Studying Abroad Persuasive Speech Outline Essay

Introduction Attention Getter: If you want to learn about someone walk a mile in their shoes. What greater way is there to understand another culture’s point of view than studying abroad? Studying abroad is a life changing opportunity that benefits not only you but our nation and the world. Central Idea: I am going to tell you how you can during college by studying abroad. Establish Credibility: for the past couple of weeks I have been researching this topic, and because of what I have learned from this research I have decided to study abroad at some point during my college years. Preview Statement: First I will define what studying abroad is. Secondly I will discuss the benefits that studying abroad gives you. Thirdly I will talk about how affordable studying abroad is and the scholarships that are possible. Lastly I will give you a visualization. Body A. What study abroad is, well the education board for abroad defines studying abroad simply as a program in which students attend school in a country outside the United States and receive academic credit toward their major. Which here at USI, there are over 50 different countries that you could choose to study abroad in, according to the USI international website. B. Think of what studying abroad can do for your career. Studying abroad is so much fun you will forget that you are gaining academic credit while visiting another country. Not to mention the knowledge and experience that can help you succeed in future career options. The studying abroad experience is a great addition to any resume and can help you snag the job of your choice. By studying aboard it gives you that extra edge that employers might be looking for according to CNN.com. Employer’s desks are covered with stacks of applications but your experience from studying abroad will set you apart from other well quali fied applicants. C. A common myth most people think is that studying abroad is expensive, but it actually is affordable. Most students don’t believe that they can get scholarships for study abroad. In 2007, the House of Representatives passed a bill that would add more than $80 million every year to study abroad scholarships according to Hose of Representative members Salisbury, Umbach, and Pauslen. Most students look  for financial scholarships, when they should be looking for ability based scholarships. Lots of money goes untouched and there are a lot of scholarships for everyone going abroad, even professionals, according to Kruempelmann . Here are some tips that you can follow on slide 6 here. D. Try to picture a world where people are not allowed to leave the country that they are born in. Imagine the consequences we would face if we ignored the world around us. Lack of knowledge and understanding of other cultures could lead to disaster. Every culture benefits from the values, beliefs, traditions, and experiences of other cultures. The world is a better place when there is understanding among different cultures. Therefore, if you study abroad you can be an essential part of keeping the world together. Conclusion A. The rising benefits of studying abroad are undeniable and affordable! Going to a different country can be scary, but it can also be fun! You learn a different culture, language, and view on the world. There will be so many stories that you will never forget about from your time abroad. You will not regret it. B. I leave you with this quote from Henry Miller â€Å"One’s destination is never a place, but a new way of seeing things.

Silk Road: Tea

The Silk Road was a series of historical trade routes that connected cultures of European and Asian countries. Hidden in Southwest China is a lesser-known trade route called Chamadao, literally translated as the Tea Horse Road, was a central trade route for the exchange of Tibetan horses and Chinese tea (Elaine). The route started in Southwest China, where tea was produced, led north into the Tibetan mountains and into India (Yang). Due to its economic and cultural impact, it has been dubbed the â€Å"Southern Silk Road of China† (Yang). Tea first originated from Yunnan, through China, to the rest of Asia, then to the West.In its earliest uses, tea was first used as food then concocted as medicinal brews. As more traditional tea drinking practices developed overtime. It began transmit to social hierarchy and developed status (Heiss 4,7). The origin of tea trade could be traced back to the Tang Dynasty. During the Tang dynasty, Emperor Dezong sent his supervisory official Chang Lu to visit Tibet. Chang Lu offered some boiled tea to the Tibetan king, who then asked what it was. When Chang answered, the king informed him that Tibet already had tea and had his servants show it to Chang (Yang). The Chinese were the main exporters of tea.The Tea Horse Road, or Chamadao, was a central trade route for exchanging Tibetan horses and Chinese tea. Though it is called the Tea Horse Road, other products such as salt, sugar and furs were also exchanged along this route. The increasing importance of tea in daily life led to high demand and set up many markets outside of Southern China (Whitfield 238). Tea trade further expanded after Europeans were introduced to it. Chinese Tea was traded as far as Kenya, Africa. Chamadao soon earned the title of â€Å"Southern Silk Road of China,† due to its importance in both economic and cultural aspects (Elaine).Tea played a great role in religion and politics. At the height of the tea trade’s prosperity during the Min g Dynasty, a bureau was established to manage the horse and tea trade. During that time, the Ming Court often used the tea trade as a means of maintaining political control over Tibetan leaders and lamas. Farmers paid tea as tribute, or tax to the emperor, or ruler. The tea used in such tributes determined its quality (Yang). Tea was embraced by China’s three great religions—Buddhism, Confucianism and Daoism for its perceived healthful virtues and powers of rejuvenation .The holy leaders of these religions deemed the drink as a necessity and should be consumed by all practitioners. As each of these faiths spread, so did the practice of consuming tea (Heiss 10). In short, the lesser-known Tea Horse Road had great economic and cultural impact. Its cultural exchange and prosperity is comparable to the Silk Road in historical importance. This â€Å"Southern Silk Road† is no longer in use but its legacy continues to play a crucial role in the communication and exchan ge of present cultures.

Cheap Labor & Violation of Workers Rights Continue to Exist Essay

Abstract This paper explores the way in which sweatshops, cheap labor, and violation of workers rights continues to exist throughout the world. Providing inside information that the average individual might not know about the products they purchase and use everyday. This paper touches on what goes on in these sweatshops, which the most common workers are, and what countries are receiving the lowest wages for their work. Some of the most popular companies who have been recognized as abusers of labor laws are addressed, along with an update on how they’ve fared since being accused. As the paper draws to a close different solutions to stopping this abusing form of labor are revealed. If the average individual were to take a look around their home, one would find all sorts of objects and clothing produced in different areas from all across the globe. Majority of the time, these items are taken for granted and strictly valued depending on what they can do for us. This is quite unfortunate when we take into consideration the conditions most of these objects were manufactured in. It’s very seldom that we picture the blistering hands of the child who slaved over our designer tennis shoes as we slide them on as the finishing piece to that new designer outfit. It is ironic how the things we pay the most for in life are often times produced under the harshest working conditions by individuals paid incredibly low wages. Children and women’s rights are violated day in and day out for these companies to save a couple of dollars, yet we continue to ignore the issue and send our hard earned money to these corrupt companies and corporations. According to dictiona ry.com, a sweatshop is a â€Å"shop employing workers at low wages, for long hours, and under poor conditions† (Collins English Dictionary). Despite the adversity and embarrassment that some of the most popular companies have received for producing their products in sweatshop, cheap labor and exploitation of human rights still remain prevalent. Some  individuals feel that the use of these sweatshops allows for a healthy balance in the economy, or that working for these wages is the best possible option for citizens of third world countries, concluding that we need not tamper with the means of production for the economy’s sake. Many of these ideas are addressed in Arnold D. and N. Bowie’s Sweatshops and Respects for Persons, as they discuss exactly why these allegations or theories are dysfunctional untruths. There are definitely alternatives to sweatshop labor for companies to produce their products. For example in Paron and Reemes’s, â€Å"Beyond Cheap Labor† they propose a solution to these countries’ low wages; â€Å"to justify higher wages in a globalized economy, middle-income na tions must find their comparative advantage† (Paron & Reemes 2005). If these nations find something they can offer, then they can create a job market for their workers, resulting in higher wages. Granted this is a very hard task and may be perceived by many as unachievable, but there is no amount of revenue worth sacrificing our morals or these individuals’ rights as humans. Cheap Labor & Exploitation According to the United States labor law, there are certain wages that must be provided to individuals for performing services; when these laws are violated, there are severe consequences to whoever is deemed responsible (DOL, 2009). Cheap labor is when an individual provides labor for unreasonably low wages, long hours, usually under harsh or extreme working conditions, and many of the female workers are subject to sexual harassment along with all the other violating activity that occurs. Unfortunately, many women and young children are victims to these violations of labor laws for a company’s benefit, all to save a buck. According to Snyder in his article Exploitation and Sweatshop Labor â€Å"The most common understanding of exploitation in the literature on sweatshops interprets exploitation as taking unfair advantage of workers† (Snyder, 1991). The rights of these workers are exploited for economic advancement from both structural and organizational perspectives. The organizational aspect of the exploitation is tied into the market power received by the organizations that exploit these individuals in order to increase profit margin. The structural aspect pertains to exactly where these sweatshops are  located; production warehouses employ large groups of individuals concentrated in certain societies or communities in order to maximize production. The cheap labor provided for businesses through the use of sweatshops is nothing more than a loophole in order to save the companies’ money. It is a complete disregard for human rights, yet people continue to selfishly turn the other cheek on this issue. Violation of Workers’ Rights According to Sweatshops and Third World Living Standards: Are the Jobs Worth the Sweat; Bangladesh workers are bringing in roughly $0.13 an hour, the next lowest is Vietnam at $0.26, followed by China at $0.44 (Powell & Sharbek, 2004). Here are some of the lowest wages in the world, all found in sweatshops: These numbers are well below the minimum wage; the minimum wage required for compensation of work is determined based on the economies output divided by the number of working and non-working people. In fact it is often argued that the minimum wage determined in the U.S isn’t enough for most individuals to survive independently on, especially single parents. In addition to that, sweatshops fail to pay their workers on time for their labor if they pay them at all. Cheap labor is just one of the violating aspects of human rights that takes place in sweatshops. Along with not being properly compensated for the amount of labor the workers produce they also work long excruciating hours. Some workers may work anywhere from eighteen to twenty hour shifts consecutively under hazardous conditions, without breaks for food or water. They work extremely long hours in order to make a wage that isn’t sufficient enough to live on. â€Å"Workers work long hours in which they aren’t compensated for, under unsafe living conditions, and women are often sexually harassed†, there isn’t a single characteristic of a sweatshop that is safe or complies with labor laws and regulations. (Snyder, 1991) Women and children often make up majority of these sweatshop employees; it’s  hard to imagine an adult working sixteen hours under unsafe conditions but sweatshop managers don’t treat these children any differently, nor do they show any sympathy. Women are often sexually assaulted, abused, not paid for their labor, and in many instances stripped of their employee status and forced into servitude. â€Å"Lured by recruiters who promise wonderful opportunities in foreign lands, young women often pay thousands of dollars in recruitment and contract†; after being taken advantage of these women end up working for low wages in order to pay back these huge debts, consequently they become property until they can escape or pay off all the debt, both are highly unlikely (Snyder 1991). Women are treated as if they aren’t human beings, for example: â€Å"In some Indonesian sweatshops, women were forced to take down their pants and reveal to factory doctors that they were menstruating in order to claim their legal right to menstrual-leave† (Morey, 2000). When discussing the cheap labor industry third world countries often come to mind but these same things occur right here in the U.S, † The Department of Labor indicates that 50% of garment factories in the U.S. violate two or more basic labor laws, establishing them as sweatshops†; sweatshops exist when individuals who cant stand up for themselves have their rights taken advantage of (Morey 2000). The Violators Not many people are aware of just how many of our every day items are produced by cheap labor. If one were to take a look around their home they’d be astonished by just how many objects come from sweatshops; there are factories for clothing, technology, furniture and other items that you would never expect. Nike is what comes to mind first when the topic of sweatshop labor is at hand; mainly due to their being accused of producing their shoes and shoes under the air Jordan line in China. Nike claims that all of their factories employees compensation complies with the U.S labor laws and any individual who is interested is welcome to visit any Nike manufacturing shop, however this has yet to happen and their has been no footage released of their  factories. Nike doesn’t own any of its accused sweatshop factories, they pay factory owners and those owners are responsible for paying the workers their wages, not Nike. Many say this is just a loophole to escape labor laws in order save money. When the founder of Nike Phil Knight was asked, â€Å"why doesn’t Nike start its own factories in the U.S† he replied: â€Å" I honestly believe that U.S citizens don’t want to make shoes, they don’t want to do that job† (Jilani, 2011). It’s quite obvious that Nike isn’t interested in the people, Phil Knight and he collogues are strictly focused on maximizing the companies net income, even if that means sacrificing the rights of workers and passing up the opportunity to produce more jobs right here in the U.S. however Nike is the only familiar household name that has suffered from sweatshop accusations. Six years later technologies peoples champion Apple still carries the negative stigma from its labor law violations in its sub-contracted factories. â€Å"More than half of the audits revealed problems, including employees regularly working more than 60 hours a week, underage workers, falsified records, wages below minimum levels, pay withheld as punishment and improper disposal of hazardous waste† (Walters, 2012). The wages and long hours was the least of Apples worries; workers were suffering from severely swollen legs to the point where they could barely walk, being exposed to poisonous chemicals & factory explosions, some were even killed do to these conditions (Walters, 2012). Although Apple received much criticism for producing it’s products in sweatshops under these conditions somehow over the past six years they have managed to become the leader in technology, outselling all competitors. Apple’s ITunes is also the largest music retailor in the U.S, follow ed by Wal-Mart whom is also been accused . This goes to show that this subject isn’t taken serious enough; if so the purchase of Apple products would have drastically decreased. Here is a chart of Apple’s yearly earnings since the unveiling of their sweatshop production (Powell, 2011): If people continue to show that they aren’t concerned with how the products they purchase are produced then companies will continue to manufacture their products by these inhumane means. It’s almost as if these companies need to  be taught a lesson, show them that cheap labor is unacceptable by not purchasing their goods and they will change their methods. There is no reason why Apple should have flourished in such a way after being exposed for its production methods. Sweatshops Effect On the Economy Some Economists feel that without sweatshops many of these workers who are now employed in third world countries would be without work and consequently be worse off then they are working for low wages; â€Å"We find that most sweatshop jobs provide an above average standard of living for their workers† (Powell & Sharbek, 2004). Hypothetically speaking, if one were to assume that this is correct and the standard of living is above average this still doesn’t justify the treatment and conditions these workers endure. Just because an individual has no other choice doesn’t give anyone free reign to destroy all regard for their rights. Cambodia for example has nothing to offer economically, so sweatshops are one of the only choices for many of it’s natives; this wouldn’t be a problem if workers rights were respected and at least received a reasonable wage for the amount of work produced. This would be a great solution to the problem, without ruining compa ny’s production, without violating workers rights, and without disrupting the economy whatsoever. Possible Solutions to the Issue When it comes to the task of stopping sweatshops, cheap labor, and exploitation there are two major methods that can be taken. The first and the most unlikely method to succeed is to place the responsibility on the third world countries economy; second would be for people to refuse to purchase goods or products that have anything to do with sweatshop labor. â€Å"Take the attention off of the low-wage assembly jobs and focus on higher valued jobs and comparative advantages† (Farrell & Paron, 2005); this is a great proposition but we have to take into consideration the likelihood of this happening. We can’t expect third world countries to completely diminish their basic means of employment because it is unrighteous or violates  rights. This is why many economists say that sweatshops provide a better income and living to many individuals who otherwise would be unemployed; however there is an alternative method that poses a huge threat to the sweatshop industry. People can perform a number of actions in order to ensure companies start to produce their products the correct way. The first step is for people to demand sweatshop free products where they shop or not to shop there at all. People can also by union made and second hand products, as well as purchasing fair trade products. The next step is to spread the word and encourage others to do the same until cheap labor is non existent, this wont happen over night but it will show companies that the stigma that comes with producing their products in a sweatshop can ruin business. Conclusion Although over the past decade the use of sweatshop labor by many popular companies has been brought to the light, there has been no action taken by government, nor have people taken it upon themselves to boycott these companies. The excruciating circumstances these individuals work under are hard to stomach yet people continue to turn the cheek on the issue. Stopping this ridiculous treatment won’t be easy, but it can be done if people start to take action but caring is where it must start! Work Cited Skinner, B. E. (2012, March 30). Slaves put squid on dining tables from south pacific. Retrieved from http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2012-02-23/slaves-put-squid-on-u-s-dining-tables-from- south-pacific-catch.html Powell, B., & Sharbek, D. (2004). Sweatshops and third world living standards: Are the jobs worth the sweat?. Independent Institute , working paper number 53, 1-15. Retrieved from http://www.independent.org/pdf/working_papers/53_sweatshop.pdf Snyder, J. (1991). Exploitation and sweatshop labor: Perspectives and issues. Business Ethics Quarterly, 20(2), 187-213. Kristof, N. (2009, January 15). Where sweatshops are a dream. The New York Times, p. 35. Ballinger, J. (2009). Finding an anti-sweatshop strategy that works. Dissent , 56(3), 5-8. Smit, B. (2011). Trafficking in human beings for labour exploitation. the case of the Netherlands. Trends in Organized Crime , 14(2/3), 184-197. Farrell, D., Paron , A., & Reemes, J. (2005). Beyond cheap labor: Lessons for developing economies. McKinsey Quarterly , 1(1), 98-109. Powell, B. (2011). The end of cheap labor in china. Time , 177(26), 1-4. Arnold, D., and N. Bowie. 2003. â€Å"Sweatshops and Respect for Persons,† Business Ethics Quarterly 13(2): 221-42. Arnold, D., and P. Hartman. 2003. â€Å"Moral Imagination and the Future of Sweatshops,† Business and Society Review 108(4): 425-61. sweatshop. (n.d.). Collins English Dictionary – Complete & Unabridged 10th Edition. Retrieved April 24, 2012, from Dictionary.com website: http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/sweatshop DOL. (2009, September). Wages and hours worked: Minimum wage and overtime pay. Retrieved from http://www.dol.gov/elaws/elg/minwage.htm Woolf, L. (2011). women and global human rights. Retrieved from http://www.webster.edu/~woolflm/sweatshops.html Woolf, L. (2011). women and global human rights. Retrieved from http://www.webster.edu/~woolflm/sweatshops.html Jilani, Z. (2011, July 13). Thinking progress. Retrieved from http://thinkprogress.org/economy/2011/07/13/267520/nike-workers-humiliation/ Walters, S. (2012, February 4). Apple still shamed by china [Web log message]. Retrieved from http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2096551/Apple-shamed-Chinas-iPod-sweatshops_ SIX-YEARS-expos.html

Health Promotion for Early Years Practitioners Essay

Health Promotion for Early Years Practitioners - Essay Example ..It is a positive concept emphasizing social and personal resources as well as physical capabilities (Health Promotion glossary, WHO, 1998). In the 1948 Constitution, WHO further declares that enjoying good health is the basic fundamental right of an individual, and the state must necessarily take measures to fulfil its obligation to this end. In context to child health WHO points out that â€Å"Healthy development of the child is of basic importance†, as good health during the formative years forms the foundation for a healthy adulthood. The state must make available to all its citizens the basic resources for medical, psychological well being and all relevant information that aims to achieve good health; and here there must not be any distinctions, based on â€Å"race, religion, political belief, economic, or social condition.† However in this context it must be mentioned that health is not only an obligation solely on the state; but there must also be an active coop eration and informed opinion based feedback from the general public that would help the state to function even more effectively. â€Å"Health promotion is the process of enabling people to increase control over, and to improve their health† (Health Promotion glossary, WHO, 1998). Health promotion is an ongoing process that reflects the social and political conditions pertinent to health conditions within a country. Promotions are not only aimed at improving individual health but are directed towards transforming the entire social-economic and the physical environmental conditions, so that is an overall improvement in the life qualities of the society as a whole. There are various socioeconomic factors of health, based on the economic and social conditions of different countries. WHO delineates the general factors that are necessary for achieving good health and these are: sufficient economic resources, adequate food and shelter, stable eco-system, sustainable natural resource s and their appropriate use., and in the process highlights the important yet complex links that exist between an individual’s socio-economic conditions, his physical environment, his lifestyle, and his health. A UK team of researchers identified the socioeconomic factors of health as: social/class gradient, social support, social exclusion, early life, work, joblessness, stress, food, transport, and addiction (Marmot and  Wilkinson, 2005). On the other hand, we find that the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention  identifies socioeconomic factors of health as, social status, housing, transport, easy access to various services, bias on the basis of gender/ race/ or social standing, and various stressors (environmental or social) (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 2010). Models and approaches to health promotion: There are various models and approaches to the health promotion plans seen in different countries worldwide. Such variations are owing to the var ying socioeconomic factors that are seen worldwide that makes it necessary for each country to adopt a health promotion plan that is made suitable for its social, cultural and economic conditions. In this context we will examine some of the well known approaches to health promotions, commonly seen in practice worldwide. In the Ottawa Charter WHO identifies three basic approaches

Environmental law has led the development of environmental management Essay

Environmental law has led the development of environmental management systems (and environmental auditing in particular) - Essay Example environmental record keeping and performance and impact review) include illustration of how particular industries or businesses have adapted to the rise of such compliance requirements consider whether there are any disadvantages to environmental auditing being influenced by concerns about legal compliance Word limit: 1500 words Your essay must be typed and all sources must be referenced. Hand in Date: 11th August 2011, 16.00 (generic resit CW submission date!) Marked work to be returned: To be negotiated Environmental law builds on reform movements from the early part of the 20th Century, including consumer protection and industry regulation legislation that was enacted through the House of Commons in the protection of the public welfare and safety of workers. As public awareness and understanding of the danger to the natural environment from pollution and waste produced by industry grew, more and more people began to organize into advocacy groups and political change or reform move ments to affect public policy. Domestic law was the early vehicle for these reform movements and legislative changes produced in this manner became part of the common law tradition that would be enforceable in court with damages or penalties. As the role of governmental authority in policing and regulating industry on environmental concerns became more prevalent, official environmental protection and monitoring bodies were organized on the national level as industry watchdogs. With the rise of this legislation and associated governmental agencies in environmental protection, the requirements for the consumer, business, and industry to abide by environmental regulations led to the development of testing and auditing procedures that would guarantee compliance over large sectors of the economy. This can be seen in automotive emissions requirements and fuel conservation requirements in cars, trucks, and other vehicles; in pollution emissions testing requirements for factories in the ene rgy industry and industrial production; clean water and anti-pollution requirements for companies; as well as in modern movements to initiate a global carbon trading regime based on carbon-credits and a business’ fundamental carbon footprint calculated through use of fossil fuels in all aspects of production. These developments highlight how environmental protection legislation has moved from national law to become a major aspect of international business through treaties, multi-national accords, GATT negotiations, the WTO, etc. Nationally in the UK, there are two main sources of modern environmental law, the 1974 Control of Pollution Act and the Environmental Protection Act of 1990. The 1974 CPA prohibited the dumping of waste material, sewage, and other pollution in public land, rivers, and oceans, â€Å"where— (a) the waste in question is of a kind which is poisonous, noxious or polluting; and (b) its presence on the land is likely to give rise to an environmental hazard; and (c) it is deposited on the land in such circumstances or for such a period that whoever deposited it there may reasonably be assumed to have abandoned it there or to have brought it there for the purpose of its being disposed of (whether by himself or others) as waste, shall, subject to the following subsection, be guilty of an offence and liable on summary conviction to imprisonment for a term not exceeding six months or a fine not exceeding ?400 or both or, on conviction on indictment, to imprisonment f

Survey on human motivation using a Likert scale Research Paper

Survey on human motivation using a Likert scale - Research Paper Example Many researchers are driven to conceptualize a procedure to take account of and record data related to human motivation in order to develop a theory on why a human is motivated to conduct in a specific activity. McClelland and colleagues (McClelland, Atkinson, Clark, & Lowell, 1953) designed a preliminary experiment to measure motivation in human participants, which was guided by the early works of Henry Murray, who was active in the development of a theory in motivation during the 1930s through the 1960s. Murray (1938) divided human needs into a primary and secondary group. Primary needs were explained as deriving from a biological origin, such as the need for food, water, air, and sex, and the reluctance to experience pain. Murray believed that secondary needs derive from either a biological base or the psychological realm. Examples of secondary needs are achievement, recognition, acquisition, dominance, affiliation, autonomy, and aggression. Murray was led to believe that intense needs are presented with greater frequency over time. This leads to a greater frequency in the intensity of the behavior. Through his work, Murray learned that secondary needs are the driving force behind the personality of an individual. The degree to which primary and secondary needs impact the individual depends on the combination of personality and behavior. During his tenure at the Harvard Psychological Clinic in the 1930s, Murray, with the help of peer Christiana & Morgan, created the Thematic Apperception Test (TAT). The TAT is a projective test that is used to assess and encourage personal accounts or descriptions about familial or social interactions. The TAT can help recognize prevailing emotions, responses and disagreements through the 31 provided pictures (Murray, 1938). Each picture can elicit a range of responses from the individual, as the examiner asks for a story about the events taking place in the picture. McClelland (1953)

Job Task Analysis Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Job Task Analysis - Essay Example ions and submitting them to the human resource manager, scheduling interviews for new employees in the branch, and following up on their progress once employed. Any memos for the department are also to be prepared by the personnel clerk in charge (Reddy, 2004). Behavioral objectives are goals that the military branch will be aiming to accomplish when training the personnel clerk. They include duties and responsibilities that the clerk should be conversant with by the end of the training. Therefore, according to the above tasks the behavioral objectives listed should be that: the personnel clerk will master all the recording procedures in the office; he or she will also be able to understand on how to follow up on the military personnel; he or she will be able to construct a pay roll sheet from the attendance register and lastly, that he or she will be able to prepare all the notices memos of the personnel department if need be. A job task analysis is used to train an employer by laying out all the duties to be performed. (Wolfe, 1991) An analysis for a personnel clerk would be: Enter into the office; Sign in at the register; Check out the attendance of each and every employee of the military branch; Note any absent employees; Identify the events of the day; Ensure all the office records are neatly in place; Arrange any misplaced documents; Prepare any memos required; Receive and attend to any visitors of the personnel department; Ensure that any injured militants are attended to; Ensure the pay roll sheet is in agreement with the attendance list; Check the mail box of the personnel department; Forward and present any available resumes and application mails to the necessary offices; Follow up on the new employees of the organization; Schedule interviews for any new employees and finally sign out the employees after work. Generally, a personnel clerk is important in all organizations since all organizations have employees that need to be managed and yet the

Japanese Mourning Ritual Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Japanese Mourning Ritual - Essay Example Most cultures have a method of attempting to help that spirit get to the right place. This paper will discuss the rural Japanese and their method of dealing with the death of a loved one. Many of the parts of the Japanese ritual were familiar and some of them were unusual. After the body is cremated, family members remove bones from the body and place them in a jar which is then placed in the burial place for the family. This seems odd in the sense that if cremation is the answer to their burial problems, why then do they place bones in a crypt. The article does not really say why the family does this only that they do not physically touch the bones because of the contamination from death (Irish, 2000). Then the bones that are not chosen are dumped out back as if they were not important at all. This part of their ritual does not match anything that we do in our culture so it is hard to discern why it would be done. It does appear that all Japanese or at least the majority are concern ed with somehow being contaminated with death. They handle the body after cremation with chip sticks, being careful not to touch any part of it and the wearing of particular garments to ward off death as if it was something to catch. It also appears that cremation is accepted by all of the different Japanese societies. There is also quite a bit of superstition that seems to be general throughout the culture as far as cats. They believe that the body will rise up if cats approach it. This might keep the spirit in this world and they are afraid of spirits so cats are kept away. Though there are great differences which are mentioned, there are also great similarities to the rituals that we practice in our mourning ceremonies. The Japanese place the body in a casket and allow time for family to mill around and sit with the body, they cleanse the body ahead of time and dress it in a white Kimono under which is a favorite piece of clothing. In our traditions, the body is cleaned and after embalming, if the body is to be buried, the favorite clothing of a person is usually placed on the body. Friends and family provided food for the relatives and friends that have shown up to pay their respects which is also very familiar in what we do here. The family is usually presented with dishes from other family and friends to serve to the people who come and for dinners in the home for a few days so the family does not have to cook. The mourners wear black and on the average the male mourners are in one room and the female in another rule. It happens that way here too. I think it is really a utilitarian issue here and I would imagine that it is there too (Searle, 2003) Our women do most of the cooking and serving and so they kind of stay together for that reason while the men are usually more comfortable with each other and generally sit together in the same room. There are a couple of other interesting things that bear mentioning. One of those is the fact that neighborhood groups are responsible for weddings and funerals so the cost of these things is really shared among many. This seems to be a great idea. It does not say what originally caused such a tradition but it would seem that this might be something that many other cultures might want to look at. The other is the "to pull a friend" ritual. In order to prevent the deceased from taking a friend with them, they place a doll or other comfort in the coffin with them. This is somewhat like us. Many families like to place a comforting object in the coffin with the body. Sometimes that is a treasured teddy bear and sometimes something else but always an object that was special that they can

PR Plan Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

PR Plan - Essay Example This will ensure that a new public relations plan can be unfolded and monitored effectively for progress and that shifts in strategy can be made according to achieved progress. (Twittasaur, 2011) Situation: Situation Analysis The company’s internal and external situations need to be established in order to create a benchmark which would be utilised to proceed further. To delineate the company’s internal and external conditions two different kinds of tools are being used. SWOT (Strengths, Opportunities, Weaknesses and Strengths) is being used primarily to discover the company’s internal situation. (Menon, 1999) On the other hand the PEST (Political, Economic, Social and Technological) tool is being utilised to comprehend where the market currently stands. (Armstrong, 2006) SWOT Strengths Weaknesses established supply chain for fresh delivery in most areas; only high quality meat used to create sausages; spiced and non spiced meat varieties offered; lowered fat con tent of sausages; British ingredients use ensured; herbs used extensively to promote healthy eating; dedicated and committed workforce. meat cannot be stored for long periods due to small freezers ? demand cannot be fulfilled in certain situations; some flavouring recipes used are French and exotic; operations in Middle England need to be expanded on ground. Opportunities Threats market is expanding after recession; sausage derivatives such as hot dogs can be easily introduced; Middle England is health conscious so a proven healthy food product can easily take over the market. people want more English recipes; fat levels are lowered but certain other brands have lower fat levels. PEST Political There are no bans on meat (such as through Mad cow) and the short term political outlook is healthy for the market. Economic The market is conservative but recovering gradually which will permit greater sales in the longer run. People have the buying power to afford sausages with ease. Social The food market is headed for reform which will enable healthier eating and thus healthier lifestyles. Sausages are becoming popular because of their readymade nature, ease of processing and rich taste. Technological Fat levels can easily be lowered from meat products using technology. Herbs and other spices can easily be added to sausage meat before making sausages. Sausages can be manufactured and transported with relative ease due to technology without compromising their quality. Objectives: Charting a Course Mission Configuring and implementing an effective PR campaign in order to expand â€Å"Banger’s† market share to promote company profits and healthy eating. Business Objectives Increasing sales in Middle England by at least 20% within 90 days of the launch of this campaign; Expanding â€Å"Banger’s† market presence by introducing it to 3 new counties in Middle England within the first month; Promoting the use of sausages as a healthy food item to replace other meat items on consumer shopping lists by 10% in 12 months. Prioritising Marketing Objectives Clear and concise marketing objectives must be established to ensure that a clear direction can be ascertained. (Stone, 2001) Moreover, the objectives have been assessed using SMART (Specific, Measured, Attainable, Realistic, Time bound) to validate them. (Doran, 1981) Two different kinds of markets are being targeted. First are markets where â€Å"

Human Resource Management Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words - 14

Human Resource Management - Essay Example nly one can witness a complete symphony between the different business processes, activities and feelings that are so very significantly attached with the business that we are talking about here. Pertinent planning can help a particular company gain so much in accordance with its goals and objectives that had been planned and drafted but in the current times more and more attention and emphasis is making the rounds of the discussion as to whether these plans can actually deliver what was expected of them in the first place. Thus management has the responsibility to plan, organize, lead and control the relevant resources that are present within the realms of the organizational contexts. Since the definition of management takes a clear cut look on the basis of finding the resources available at the organization’s disposal as well as the strategic moves, tactical decisions and tasks and processes that occur within it, there is a dire need to make sure that the top management knows what its business is all about and more significantly it must relate the same to the people who matter the most – the middle tier of the organization which is also known as the knowledge organization. The classical management perspective relied heavily on the placing of tasks and activities on the middle and lower tiers within the organization’s echelon. It focused more on carrying out the tasks at the lower levels and as such there was less accountability and answering when it came to the top management hierarchy present within the organization and indeed running the whole show. The same has changed and that too for the better so to speak. The classical management theo ry has completely faded out and the contemporary management perspective has superseded it on all counts. At the present, the work is supposed to be carried out by a basis of sharing and caring within the organization’s regimes which was not the case say two decades down the road. In keeping with the organizational

William Shakespeare Quotes and Quotations Essay Example for Free

William Shakespeare Quotes and Quotations Essay Famous Quotes and Quotations from the plays of William Shakespeare Shakespearean quotations such as To be, or not to be and O Romeo, Romeo! wherefore art thou Romeo? form some of literatures most celebrated lines and if asked to recite one of William Shakespeares most famous quotes or quotations the majority of people would choose one of these. However, many expressions that we use every day originated in William Shakespeares plays. We use the Bards words all of the time in everyday speech, however, we are often totally unaware that we are borrowing sayings from his work! William Shakespeare is attributed with writing 38 plays, Famous Shakespearean sonnets and 5 other poems and used about 21,000 different words. William Shakespeare is credited by the Oxford English Dictionary with the introduction of nearly 3,000 words into the language. Its no wonder that expressions from the works of William Shakespeare have become anonymous parts of the English language. William Shakespeare Quotes Plagiarism! The words and quotes of the William Shakespeare can be found everywhere! Shakespearean quotations can be heard on the radio and television on a daily basis. The advertising media love to make use of William Shakespeare quotes and sayings. Famous authors have even used Shakespearean quotations as titles for their books such Aldous Huxley and Brave New World. And speaking of famous authors did you know that What the dickens was one of the quotes used by William Shakespeare, long before Charles Dickens was born? Other famous Shakespearean quotations such as Ill not budge an inch, We have seen better days ,A dish fit for the gods are all used frequently and, almost as a parody, the expression its Greek to me is often used to describe a frustrated students view of Shakespeares work! Politicians dig deep into their pool of William Shakespeare quotes and quotations such as Fair Play, Foregone Conclusion , One Fell Swoop, and Into Thin Air . Furthermore, other Shakespearean quotes such as to thine own self be true have become widely spoken pearls of wisdom. So quotes from William Shakespeare have now become household words and sayings and just to emphasise the point household word is also one of the Bards anonymous quotations! Some Famous examples of William Shakespeare Quotes and Quotations ! To be, or not to be: that is the question. Hamlet (Act III, Scene I). Neither a borrower nor a lender be; For loan oft loses both itself and friend, and borrowing dulls the edge of husbandry. Hamlet (Act I, Scene III). This above all: to thine own self be true. Hamlet (Act I, Scene III). Friends, Romans, countrymen, lend me your ears; I come to bury Caesar, not to praise him. (Act III, Scene II). But, for my own part, it was Greek to me. (Act I, Scene II). The course of true love never did run smooth. (Act I, Scene I). Best Known William Shakespeare Quotes and Quotations ! The most celebrated of William Shakespeares sayings and quotations from each of his famous plays are listed below. Full details of the plays by William Shakespeare, together with their full scripts, may be accessed via each plays specific section. forwarded from. http://www. william-shakespeare. info/william-shakespeare-quotes. htm

Adn vs. Bsn Essay Example for Free

Adn vs. Bsn Essay The nursing profession continues to argue whether a nurse who holds a BSN is desirable to the Associates-Degree-prepared nurse. This has been a topic of debate since 1965, when the American Nurses Association published an opinion paper advocating for the baccalaureate degree to be the minimal standard for entry-level nurses. While some say that the level of education isn’t relevant once you orient a nurse to a certain setting, others disagree and assert that the baccalaureate degree prepared nurses demonstrate higher levels of skill in communication, delegation, assessment, teaching and supervision. Most agree, however, that each degree program provides a different level of preparation and competencies for the graduating nurse. The focus of ADN programs has been to prepare the nurse with considerable clinical experience and technical nursing skills needed to provide patient care at the bedside, while the BSN program concentrates on evidence-based practice, research, leadership skills and communication. An additional difference is the target client. Associate-degree graduates are prepared to meet the needs of the patient. The baccalaureate graduate’s scope is widened to include the family and interdisciplinary groups. According to a study done in 1988 by the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board, nursing competencies across the spectrum of nursing education, â€Å"varied in complexity, depth, and breadth. †(Poster, 2006) Entry-level competencies were evaluated on three categories: provider of care, coordinator of care, and member of a profession. There was virtually no difference noted in the provider of care category other than the use of an evidence-based analytical approach by the baccalaureate-prepared nurse, as opposed to a critical thinking approach to decision making by the associate-degree-prepared nurse. In the category of coordinator of care, the major contrast was between how the advanced-degree-prepared the nurse to act as more of a facilitator of care between multiple factions of the healthcare team. As a member of a profession, the BSN nurse acted as a leader rather than in the participant role of the ADN nurse. Where the major differences occurred was in the â€Å"knowledge required for achievement of competency. †(Poster, 2006) The diploma prepared nurse bases her plan of care on the nursing diagnosis. The advanced-degree nurse’s basis for developing the plan of care uses â€Å"evidence-based and theoretical analysis of available data. †(Poster, 2006) An example of this difference might be in the care of patient who has a chronic condition, such as congestive heart failure. This patient undoubtedly is seen multiple times in the course of a year for symptoms pertaining to his health condition. Nurse A, with the associate’s degree, does a good job of taking care of the patient. She sees to it that he gets all of his medications in a timely fashion, and that he completes all of his scheduled tests; that his basic needs are met. Her plan of care would include all of the interventions to reflect such care. She would weigh him daily, make sure his meals followed the proper diet, and etc. Nurse B, with the BSN, also provides the afore-mentioned care. However, in addition, she may look at why this patient has frequently been admitted to her floor. She would perhaps investigate whether the same symptoms precipitated his decline and question the patient as to whether he is weighing himself daily, what types of food he is eating at home, and whether he has been taking his medications on a routine basis. She might find that he doesn’t have a scale at home, does not have access to his medications all of the time, or is simply non-compliant. Her plan of care may include a social worker and case management are more involved in his discharge planning to insure that the patient has the equipment and resources required to manage is illness at home. Nurse B might also collaborate with the patient to develop a plan he can agree to follow and provide a list of community resources that are available. Both Nurse A and Nurse B have seen to it that the patient got what he needed during his hospital visit. The healthcare industry is changing rapidly. The life expectancy of the average patient has extended due to the increase in technological advances and life-saving measures and requires that professional nurses have the ability to mange these complex patients. The baccalaureate-degree program provides an opportunity to build on the communication, problem-solving and decision-making skills taught in the ADN program to facilitate better patient care. Whether it be a an associate-degree-prepared nurse or one holding an advanced degree, one thing I am sure we can all agree upon is that better educated nurses will better serve the profession as a whole.

Effect of Export Performance on Economy

Effect of Export Performance on Economy CHAPTER ONE: INTRODUCTION In this chapter, first we introduce the study by highlighting its background followed by a brief description of Malaysias economy and external trade based on relevant statistics related to economic growth trends and international trade, respectively. Next, we further proceed to look in detail at the export performance concept. Then, we indicate the current major products exported by Malaysian firms, and their main export destinations. Research problem, question, and objectives, followed by the significance, scope, limitations, and organization of the paper, are all discussed in the last part of the chapter. 1.1. Background of the Study With the increasing trend of globalization, the arena of market and competition for business firms has expanded from domestic markets to the international markets. This has accentuated the importance of understanding the behavior of firms in foreign markets. Exporting represents a viable strategic option for firms to internationalize and has remained the most frequently used foreign market entry mode chosen (Zhao Zou, 2002), as it provides the firm with the flexibility needed to penetrate and compete in new international markets. In 2001, the World Bank published the report Globalization, Growth and Poverty: Building an Inclusive World Economy. The report shows that 24 developing countries, which increased their integration into the world economy, achieved higher growth in incomes, longer life expectancy and better schooling (Van Dijk, 2002). Exporting is considered to be one of the most important ways for developing countries to link with the world economy. Therefore, it is identified by governments and public policy makers as a priority (Morgan, 1997). 1.1.1. Malaysias Economy and External Trade The Malaysian economy has shown to be one of the most dynamic economies in the Asia Pacific region. The structure of the Malaysian economy had a dramatic transformation in the last five decades. Gradually over this period, it has displayed attributes of newly industrialized country and its economy has shown an impressive track record (Hamid, 2004). The country had an impressive annual growth in the 1970s reaching 7.8%, and continued to grow at a rate of 8.8% in the 1980s except during recession in 1985 to 1986. The recovery started in 1988 and the economy sustained an annual growth of over 8% in the 1990s. However, the Asian financial crisis had the worst impact when the economy shrank by 11.2% year on year in the fourth quarter of 1998 (The Economist Intelligence Unit, 2009). This led the Malaysian government to implement several economic policy adjustments which started in 1999 in order to speed up the recovery. Consequently, the economy recorded a positive growth in seven consecutive years. After a strong take-off of 5.3% in 2003, the second half of 2006 recorded a higher than expected growth of 5.9% (Malaysia Economic Report , 2006). Recently, as a result of the global recession, Malaysias real GDP contracted by 6.2% year on year in the first quarter of 2009 (The Economist Intelligence Unit, 2009). However, the economy reco vered gradually later in the same year. Malaysias trade policy focuses on greater integration into the world economy and enhancing its global position as a trading nation. The country has consistently maintained its position as the 18th largest global exporter and the 20th largest importer in the last few years (WTO, 2005). Malaysias trade with the world from 2000 to 2009 is illustrated in figure 1. The bar chart shows that Malaysia had a steady increase in total trade. The country reached a peak of approximately RM787.5 billion and RM643.1 billion in 2009 for exports and imports respectively, yielding a trade surplus of RM144.4 billion. This trend is expected to continue in the next few years as more economic reforms would take place, coincided with high growth rates expected. 1.1.2. Export Performance Export performance is broadly defined as the outcome of a firms activities in export markets (Shoham, 1996). The fundamental importance of export performance to international marketing has led to a substantial body of research. It is recognized that research on export performance is of vital interest to three major groups: public policy makers, managers and researchers. First, export performance is important for public policy makers or governments as it contributes to the development of foreign exchange reserves, increases the level of imports a country can afford, provides a vehicle for job creation, improves employment opportunities, improves standards of living, and encourages better working conditions and more efficient business (Lages Montgomery, 2004). Second, at a micro level, managers view exporting as a way to expand their firms access to international markets, benefit from economies of scale, reduce the dependence on their domestic markets, and enjoy faster sales, employment, and growth (Freeman Lawley, 2005). Third, as a result of its importance for both policy makers and managers, researchers consider exporting a challenging and promising area for theory building in international marketing (Zou Stan, 1997). Since gaining independence from Britain in 1957, Malaysia implemented a series of 5-year development plans in order to transform its economy from being an exporter of rubber and tin to emerge as one of the worlds largest producers of palm oil products, timber, oil and manufactured products (Wheeler Mohamad, 1993). Additionally, due to its impressive growth, the manufacturing sector has replaced agriculture as the number one sector in the economy. Table 1 shows Malaysias major export products in January 2010. The manufacturing sector remains a dynamic engine of growth for Malaysia with an estimated share of 31.5% of GDP in 2005 (WTO, 2005). It is considered to be the most dominant sector with approximately three quarters of total exports. This is mainly due to the significant contribution of electrical and electronic products as they are Malaysias leading export earner with a value of RM21,372.3 billion, representing 40.75% of total exports in January 2010. Palm oil retained as the second largest export revenue earner with a total value of RM3,985 billion or 7.6% of exports. Third, liquefied natural gas (LNG) made up 6.5% of total exports with RM3,400.3 billion. Chemicals chemical products were the fourth largest commodity accounting for 6% of total exports with RM3,173.9 billion. The remaining different products Table 1: Malaysias major export products in January 2010 (Billion Ringgits) Source: Department of Statistics Malaysia, January 2010, Malaysia External Trade Statistics. Retrieved on 16/2/2010 from: http://www.matrade.gov.my/cms/documentstorage/com.tms.cms.document.Document_2c11596d-7f000010-584c584c-f259ef13/Press%20release%20Jan10%20Eng.pdfCalculated based on the values of the table. including crude petroleum, refined petroleum products, and others, formed approximately 40% of total exports in the same period. For export destinations, the Peoples Republic of China (PRC) was Malaysias major export market in January 2010, with RM7,094.9 billion (13.53% of total exports), as shown in table 2. Table 2: Malaysias major export markets in January 2010 (Billion Ringgits) Source: Department of Statistics Malaysia, January 2010, Malaysia External Trade Statistics. Retrieved on 16/2/2010 from: http://www.matrade.gov.my/cms/documentstorage/com.tms.cms.document.Document_2c11596d-7f000010-584c584c-f259ef13/Press%20release%20Jan10%20Eng.pdf Calculated based on the values of the table. The next major export destination is Singapore (13.26%, RM6,953.5 billion), followed by Japan (11.15%, RM5,849.7 billion), USA (9.37%, RM4,917.2 billion), and Hong Kong (5.5.%, RM 2,876.2 billion). These top five export destinations accounted for more than half of Malaysias total exports. The statistics reflect the increasing significance of exporting as a key economic tool for growth and development in Malaysia. In addition, despite the downturn caused by the Asian financial crisis thirteen years ago, Malaysia has made rapid strides in economic development through the continuous adoption of appropriate policies and strategies to ensure sustainability of growth (WTO, 2005) as well as to transform the economic structure of the country into a manufacturing and export-based economy. 1.2. Problem Statement, Question, and Objectives of the Study A problem is defined as any situation where a gap exists between the actual and the desired ideal state (Cavana et al., 2007). It is critical that the problem of the study is unambiguously identified, and followed by a clear, precise, and succinct statement of the question and objectives of the study. 1.2.1. Research Problem Much of the knowledge about successful export activity is fragmented, and the tradition of building on previous findings is not well-established in the export marketing field (Aaby Slater, 1989). Many export performance studies focused only on a single factor affecting export performance, while there have been only few attempts to come up with models that incorporate a wide range of relevant factors. These exceptions include, (Cooper Kleinschmidt, 1985); (Cavusgil Zou, 1994). Some of the discrepancies in the literature might be attributable to differences regarding the way in which export performance has been assessed (Walters Samiee, 1990). In this context, the vast majority of studies have utilized objective performance indicators (Katsikeas et al., 1996). However, there are two problems with the use of certain objective measures: First problem is concerned with research methodology i.e. accurate objective indicators of export performance are not easy to obtain since formal company financial statements and reports often make no clear distinction between domestic and export business operations, partially due to the fact that many firms view exporting as an extension of their domestic activities (Yang et al., 1992). Second, a serious comparability caveat may arise as a result of inherent measurement weaknesses underlying most objective measures (Katsikeas et al., 1996). Differences among industries and product subsectors in terms of competition or technology could lead to incoherent comparison across the sample firms. In other words, objective indicators of export performance, such as sales volume, sales growth and market share, might have little meaning in those cases where the firms surveyed belong to different industry or product groups (Covin, 1991). Accordingly, in order to fill this literature gap, it is important to use different indicators to measure the multi-dimensionality of export performance and increase the reliability of the results. In this research, we adopt three subjective indicators to measure export performance of Malaysian manufacturing firms by asking respondents three questions to indicate their perceptions in achieving objectives regarding export sales, export market share, and export profitability. We use this subjective composite indicator because, compared to other objective export indicators, it cancels the size effect and it also facilitates comparison between companies of different sizes and industries. 1.2.2. Research Question Are firms characteristics, export marketing strategy, management perceptions, and export commitment associated with export performance? If so, which of these contributes most to the variance of the dependant variable? 1.2.3. Research Objectives This study aims to contribute to the meager but growing literature on firm-level export performance for developing countries by using Malaysia as the empirical platform. The study was designed to reexamine some determinants of export performance mentioned in the export marketing literature, more specifically, certain firms characteristics, export marketing strategy adopted, managements attitudes and perceptions, and export commitment are integrated factors that viewed as significantly influencing export performance. In a nutshell, the study seeks to achieve the following two objectives: To investigate the relationships between export performance on one hand, and firm characteristics, export marketing strategy, management perceptions, and export commitment on the other hand. Establish the relative importance of each of the independent variables in influencing export performance of Malaysian manufacturing firms. 1.3. Significance, Scope, and Organization of the Study In the next few paragraphs, we address the approaches deployed in this paper that contribute to the significance of this research in the context of export marketing field. Further, the scope, limitations, and organization of the paper, are all discussed subsequently. 1.3.1. Significance of the Study With the increasing global business competition, it has become important, particularly for firms in developing countries, to understand the determinants of export performance as firms survival and expansion, and consequent economic growth of many developing countries are strongly dependent on a better understanding of what determines the export performance (Sousa et al., 2008). In spite of the numerous empirical studies of export performance published since the 1960s, the conclusions reached by researchers in this area have, however, varied widely. The significance of the present study is derived from its design to look anew at some determinants of export performance mentioned in the literature in order to examine their effect on export performance manufacturing firms in Malaysia where export marketing research is of extreme relevance for both practitioners and scholars, knowing that the country is considered to be the worlds eighteenth largest exporter, and the trend is growing significantly over time. For example, exports posted a double digit growth in December 2009, year-on-year, rising significantly by 18.7% to RM54.7 billion, compared with December 2008 (Department of Statistics Malaysia, 2010). 1.3.2. Scope and Limitations of the Study The evidence reported in this paper should be interpreted in the light of several limitations. That is, in addition to the relatively low response rate of just 17%, the research effort was restricted to manufacturing firms within a specific country context, thus caution may be exercised in generalizing the present findings too broadly. Nonetheless, generalizations of the study findings may be applicable to those exporting frameworks with similar structural characteristics of export marketing. Furthermore, the cross-sectional nature of the data limits our ability to rule out cause-effect inferences (Katsikeas et al., 1996). Such one-shot study may not be suitable for a research that involves a dynamic phenomenon, therefore, the adoption of longitudinal studies in future studies can provide more insights into the dynamic aspects of export behavior and performance. Other limitations were related to time constraint, specifically during data collection period which started in mid-February 2010. This stage of the research was coincided with celebrations of the Chinese New Year, on February 14th, the period during which most companies in Malaysia had at least a one week holiday. As a result, it took us a relatively longer time than expected to receive responds in order to proceed for further analysis. 1.3.3. Organization of the Study In this study, an attempt is made to synthesize and empirically test a model of export performance focusing on exporters from an ASEAN member. Specifically, the sudsy constitutes indigenous Malaysian manufacturers trading with overseas distributors. The paper is formatted into several sections. First, an in-depth literature is presented including key theoretical and measurement problems. Next, a conceptual framework of export performance is developed through the statement of several hypotheses. Then, the research design approach and methodological procedures including data analysis are described. Lastly, we present the findings of the study followed by a discussion, conclusions, and recommendations. Summary of Chapter One Through its external trade policy, Malaysia aims primarily for a greater integration into the world economy in order to maintain its position as one of the largest global exporters, specifically exports of manufactured products. At a micro level, export performance refers to the outcome of a firms activities in export markets. It is a way to expand access to international markets, benefit from economies of scale, reduce the dependence on domestic markets, and enjoy faster sales, employment, and growth. Studies within the export marketing field are characterized by the discrepancy and fragmentation of the findings. In this context, most export performance studies utilized objective export performance measures. However, this might result in the fragmentation of findings due to some issues related to research methodology and comparability caveat among firms. Therefore, subjective indicators are employed to measure the dimensionality of export performance in the Malaysian context. The objective is delineate the relationship between export performance (dependent variable) on one hand, and firm characteristics, export marketing strategy, management perceptions, and export commitment (independent variables) on the other hand. CHAPTER TWO: LITERATURE REVIEW In this chapter, a conceptual background of export performance is coherently addressed; starting with a relevant review of the export marketing performance literature and their main characteristics including the way in which export performance has been measured. We further proceed to identify and classify the multiple independent variables that have been frequently used in past studies. At the end of the chapter, some examples of the discrepancies in the findings of some studies are highlighted. 2.1. Export Marketing Performance Literature The classical economic view tries to explain why it is beneficial for a country to engage in international trade based on the assumption that countries differ in their abilities to produce goods efficiently. The comparative advantage theory, for example, helps to explain the pattern of international trade that we observe in the world economy (Heckscher Ohlin, 1991); (Ricardo, 1817); and (Smith, 1776). However, the assumptions underlying the principle of comparative advantage are unrealistic in many countries and industries. That is because competitive advantage depends on the capacity to innovate and upgrade. It also depends on the extent to which a home environment is dynamic, challenging, and forward looking. Therefore, competitive advantage is not inherited; in other words, it does not grow out of a countrys natural endowments, its labor, its interest rates or its currencys value, as classical economics insist (Porter, 1990). A plethora of studies have been published in the past 30 years on the determinants of export performance. This is mainly due to the increasing relevance of export marketing as an area of inquiry. Existing literature shows that the United States is the most researched country in export performance studies. However, an increasing number of studies have been conducted by European researchers from non-English-speaking countries who published in English-language journals. Examples include, (Bijmolt Zwart, 1994), (Holzmuller Kasper, 1991), and (Madsen, 1989). Some other studies have also been conducted in developing countries in Asia and Latin America. Characteristics of the studies reviewed are summarized in table 3. The main characteristics that we focused on are: 2.1.1. Size of the Sample Except for one study which used a data base of 20,161 Indonesian firms from different manufacturing sectors, the size of the samples used in the studies reviewed ranges between 51 and 783. Most of them were drawn from multiple manufacturing industries, while just few such as (Cavusgil Kirpalani, 1993), (Singer Czinkota, 1994), and (Sriram Manu, 1995), had included in the sampling, reselling and service firms in addition to manufacturing firms. 2.1.2. Industry Context of Studies The vast majority of the reviewed studies employed samples drawn from multiple manufacturing industries. Only few have included in addition to manufacturers, reselling and service firms. Examples include (Cavusgil Kirpalani, 1993), (Singer Czinkota, 1994), and (Sriram Manu, 1995). This reflects the importance of manufacturing firms in the world economy. However, findings cannot be generalized to other industry contexts. Table 3: Characteristics of the reviewed articles Solberg 2002 Norway 150 mult manuf SML survey correlation/ anova firm Albaum, Tse 2001 Hong Kong 183 mult manuf SML survey regression firm Gencturk, Kotabe 2001 USA 162 mult manuf SML survey anova firm Effect of Export Performance on Economy Effect of Export Performance on Economy CHAPTER ONE: INTRODUCTION In this chapter, first we introduce the study by highlighting its background followed by a brief description of Malaysias economy and external trade based on relevant statistics related to economic growth trends and international trade, respectively. Next, we further proceed to look in detail at the export performance concept. Then, we indicate the current major products exported by Malaysian firms, and their main export destinations. Research problem, question, and objectives, followed by the significance, scope, limitations, and organization of the paper, are all discussed in the last part of the chapter. 1.1. Background of the Study With the increasing trend of globalization, the arena of market and competition for business firms has expanded from domestic markets to the international markets. This has accentuated the importance of understanding the behavior of firms in foreign markets. Exporting represents a viable strategic option for firms to internationalize and has remained the most frequently used foreign market entry mode chosen (Zhao Zou, 2002), as it provides the firm with the flexibility needed to penetrate and compete in new international markets. In 2001, the World Bank published the report Globalization, Growth and Poverty: Building an Inclusive World Economy. The report shows that 24 developing countries, which increased their integration into the world economy, achieved higher growth in incomes, longer life expectancy and better schooling (Van Dijk, 2002). Exporting is considered to be one of the most important ways for developing countries to link with the world economy. Therefore, it is identified by governments and public policy makers as a priority (Morgan, 1997). 1.1.1. Malaysias Economy and External Trade The Malaysian economy has shown to be one of the most dynamic economies in the Asia Pacific region. The structure of the Malaysian economy had a dramatic transformation in the last five decades. Gradually over this period, it has displayed attributes of newly industrialized country and its economy has shown an impressive track record (Hamid, 2004). The country had an impressive annual growth in the 1970s reaching 7.8%, and continued to grow at a rate of 8.8% in the 1980s except during recession in 1985 to 1986. The recovery started in 1988 and the economy sustained an annual growth of over 8% in the 1990s. However, the Asian financial crisis had the worst impact when the economy shrank by 11.2% year on year in the fourth quarter of 1998 (The Economist Intelligence Unit, 2009). This led the Malaysian government to implement several economic policy adjustments which started in 1999 in order to speed up the recovery. Consequently, the economy recorded a positive growth in seven consecutive years. After a strong take-off of 5.3% in 2003, the second half of 2006 recorded a higher than expected growth of 5.9% (Malaysia Economic Report , 2006). Recently, as a result of the global recession, Malaysias real GDP contracted by 6.2% year on year in the first quarter of 2009 (The Economist Intelligence Unit, 2009). However, the economy reco vered gradually later in the same year. Malaysias trade policy focuses on greater integration into the world economy and enhancing its global position as a trading nation. The country has consistently maintained its position as the 18th largest global exporter and the 20th largest importer in the last few years (WTO, 2005). Malaysias trade with the world from 2000 to 2009 is illustrated in figure 1. The bar chart shows that Malaysia had a steady increase in total trade. The country reached a peak of approximately RM787.5 billion and RM643.1 billion in 2009 for exports and imports respectively, yielding a trade surplus of RM144.4 billion. This trend is expected to continue in the next few years as more economic reforms would take place, coincided with high growth rates expected. 1.1.2. Export Performance Export performance is broadly defined as the outcome of a firms activities in export markets (Shoham, 1996). The fundamental importance of export performance to international marketing has led to a substantial body of research. It is recognized that research on export performance is of vital interest to three major groups: public policy makers, managers and researchers. First, export performance is important for public policy makers or governments as it contributes to the development of foreign exchange reserves, increases the level of imports a country can afford, provides a vehicle for job creation, improves employment opportunities, improves standards of living, and encourages better working conditions and more efficient business (Lages Montgomery, 2004). Second, at a micro level, managers view exporting as a way to expand their firms access to international markets, benefit from economies of scale, reduce the dependence on their domestic markets, and enjoy faster sales, employment, and growth (Freeman Lawley, 2005). Third, as a result of its importance for both policy makers and managers, researchers consider exporting a challenging and promising area for theory building in international marketing (Zou Stan, 1997). Since gaining independence from Britain in 1957, Malaysia implemented a series of 5-year development plans in order to transform its economy from being an exporter of rubber and tin to emerge as one of the worlds largest producers of palm oil products, timber, oil and manufactured products (Wheeler Mohamad, 1993). Additionally, due to its impressive growth, the manufacturing sector has replaced agriculture as the number one sector in the economy. Table 1 shows Malaysias major export products in January 2010. The manufacturing sector remains a dynamic engine of growth for Malaysia with an estimated share of 31.5% of GDP in 2005 (WTO, 2005). It is considered to be the most dominant sector with approximately three quarters of total exports. This is mainly due to the significant contribution of electrical and electronic products as they are Malaysias leading export earner with a value of RM21,372.3 billion, representing 40.75% of total exports in January 2010. Palm oil retained as the second largest export revenue earner with a total value of RM3,985 billion or 7.6% of exports. Third, liquefied natural gas (LNG) made up 6.5% of total exports with RM3,400.3 billion. Chemicals chemical products were the fourth largest commodity accounting for 6% of total exports with RM3,173.9 billion. The remaining different products Table 1: Malaysias major export products in January 2010 (Billion Ringgits) Source: Department of Statistics Malaysia, January 2010, Malaysia External Trade Statistics. Retrieved on 16/2/2010 from: http://www.matrade.gov.my/cms/documentstorage/com.tms.cms.document.Document_2c11596d-7f000010-584c584c-f259ef13/Press%20release%20Jan10%20Eng.pdfCalculated based on the values of the table. including crude petroleum, refined petroleum products, and others, formed approximately 40% of total exports in the same period. For export destinations, the Peoples Republic of China (PRC) was Malaysias major export market in January 2010, with RM7,094.9 billion (13.53% of total exports), as shown in table 2. Table 2: Malaysias major export markets in January 2010 (Billion Ringgits) Source: Department of Statistics Malaysia, January 2010, Malaysia External Trade Statistics. Retrieved on 16/2/2010 from: http://www.matrade.gov.my/cms/documentstorage/com.tms.cms.document.Document_2c11596d-7f000010-584c584c-f259ef13/Press%20release%20Jan10%20Eng.pdf Calculated based on the values of the table. The next major export destination is Singapore (13.26%, RM6,953.5 billion), followed by Japan (11.15%, RM5,849.7 billion), USA (9.37%, RM4,917.2 billion), and Hong Kong (5.5.%, RM 2,876.2 billion). These top five export destinations accounted for more than half of Malaysias total exports. The statistics reflect the increasing significance of exporting as a key economic tool for growth and development in Malaysia. In addition, despite the downturn caused by the Asian financial crisis thirteen years ago, Malaysia has made rapid strides in economic development through the continuous adoption of appropriate policies and strategies to ensure sustainability of growth (WTO, 2005) as well as to transform the economic structure of the country into a manufacturing and export-based economy. 1.2. Problem Statement, Question, and Objectives of the Study A problem is defined as any situation where a gap exists between the actual and the desired ideal state (Cavana et al., 2007). It is critical that the problem of the study is unambiguously identified, and followed by a clear, precise, and succinct statement of the question and objectives of the study. 1.2.1. Research Problem Much of the knowledge about successful export activity is fragmented, and the tradition of building on previous findings is not well-established in the export marketing field (Aaby Slater, 1989). Many export performance studies focused only on a single factor affecting export performance, while there have been only few attempts to come up with models that incorporate a wide range of relevant factors. These exceptions include, (Cooper Kleinschmidt, 1985); (Cavusgil Zou, 1994). Some of the discrepancies in the literature might be attributable to differences regarding the way in which export performance has been assessed (Walters Samiee, 1990). In this context, the vast majority of studies have utilized objective performance indicators (Katsikeas et al., 1996). However, there are two problems with the use of certain objective measures: First problem is concerned with research methodology i.e. accurate objective indicators of export performance are not easy to obtain since formal company financial statements and reports often make no clear distinction between domestic and export business operations, partially due to the fact that many firms view exporting as an extension of their domestic activities (Yang et al., 1992). Second, a serious comparability caveat may arise as a result of inherent measurement weaknesses underlying most objective measures (Katsikeas et al., 1996). Differences among industries and product subsectors in terms of competition or technology could lead to incoherent comparison across the sample firms. In other words, objective indicators of export performance, such as sales volume, sales growth and market share, might have little meaning in those cases where the firms surveyed belong to different industry or product groups (Covin, 1991). Accordingly, in order to fill this literature gap, it is important to use different indicators to measure the multi-dimensionality of export performance and increase the reliability of the results. In this research, we adopt three subjective indicators to measure export performance of Malaysian manufacturing firms by asking respondents three questions to indicate their perceptions in achieving objectives regarding export sales, export market share, and export profitability. We use this subjective composite indicator because, compared to other objective export indicators, it cancels the size effect and it also facilitates comparison between companies of different sizes and industries. 1.2.2. Research Question Are firms characteristics, export marketing strategy, management perceptions, and export commitment associated with export performance? If so, which of these contributes most to the variance of the dependant variable? 1.2.3. Research Objectives This study aims to contribute to the meager but growing literature on firm-level export performance for developing countries by using Malaysia as the empirical platform. The study was designed to reexamine some determinants of export performance mentioned in the export marketing literature, more specifically, certain firms characteristics, export marketing strategy adopted, managements attitudes and perceptions, and export commitment are integrated factors that viewed as significantly influencing export performance. In a nutshell, the study seeks to achieve the following two objectives: To investigate the relationships between export performance on one hand, and firm characteristics, export marketing strategy, management perceptions, and export commitment on the other hand. Establish the relative importance of each of the independent variables in influencing export performance of Malaysian manufacturing firms. 1.3. Significance, Scope, and Organization of the Study In the next few paragraphs, we address the approaches deployed in this paper that contribute to the significance of this research in the context of export marketing field. Further, the scope, limitations, and organization of the paper, are all discussed subsequently. 1.3.1. Significance of the Study With the increasing global business competition, it has become important, particularly for firms in developing countries, to understand the determinants of export performance as firms survival and expansion, and consequent economic growth of many developing countries are strongly dependent on a better understanding of what determines the export performance (Sousa et al., 2008). In spite of the numerous empirical studies of export performance published since the 1960s, the conclusions reached by researchers in this area have, however, varied widely. The significance of the present study is derived from its design to look anew at some determinants of export performance mentioned in the literature in order to examine their effect on export performance manufacturing firms in Malaysia where export marketing research is of extreme relevance for both practitioners and scholars, knowing that the country is considered to be the worlds eighteenth largest exporter, and the trend is growing significantly over time. For example, exports posted a double digit growth in December 2009, year-on-year, rising significantly by 18.7% to RM54.7 billion, compared with December 2008 (Department of Statistics Malaysia, 2010). 1.3.2. Scope and Limitations of the Study The evidence reported in this paper should be interpreted in the light of several limitations. That is, in addition to the relatively low response rate of just 17%, the research effort was restricted to manufacturing firms within a specific country context, thus caution may be exercised in generalizing the present findings too broadly. Nonetheless, generalizations of the study findings may be applicable to those exporting frameworks with similar structural characteristics of export marketing. Furthermore, the cross-sectional nature of the data limits our ability to rule out cause-effect inferences (Katsikeas et al., 1996). Such one-shot study may not be suitable for a research that involves a dynamic phenomenon, therefore, the adoption of longitudinal studies in future studies can provide more insights into the dynamic aspects of export behavior and performance. Other limitations were related to time constraint, specifically during data collection period which started in mid-February 2010. This stage of the research was coincided with celebrations of the Chinese New Year, on February 14th, the period during which most companies in Malaysia had at least a one week holiday. As a result, it took us a relatively longer time than expected to receive responds in order to proceed for further analysis. 1.3.3. Organization of the Study In this study, an attempt is made to synthesize and empirically test a model of export performance focusing on exporters from an ASEAN member. Specifically, the sudsy constitutes indigenous Malaysian manufacturers trading with overseas distributors. The paper is formatted into several sections. First, an in-depth literature is presented including key theoretical and measurement problems. Next, a conceptual framework of export performance is developed through the statement of several hypotheses. Then, the research design approach and methodological procedures including data analysis are described. Lastly, we present the findings of the study followed by a discussion, conclusions, and recommendations. Summary of Chapter One Through its external trade policy, Malaysia aims primarily for a greater integration into the world economy in order to maintain its position as one of the largest global exporters, specifically exports of manufactured products. At a micro level, export performance refers to the outcome of a firms activities in export markets. It is a way to expand access to international markets, benefit from economies of scale, reduce the dependence on domestic markets, and enjoy faster sales, employment, and growth. Studies within the export marketing field are characterized by the discrepancy and fragmentation of the findings. In this context, most export performance studies utilized objective export performance measures. However, this might result in the fragmentation of findings due to some issues related to research methodology and comparability caveat among firms. Therefore, subjective indicators are employed to measure the dimensionality of export performance in the Malaysian context. The objective is delineate the relationship between export performance (dependent variable) on one hand, and firm characteristics, export marketing strategy, management perceptions, and export commitment (independent variables) on the other hand. CHAPTER TWO: LITERATURE REVIEW In this chapter, a conceptual background of export performance is coherently addressed; starting with a relevant review of the export marketing performance literature and their main characteristics including the way in which export performance has been measured. We further proceed to identify and classify the multiple independent variables that have been frequently used in past studies. At the end of the chapter, some examples of the discrepancies in the findings of some studies are highlighted. 2.1. Export Marketing Performance Literature The classical economic view tries to explain why it is beneficial for a country to engage in international trade based on the assumption that countries differ in their abilities to produce goods efficiently. The comparative advantage theory, for example, helps to explain the pattern of international trade that we observe in the world economy (Heckscher Ohlin, 1991); (Ricardo, 1817); and (Smith, 1776). However, the assumptions underlying the principle of comparative advantage are unrealistic in many countries and industries. That is because competitive advantage depends on the capacity to innovate and upgrade. It also depends on the extent to which a home environment is dynamic, challenging, and forward looking. Therefore, competitive advantage is not inherited; in other words, it does not grow out of a countrys natural endowments, its labor, its interest rates or its currencys value, as classical economics insist (Porter, 1990). A plethora of studies have been published in the past 30 years on the determinants of export performance. This is mainly due to the increasing relevance of export marketing as an area of inquiry. Existing literature shows that the United States is the most researched country in export performance studies. However, an increasing number of studies have been conducted by European researchers from non-English-speaking countries who published in English-language journals. Examples include, (Bijmolt Zwart, 1994), (Holzmuller Kasper, 1991), and (Madsen, 1989). Some other studies have also been conducted in developing countries in Asia and Latin America. Characteristics of the studies reviewed are summarized in table 3. The main characteristics that we focused on are: 2.1.1. Size of the Sample Except for one study which used a data base of 20,161 Indonesian firms from different manufacturing sectors, the size of the samples used in the studies reviewed ranges between 51 and 783. Most of them were drawn from multiple manufacturing industries, while just few such as (Cavusgil Kirpalani, 1993), (Singer Czinkota, 1994), and (Sriram Manu, 1995), had included in the sampling, reselling and service firms in addition to manufacturing firms. 2.1.2. Industry Context of Studies The vast majority of the reviewed studies employed samples drawn from multiple manufacturing industries. Only few have included in addition to manufacturers, reselling and service firms. Examples include (Cavusgil Kirpalani, 1993), (Singer Czinkota, 1994), and (Sriram Manu, 1995). This reflects the importance of manufacturing firms in the world economy. However, findings cannot be generalized to other industry contexts. Table 3: Characteristics of the reviewed articles Solberg 2002 Norway 150 mult manuf SML survey correlation/ anova firm Albaum, Tse 2001 Hong Kong 183 mult manuf SML survey regression firm Gencturk, Kotabe 2001 USA 162 mult manuf SML survey anova firm

STAR INVESTIGATION :: essays research papers

Format: Internet Journalism and the Starr Investigation The Starr Investigation was an important time in journalism, because it forced the traditional media to overhaul their ways of presenting news online in order to meet the needs and demands of Internet users. New technology was used in this case to break the news of the scandal, to voice new allegations, and to release in its entirety Starr’s final report of the investigation. This case provided the first detailed look at the differences in character between the Internet and traditional broadcast and print media. The ethical issues in Internet Journalism and the Starr Investigation: 1. Was this a legitimate news story? 2. Intense journalistic competition? â€Å"Journalists of all stripes were chasing the story.† 3. CREDIBILITY of the paper? Reporting Facts that in the end proved false. Editors doubtful of the story’s accuracy? The reliability of the information? 4. The Value of Verification to get the story right? 5. Anonymous Sourcing/ Unidentified Sources - â€Å"Journalists scrambled to confirm the allegations, but often ended up running them with only anonymous sourcing.† 6. Speed, sensation and conjecture over accuracy? CNN's Scott Woelfel says he sensed in the early going that, "there was an attitude of, 'I don't know if we could put this in the paper, but we could put it on the Web site'." 7.News Leakage? Certain sources in the independent counsel’s office were using the press, selectively leaking information to gain tactical advantage with reluctant witnesses like Lewinsky. McManus recalls. â€Å"So there was clearly a lot of leakage.† 8. The breaking of the story. Matt Drudge breaking the story through his online newsletter? - Wire services sent the story worldwide. Cable networks, radio shows, and local television newscasts led with the report. Larry King interrupted his program to read the story live. 9. The story was so explosive that Bill Clinton’s attorney called Nightline and DENIED the story on the air. 10. SHAKY SOURCING? Reports were based around shaky sourcing. - The Dallas Morning News and the Wall Street Journal reported that the president and the intern had been seen together in a compromising situation. - Starr’s staff member called the source to take back the claim because it was FALSE. - Langer told the employees that the News had unwittingly relied on only one source to publish its original story. 11. Timing and public interest 12. Violating the paper’s two-source standard. 13. Miscommunication - Senior editors mistakenly believed that a second source existed because of a â€Å"miscommunication† between Dallas and the Washington bureau.

The Scarlet Letter Essays -- Literary Analysis, Hawthorne

In his novel The Scarlet Letter, Nathaniel Hawthorne traces the life of a young woman named Hester Prynne after she receives the shameful punishment of wearing a scarlet letter â€Å"A† on her chest. Throughout the novel, the forest outside the Puritan town serves a place for the characters to reveal their true selves away from the stringent Puritan lifestyle. The forest represents contradictory themes, creating a sanctuary for love and freedom, but also cultivating darkness and evil. Not only does the seclusion of the forest from society provide freedom to those who choose to perform evil deeds, but also protection to those searching for clarity and happiness. Hester finds comfort under the forest’s dense, imperfect canopy for it mirrors â€Å"the moral wilderness in which she had so long been wandering† (173). Pearl also connects with nature, and similar to the brook in which she often plays, Pearl â€Å"danced and sparkled and prattled airily along her own course† (176). Pearl and Hester share an intimate conversation about the scarlet letter in the forest and Hester reveals that she â€Å"is doomed...

Artificial Intelligence and Investing Essay -- Technology, Stock Exch

Artificial Intelligence and Investing INTRODUCTION Artificial intelligence can be defined as the ability of a computer to perform activities normally considered to require human intelligence. The techniques of this intelligence include knowledge-based, machine learning, and natural language processing techniques. Investing can be defined as the act of committing money to an endeavour with the exception of obtaining profit. Investing activities require data identification, asset valuation (the process of determining the worth of something), and risk management (the process of managing the uncertainty in investment decision-making). Artificial intelligence techniques can be applied to financial investing, especially in the areas of credit risk assessment and stock valuation. In the future, we can expect that the techniques of artificial intelligence will be integrated into systems that simultaneously address investing activities. WHAT IS ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE? Technology is an important factor in investing activities. For example, stock trading is computer-based and can automatically execute the trading of large volumes of shares. This has become an extremely frequent activity on stock exchanges in our advanced world. Artificial intelligence is allowing humans to have a â€Å"cutting edge† by using computers when investing. Years ago, a usual activity for a computer program was a simple, or even a complex, numerical calculation. An example of this could be a forensic officer’s ability to compute the path and pattern of a bullet. Today, computers are more advanced. It is no problem for a computer program to assist humans in their decision making processes. Humans have access to huge databases across the world over the interne... ...ollection, asset valuation, and portfolio management). These systems will interact with humans and humans will be able to specify their preferences and make difficult decisions. SUMMARIZER’S CRITIQUE In general, the article â€Å"Artificial Intelligence and Investing† offered a lot of valuable information regarding the both the current, and future, paths of artificial intelligence systems. The article was broken down into simple sections that helped the article come together. The author’s intent of relating artificial intelligence to investing was successful in explaining that artificial intelligence is of great assistance to investors across the globe. On the other hand, I believe the article contained some examples and terms which were not really explained in enough detail to the average user. Basically, some terms were not presented at an average reader’s level.