sections of applied ethics include medical and business ethics. The tie between ‘theory’ and ‘practice’ is what differentiates applied ethics from philosophical ethics. Applied ethics is the field that holds ethical theory accountable to practice and professional practice accountable to theory. Consequently, philosophers shouldn’t to professionals and the mean that are supposed to overseeShow MoreRelatedEssay Ethics and Integrity1219 Words   |  5 PagesReflective Essay # 2: Integrity Article Integrity: Without It Nothing Works I have learned a great deal about the difference between integrity, morality, and ethics. From the article, the term integrity means that it is â€Å"a matter of a person’s word—nothing more and nothing less†. It is important that one should know the difference between integrity, morality, and ethics. I learned that integrity is more on the commitment a person makes and keeps to fulfill what he/she said he would do. I feelRead MoreEthics And Integrity Of Enron769 Words   |  4 PagesMost companies pride themselves on their business model and ethics to help make them successful. Ethics and Integrity are two things all companies should practice and promote. When Enron was first developed that is what they set out to do, but things quickly took a turn for the worst. The name Enron is now synonymous with fraud, in one of the biggest Wall Street scandals in history. In 1985 Enron was conceived by two gas companies merging together in Houston, TX. The company began to boom in theRead MoreThe Ethics Of Academic Integrity1149 Words   |  5 PagesCompare and Contrast Ethics Research Articles Ethics are the principals that build an individual’s character and integrity. It is the code of conduct that a person lives by; it is the way that a person conducts themselves when no one is around. Stealing, lying, and cheating are wrong, yet every day in the workplace these issues occur. Growing competition lends to the need for people to do what they can to get ahead and stay ahead. Ethics are pushed to the side as people try to gain power or toRead MoreAccounts: Ethics and Integrity685 Words   |  3 Pagesï » ¿Accounts ethics Integrity is a quality that is characterized by reliability, honesty and fairness that has been developed in relationships over time. It is a concept where there is consistency in actions, principles, measures, values, outcomes, expectations and methods used. Professional integrity is very important when it comes to personal credibility as well as professional success when it comes to the world of business. Integrity will enable someone to build relationships that are effectiveRead MoreThe Integrity And Ethics Of The Leadership1265 Words   |  6 Pages1. According to Steve Arneson from the website Examiner.com, there are eight most important competencies in the leadership. First, the integrity and ethics: the truth has to be told and it is important in management to do the right thing. Then, visioning and strategy are very important and as a leader, the manager has to know where he wants to go with his team and develop a good strategy to reach it; furthermore, leader has to be focu s on results. A manager needs also a good judgment, be a greatRead MoreThe Ethics Of Academic Integrity1225 Words   |  5 PagesAcademic integrity continues to be an important issue of public concern especially in higher education institutions. There are countless articles that report students cheating on examinations, plagiarizing written assignments, and collaborating with others when such behavior is prohibited. Conversely, there are reports of viable honor systems that have been implemented in schools that make such unethical behavior less pervasive. Both of these extremes, beg the question whether an honor code, suchRead MoreThe Ethics Of The Integrity Objection1336 Words   |  6 Pages The Integrity Objection is a counter-argument to consequentialism first proposed by Bernard Williams in 1973. It problematizes consequentialist moral philosophy on the grounds that it forces an agent to forfeit their ‘integrity’ – their character and personal values †“ in order to follow an impartial moral calculus. When an agent performs an action which is morally correct according to a consequentialist calculation, they may experience guilt, sadness, or other negative emotions despite the moralRead MoreCriminal Justice: Ethics and Integrity676 Words   |  3 PagesEthics and integrity are important to a police chief or county sheriff in a number of ways. First, ethics and integrity assist a police chief or a county sheriff to recruit the best officers who can work in their departments. It is only through application of the principles of ethics and integrity that a police chief or a county sheriff can identify these qualities in the potential applicants, and use them in the recruitment process. Second, ethics and integrity are important to a police chief orRead MoreAcademic Ethics And Academic Integrity Essay1276 Words   |  6 PagesAcademic ethics are the moral codes or the shared standards of an academic enterprise and the core of its s uccess (Occidental College, 2016). Basically, academic ethics require each student, to be honest, responsible, fair, respectful, give credit where it is due, turn in their original work, and etc. (Michigan State University, n.d.). Academic integrity requires students to do their own work without unauthorized help from others, cheating, lying, plagiarizing, and stealing (Valdosta State UniversityRead MoreLeadership, Ethics, Integrity And Civility754 Words   |  4 PagesLeadership, Ethics, Integrity and Civility Keer Fan The George Washington University I agree with what the videos say that ethical leaders have both individual as well as organizational responsibilities. As to individual responsibility, if an ethical leader acts ethically, he will inspirit other people to follow him as an example. If leaders act unethically, subordinates will copy these unethical actions. The videos show that personal examples set by firm leaders is the single factor that has the

Job Satisfaction and Employees Performance Free Essays

CHAPTER ONE INTRODUCTION 1. 0 Background of the study of Job Satisfaction and Employee Performance in Total Nigeria Plc. The Total Nigeria PLC is a privately held, owned and managed industrial lubrication, oil and gas manufacturing company spread across the geographical regions and districts in Nigeria. We will write a custom essay sample on Job Satisfaction and Employees Performance or any similar topic only for you Order Now The company has been a part of the Nigeria manufacturing landscape since 1962 and has earned the reputation as one of the key suppliers for lubrication equipment, oil and gas products in the industry. It manufactures petrol, kerosene, diesel, cooking gas, car care products, insecticides and lubricants such as oilers spray systems, applicators and condition monitoring equipment. Total Nigeria Plc. is dedicated to selling its products through distribution. TOTAL is the world’s fourth-largest publicly-traded integrated oil and gas company, with operations in more than 130 countries spanning all aspects of the petroleum industry, including Upstream operations (oil and gas exploration, development and production, LNG) and Downstream operations (refining, marketing and the trading and shipping of crude oil and petroleum products ). TOTAL employees more than 95,000 employees worldwide, TOTAL reported sales of â‚ ¬153. 8 billion in 2006. TOTAL Upstream activities are carried out by three subsidiary companies in Nigeria. They are: 1. Total Export and Production Nigeria Limited (TEPNG) 2. Total Upstream Nigeria Limited (TUPNL) for oil/gas 3. Total Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG) Limited for gas. They are committed partners in Nigeria’s growth and improvement: what they take out of the ground, they put into the economy. Their long term vision is to remain Nigeria’s preferred operator, promoting the nation’s economy through their various activities, and all the while contributing positively to the sustainable development of its communities. Samuel Emeka Mbah (Unilag Research Paper): There is a general consensus that there exists a managerial problem of finding successful mechanism of retaining employees especially in a job environment that is characterized by constant yearnings for pay rise. Employee job satisfaction has influence on employee turnover in organisations. The implication of this is that the extent to which an organisation is able to retain its employees’ depend on the level of job satisfaction that are made available to these workers. Job satisfaction is known to have positive impact on employee turnover intentions. It means that dissatisfaction on the job increases or will increase the rate of employee turnover intention in organisation. Job satisfaction is how content an individual is with his or her job. Dessler (1978:37) refers to job satisfaction, ‘as the degree of needs satisfaction that is derived from and or experienced on the job’. He affirms to the ability of employees in an organisation aspirations, feeling happy doing their job with the hope that their needs will be achieved. A job is a group of positions, which involves essentially the same duties, responsibility, skill and knowledge†. Scholars and human resource professionals generally make a distinction between affective job satisfaction and cognitive job satisfaction. Affective job satisfaction is the extent of pleasurable emotional feelings individuals have about their jobs overall, and is different to cognitive job satisfaction which is the extent of individuals’ satisfaction with particular facets of their jobs, such as pay, pension arrangements, working hours, and numerous other aspects of their jobs. Consequently, the inability of employees to achieve their needs will amount to dissatisfaction because job satisfaction is a general attitude towards an individual’s job, and the difference between the amount of reward workers receive and the amount they believe they should receive. It has been observed that a person with a high level of job satisfaction holds positive attitude towards the job while the person who is dissatisfied with the job holds negative attitude about the job. Also satisfied employees are known to show higher level work performance in organisations. By analysing job satisfaction an organisation can possibly increase positive outcomes such as employee satisfaction and performance, and may decrease absenteeism and turnover. 1. 1 STATEMENT OF THE PROBLEM Employees in Total Nigeria Plc. lay important roles, so employee’s satisfaction is a very essential one; hence there arises a need to study the job satisfaction of oil, gas and lubrication employees. The Total Nigeria Plc. has been a part of the Nigerian industrial setting for over 40years. Investigating the employee’s value-perception can aid in managers building and creating work environments that help them to achieve high levels of employee satisfaction. The intention of invest igating employee job satisfaction is therefore a step toward creating a healthy psychological contract for people at work (Palmer, 1999, Pg. ). This research therefore, seeks to evaluate the antecedents of employee turnover in the Total Nigeria PLC with a view to understanding its retention strategy. It would also evaluate the level of employee job satisfaction in relation to pay, nature of work and supervision as well as recommend ways of sustaining or improving on the company’s retention strategy. This research study would help in mapping out strategies and methods that would foster objective conclusions. 1. 2 OBJECTIVES OF THE STUDY Job satisfaction can be used as a powerful tool to achieve goal congruency and enhance employee motivation. It has been observed and noted that employees who find self-identity within the organisational context are motivated even in the face of adversity and channel their efforts towards the achievement of organisational goals. The absence of employee motivation may have significant negative implications to the company achieving its strategy. The objectives of this research are: 1. To access the general level of job satisfaction in Total Nigeria Plc. . To determine the nature of the relationship between employees’ job satisfaction level and their performance. 3. To determine the major sources of dissatisfaction in Total Nigeria Plc. 4. To recommend some measures for improving the satisfaction level of the employees. This research will reinforce the knowledge on the holistic approach to job satisfaction from corporate strategy to individual level. It would also help in the acad emic understanding and development in the field of change management with specific reference to job satisfaction. It will be useful to Total Nigeria Plc. , other state owned enterprises, governmental and private sector organisations in Nigeria in the implementation of job satisfaction. It will give an overview of management and employees’ understanding of the whole concept of job satisfaction, their level of participation in its implementation, from strategy development, goal setting to performance reviews, and their perception regarding its impact on the achievement of corporate objectives. 1. 3 RESEARCH QUESTIONS 1. How can the general level of job satisfaction in Total Nigeria Plc. e accessed? 2. How can the nature of the relationship between employees’ job satisfaction level and their performance be determined? 3. How can the major sources of dissatisfaction in Total Nigeria Plc. Be determined? 4. Recommend some measures for improving the satisfaction level of employees? 1. 4 RESEARCH HYPOTHESIS 1. There is no association between working conditions and job satisfaction. 2. Ther e is no association between rewards provided and job satisfaction. 3. There is no association between welfare measures and job satisfaction. . There is no association between job security and job satisfaction. 1. 5 SCOPE OF THE STUDY 1. Job satisfaction should be the major determinants of an employee organizational behaviour. 2. A satisfied employee will be having positive attitude towards his or her job and would go beyond the normal expectation in his or her job. 3. A person who places high importance on imagination, independence and freedom is likely to be poorly matched with an organization that seeks conformity from its employees. 1. 6 LIMITATIONS OF THE STUDY The study included all employees of the organisation, with the exception of the researcher and the CEO and regional managers. All the findings and observations made in the study are purely based on the respondents’ answers which may be biased. Time and cost is also another constraint. 1. 6 DEFINITION OF TERMS PLC – Public Liability Company LNG – Liquefied Natural Gas TEPNG – Total Export and Production Nigeria Limited Unilag – University of Nigeria, Lagos State CEO – Chief Executive Officer TUPNL – Total Upstream Nigeria Limited How to cite Job Satisfaction and Employees Performance, Essay examples

Acute Kidney Injury And Chronic Kidney Disease as Interconnected Syndr

Question: Explain about the case study on Acute Kidney Injury And Chronic Kidney Disease as Interconnected Syndromes? Answer: Chronic Kidney Disease Chronic Kidney Disease is considered as the condition that can be characterized by the loss of kidney function over a span of time. This disorder is also referred to as the Chronic Renal Failure. It can be clearly estimated that almost 15,000,000 people dies due to the Chronic Kidney Disorder. Definition CKD, which is formally as known as Chronic Kidney generally, focuses towards the loss of kidney functioning among the patients. It is been often observed that kidney tend to filter the excess fluids which are associated to the blood along with other waste materials efficiently. These particles are then excreted through urine (Thadhani et al. 2012). Thereby, it can be stated that when a patient suffers from such disease, then there are huge abnormal symptoms observed. Some of the most significant accumulations include electrolytes, toxic fluids and wastes. The primary stage of the CKD is symbolized by limited symptoms. It can be stated that in the primary stage, the disorder may not become apparent physically. The treatment for the Chronic Kidney Disorder mainly focuses toward the condition where there is a limitation to the kidney metabolism to a huge extent (Stevens and Levin 2013). The adverse effect of Kidney impairment finally results in complete failure of the kidney. On the large extent, Artificial Filtering Protocol (which is also known as Dialysis) or the Kidney Transplant therapy are considered as effective measures to prevent patients suffering from Chronic Kidney Disorder significantly. Classification The various stages of Chronic Kidney Disorder are stated in the table below, which tend to estimate (or measure) the factors of GFR (Glomerular Filtration Rate). One a basic note, Chronic Kidney Disorder is characterized by five stages, where the primary stages (Stage 1 and 2) and considered to be the minimal affecting stages for a Kidney Disorder. Table 1: Table representing the Stages associated to Chronic Kidney Disorder Stages Glomerular Filtration Rate Description of the Event Treatment 1 85+ There is a normal functioning of the urine, however there are structural abnormalities or the genetic trait point Controlling the blood pressure and thereby managing the effect of Stages 1 2 CKD 2 55-80 The kidney functioning is mildly reduced. Controlling the blood pressure and thereby managing the effect of Stages 1 2 CKD 3A 40-55 There is a moderate reduction of the kidney function Controlling the blood pressure and thereby managing the effect of Stage 3 CKD 3B 32-40 4 16-31 The kidney functioning is significantly reduced Effective planning for the stage of renal limitation, supported by the management of Stage 4 5 CKD 5 The condition is very severe, often highlights to complete failure of the kidney (Renal Failure) Effective planning for the stage of renal limitation, supported by the management of Stage 4 5 CKD (Source: Thadhani et al. 2012) Investigation Biochemical A large number of Biochemical investigation therapies are generally carried out in case of Chronic Kidney Disease (CKD). The most common types of therapies that are carried out include the following factors: Serum Sodium: The level of serum sodium is usually diagnosed to be normal but the level of serum sodium is found to be comparatively low in case of patients suffering from Chronic Kidney Disease (CKD) Plasma Glucose: Monitoring of the plasma glucose helps in detecting the undiagnosed diabetes. This in turn helps in assessing the diabetes of control. Serum Bicarbonate: In comparison to the normal patients, the sodium bicarbonate level of the affected person is found to be very low. Serum Potassium: In comparison to the level in case of normal patients, the serum potassium levels in case of patients who are suffering from Chronic Kidney Disease are generally found to be high in comparison to the standard value. Serum Albumin: In case of nephritic and /or malnourished patients, the Hypoalbuminaemia in patients are found to be low. Serum Calcium: The level of serum calcium for patients who are suffering from Chronic Kidney Disease is found to be normal. But in many cases, patients with high levels of serum calcium have been also diagnosed due to initiation of different kind sof metabolism. Serum Phosphate: Patients suffering from Chronic Kidney Disease has been diagnosed with high levels of serum phosphate. Serum Alkaline Phosphate: Higher value of serum alkaline phosphate has been observed for patients suffering from CKD. Serum Cholesterol and Triglycerides: Dyslipidaemia is a common disease that is generally found among patients suffering from Chronic Kidney Disease. Serum Parathyroid Hormone: The level of Serum Parathyroid Hormone tends to increase considerably that is directly associated with deterioration of the renal functioning. e-GFR e-FGR is a cell surface protein. The cell surface protein specifically binds to the epidermal growth factor. The protein on binding with the ligand produces a change associated with dimerization of the receptor along with autophosphorylation of the Tyrosine residue. This in turn causes proliferation of cells. Mutation in the given gene causes lung cancer. e-GFR is primarily used for screening. It also helps in monitoring the status of the kidney for a particular patient. It is generally performed by initiating a creatinine test that specifically helps to calculate the rate of glomerular filtration thus estimated. The creatinine test forms a component of the routine Comprehensive Metabolic Panel (CMP) and Basic Metabolic Panel (BMP). The creatinine test thus helps a care provider to estimate present position of the patients kidney. The mechanism of the e-GFR is proficiently determined without involving any kind of added testing. Similarly the blood sample has been effectively sent for the measurement of the cretainine efficiency at the same period of time. The National Kidney Foundation has clearly stated that the creatinine efficiency can be automatically measured each time when a patient is subjected for a creatinine test. In order to evaluate the renal functioning for a particular individual, a creatinine test along with e-GFR is al ways initiated. Thus, the health practitioner who forms an effective part of the health diagnosis considers it as an important part. Thus, it is also applicable for patients suffering from renal dysfunctioning or for those who have been suspected by the health care giver. The warning signs of the mechanisms are discussed below: Swelling and puffiness is generally observed around the eyes and also in face, thighs, ankles, wrists and abdomen. The color of urine formed is either bloody or coffee. Patients suffering from renal disorder have a decrease in the amount of urine formation Different kinds of urination problems are also observed that specifically includes abnormal discharge during the process of urination or burning feeling. This is also associated with change in urination frequency (during the night time). Patients are diagnosed with a very high blood pressure (hypertension) Thus, implementation of the e-GFT test helps to detect kidney diseases. This is considered more consistent than the normal Creatinine test because it provides a better calculation of works. This particularly aims in measuring the reduction and deterioration of the kidney functioning. As per the concepts of National Kidney Foundation (NFK) it can be thus analyzed that the actual values is found to be around 60mL/min. As the normal value tends to vary between 90-120 mL/min, which is found below the average value (i.e 60 mL/min), it is thus recommended that there has been formation of different kinds of kidney impairment in an individual (Zhang et al. 2013). Table 2: Table representing the Kidney Damage Stages and the Subsequent Findings Stages related to the Kidney Damage Observation Glomerular Filtration Rate Associated Findings 1 Minimal or the Normal Kidney damage associated to the normal function of GFR Above 90 The Albumin or the Protein Concentration are considered to be higher 2 Mild decrease in the GFR concentration 55-85 The Albumin or the Protein Concentration are considered to be higher 3 Moderate decrement in the GFR 32-54 4 Effective Decrease in the GFR 14-25 5 Complete Failure of the Kidney Functioning 15 (Source: Qaseem et al. 2013) Creatinine Clearance Creatinine Clearance Test mainly provides the information regarding the normal functioning of the kidneys. This test is mainly associated to the comparison study regarding the creatinine level found in the urine along with the level found in blood. The level of creatinine is mainly found to be considered as breakdown of the final product of creatinine, which is important for muscular development. Creatinine Clearance Test is considered to be highly useful for both the blood and urine sample as it has a shelf life of only 1 day (24 hours). This test is used in order to estimate the GFR level associated to the sample. The factor of GFR can be measured in order to ensure the normal functioning of the kidney filtering (glomeruli) units. On a normal scale, this Clearance Test estimates 96 to 136 ml/min (in case of male) and 87 to 127 ml/min (in case of female). ACR and PCR ACR is commonly known as Albumin Creatinine Ration is mainly used to screen people suffering from various chronic disorders. This includes the factors of high blood pressure and diabetes, thereby triggering the consequence of Chronic Kidney Disorder. Identification of the patients suffering from the disorder at a very early stafe often helps the patient for treatment. Controlling the parameters of diabetes along with Hypertension generally helps to maintain the glycemic control. This often helps in reducing the effective blood pressure which helps in preventing the progression of kidney disease. As soon as the traces of Albumin is detercted in the urine sample, the test need to be repeated to confirm the concentration of the other periods. The test is generally measured by calculating the ratio of Albumin/Creatinine (A/C) ratio. Thie effective helps to determine the Albumin level which tend to escape from the kidney and enters to urine. This concentration of urine tend to vary throug hout the day. The PCR, which is also known as Protein Creatinine Ratio provide the number of milligrams (proteins) associated to sample. This test reports the ration associated to protein of creatinine. When the Protein/ Creatinine (of Urine) ratio is higher than 100mg protein/ g of Creatinine, then it indicates towards the occurance of the disorder. When this ratio exceeds more than 3000, then it can be clearly noted that there is a serious damage of the kidney. Efficiency of ACR (Compared to PCR) ACR possess higher specificity along with positive predicative value (better than PCR, 100mg/mmol) When the value of ACR is 60mg/mmol, then it signifies towards the identification of proteinuria in the primary care The cut off value associated to ACR45mg/mmol are found to be higher than the normal Statistical Value as compared to ACR60mg/mmol along with PCR100mg/mmol The ACR45MG/MMOL can be considered to be acceptable for referring proteinuria The reporting value of ACR45mg/mmol are considered necessary in order to monitor and manage proteinuria (24 hours measurement). This helps to quantify the proteinuria after the referral of secondary care (Jamal et al. 2013). Non-Biochemical ECG and Imaging of the Renal Tracking Protocol This system is mainly detects the ventricular hypertrophy and ischemia. This helps to assess the cardiac functioning of the patient. Often it is observed that a patient suffering from Chronic Kidney Disease tend to develop effective malfunctioning in the cardiac muscles. Thus, implementing ECG becomes a subordinate parameter, which is essential in investigating the normal functioning of the heart. Imaging plays a crucial role in investigating the renal functioning of a person. Two types of renal functioning are commonly encountered for investigating Chronic Kidney Disease. These are as follows: Plain Abdominal X-Ray: This may show radio opaque stones or nephrocalcinosis for the patients suffering from Chronic Kidney Disease Intravenous (IV) Pyelogram: This is not often used for the patients suffering from renal disorders. This is because it has a potential for contrast nephropathy. Apart from these, there are significant parameters associated to Renal Ultrasound. IN renal ultrasound mechanism, small echogenic kidneys are seen in the advanced Chronic Kidney Disease stage. It has been estimated that the kidneys are observed to be of larger size, which ultimately becomes of normal size in advanced diabetic nephropathy. Moreover, structural abnormalities are also observed in the cased of polycystic kidneys (Mencarelli, Busutti and Montini 2015). Finally, it is used for screening hydronephrosis, which is mainly caused by Urinary Track Obstrction, or due to the involvement of the retroperitoneum with fibrosis, diffuse adenopathy or tumor. Renal Ultrasound Scanning can be efficiently advised to every patient suffering from Chronic Kidney Disorder. To be more specific about the consequences, which need to be analyzed for Renal Ultrasound parameter, involves the following factors: Having accelerated progression associated to Chronic Kidney Disease Have a possible visible or persistent invisible haematuria Having effective symptoms identifying Urinary Tract Obstruction Having a family record history of Polycystic Kidney Disease (may be genetical factor) and are aged over 20 years Having a GFR of less than 30ml/ minute/ 1.73 m2 Considered by Nephrologists in order to highlight towards the parameters of renal biopsy The Renal Pyelogram tends to indicate towards the clinical suspicion of obstruction despite a negative ultrasound study finding (Gansevoort et al. 2013). Renal Radionuclide Scan Radionuclide scan generally helps in various parameters. These are as follows: It is estimated to be useful to screen for renal artery stenosis when performed with captopril administration. However, many of the medical practitioners believe that Renal Radionuclide Scan is unreliable for GFR of less than 30 ml/ minute (Findlay and Isles 2015). Moreover, this scanning mechanism also quantifies differential renal contribution to the total GFR. CT scan CT scan defines the renal masses along with the presence of cysts, which are clearly highlighted by observing under the influence of ultrasounds. This is considered as the most sensitive test, which is used for identifying renal stones (Olesen et al. 2012). Magnetic Resonance Angiography (MRI) Some patients require CT scan but cannot receive the IV contrast. For such patients, MRI scanning becomes an effective parameter to investigate the presence of renal disorders associated to the individual (Coca, Singanamala and Parikh 2012). The benefits, which are associated to MRI scanning, are as follows: Like the protocol of CT scan and renal venography, MRI scanning is considered as a reliable mechanism that is mainly used for diagnosing the presence or renal vein thrombosis. Magnetic Resonance Angiography is also considered as a useful protocol, which mainly targets for diagnosing renal artery stenosis, although the renal arteriography remains the investigation of choice for such patients. Other Investigation Mechanisms The other commonly accepted Chronic Kidney Disease Investigation mechanisms includes: Micturating Cystourethrogram: This is used mainly for diagnosing vesicoureteric reflux (Chawla et al. 2014) Renal Biopsy: After surgery, the removed tissue is often encountered for a renal biopsy test. The test is often used to detect the presence of oncogenes in the tissue. Positive Biopsy Test generally indicates towards the fact that the patient is highly susceptible in developing cancer in the future. Monitoring The parameter of Monitoring mainly triggers towards wide range of parameters. These parameters are efficiently described below: The factor of e-GFR need to be monitored systematically. The occurrence of frequency generally depend on severity of renal impairment The patients suffering from Chronic Kidney Disorder generally possesses higher level of Proteinuris. Assessment of CKD needs to be conducted yearly. The parameter of Proteinuria needs to be assessed by measuring the PCR or ACR values. The detection of primary abnormal e-GFR protocol results to promote the clinical assessment of patients. This is followed by a repetition test within the two weeks in order to ensure the fluctuation of GFR rate. When the mechanism is found to be stable, then advanced test need to be performed by 90 days to completely evaluate the occurance of CKD When the diagnosis of CKD is completely confirmed, then it can be assumed that e-GFR assessment therapy should not be followed within 3 months The detection at the primary level of proteinuria (equivalent to 0.6g/day of total protein) need early confirmation because of the repeat tests. This is generally performed on the early morning specimen of urine. Consequences Chronic Kidney Disorder triggers effective and immediate consequences which generally formulates higher immunological alterations. In the primary stage, CKD causes various chronic simulations associated to the Rennin Angiotensin Aldosterone System (RAAS). Based on this parameter, the effective simulation causes polarization associated to the TH17 cells. The effective alterations generally occur due to the presence of dendritic polarized cells along with the retention of the sodium level (Coca, Singanamala and Parikh 2012). Second of all, Chronic Kidney Disease results to yhe deficiency of Vitamin D level causing uremic barrier in the intestine and thereby resulting to the dysfunction. It often results the cytokine accumulation resulting to the consequences. The combo effect result in formation of the systemic inflammation (Chawla et al. 2014). Finally, Chronic Kidney Disorder forms immune-suppression. This is mainly associated to the accumulation of metabolites (toxic) causing renal failure. Conclusion Thus, it can be concluded from the above study that CKD at the early stage can be cured if effective strategies are implemented. The mechanism of Kidney Dialysis along with Transplantation is considered to be highly accepted medical tool which tend to limit the dysfunctioning of kidneys to a large extent. Countries such as the United Kingdom or the United States of America focuses towards the development of more effective strategies to prevent Chronic Kidney Disorder in a more logical and systemic manner. References Chawla, L.S., Eggers, P.W., Star, R.A. and Kimmel, P.L., 2014. Acute Kidney Injury And Chronic Kidney Disease As Interconnected Syndromes.New England Journal of Medicine,371(1), pp.58-66. Coca, S.G., Singanamala, S. and Parikh, C.R., 2012. Chronic kidney disease after acute kidney injury: a systematic review and meta-analysis.Kidney international,81(5), pp.442-448. de Zeeuw, D., Akizawa, T., Audhya, P., Bakris, G.L., Chin, M., Christ-Schmidt, H., Goldsberry, A., Houser, M., Krauth, M., Lambers Heerspink, H.J. and McMurray, J.J., 2013. Bardoxolone methyl in type 2 diabetes and stage 4 chronic kidney disease.New England Journal of Medicine,369(26), pp.2492-2503. Findlay, M. and Isles, C., 2015. Managing Pain in Chronic Kidney Disease. InClinical Companion in Nephrology(pp. 171-175). Springer International Publishing. Gansevoort, R.T., Correa-Rotter, R., Hemmelgarn, B.R., Jafar, T.H., Heerspink, H.J.L., Mann, J.F., Matsushita, K. and Wen, C.P., 2013. Chronic kidney disease and cardiovascular risk: epidemiology, mechanisms, and prevention.The Lancet,382(9889), pp.339-352. Hering, D., Esler, M.D. and Schlaich, M.P., 2013. Chronic kidney disease: role of sympathetic nervous system activation and potential benefits of renal denervation.EuroIntervention: journal of EuroPCR in collaboration with the Working Group on Interventional Cardiology of the European Society of Cardiology,9, pp.R127-35. Jamal, S.A., Vandermeer, B., Raggi, P., Mendelssohn, D.C., Chatterley, T., Dorgan, M., Lok, C.E., Fitchett, D. and Tsuyuki, R.T., 2013. Effect of calcium-based versus non-calcium-based phosphate binders on mortality in patients with chronic kidney disease: an updated systematic review and meta-analysis.The Lancet,382(9900), pp.1268-1277. Jha, V., Garcia-Garcia, G., Iseki, K., Li, Z., Naicker, S., Plattner, B., Saran, R., Wang, A.Y.M. and Yang, C.W., 2013. Chronic kidney disease: global dimension and perspectives.The Lancet,382(9888), pp.260-272. Levey, A.S. and Coresh, J., 2012. Chronic kidney disease.The Lancet,379(9811), pp.165-180. Mencarelli, F., Busutti, M. and Montini, G., 2015. Chronic Kidney Disease. InPediatric Urology(pp. 353-363). Springer Milan. Olesen, J.B., Lip, G.Y., Kamper, A.L., Hommel, K., Kber, L., Lane, D.A., Lindhardsen, J., Gislason, G.H. and Torp-Pedersen, C., 2012. Stroke and bleeding in atrial fibrillation with chronic kidney disease.New England Journal of Medicine,367(7), pp.625-635. Parsa, A., Kao, W.L., Xie, D., Astor, B.C., Li, M., Hsu, C.Y., Feldman, H.I., Parekh, R.S., Kusek, J.W., Greene, T.H. and Fink, J.C., 2013. APOL1 risk variants, race, and progression of chronic kidney disease.New England Journal of Medicine,369(23), pp.2183-2196. Qaseem, A., Hopkins, R.H., Sweet, D.E., Starkey, M. and Shekelle, P., 2013. Screening, monitoring, and treatment of stage 1 to 3 chronic kidney disease: A clinical practice guideline from the American College of Physicians.Annals of internal medicine,159(12), pp.835-847. Stevens, P.E. and Levin, A., 2013. Evaluation and management of chronic kidney disease: synopsis of the kidney disease: improving global outcomes 2012 clinical practice guideline.Annals of internal medicine,158(11), pp.825-830. Thadhani, R., Appelbaum, E., Pritchett, Y., Chang, Y., Wenger, J., Tamez, H., Bhan, I., Agarwal, R., Zoccali, C., Wanner, C. and Lloyd-Jones, D., 2012. Vitamin D therapy and cardiac structure and function in patients with chronic kidney disease: the PRIMO randomized controlled trial.Jama,307(7), pp.674-684. Tonelli, M., Muntner, P., Lloyd, A., Manns, B.J., Klarenbach, S., Pannu, N., James, M.T., Hemmelgarn, B.R. and Alberta Kidney Disease Network, 2012. Risk of coronary events in people with chronic kidney disease compared with those with diabetes: a population-level cohort study.The Lancet,380(9844), pp.807-814. TrialistsCollaboration, B.P.L.T., 2013. Blood pressure lowering and major cardiovascular events in people with and without chronic kidney disease: meta-analysis of randomised controlled trials. Vaziri, N.D., Wong, J., Pahl, M., Piceno, Y.M., Yuan, J., DeSantis, T.Z., Ni, Z., Nguyen, T.H. and Andersen, G.L., 2013. Chronic kidney disease alters intestinal microbial flora.Kidney international,83(2), pp.308-315. Yale, J.F., Bakris, G., Cariou, B., Yue, D., Davidà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ Neto, E., Xi, L., Figueroa, K., Wajs, E., Usiskin, K. and Meininger, G., 2013. Efficacy and safety of canagliflozin in subjects with type 2 diabetes and chronic kidney disease.Diabetes, Obesity and Metabolism,15(5), pp.463-473. Zhang, L., Wang, F., Wang, L., Wang, W., Liu, B., Liu, J., Chen, M., He, Q., Liao, Y., Yu, X. and Chen, N., 2012. Prevalence of chronic kidney disease in China: a cross-sectional survey.The Lancet,379(9818), pp.815-822.

Marketing An Introduction Essay Example

Marketing An Introduction Essay * MARKETING is the management process involved in identifying, anticipating and satisfying consumer requirements profitably. * Remember that marketing is not simply advertising or selling, in fact selling or Advertising are just one of the many marketing aspects or functions. * Marketing is a process. It does not have a start or and end but is ongoing all the time. * It is not just a series of activities, but a way of thinking about how to satisfy consumer needs in a way that it would be profitable to the business. We will write a custom essay sample on Marketing An Introduction specifically for you for only $16.38 $13.9/page Order now We will write a custom essay sample on Marketing An Introduction specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer We will write a custom essay sample on Marketing An Introduction specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer * It affects all aspects of the business, such as the production department, the personnel, as well as any pricing decisions that would have to be made. * Lastly since consumers are vital to the business, finding out what they need or want through marketing research is very important. Subsequently, businesses are more and more involved in building relationships with consumers (relationship marketing) to create a loyalty towards the company. For ex. Tesco strongly stresses on this. IMPORTANCE OF MARKETING TO A BUSINESS- A BRIEF * Economic growth has led to an increase in demand for products and services. Therefore if the business wants to gain a share in the growing market and increase profitability, it MUST insure a successful marketing strategy. * Rapid changes in fashions, tastes, lifestyles means that businesses must ANTICIPATE and respond to these changes. For ex. Toy manufacturers try to foresee the next craze that would come up (shorter life cycles). * Changes in technology mean that marketing and production departments now have to work closely together to anticipate new opportunities that may arise. For ex. Marketing media now used by firms include electronic billboards or satellite TV. * Competition is nothing new but the scale of it is. For ex. Japanese goods have become very competitive in UK markets. This means that expenditure on marketing has to increase. PRODUCT ORIENTATION * A Product oriented business means that it focuses on the production process and the product itself. They assume that the products will self itself. * Take the ex. Of the Concorde aircraft project. It was an absolutely new invention, and the developers assumed that the aircraft would sell itself. However this was not the case, because although the project was technically a success, its failure to take into account the needs of the market meant that it was not a commercial success. * Product oriented businesses thus place their emphasis on developing the product, and then selling it without much contact with the consumers. * A Pure research has to be carried out in contrast to an Applied research. A pure research is one where the researcher does not have a specific end product in mind. An applied research is when the search is based on a particular goal or purpose. MARKET ORIENTATION * A market oriented business is one that is led by the market i.e. the starting point is the market itself and consumer needs and wants are central to the businesss decision making. * For ex. The Sony Walkman is a product developed in response to the wishes of the consumers. * In COMPARISON to a product oriented business a market-oriented business can: (a) Respond more quickly to changes in the market. (b) Will be in a stronger position to meet the challenge of competition. (c) More chances of a successful product commercially. * Market oriented businesses make what they can sell; where as product oriented businesses try to sell what they make. Similarly while in market orientation plans are determined by customer needs, product oriented businesses are of the attitude that consumers should be glad that we exist 🙂 * Lastly market oriented businesses must produce the right product at the right price and in the right place and it must let the consumers know that it is available. This is known as the marketing mix. FACTORS AFFECTING CHOICE OF ORIENTATION * Whether a business will be market oriented or product oriented will depend on a number of factors such as: (a) The nature of the product: if it is working in an innovative market, like pharmaceuticals or electronics, it must innovate to survive. (b) The objectives of the business and its policy: where objectives are to increase market share or turnover, the emphasis would be on marketing. (c) The nature and size of the market: in a small competitive market a business is likely to take into account consumer needs. (d) The degree of competition: competitive markets are likely to spend more on marketing for fear of losing their share of the market. ASSET-BASED MARKETING * Asset based marketing is where a business develops those goods or services that make the best use of its major strengths or assets i.e. concentrating on what the business is good at while still taking into account the needs of the market. * For ex. Producing new products that are related to successful existing products. (Ice cream versions of best selling chocolate bars like mars or bounty: P) SALES ORIENTED MARKETING * Sales oriented businesses focus on simply increasing the number of sales, even if by doing so it hampers consumer satisfaction. For ex. The sale of Mobile phones such as the Ufone at really low prices. * The business hires sales persons that are paid a commission on every sale that they make. Consequently the sales persons are interested in making the largest amount of sales irrespective of consumer satisfaction. MARKET RESEARCH ; Marketing research can be defined as the collection, collation and analysis of data relating to the marketing and consumption of goods and services. For ex. This data may include whether or not there is a NEED for a product, the style shape form that it should have, the functions it should provide etc. ; This data would be used: (a) To identify what is happening in the market (descriptive reasons) (b) To predict what may happen in the future (predictive reasons) (c) To explain a variety of matters or problems linked to its marketing (explanatory reasons) (d) To investigate and explore any new opportunities in a market (exploratory reasons) ; There are two types of marketing research that a business may opt for: 1. DESK RESEARCH 2. FIELD RESEARCH DESK RESEARCH ; Involves the use of secondary data. This is information, which already exists in some form. There are internal and external sources of secondary data. ; INTERNAL SOURCES would be: (a) Existing market research reports, (b) Reports from sales representatives who are in direct contact with customers, (c) Annual report and accounts published by the business, (d) Internet data where businesses plan websites that give up to date information, (e) Stock movements provide the most up to date information on patterns of demand in the market. This is because as apposed to sales figures, they are recorded instantly. ; EXTERNAL SOURCES would include: (a) Information from competitors: in the form of promotional material, price lists etc. (b) Data from customer services or complaints, (c) Retail audits: Epos (electronic points of sale) record instant sales in retail outlets. This provides the business with a continuous monitoring of their performance in the market. For ex. Weekly music charts. (d) Government publications such as social trends, (e) International publications published by organizations such as the World Bank or the IMF. (f) General or commercial publications such as newspapers and magazines, (g) And lastly research centers. ; The main advantage of secondary data is that it has already been collected and is therefore available at very little or no cost. It is quicker to obtain and it is usually easier for firms to establish trends. ; However the main disadvantage is that the data is not in the form that the business may require, since it has been collected for a different purpose. So it has to be adapted by the business before it can be made useful. FIELD RESEARCH ; Involves collecting Primary data. This is information, which does not already exist. The research can be carried out by the firm itself or by a market research agency. ; The main advantage is that the firm, which initially collects it, will be the only organization with access to it. This means that it will have marketing advantages over its rival firms. Also since it is for their own purpose it will be in a form the firm would want. ; The main disadvantage of field research is that it is extremely expensive and requires specialist researchers. It is consequently very time consuming also. ; METHODS OF A FIELD RESEARCH: (a) Questionnaires (b) Personal interviews (c) Telephone interviews (d) Postal surveys (e) Observation (f) Use of technology (g) Focus groups (h) Consumer panels (i) Test marketing QUESTIONNAIRES: ; Personal interviews, telephone interviews and postal surveys all involve the use of questionnaires. ; There are certain considerations that have to be made while designing the questionnaire. (a) A balance between close and open questions: close questions are specific, for ex. How many products have u brought in the last month, they only allow the interviewee a limited range of responses. Open questions allow a larger scope of responses and give room to suggestions and strategies for improvement. For ex. Suggest how the product could be improved. (b) The clarity of questions: the questions should be very clear and not ambiguous and confusing. Technical language should not be used. (c) The use of leading questions: leading questions are those, which encourage a particular answer. For ex. A researcher investigating the soft drinks market should avoid the question Do you think Diet Pepsi is never than Diet Coke? a better questions would be Which brand diet cola do you prefer- Pepsi or Coke? (d) Initially clarify the purpose of the enquiry and then follow a logical sequence in questions. Avoid questions on topics which respondents would be reluctant to answer or which tax the memory too much. Lastly introduce some control questions perhaps. PERSONAL INTERVIEWS: This involves interviewer obtaining information from one person at a time, face-to-face. The advantages are: (a) The method is flexible, (b) Visual material and observation of reactions is possible, (c) Allows interviewee a chance to give detailed responses and there is time and scope for answers to be discussed, (d) Difficult questions can be explained by the interviewer, The disadvantages are: (a) Very time consuming (b) Rely on the skill of the interviewer: the interviewer may be biased and may influence the responses of the interviewees by appearing negative (c) Respondent can also be biased, e.g. false answers given to impress the interviewer. (d) It is difficult to sample a scattered population. TELEPHONE INTERVIEWS: This method allows interviews to be held over the telephone. Advantages are: (a) Cheaper than personal interviews (b) Allows a wide geographical area to be covered Disadvantages are: (a) Often distrusted by the people (b) It is only possible to ask short or closed questions (c) Biased because it excludes those without phones or not in the directory. POSTAL SURVEY: Involves the use of questionnaires sent to consumers through post. Advantages are: (a) Relatively cheap (b) No interviewer biased (c) A wide geographical area can be covered Disadvantages are: (a) The response rate is very poor and responses can be delayed. (b) Questions have to be short, so detailed questioning is not possible. (c) Questionnaires have to be exceptionally well designed and easy to understand. OBSERVATION: Observation involves watching consumers in retail stores. Observers look out for the amount of time consumers spend making decisions or how readily they notice a particular display. Advantages are: (a) A tremendous number of consumers can be surveyed in a relatively short span of time. (b) Relatively very cheap Disadvantage is: (a) Observation alone leaves many questions unanswered. For ex. It may reveal that a particular display at a retail outlet is unpopular but provide no clues as to why this is the case. USE OF TECHONOLOGY: Technology has developed many new ways in which businesses can carry out marketing research. (a) Information is gathered from electronic points of sale (Epos) which give details of items brought, the time as well as the date of purchase. (b) Video installation in retail stores: some even count the number of customers entering a shop and some differentiate between adults, children and pushchairs! (c) Interactive methods: consumers may be able to express their views through Internet websites. (d) Credit cards or loyalty cards could indicate spending patterns of consumers. FOCUS GROUPS: This involves a group of consumers being brought together on one or a number of occasions. They are asked to answer and discuss questions that are prepared by market researchers. This group is thought to be a representative of all the customers of the business. Advantages are: (a) Relatively cheap (b) An easy, simple way of gathering information Disadvantage is: (a) The views of a small number of customers may not reflect the views of the entire market the business is interested in. CONSUMER PANELS: This involves a group of consumers being consulted on their reactions to a product over a period of time. TV companies widely use consumer panels to access consumer reactions to new programs. Advantages are: (a) Panel members know the procedure and so time is saved, (b) Consumer panels can be used to consider how consumer reaction changes over time. (c) Consequently a picture of consumer trends can be build. Disadvantages are: (a) Panel members tend to be atypical (b) Panel sophistication can develop (c) It is both difficult and expensive to choose and keep a panel available for research over a long period. TEST MARKETING: Involves selling a product in a restricted section of the market in order to assess consumer reaction to it before making it available to the entire market. SAMPLING: The most accurate way to do the research would be to carry out the survey of every single potential consumer of a firms product and is known as the Population. This survey is called a consensus. This is of course, impractical, expensive, and time consuming. Thus a Sample of the population is taken. This sample group is made up of consumers that are thought to be representatives of the entire potential buyers of the product (the population). This reduces costs, saves time, and requires fewer resources. First of all a business needs a sample frame a list of people from which the sample will be chosen. The sampling methods (the way in which people are selected) can be divided broadly into two categories: RANDOM OR QUASI RANDOM METHODS: NON RANDOM METHODS: (a) Simple random sample (a) Quota sample (b) Systematic sample (b) Cluster sample (c) Route random sample (c) Multi stage sample (d) Stratified sample (d) Snowballing SIMPLE RANDOM SAMPLE: The sample is selected at random, rather like picking numbers out of a hat. In this way each member of the group has an equal chance of being chosen. The main advantage is that bias cannot be introduced when choosing the sample. However, firstly, it assumes that all members are homogenous and secondly, it requires an up to date list of the whole population, which would be very costly and time consuming. SYSTEMATIC SAMPLE: This involves choosing a starting point in a sample frame and then selecting every nth item thereafter. For ex. Choosing every tenth or twentieth name on a list. This is not fully random and will produce bias if there is a regular recurring pattern in the frame. STRATIFIED RANDOM SAMPLE: With this method the population is divided into segments or sub-groups, stratas. A random sample is then chosen from each of these groups making sure that there were the same proportions of the sample in each category as in the population as a whole. Say if the population had 10% lower class females, so would the sample. This method is seen as quasi-random. QUOTA SAMPLE: Like a stratified sample this method involves dividing the population into a number of groups, which share specific characteristics. This may be based on the age, sex, and income of the population. Unlike stratified sampling the selection of individuals from each group is made on a non-random bases. In this case, interviewers are given targets for the number of people out of each segment who they must interview. For ex. An interviewer may be asked to interview 10 males between the age of 20 and 30. Once this target is reached, no more people are interviewed from that group. The quota method is relatively quick and cheaper to operate and can be used when a sample frame is not available. However, results from quota sampling are not statistically representative of the population and are not randomly chosen. CLUSTER SAMPLE: This involves making a random selection from a frame listing not individuals but groups of individuals called clusters-usually in different geographical areas. This method is used when the population is widely dispersed and a full sample frame is not available. It is also used when survey results need to be found quickly such as opinion polls. MULTI STAGE SAMPLE: This involves selecting one sample from another sample-so that a series of samples are taken at successive stages, e.g. a region, then a town, then a suburb, and then a street. It is used when groups selected in a cluster sample are too large, with the result that a sub-sample has to be selected from each group. SNOWBALLING: This is a highly specialized method of sampling. It involves starting the process of sampling with one individual or group, and then using their personal contacts to develop more and more-hence the snowball effect. One must realize that samples built up by snowballing cannot be representative of the population. Therefore they are only used when no other method is possible! Firms engaged in producing highly specialized one off products might use this method for a very limited range of consumers. THE RESEARCH PROCESS The first step towards market research is identifying a research objective; clarifying what type of information, for what reason, and why it is required. Therefore the research project begins with a statement of research objectives. Before a business collects primary data by undertaking expensive field research, it should first review secondary data by means of desk research. If it opts for field research, it should then chose the method or technique for collection of primary data. In making this choice consideration should be given to relative costs, the type pf people to be investigated, and the degree of accuracy required. Naturally there is no point in undertaking research if the costs exceed the benefits to the firm. The third step is to decide on the details of the research technique opted. For ex. The formulation of questionnaires or deciding on sampling methods etc. Fourthly once the data is collected it has to be analyzed, interpreted, and evaluated. The final part of the research project consists of recommending the strategy to be pursued in relation to the product and the marketing effort. PROBLEMS OF MARKET RESEARCH If marketing research were totally dependable, this would mean that products launched onto the market would never fail! In reality, 90% of all products fail after they have been initially launched. Some of this, no doubt, can be put down to a lack of, or inadequate market research. However, a number of businesses have conducted extensive market research and still have launched products, which eventually fail. For ex. When coca cola launched New Coke onto the market, research suggested it would be a huge success. In practice, New Cole was quickly withdrawn from the shops! PRIMARY DATA: there are a number of reasons why field research does not always provide reliable information to businesses. (a) All HUMAN BEHAVIOR is unpredictable. Therefore the responses of consumers who participate in the collection of primary data may chance from time to time. (b) SAMPLING ERROR refers to the difference between the estimated statistic obtained from the sample and the true figure of the population. Sampling errors, which arise because of the failure of the sample to accurately represent the population from which it is chose, are caused by: (I) The use of an incomplete or out of date sampling frame, (II) Sampling discrepancies: The results from the sample may be different from those obtained if the whole population had been questioned. (III) The sample is not large enough (statistical bias). (IV) The method of sample that is chosen; random sampling introduces little or no bias because each member of the population has an equal chance of being selected. (V) Non-responses from those chosen. (c) NON SAMPLING ERRORS are caused not by the process of sampling but by the design of the survey and in the way it is carried out. Discrepancies can be caused by: (I) The construction of questionnaires has to be done very carefully. (II) The behavior of interviewers can affect the outcome of interviews. (III) Data collation and presentation can affect the final conclusions. (IV) Date analysis (e.g. confusing cause and effect). SECONDARY DATA: Businesses must also be careful when using secondary data. Firstly the data has to be correctly adapted for the use of the business. Secondly, external and internal business publications become out of date almost as soon as they go into print! In todays fast changing markets this can greatly reduce the reliability of data. Also there could be problems of interpretation, or the coverage may be inappropriate. BENEFITS OF MARKET RESEARCH An aid to decision making- marketing research allows a business to make more informed decisions, especially in fast changing markets of today. Reducing risk- businesses are less likely to waste resources on failed activities if careful market research is carried out. Although the reliability of market research cannot be guaranteed, as we discussed earlier, it does reduce chances of failure and risk. Links with the outside world- businesses do not operate in a vacuum. Without market research they would have no way of finding out what consumers want, their reaction to particular products, and future trends and tastes of the market. To become more competitive- as markets become ever larger and competition is poured in, marketing research becomes even more important. Businesses need to find out the large differences in tastes of millions of consumers and the activities of their competitors. Public relations- carrying out market research may be good for the image of the business. Consumers may feel that their views are being considered. This may lead to corporate brand loyalty. MARKET SEGMENTATION AND CONSUMER BEHAVIOR * Breaking down the market into sub-groups with similar characteristics is known as Market Segmentation. A business can then target these groups and develop products and services for each of them. * SEGMENTATION BY AGE: examples include marketing for financial services for older people, development of retirement housing. * SEGMENTATION BY GENDER: examples include car producers have targeted women in their promotional campaigns, manufacturer of perfumes, designer brands like Armani and saint Laurent as well as many sports companies. * SEGMENTATION BY SOCIAL CLASS: classes are usually based on employment status and conditions. This division is usually used in government reports and surveys. Examples include restaurants, leisure activities, and holiday packages. * SEGMENTATION BY ETHNIC GROUPS: Markets can be segmented by country of origin or ethnic grouping. Examples include books, food, television programs, and clothes. * SEGMENTATION BY FAMILY CHARACTERISTICS: examples include newspapers, like The Guardian aimed at labor or liberal democrat voters. * SEGEMENTATION BY GEOGRAPHICAL REGION: examples include sports products, and extreme sports such as ski boarding, and clothing. USES OF MARKET SEGMENTATION * It is hoped that segmentation would help gain greater knowledge about customers and their needs. * It allows firms to target particular groups with particular products. * It helps to prevent promotion of products to the wrong people, which would lead to a waste of resources. * Identification of these groups is important for creating brands and understanding why brand switching occurs. * Eventually it is hoped that the information would allow greater demand overall and perhaps increased profitability. TARGETING THE MARKET * As I just mentioned that one of the uses of segmentation is that it allows firms to target particular groups. That is precisely what we are going to discuss now. Hmm * Should the firm target a particular segment or attempt to sell to all consumers? Three segmentation strategies can be identified. * UNDIFFERENTIATED MARKETING: is like a shotgun with most of the shot going astray! It ignores the existence of segments and offers a single mix to the heterogeneous market. This failure to target is likely to result in disappointing sales! However this strategy is likely to suit those products, which cannot easily be differentiated amongst groups of people. For ex. Milk was previously marketed in an undifferentiated way. Today, milk is differentiated according to its fat level; skimmed, semi-skimmed as well as the sources it comes from, cows, goats and Soya. * In CONCENTRATED MARKETING a particular segment is targeted. The marketing mix is in absolute accordance with that particular segment. Like a high-powered rifle the product is not available to people outside the target segment. OR in other cases the product is available to all, even though firms expect only its target group to purchase the goods (usually in the case of small firms). * In DIFFERENTIATED MARKETING a separate marketing mix is developed for each segment of the market. For ex. Banks have different types of accounts designed for teenagers, students and others geared up to the needs of retired couples. This strategy is very costly and therefore only available to large firms.

Common Spelling and Grammar Errors Should You Use Its or Its

Common Spelling and Grammar Errors Should You Use Its or Its According to the readers of my blog, the distinction between it’s (with an apostrophe) and its (without an apostrophe) is the top pet peeve and common error out in the writing world. This article attempts to explain the distinction between the two words and when to use its or its. It’s is a contraction. Most of us have heard of and are familiar with contractions. Here’s how they work: If you want to say â€Å"here is† and be less formal about it, squash the words together and substitute an apostrophe for the last vowel (i) to create heres.   If you want to say â€Å"do not† less formally, squash the words together and substitute an apostrophe for the last vowel (o) to create dont. This process of contraction is how we get many words such as: can’t; doesn’t; aren’t; there’s; and (drumroll please)†¦ it’s! How simple is that? If you want your word to mean â€Å"it is† or â€Å"it has† then just make a contraction: it’s. Examples: It is time for bed. = It’s time for bed. It is a girl! = It’s a girl! It has been raining for days. = It’s been raining for days. These examples seem simple enough. I think where people get flummoxed is when they want a word meaning â€Å"belonging to ‘it.’† â€Å"Its† is possessive. Why is this one confusing? When something belongs to Harry we add an apostrophe after Harry and say it’s Harrys. When something belongs to the barber we add an apostrophe and say it’s the barbers. However, when it comes to saying something belongs to it, the apostrophic form goes out the window, i.e. we do NOT use an apostrophe. Something belonging to it is its. Why is there no apostrophe in its? Note there are other times we do not use an apostrophe to show possession. When something belongs to her we say it’s hers. When something belongs to him we say it’s his; when something belongs to us we say it’s ours and when something belongs to them we say it’s theirs. There are many irregular constructions here. Yet somehow most people don’t make mistakes when it comes to these other possessive forms. It’s its that continues to baffle us. You might notice something in common about all the examples where apostrophes are not used to show possession: they are all a part of speech we refer to as a pronoun. Pronouns are our shortcuts so that we do not have to keep referring to people and things by their name or other descriptor. They are a referential shortcut. They replace, or substitute for, nouns. I will write more about pronouns in a future article where I will talk about the use of â€Å"I and â€Å"me.† For now you can look at  the University of Ottawa’s Writing Center grammar page under What Is a Pronoun?, for more information. Some examples of pronouns are he, she, they, you, her, him, us, our, their and its. Here’s your rule to remember: When forming a possessive PRONOUN, do NOT use an apostrophe. Since â€Å"it† is a pronoun, we do NOT put an apostrophe after it to make it possessive. Just as you would not write â€Å"her’s† or â€Å"our’s,† do not write â€Å"it’s† when you are intending to show possession. Another trick is to remember the phrase Its raining apostrophes! This sentence means It is raining apostrophes, so you can remember that when you mean it is, you should use its, with an apostrophe. It’s my fervent hope this article has cleared up some common misperceptions and that its contents will be distributed widely by its readers! If you or someone you know needs writing or editing assistance, contact The Essay Expert. We can help clear up any apostrophe problems youre having.

Phases of Capitalism - Mercantile, Classical and Keynesian

Phases of Capitalism - Mercantile, Classical and Keynesian Most people today are familiar with the term capitalism and what it means. But did you know that it has existed for over 700 years? Capitalism today is a much different economic system than it was when it debuted in Europe in the 14th century. In fact, the system of capitalism has gone through three distinct epochs, beginning with mercantile, moving on to classical (or competitive), and then evolving into Keynesianism or state capitalism in the 20th century before it would morph once more into the global capitalism we know today. The Beginning: Mercantile Capitalism, 14th-18th centuries According to Giovanni Arrighi, an Italian sociologist, capitalism first emerged in its mercantile form during the 14th century. It was a system of trade developed by Italian traders who wished to increase their profits by evading local markets. This new system of trade was limited until growing European powers started to profit from long-distance trade, as they began the process of colonial expansion. For this reason, American sociologist William I. Robinson dates the beginning of mercantile capitalism at Columbus’s arrival in the Americas in 1492. Either way, at this time, capitalism was a system of trading goods outside of one’s immediate local market in order to increase profit for the traders. It was the rise of the â€Å"middle man.† It was also the creation of the seeds of the corporation- the joint stock companies used to broker the trade in goods, like the British East India Company. Some of the first stock exchanges and banks were created during this per iod as well, in order to manage this new system of trade. As time passed and European powers like the Dutch, French, and Spanish rose to prominence, the mercantile period was marked by their seizure of the control of trade in goods, people (as slaves), and resources previously controlled by others. They also, through colonization projects, shifted production of crops to colonized lands and profited off of enslaved and wage-slave labor. The Atlantic Triangle Trade, which moved goods and people between Africa, the Americas, and Europe, thrived during this period. It is an exemplar of mercantile capitalism in action. This first epoch of capitalism was disrupted by those whose ability to accumulate wealth was limited by the tight grasp of the ruling monarchies and aristocracies. The American, French, and  Haitian Revolutions  altered systems of trade, and the Industrial Revolution significantly altered the means and relations of production. Together, these changes ushered in a new epoch of capitalism. The Second Epoch: Classical (or Competitive) Capitalism, 19th century Classical capitalism is the form we are probably thinking of when we think about what capitalism is and how it operates. It was during this epoch that Karl Marx studied and critiqued the system, which is part of what makes this version stick in our minds. Following the political and technological revolutions mentioned above, a massive reorganization of society took place. The bourgeoisie class, owners of the means of production, rose to power within newly formed nation-states and a vast class of workers left rural lives to staff the factories that were now producing goods in a mechanized way. This epoch of capitalism was characterized by free market ideology, which holds that the market should be left to sort itself out without intervention from governments. It was also characterized by new machine technologies used to produce goods, and the creation of distinct roles played by workers within a compartmentalized division of labor. The British dominated this epoch with the  expansion of their colonial empire, which brought raw materials from its colonies around the world into its factories in the UK at low cost. For example, sociologist John Talbot, who has studied the coffee trade throughout time, notes that British capitalists invested their accumulated wealth in developing cultivation, extraction, and transportation infrastructure throughout Latin America, which fostered a huge increase in flows of raw materials to British factories. Much of the labor used in these processes in Latin America during this time was coerced, enslaved, or paid very low wages, notably in Brazil, where slavery was not abolished until 1888. During this period, unrest among the working classes in the U.S., in the UK, and throughout colonized lands was common, due to low wages and poor working conditions. Upton Sinclair infamously depicted these conditions in his novel, The Jungle. The U.S. labor movement took shape during this epoch of capitalism. Philanthropy also emerged during this time, as a way for those made wealthy by capitalism to redistribute wealth to those who were exploited by the system. The Third Epoch: Keynesian or New Deal Capitalism As the 20th century dawned, the U.S.  and nation states within Western Europe were firmly established as sovereign states with distinct economies bounded by their national borders. The second epoch of capitalism, what we call â€Å"classical† or â€Å"competitive,† was ruled by free-market ideology and the belief that competition between firms and nations was best for all, and was the right way for the economy to operate. However,  following the stock market crash of 1929, free-market ideology and its core principles were abandoned by heads of state, CEOs, and leaders in banking and finance. A new era of state intervention in the economy was born, which characterized the third epoch of capitalism. The goals of state intervention were to protect national industries from overseas competition, and to foster the growth of national corporations through state investment in social welfare programs and infrastructure. This new approach to managing the economy was known as â€Å"Keynesianism,† and based on the theory of British economist  John Maynard Keynes, published in 1936. Keynes argued that the economy was suffering from inadequate demand for goods, and that the only way to remedy that was to stabilize the populace so that they could consume. The forms of state intervention taken by the U.S. through legislation and program creation during this period were known collectively as the â€Å"New Deal,† and included, among many others, social welfare programs like Social Security, regulatory bodies like the United States Housing Authority and Farm Security Administration, legislation like the Fair Labor Standards Act of 1938 (which put a legal cap on weekly work hours  and set a minimum wage), and lending bodies like Fannie Mae that subsidized home mortgages. The New Deal also created jobs for unemployed individuals and put stagnant production facilities to work with federal progr ams like the  Works Progress Administration.   The New Deal included regulation of financial institutions, the most notable of which was the  Glass-Steagall Act of 1933, and increased rates of taxes on very wealthy individuals, and on corporate profits. The Keynesian model adopted in the U.S., combined with the production boom created by World War II, fostered a period of economic growth and accumulation for U.S. corporations that set the U.S. on course to be the global economic power during this epoch of capitalism. This rise to power was fueled by technological innovations, like radio, and later, television, that allowed for mass mediated advertising to create demand for consumer goods. Advertisers began selling a lifestyle that could be achieved through consumption of goods, which marks an important turning point in the history of capitalism:  the emergence of consumerism, or consumption as a way of life. The U.S. economic boom of capitalism’s third epoch faltered in the 1970s for several complex reasons, which we won’t elaborate here. The plan hatched in response to this economic recession  by U.S. political leaders, and heads of corporation and finance, was a neoliberal plan premised on undoing much of the regulation and social welfare programs created in the previous decades. This plan and its enactment created the conditions for the globalization of capitalism, and led into the fourth and current epoch of capitalism.

Answer questions Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Answer questions - Research Paper Example This has happened with Orkut before, though Facebook is too big to be waived any time soon. Ans. Convergence means the continuity of content across a range of media platforms; the exchange, cooperation, and interaction among multiple industries of media, and the media audiences’ migratory behavior in terms of their tendency to move anywhere to attain the entertainment experiences desired by them. As a consumer, I have experienced convergence as the flow of media content across borders, the competing media economies, and media systems. Global coverage of CNN and localization of Sesame Street are some of its examples. Ans. Digital media will grow both in features and consumption in the future. Expansion of digital media will provide the users with increased connectivity and more social interaction. New models of mobile phones and Ipads with new apps and software will play a cardinal role in the growth and expansion of digital media. Improvement in the life and usage of digital media is also anticipated e.g. increased battery life of digital gadgets, as the competition among the producers of such gadgets increases. Ans. This view of the future motivates me to gain a firm understanding of and expertise in the use of the various types of digital media, irrespective of whatever profession I eventually decide to pursue. The use of and dependency upon digital media of all professions is anticipated to increase in the future, be it engineering, medical sciences, or any other kind of business. In the times when newer versions of software, apps, and digital media surface very frequently, one needs to be constantly updated and modify one’s skills accordingly. Ans. If my view of the future is accurate, I would not only need strong computer skills, but also strong interpersonal skills. One thing advancement of technology and revolution of digital media particularly focuses upon is increased social networking.

Mind-Body Problem Summary Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Mind-Body Problem Summary - Essay Example Descartes discussed mind-body issue in the different dimension that came to be known as dualism in the philosophical arena. The approach of ‘mechanical philosophy’ began emerging during the 17th century that was based on the premise that objects interact through direct contact; however, Descartes tended to emphasize that language did not lie within the realms of mechanism. For him, thought process was a separate entity distinct from the physical body. Newton argued that planetary and terrestrial motion in the universe did not follow the mechanical philosophy. He essentially wanted to convey that anti-materialist things did exist in this universe. Newtons assertion of mysterious force, curved space, electrical force goes beyond the concept of body or matter entirely. While quantum theory in physics and chemical bonding in chemistry helps explaining a unified universe, does this mean that mind/brain as a unified object can best explain the language and mind phenomena in humans? Many attempts to reduce mental properties to neural network phenomena; however, that lead to several serious questions. Considerable efforts have been made to show that mind is nothing but matter, and language thought processes are properties of brain. It is the neurophysiological activities of brain that causes mental phenomena. Naturalism or materialism, as a theory, got resurgence in the 1960s attempting to establish the belief that mental state was, in no way, different than physical entities. That is to say matter is as compatible with thought and sensation as with attraction and repulsion. Organized system of matter known as brain eventually lead to perception and thought process. In a way, emergence of thoughts in humans is all through nervous system of brain. Brain acts as a mechanism to create thoughts in humans. While Newton did expose the imperfectness of the mechanical philosophy, his

The Varied Value of Land Essay Example for Free

The Varied Value of Land Essay Land represents a quintessential issue between Native Americans and Europeans. This has been true since Columbus’ discovery and the era of Spanish exploration, invasion, and settlement. During the latter periods of Native American history we observe how English colonization and then the birth and growth of the United States affects the Indian Nations. During this period we mark how two divergent societies value land differently and the disparities resulting in conflict and Indian subjugation. The English Colonial Settlements initially viewed the land similarly as the aboriginal Indian inhabitants in a particular way. The land was the provider of sustenance to both. The early English Colonies sought refuge in the land, which was unlike the early Spanish whose North American invasions sought to pillage riches through lands traversed in the name of religious virtue. The original English Colonies had fled their own religious persecution and instead settle lands to build their society within its borders. The initial contention between Indians and the English Colonies grew from the fundamental differences in each civilization’s ideal of a settlement and territory. Whether an Indian Nations included permanent towns or not the Tribe’s Bands where predominately hunter-gatherers throughout its territory. Furthermore and unlike Europeans these Indian People shared cosmology that identified them as being one with the land. The European view of land was that of property and possession. As English Colonies and the later Americans further coveted Indian land to satisfy expansionism and economic enterprise we observe an unending encroachment on Indian resources. At first there was an aggressive unfettered Indian land grab and then ongoing assaults on natural resources residing on the ever-dwindling Indian lands. The stereotypes of American Indians as inferior beings with limited intellect, or bloodthirsty warriors, or lacking acceptable morals initially justified Colonial expansionism under pretense of ordained religiosity. Indian resistance to relentless encroachment was often confronted with rebellion and the question of sovereignty was debated. The establishment of the United States and the subsequent 1823 Supreme Court ruling of Johnson v.  McIntosh made clear the government accepted that early Europeans had rights to all Indian lands by having discovered the lands. Having previously defeated the British and securing American independence allowed the victor’s title be transferred to the United States. It is from this point that â€Å"Conquest by Law† guides the history of land possession between Native Americans and Americans. This conquest gained popular social acceptance by the mid 19th Century as American society adopted the political decree that it was Manifest Destiny to encompass the continent. The national conquest gained a legal endorsement to empower government separate Indian Nations from their land as assured in 1831 by the Supreme Court’s Cherokee Nation v. Georgia ruling that minimized Indian sovereignty to that of being a dominated people at best classified as dependents of their United States government guardian. In 1832 the Worcester v. Georgia ruling held that the aforementioned Cherokee treaties and the Trade and Intercourse Acts passed since 1790 did recognize Indian Nations as political entities with authority within its borders. It now excluded States from having any jurisdictional power over Indian Nations. Though this ruling established Indians as autonomous from States it put in motion what would later become Congressional plenary power and it marks the beginning of federally exercised relocation to feed American land hunger and later efforts to manage â€Å"the Indian problem†. The vastly different views regarding land combined with systematic efforts to dismantle Indian culture and pushed towards Indian eradication. Second to the impact of European introduced disease it would be habitat destruction and alteration to natural Indian environments that battled Indian Nations and drove them close to extinction. More so than overuse of natural resources it was the onset of the land being fenced and parceled which relegated Indian Nations to immobile and economically poor and spiritually bankrupt people faced with generational social disintegration. The series of governmental polices both purposefully and seemingly inadvertently legalized this conquest. Some of the most damaging and consequential actions include the movement to reservations through the late 1800s. The reservation policy reversal known as the Allotment Act of 1887 pushed to assimilate Indians using land as the vehicle by requiring such parcels provide for the Indians as it did homesteaders without any regard to the traditional Indian land relationship. From the Indian Reorganization Act of 1934 through the Termination policy and Relocation programs of the mid 20th Century the importance of Indian land affinity was never validated and to do so would have required literal enforcement and complete adherence to treaties. The current era of Tribal Self-Determination beginning when the Indian Civil Rights Act enacted in 1968 does acknowledge Euro-American infringement on Indian lands. Government interventions and enforcement, whether or not serving in the best interest of sovereign Indian Nations, has not sought to return these Indian Nations to a state of a being a harmonious civilization that can be described as a confederacy of tribes, bands, and familial clans pursuing their life cycle throughout a vast ecosystem. The Euro-American value of property and possession has prevailed.

The Telephone And Its Corporation :: History Communication Phone Essays

The Telephone And Its Corporation   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The phone is easily one of man’s most important, useful and taken for granted inventions. The telephone has outgrown the ridicule with which it first received, now in most places taken for granted, it is a part of many people’s daily lives. It marvelously extended the ways man converses that it is now an indispensable help to whoever would live the convenient life. All disadvantage of being deaf and mute to any persons, which was universal before the advent of the telephone, has now happily been overcome. Before I tell of the history of how the telephone was constructed and put in to place I will tell of the past of communications.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ever since the ability of language and written language the most popular form of communication was done through a letter. Others were as documented in 1200 BC in Homer’s Illiad were signal fires. Carrier pigeons were used in the Olympic games to send messages from 700 BC to 300 AD. In 1791 the Chappe brothers created the Semaphore system; they were two teens in France who wanted to be able to contact each other from their different school campuses. This system consisted of a pole with movable arms, which the positions took the place of letters of the alphabet. Two years later this idea had caught on and was being used in France, Italy, Russia, and Germany. Two semaphore systems were built in the U.S. in Boston and on Martha’s Vineyard; soon Congress was asked to fund a project for a semaphore system running from New York City to New Orleans. Samuel Morse told Congress that not to fund the project because he was developing the electric telegraph. Soon Samuel Morse developed his electric telegraph he demonstrated it in 1844 it caught on and by 1851 51 telegraph companies were in operation. And it continued to grow to 2250 telegraph offices nationwide. In 1876 Alexander Graham Bell patented the telephone.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Alexander Graham Bell was born on March 3, 1847 in Edinburgh. He grew up deeply involved in the study of speech due to his father and grandfathers work. He was also a talented musician able to play by ear from a very early age, and, had he not been more interested in what his father was doing to help people speak, he might have ended up as a professional musician. He and his two brothers built a model human skull and filled it with a good enough reproduction of the human vocal apparatus, which worked with a bellows, so it would be able to say, "Ma-ma.

Contribution of the Business Sector in Philippine’s Development

Since the end of World War II, the Philippine economy has been on an unfortunate trajectory, going from one of the richest countries in Asia (following Japan) to one of the poorest. Growth immediately after the war was rapid, but slowed over time. Years of economic mismanagement and political volatility during the Marcos regime contributed to economic stagnation and resulted in macroeconomic instability. A severe recession from 1984 through 1985 saw the economy shrink by more than 10%, and perceptions of political instability during the Aquino administration further dampened economic activity. But in recent years, the Philippine economy is slowly doing its best to increase its economic development. Due to the strong post-crisis, the Philippines continues to face challenges and must sustain to achieve economic growth. Thus, the role of business enterprises is essential in pulling up the country’s economic development. One of the biggest contributions of the business sector in Philippine’s development is through investments. They invest in society so that nobody falls out of the market. They also invest in building and maintaining capital resources to reduce cost of doing improve efficiency and invest in new and innovative technologies that create new services that promote public good. The business sector dominates the Philippine economy contributing a big part to the country’s GDP. These private enterprises hire workforce and so uplift employment rate. The Philippine business sector has demonstrated a wide range of innovative initiatives aimed at maximizing their positive social, economic and environmental impacts on the communities where they operate and on the society in general. The business sector does not only provide employment but also has a corporate social responsibility through providing opportunities for education, communications, engineering and financial supports. That is why the business sector plays an important role in the Philippine economic development.

Causes of Poverty Essay

Development Studies Assignment 4 QUESTION Poverty is a multi-faceted concept that can be defined in various ways. Write an essay in which you: -outline this concept as well as distinguish between absolute and relative poverty. In your discussion, provide relevant examples to illustrate your understanding (2 pages) -discuss any three (3) causes of poverty in Third World countries using concrete examples (3pages) READING: Study Guide, Unit 4 Regan Chapter 19 Assessment evidence shows that you can: – define the overall concept of poverty using relevant examples – define and compare the concepts of absolute and relative poverty, using examples to help illustrate your answer – use Robert Chambers’ deprivation trap to explain how poverty is a multi faceted concept and how it has many causes and effects – discuss three factors which may cause poverty in the third world. ANSWER TABLE OF CONTENTS 1. Introduction 2. Outlining the concept of a multi-faceted poverty 3. Distinction between absolute and relative poverty 4. Discussing any 3 causes of poverty in the world 5. Conclusion 6. Bibliography 1. INTRODUCTION â€Å"Where poverty is extreme and unending, human rights are eroded; the natural resources base deteriorates; and human dignity too often gives way to despair. Breaking the cycle of poverty is an integral part of development in every nation† UNDP Annual Report, Source:Regan 2006:283. I am going to outline the multi faced poverty, discuss the causes of poverty in the Third World countries. Poverty has been stalling development in the poor countries and strategies have been developed to fight poverty against the Economic Growth. It is true that â€Å"poverty is like the heat. It can only be felt when one gets into it†, hence to explain poverty is a very difficult task especially to someone who has never experienced it. 2. OUTLINING THE CONCEPT OF A MULTI FACETED POVERTY Poverty is linked to lack of adequate food, shelter, education, health, life expectancy, sanitation and access to safe water. â€Å"People living in poverty are often exposed to ill treatment by governments and institutions of the state and society and are powerless to influence key decisions affecting their lives† Regan 2006:283. Despite the fact that many positive changes have happened in terms of technology, and mass communications, there seem to be still a gap between the rich and the  poor. The few rich are taking the biggest part of the riches while the biggest population of the poor is sharing the smaller percentage of the riches, for example, â€Å"In1960 the richest 20% of the world’s people shared between them 70% of the entire wealth of this planet. By the mid-90’s, this figure had increased to over 85%† Regan 2006:281. We see a big gap there, not talking about the current figures in the recent years. We’re there is poverty there is lack of money to go to school hence illiteracy leading to one failing to read information about the Economic growth. In that sense it becomes a cycle of poverty in which poverty refuses to escape. Population is also another factor. When these people continue giving birth under those same conditions. So it is important when looking at poverty to look at what really caused the poverty. A well known author of Development issues, Robert Chambers, wrote about what he named the â€Å"deprivation trap†. In the households described by Chamber 1983:109, 110, he described the households that he named â€Å"clusters of disadvantage†. There is a house hold which is normally child headed after it has been affect by misfortunes like the death of the parents or maybe the parents died of HIV and AIDS. These children will be left on their own to fend for each other. The oldest child there will be left to take the siblings to school, fetch them water, and get them food to eat. The household altogether is affected by a combination of â€Å"parasites†, disease and malnutrition. The other family is that which lives very far away from a town, somewhere remote. They don’t normally get enough information on the current happenings in the outside world. If they get to travel its only to go visit a relative to ask for money or food. Even if they attend meetings, they rarely participate and are not normally seen as important in any aspect except maybe in doing those difficult jobs for paltry payments. Giving an example of my rural area of Gutu in Masvingo Province, Zimbabwe, this scenario really counts when the people from my village normally just go for political or church gatherings where they are just made to cook for people or just dance without any reasonable understanding. Schoolchildren from the schools surrounding my village normally are asked to do a lot of work for such functions unlike their peers in the urban areas or other bit developed areas. There is also a household that is vulnerable, less contingencies; there is also a household  that is ignorant, with less or no knowledge. No legal expertise. It is always exploited probably by moneylenders, politicians. Giving an example of the Zimbabwean peasant person during the 2013 harmonized elections, they would just accept any regalia from any political party because they wanted to find something to wear not because they love the political party. They would even take any food from any direction in a way of seeking a way to survive. There are also some areas like those people who were resettled in Zimbabwe after the land redistribution in 2000 where other families were resettled where there is no any form of communication i.e. radios, cell phones and even transport. Not mentioning schools, they are more than 10-15 kilometers from the house. At the end of the day these people have got not much entertainment therefore they end up bearing more and more children where there is no enough food to feed the children, which leads to them suffering from malnutrition and others failing to even go to school forever since there are no schools. They end up having large families of illiterate families who will be marrying the nearest family member. Their homes are precariously balanced. With this fourfold household description, Chambers compiled what he called a deprivation trap†. Hence summing all this up we learn that physical weakne ss, powerlessness, vulnerability, isolation and poverty do cause the cycle of poverty to never break. 3. DISTINCTION BETWEEN RELATIVE AND ABSOLUTE POVERTY According to Regan 2006:283, â€Å"Absolute poverty is characterized by some people in other parts of the world, normally the third world lives on a $1 per day. The population gets to 1.2billion. Those who live with $2 per day add up to 2.8 billion.† Relative poverty is normally when the country is deemed not to be living within the minimum requirements. For example in Zimbabwe it’s now deemed normal not to have electricity or water at a certain time (high load-shedding) of which it is poverty in the developed countries. Relative poverty therefore measures what percentage of population is poor when a minimum baseline â€Å"for that country† is used as a yardstick. The world Bank describes poverty a series of deprivations that may include: – living without fundamental freedoms of action or choice – lack of adequate food and shelter, education and health – extreme vulnerability to ill-health, Ebonics dislocation and natural disasters – being exposed to ill-treatment by the  state and society – powerlessness to influence key decisions 4. DISCUSSING ANY 3 CAUSES OF POVERTY IN THE WORLD There are a number of causes of poverty in the world which include dictatorship, lack of education, low wage rates, overpopulation, war, disease, floods, and natural disasters but here I am going to discuss about just 3 of them which are overpopulation, lack of education and war. a. Overpopulation Percy Bysshe Shelley, one of the finest English Romantic Poets, â€Å"The rich grind the poor into abjectness and then complain that they are abject. They goad them to famine, and then hang them if they steal a sheep†. Overpopulation refers to when an organism’s number exceed the carrying capacity of its habitat? The term usually refers to the relationship between human population and its environment, the earth. World population is currently growing by approximately 75million people per year according to the United Nations Reports and the net growth by mid-century is predicted by the United Nations medium variant to be about 33million, while the low is 13million. Overpopulation in the third world countries is one of the main causes of poverty which have failed to be tackled by experts in population issues. In a poverty reduction process it has become totally impossible to lower the population because human population tends to grow at a geometrical rate while the ability to produce subsistence increases at a merely arithmetical rate hence finding ourselves in an ever-deepening spiral of suffering caused by overpopulation. The earth’s capacity ofcourse can absorb big numbers of people but the land is being used for other not very necessary things instead of growing food for the number of people that is growing every second. FAO reports that by 2020, 135 million people may lose their land as a result of soil degradation as well. The exhaustible resources are limited and cannot meet the demands of all the people; especially where the rich are getting into the habit of of having more resources than required. When there is overpopulation clean water will be limited, medical care normally will be scarce, unemployment rate increases because many habitants will be looking forward to getting jobs, shelter will be crowded. Money on its own will not be enough to sustain a certain household. Most of the land will be used to build more houses hence reducing land for agriculture to grow crops to feed the people. In a country like Zimbabwe, prior to Robert Mugabe’s seizure of  the farmland, the farme rs had been using irrigation to deal with drought but during the seizures, much of the irrigation equipment was either vandalized or looted. A 2006 BBC article about Mugabe’s land seizure states † Critics say the reforms have devastated the economy and led to massive hunger. Much of the formerly white-owned land is no longer being productively used-either because the beneficiaries have no experience of farming or they lack finance and tools. Many farms were wrecked when they were invaded by government supporters† Some argue that without religion, population will be reasonable in the sense that people will be allowed to abort for an instance. The issues of birth control have been religiously viewed in countries like China where overpopulation is also rife. However many children are being born to face malnutrition or preventable diseases as a result of lack of nutritious food and desirable medications. Hence high infant/child mortality rate There is also the issue of fresh water. If the population keeps increasing there is likely to be less fresh water available in the world. Water deficit is also spurring grain imports in numerous smaller countries. The water tables are quickly getting exhausted because of the population growth. b. Lack of Education Studies indicate that if one has little or no education, the chances of them wallowing in poverty are huge. Lack of education is another major cause of poverty in the world. Without education, one cannot go anywhere. Developing countries do have inadequate budgets when it comes to education which is affecting the majority-especially with the growing population. Illiteracy is really a big player in the â€Å"cycle of poverty† that keeps the poor being locked in poverty as they do not have a chance to receive education. In many rural set ups, education is not treated as an important aspect in life especially in the girl child. In many occasions, you find that most children are kept from schools because they are needed at home to support their families with additional income by working. This â€Å"cycle of poverty† goes this way: if one fails to receive education they cannot read or write, they can never listen to the radio and understand what will be talked about-such that its easier for any outsider to come and use them and abuse them because they do not have sufficient if any knowledge or  information at all. Most black people do not normally think about the future, they just live on a life that is unplanned. When one fails to be well educated, it is difficult to get a good job with good salary to eradicate poverty back in their home. They end up doing menial, lowest paying jobs of which sometimes these jobs are seasonal, meaning when they are not working they just stay at home and have nothing to feed their family with. In the current situation in the world, tertiary education is now what’s considered the best for one to get a good job. Just ending in â€Å"A level† or â€Å"High School† will not give one a desired job that has good returns. In the United States 73% of people who do not have a high school degree live in poverty. That is how bad it is. Here in Zimbabwe I can say that the lack of education is bleeding the economy to the last, it’s also causing too much poverty because in the country like this which has been under the leadership of one person/party. There is too much corruption in the ruling government that they are offering top posts to uneducated people just because they just â€Å"went to war† Or maybe that they are related to so and so. They get into those offices and they start waging wars, and starving thousands while feeding their families only, failing to make their country prosperous. They start abusing the only resources that are there to help the majority of the country. Hence I can say that lack of education causes a lack of strong, prosperous leadership in the government and it causes a deficit of people who are willing to be well informed and willing to act on their own behalf of their own roles in all levels of government. c. War In the third world countries, they are normally characterized by wars normally fueled by civil unrests. War really causes and increases poverty in every other aspect. Not thinking only about the people who would have died during the war, there is a need to think about the families that would have been left by these people who would have died in the war. What will they eat? And in a normal war situation infrastructure is destroyed i.e. schools, houses, hospitals, roads and even any other types of shelter. That means there are going to be homeless children, adults, no schools to learn in, increasing the poverty. There will be a need to get funds/money to build the infrastructure. Talking about clean and safe water as well, normally after the war the water will be polluted with the  chemicals, if there is any water at all. War really affects the economy in a big way because the material and human destruction caused by it is a major development problem. Coming to give an example of Iraq, the only fight over oil caused the whole economy to crumble. The roads became dilapidated, the health sector went down. There had to be help to be sent through the United Nations to start on the economy. In Zimbabwe in the post war era around 1980, there had to be pumped out money to start building, of which, in a poor country like Zimbabwe it is difficult to source funds. Some never recovered from that that they never even decided to go back to school again making it impossible to reduce poverty in their land. 5. CONCLUSION Poverty has got many causes in the world but according to what I have discussed above, there can never be total poverty reduction in the whole world. This poverty topic also makes it clear that it is difficult to separate causes, effects and characteristics of poverty. The are many ways of poverty reduction, like farming, building dams, creation of employment, prioritizing education. The biggest goal is to reduce poverty through development strategies. Having used the Human Poverty Index and other socio-economic indicators it explores critical features of wealth and poverty divide. 6. BIBLIOGRAPHY Regan 2006. 80:20, Development in an unequal world Percy Bhsseye Shelley, Romantic Poet United Nation Report Thomas Robert Malthus (1766-1834) Essay on the Principle of Population Paul R. Ehrlich (1968) The Population Bomb