Healthcare System In Hongkong Health And Social Care Essay

2. Public health care services in Hong Kong are to a great extent subsidized by the Government. However, with the ageing population and increasing medical costs, the public outgo on health care is estimated to increase at a much faster gait than the economic system in the coming old ages. With the existent figure that the public wellness outgo may turn from 2.9 % of in 2004 to 5.5 % of GDP by 2033, it is clear that the bing funding theoretical account is non sustainable. Auxiliary funding for health care is needed to supplement authorities ‘s outgo on health care services and for the longaˆ?term sustainability of our health care system.THEMEDICAL CHARGE IN HONG KONG3. The medical services in Hong Kong are provided by the public and private sector. The medical charge in Hong Kong can be divided into two facets: Government or Public Services and Private Service. Government or Public Services 4. Government or Public Services are provided by the Department of Health ( DH ) and the Hospital Authority ( HA ) . Medical charges of common out-patient and in-patient interventions are as follow: intervention at a authorities general out-patient clinic costs $ 45 for Hong Kong occupants ; specializer clinic for audience costs $ 100 for the first attending, $ 60 for followup and $ 10 per drug point ; free intervention for instances of TB, leprosy, genital disease, and pregnancy and kid wellness counsel ; the admittance fee of in-patients in public infirmaries is $ 50, while busying acute beds and non-acute beds are charged $ 100 and $ 68 per twenty-four hours severally. The above charges may be waived if patient can non afford them. 5. Apart from general out-patient and in-patient services, the DH and the HA besides provide Chinese medical specialty services and Student Healthcare Services to the populace. Chinese Medicine Centres will bear down patients $ 120 with two doses of Chinese herb for a intervention per visit. Healthcare services for pupils are free of charge. Immunizations against 10 childhood infective diseases are free as good. Family be aftering service is besides available in maternal and child wellness Centres at a charge of $ 1 for every visit. Private Servicess 6. Apart from authorities or public services, private medical services besides lead an of import function in Hong Kong ‘s health care system of. However, fees charged by private practicians vary and separate charges are frequently made. Patients are normally required to pay excess fees on services like research lab trials and X-ray scrutinies. With mention to the Report of Doctors ‘ Fees Survey 2010[ 1 ], the medians of some common out-patient and in-patient charges are as follow: audience fees for general patterns and specializer patterns are charged $ 200 and $ 575 severally ; day-to-day infirmary attending charge varies from $ 700 to $ 2,000, runing from remaining in ward to excellent individual suites ; surgical operations charges from $ 4,000 to $ 50,000, runing from degree 6 to level 1 surgeries. Other services such as vaccinums, composing medical studies and finishing insurance claim signifiers are charged individually and the fees varied.PUBLIC CONSULTATION7. We h ave conducted two intensive public audiences in order to roll up sentiments from every sector of our society about the health care system. 8. The first phase audience showed that the biggest concerns of the populace were ageing population and increasing medical costs. A comprehensive reform was needed to run into both challenges. The populace expected that the health care reform will make a long-run sustainable system. The bulk of people agreed that the reform should concentrate on both service bringing and funding agreements. Among the six possible auxiliary funding options, the populace expressed divergent positions over the voluntary private wellness insurance and compulsory private wellness insurance. Some doubted the effectivity of the mandatary health care insurance and voted for the voluntary strategy. 9. In the 2nd phase audience, the demand of reform to our health care system is confirmed. The populace called for auxiliary health care funding, and wider picks and better protection in health care services. Therefore, the Government has formulated proposals to reform our health care system and modulating voluntary wellness insurance. The public came to a consensus that the manner of health care insurance should be voluntary. Based on the community ‘s positions, the public support is the chief support beginning for health care. Individualised health care and wider pick with quality confidence to suit everyone ‘s demand were preferred. 10. There was a widely shared concern over the sustainability and the security of the health care insurance system. The Government warrants that the strategy provides uninterrupted protection for participants into their older ages. Besides, the strategy is standardised and regulated by the Government, so as to safeguard the insured involvements harmonizing to the jurisprudence.PROPOSED VOLUNTARY HEALTH INSURANCE SYSTEM11. Auxiliary funding is an indispensable constituent of the wellness attention financing reform. The signifier of auxiliary funding is an of import determination as it non merely influences the present community, but our future coevalss. Among the six possible auxiliary funding options, the Government decided to set forward the voluntary wellness insurance system as a portion of the wellness attention financing reform. 12. The proposed Health Protection Scheme ( HPS ) is a strategy that standardizes and regulates the voluntary private wellness insurance. Unlike other voluntary private wellness insurance in current market, insurances under the HPS is regulated to accept all endorsers and offer no exclusion of preexistent medical conditions with guaranteed reclamation for life. The pick of taking out insurance is voluntary either by persons or employers. The premium is based on the endorser ‘s pick and affordability. Subscribers will so hold a better entree to healthcare services under the HPS, and they would non detain primary attention until their unwellnesss worsen. Under the HPS, no one shall be left enduring from disease due to miss of fiscal agencies to pay for health care. Compared to the bing funding theoretical account, the voluntary wellness insurance system ensures effectual pooling and sharing of the health care hazards for persons. 13. Voluntary wellness insurance system aims at supplying the community with better picks for health care protection and heightening the longaˆ?term sustainability of our health care system. The insured are allowed to take both public and private health care services. Persons who can afford could utilize private health care on a sustained footing and even take top-up insurance programs to accommodate their ain demands. By promoting more people to take private health care services, the voluntary strategy can cut down the force per unit area on the public system. The public system could profit those who depend on the populace health care system by concentrating its resources on mark service countries and population groups, particularly low-income households, under-privileged groups and other needy. 14. The footings and definitions of the wellness insurance policy are standardized. Insurance companies take parting in the HPS are required to offer standard wellness insurance programs that follow the specified regulations and demands. However, the insurance companies are free to offer top-up benefits beyond the nucleus demands and specifications, so as to accommodate consumers ‘ demands. The HPS programs are required to supply coverage for hospital admittances or ambulatory processs, and its associate services like specialist outaˆ?patient audiences and probes, advanced diagnostic imagination. Chemotherapy or radiation therapy for malignant neoplastic disease is besides included in the nucleus demands of the program. However, primary attention, specializer services and diagnostic imagination in general, and pregnancy coverage are non included as the program ‘s nucleus demand. Insurance programs under the HPS are besides portable between insurance companies and on g o forthing employment. The insured are able to maintain their wellness insurance policy for every bit long as they want, it will non be affected if they change occupations. Unlike the bing wellness insurance, insurance companies under the HPS could exchange their programs to another insurance company or go on their programs after retirement with no loss in coverage. 15. The Government has planned to utilize $ 50 billion financial modesty as fiscal inducements to back up the health care reform. Fiscal inducements are given to protect the bad persons, to offer premium price reduction for new endorsers and to lend to the salvaging constituent of the HPS programs.Decision16. The Government will widely publicise the voluntary wellness insurance and beg public support for our attempts to better the health care in Hong Kong. Any question on this brief may be addressed to Ms Li Wan-in, Assistant Secretary for Food and Health Bureau on 3150 8494.Food and Health Bureau22 October 2010

Macbeth Analysis Scene Essay

?Macbeth Analyse- 2. a How does Shakespeare make the extract below from Act 2 Scene 2 dramatic and interesting? â€Å"Quenched them, hath given me fire. † Shakespeare’s using opposites and oxymoronic use of language (paradox) therefore making a contrast of Lady Macbeth’s phrase. He has also showed a comparison of guilt between Macbeth and Lady Macbeth because Lady Macbeth obviously shows that she is not guilty for what she has done but Macbeth does. Again, Shakespeare uses oxymoronic use of language for when Lady Macbeth is speaking; â€Å"live, or die,† and he also makes the last words dramatic, adding tension and seriousness towards what Lady Macbeth is saying. Another way to make the scene interesting and dramatic is adding conflict. Shakespeare does this when Lady Macbeth is saying how she can’t kill Duncan: â€Å"Had he not resembled my father as he slept, I had done’t. † Lady Macbeth is in conflict with herself because she wants to kill Duncan herself but she can’t because he looks too much like her father, meaning that she has a sentimental heart. Shakespeare uses changes in language in this extract because with the arrival of Macbeth and him holding the bloody daggers, the syntax breaks down suggesting confusion and panic. The theme of Macbeth is death, betrayal and things of that sort. The line â€Å"live, or die,† (what Lady Macbeth says) supports the fact that death is a theme of the story and this scene. Also when Lady Macbeth says: â€Å"that which hath made them drunk,† She orally reminds us of her association with the witches in the heath by using the homonym â€Å"which†. When Lady Macbeth says: â€Å"The fatal bellman which gives the stern’st good-night,† Shakespeare is trying to make us realise that when you are asleep you appear to be dead – you look dead – but Duncan will never wake up, because he is actually dead. Shakespeare uses objective correlative use of language when he writes, â€Å"it was the owl that shrieked,† because owls are nocturnal animals and are associated with darkness and full moons and things of that sort. And all these things suggest evil and mysteriousness. Action is also a way Shakespeare makes the scene seem interesting and dramatic. An example is: â€Å"I have done the deed. † Macbeth is telling Lady Macbeth that he has killed Duncan and Shakespeare has made his phrase mono-syllabic, making every word have an impact on what Macbeth has done. To make the scene more interesting and dramatic Shakespeare has showed Macbeth and Lady Macbeth’s relationship in different ways. For example, â€Å"Had he not resembled my father as he slept, I had done’t,† this shows that Lady Macbeth has a soft side and that she didn’t have the courage to kill Duncan because he resembled her father. So this is linking with her relationship with Duncan and Macbeth because she wanted to kill Duncan but she couldn’t because of the resemblance and it shows she is not as powerful in her relationship with Macbeth. â€Å"Hark! I laid their daggers ready; he could not miss ‘em,† also shows she carefully planned the plot showing she is in control of her relationship with Macbeth. And she also manipulated and controlled Macbeth into killing Duncan because she physically wasn’t able to; showing her power over Macbeth and their relationship. Also keep in mind that she doesn’t even have Macbeth’s best interests at heart. Shakespeare is uses pretence, â€Å"I am afraid they have awaked†¦ My husband? † meaning Lady Macbeth knows inside that she is scared but she always gives off the impression that she is evil so maybe she is not as powerful as she thinks she is concerning her relationship with Macbeth. She also shows she wants comfort from Macbeth which shows the closeness of their relationship and her vulnerability. â€Å"I heard the owl scream and the crickets cry. Did you not speak,† this is an example of how Shakespeare uses questions to make the scene more interesting because Lady Macbeth sounds panicked and she uses alliteration to add more drama to what she’s saying.

Thesis proposal for business analytics (Information Technology)

For business analytics (Information Technology) - Thesis Proposal Example One of the best elements of BI is the fact that it reduces any ‘guesswork’. Moreover, it allows the organization to understand customer behavior in a much meaning ful way. According to Business Intelligence (2014), a huge aspect of BI is the collaboration aspect as it allows users to interact and use this data. Imagine an organization in which the marketing department requires key reports from the technology department. Clearly, the issue of latency can be a factor that can delay essential decision making. With the boom of e-commerce, this has become even more pivotal. For many decades, companies have established itself as one of the most premiere companies internationally(BI, 2014). In order to harness the growth of customers worldwide, McDonald’s has created data warehousing that has allowed the company to understand the customers, track inventory, and monitor financials. All of these components are integrated in one dashboard that has harnessed BI. Solution: A centralized information from all the sources (e.g. point-of-sale (POS) system, equipment monitoring, etc) where all sorts of information, real-time feeds and legacy information, can be monitored and analyzed in most efficient and precise way via data warehousing. Oracle ERP system, which can handle most day-to-day business functions, would serve as the hub. POS and other devices use business intelligence software to gather sales information and marketing data, which is then transferred to an Oracle database for analysis. In addition this would facilitates organizations with robust information, which can include mitigating risks. The main objective of using Oracle software with other systems is to perform integration among different systems so everything is centralized thus the information. Liebowitz (2006) states that a BI approach would also help them to perform product management that is to monitor the quality of product and tools that are used for business, this all can be

Trade Relationship between Hong Kong and United States Essay

Trade Relationship between Hong Kong and United States - Essay Example The US removed the quotas on the on textile and apparel imports and besides that an agreement was signed in the year 2007 with the US, which were the Trade and Investment Agreement. The above agreements resulted in the United States becoming one of the major exporting countries for Vietnam and hence, any recessionary activity experienced in the US would have a great affect on Vietnam. The present recession has had a huge impact on Vietnam not only in terms of the fall in FDI levels but also due to the fall in exports and increased competition from the domestic producers of the United States. The trade relationship between Hong Kong and United States has been quite strong as the US has strong economic ties with this country. It has a number of bilateral trade agreements and the US exports to Hong Kong totaled 20. 7 billion while it is also one of the largest investors. Therefore, any recessionary activity would have a great impact on the Hong Kong trade activity and its exports particularly. b) The Hong Kong currency has been pegged to the United States dollar in the year 1939 and since then the currency has been pegged in this manner. It was done so in order to maintain a policy-defined relationship between the domestic currency and the foreign currency. However, the current recession has affected the Hong Kong currency in a deep manner due to this pegged currency as the country has had to sell a total of 7.8 billion Hong Kong dollars in order to maintain the peg. As a result, the monetary authorities have been seeking ways in order to remove this pegged relationship as it has been undermining the domestic currency. Even the recent rise in the Hong Kong's dollar has been due to the speculators betting on the revaluation. The Hong Kong government has had to intervene quite a lot in the recent pas tin order to maintain the peg by injecting huge amounts of the Hong Kong dollar. The pressure has been felt by the local economy in terms of the local inflation and the asset inflation which has created problems for the domestic economy. Therefore, the constant maintenance of the pegged rate is only worsening the situation for the domestic economy and hence, it would be beneficial to remove this method of maintaining a relationship between two nations. c) There are a number of measures which would have to be adopted by Vietnam in the near future for the betterment of its economy. It needs to control the inflation level while at the same time tackling the downward pressure on the currency. The GDP forecasted is amounted to be 6.9 percent which is actually down from the previous value of 7.3 percent of last year. The reasons for this have been the smaller levels of credit expansion and the lower level of consumption growth. Inflation is estimated to be around 23.3 percent while the dong is expected to depreciate slightly in 2008. The current account deficient will be expected to remain negative as well which shows an overall bleak picture of the forecasted economy.

Germany Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words - 14

Germany - Essay Example r cause was that the French emperor Napoleon III wanted to regain French influence and prestige both France and internationally that has been lost during various diplomatic issues especially those experienced in the hands of Prussia during the Austro-Prussian war of 1866. Prussia had strong military as seen in the war with Austria, which constituted a big threat to French influence and dominance in Europe. The initiating event that led to the war was the candidacy of Leopold who came from Hohenzollern-Sigmaringen, to rule Spain after the Spanish revolution of 1868. Bismarck had persuaded Leopold to accept the candidacy. The French government was frightened and threatened by possible alliance between Prussia and Spain. In addition, the French government threatened Prussia with war if Leopold did not withdraw his candidacy. The French ambassador in Prussia was sent to inform that the Prussian government had ordered Leopold to withdraw his candidacy but unfortunately Leopold could not be reached (Howard 49). The French government was not satisfied with Prussian reaction and threatened to humiliate them even if it meant using war. The French government demanded apology from Prussia and that wanted it to consent that Hohenzollern candidacy would not be renewed. However, the King of Prussia did not accept the demand. Bismarck wrote and published a document in a way calculated to anger and aggravate the resentment of the Germans and French. Bismarck knew that this move would lead to war since he was aware that Prussia was well prepared for war. In addition, he relied on psychological result of French declaration of war to organize South German states to Prussia’s grounds, therefore attaining his final stage of unifying Germany. The French declared war on Prussia in July 1870 and that the south German states in compliance and fulfillment of treaties with Prussia, joined Prussia to fight against France. During the war, the Germans mobilized more troops than the French

Construction of Hong Kong International Airport Assignment

Construction of Hong Kong International Airport - Assignment Example The 1984 Declaration also stated that British rule over Hong Kong was to end in July 1, 1997. Meanwhile, firstly, Hong Kong Airport was under pressure as it became smaller and difficult to handle the increasing number of people and cargo (Perren, 2005: 1). Secondly, the rapid increase of Hong Kong’s population made it a dense city, and thirdly, residential houses were constructed next to the Kai Tak airport, which was very risky to the population. The above issues instigated the need of constructing a new airport in Hong Kong. David Wilson, Hong Kong’s British governor, came up with an idea of building an airport before the 99-year land lease ended in 1997. The new Hong Kong International Airport, at Chep Lap Kok, was to be constructed on an artificial island after the flattening of Chep Lap Kok and Lam Chau Islands. The construction of this airport called for support from the UK and Chinese governments as both governments signed a memorandum of understanding that estab lished the parameters of control of the construction of the airport. The airport came into existence after the investment of more than $20 billion USD in the construction. In overall, the whole project comprised constructing large tunnels, a high-speed rail system, new superhighways, suspension bridges, cargo and freight terminals and the airport. The construction of the airport started in 1991, and it was officially opened in 1998 (Craig, 1998: 98). The stakeholders and their success The major stakeholders during the construction of the new Hong Kong International Airport were the governments of Britain, China and Hong Kong. Firstly, the British government was involved because Hong Kong was a British territory. Secondly, the Chinese government was involved because Hong Kong was to fall under the authority of the Chinese government after the expiry of the lease, and thirdly, Hong Kong was involved since it was the local government. Conflict of interest ensued among the stakeholders because of future social, political and economic benefits. However, tension among the stakeholders was cooled down after the signing of the memorandum of understanding in 1991 by the British and Chinese governments. The bodies that were charged with the task of supervising the construction of the new airport were: The Sino-British Airport Committee Board and the Provisional Airport Authority. In essence, the airport’s financial and policy framework was negotiated by the Sino-British Airport Committee Board while the design and development of the whole project was overseen by the Provisional Airport Authority. Additionally, the Provisional Airport Authority had the objective of financing and delivering the following complete infrastructures: the tunnels, bridges, cargo and freight terminals, railway connection and the airport (Annual Report 2009/10, 2009: 47). The stakeholders who were involved in the construction of the new Hong Kong International Airport managed to drive the project into a major success. Firstly, the success of the project was seen when the two governments of UK and China signed a memorandum of understanding that ensured the construction of the airport. Secondly, the memorandum of understanding by the two governments ensured a smooth transition of Hong Kong after the 99-year lease expired in 1997. Thirdly, the

Describe all the issues about which Sister Aloysius could have doubts Essay

Describe all the issues about which Sister Aloysius could have doubts , going from the least important to the most important. ( - Essay Example It is very shocking that Sister Aloysius could have the potential of turning into a doubting Thomas given the dogmatic image of one who never had any doubt in her life (Shanley 22). In an effort to make this issue sink even further, it is revealed that Sister Aloysius told a lie. This is against the fact that it is a very strong Catholic dogma that no any lie of any sort ought to be encouraged leave alone being told (Waldmeir 34). This very rigid law is held even in circumstances where the lie could be the solitary tool in defeating the devil. Despite being a very sincere and devoted servant of God, Sister Aloysius finds herself in a very compromising situation. She is unwillingly introduced to the Machiavellian relativism. Sister Aloysius goes further to encapsulate humanity’s doubt in its last century. It is at this very point that Sister Aloysius openly abandons absolutism (Books Llc 43). The very step that Sister Aloysius takes in abandoning absolutism violates greatly the vow that she had personally taken in an effort to affirm her obedience to the church which was aimed at catching the pedophile (Waldmeir 79). As the play progresses, it comes to the realization that Sister Aloysius is very important when the hierarchy fails to work. At this point in time, Sister Aloysius transforms into the prosecutor, the jury and even the judge. This step marks the beginning of Sister Aloysius to fall in the slippery tracks already built by the principle of moral relativism. This rings a question to the mind of the reader as to whether it is really possible for anyone to offer any defense or support to moral absolutes if at all Sister Aloysius cannot do it. It therefore possesses yet another doubt on how truly the aspect of evil could be effectively stopped (Shengold 51). A heavy doubt lingers on whether there can be any staged war against the issue of evil if at all the absolutes being in place. Faith has now escaped and the only thing that is present is doubt w hich is being portrayed as having captured every individual. As the play progresses, it is notable that boundaries are being set for the rapid spread of doubt. This can be seen in the case that involves Aloysius the pedophile. It is very clear that Sister Aloysius is borrowing heavily from intuition in handling these particular cases (Bryer 61). The evidence that is presented by Aloysius proves to be more flimsy as compared to the evidence that comes from WMDs who are located in Iraq. In this particular case, Sister Aloysius is vey much in doubt about the case since the audience is further informed that if at all she could have been successful in accessing the right results then only luck could be the propelling force (Books Llc 82). The doubt that Sister Aloysius has is in regard to the spiritual issue. This is brought out clearly in the book. It is in regard to this that Sister Aloysius argues that if at all by any chance the society is filled with evil doers as he presumes, then she could put in contribution to the evil activities and move away further from God. Despite the fact that history was filled with evil doers who were acting from fierce conviction such as suicide bombers, witch hunters, Mullahs and the Inquisitors these people act form the conviction that they are protecting children (Shanley 19). As a matter of fact, it is in reference to these very

English Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words - 11

English - Essay Example In each form of writing, though, Baldwin manages to retain his own voice, imbuing his writing with music and imagery that makes it possible for the reader to fully appreciate the situation he is attempting to describe. This can be determined by comparing one of his short stories, such as the very popular â€Å"Sonny’s Blues† with one of his essays, such as â€Å"The Harlem Ghetto.† The short story â€Å"Sonny’s Blues† is not told in chronological order but is instead revealed in bits and pieces as the narrator interacts with those around him. When one reads through the entire story, the conditions of life in the ghetto are more fully understood. It is discovered that the narrator and his younger brother had lived together with their mother their entire lives. While the older brother was able to graduate from high school and join the Army as a means of supporting himself, the hardships of life finally took their toll on the boys’ mother and she died while the younger brother, Sonny, was still in school. Not able to take care of his brother himself and with no other family to turn to, the narrator made arrangements for Sonny to stay with the family of the narrator’s fiancà ©, who introduced Sonny to music and the piano. At the time, Sonny begged his brother to help him (Sonny) join the Navy in order to avoid some kind of trouble only Sonny seems aware of. Too involved in his own problems to listen to Sonny, the narrator leaves to complete his tour of duty while his brother begins skipping school and getting involved in drugs. By the time the narrator has returned home, his brother has gone to jail for dealing in drugs and the story begins as the narrator attempts to bring Sonny back into his life upon Sonny’s release. The entire story, then, follows the narrator’s attempts to finally ‘hear’ his brother enough to develop an effective and supportive relationship that will allow both

MT140 Unit 6 Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

MT140 Unit 6 - Assignment Example These are focuses to A standard is the level of expected execution for a given objective. So Lei needs to redesign and afterward inform all employees of the new standards that are normal and the disciplinary activities that will take after in the event that they dont go along. Step 2: Measuring Performance- After attainment of these new standards, Lei will need to measure the current approaches and guidelines that are generally utilized by every employee. Measuring exhibitions can be through individual perception, composed reports, and oral reports. Lei will need to assemble this data with the goal that she may contrast with the new measures and to discover any disparities; much like the one she has found with unmerited hours that are generally reported as hours lived up to expectations. Step 3: Comparing the standards against performance – this is the time to analyze the current techniques employees are utilizing to the new standards. Lei can take a look at what number of redress papers for timekeeping have been documented, days employees were non-attendant, what amount was sold amid a given movement/time period and cash earned. Anything that may help Lei demonstrate that the workers are purposefully including hours that havent been met expectations. Step 4: Taking action to reinforce successes and correct problems - This last step is the place the fitting move will be made if there is a need. For example, if a specific worker has incredible deals, or has indicated extraordinary change with client fulfillment, then Lei would need to recognize the employees’ success. In this case however if Lei sees any longer time clock fabrication then she will need to take the correct restorative activities as expressed in the updated handbook. In the event that the issue is not secured in the handbook then it needs to be added as fast as

Business Formation and Entrepreneurship Coursework

Business Formation and Entrepreneurship - Coursework Example Online marketing involves buying and selling of all types of products from food to spare parts to machineries and cars with only a few clicks of the mouse and online money transfer. Many people have either started companies online or shifted their physical company to operate online as well. Most people are spending much of their time on the internet and especially the social media and what this has done is expand this type of business immensely (Sheehan, 2010). The easy thing about online marketing is the convenience as well as saving of travelling and accommodation costs. An individual for example seeking to shop for the latest clothes fashion just logs into various fashion online shops and boutiques compares the prices and the quality as well as the shipping costs and time and makes the purchase. The seller is paid through a credit or debit card and the shipment is made. It is as easier as that and one can carry out transactions no matter the location whether in the office, in the car during traffic jam or even in the confines of one’s home (Leake, Vaccarello and Ginty,

Critical Writting Essay Example for Free

Critical Writting Essay The article Is Facebook Making Us Lonely was wrote by Stephen Marche and was published in the Atlantic. The article catch the eye of the reader because it can be relate to our daily life in this generation. Social network is a medium where everyone involve themselves in. The article is about the loneliness of the people that communicates using the social network. The social network can broaden ones companionship, but it will increase ones loneliness. The article starts with the story of a well-known artiste thats found dead in her own apartment, because shes alone in the house. The social network isolates the connection between a real friendship and a friendship for the sake of connecting. According to a research, loneliness drastically increase in a decade and most of the people are not happy with their life because of loneliness. However, the usage of social network is depending on its user, it can be use for the good, or the bad. The social network proves that theres no way to make one happier, better life or even more liberated version of humanity, but sometimes, it has its own benefits. The author believes that the loneliness is not something that the social network did, but rather it depends on ones themselves. The social network merely a medium to be connected to each other, but it relies on the user itself on how to use that technology on improving oneself. The author stated that one shouldn’t cast the blame of loneliness on the technology itself, because at some point, the technology does help in improving the lifestyle in this current modernise world. According the a study, 35 percent of adults older than 45 were chronically lonely, as opposed to 20 percent of a similar group only a decade earlier. Loneliness itself occurs even without the existence of social network. One’s will still feel the loneliness in oneself after some time. In this article, the author biased towards the Facebook that does make us lonely. Even if there’s some points that the author agreed that the loneliness is not all due to the existence of the social network, but the authors swing her writing towards the idea of the social network does make one feel lonelier. The author agreed that the social network can be the key  to ones solitude, but somehow, it will help to smoothen the interaction occurs between each other. The usage of social network itself defines ones loneliness but at times, it does help to widen the connectivity to other people. Though the social interaction between each others are need, but even so, loneliness still exist. The author doesn’t believe in the idea of a website that offer interconnected world is bogus. It also proven that the social interaction online proportionally increase one’s loneliness. With this, the author conclude that the social network does make one feel lonelier. The author have many sources and references that she refers to. There are few studies of various university included in the article. There are also survey include from the 2010’s AARP. Some of the studies are not relevant, but most of it are related to the topic itself. Though, part of the article was not about the social network that make us lonely, but it also proves that one can be lonely even without the social network or online social interactions. There are many examples given in the article regarding the issues. The author did have a few conflicted argument the references in part of the article. The targeted audience of this article is quite wide. The article itself revolves around the social network interactions where in our current modern world, most people have this kind of interactions and it is what happening in this current modernise world. There speculations on about the article, even in the social network on how it is not relatively related to nowadays lifestyle, but some part of the article did tell the truth. This article is really appropriate for those addicted Facebook user who did not see the bad influence of the social networking. The article is quite informative in my opinion. The author tried to show the positive and the negative side of the addiction to social network and how it affect oneself and make that person lonely. The information provided is packed with data from various sources, supporting and against the issues. Regardless, both side have their own strong points on the issues. It is all up to the audience to judge which is better for their life. There are logics  on each of the points provided, however one’s should know better which is a better choice for his life. In Stephen Marche’s â€Å"Is Facebook Making Us Lonely† article, she wrote that loneliness is a psychological state, not a matter of external conditions. In this contact she claimed that one become lonely because of the psychological matters, and external conditions doesn’t play any role in turning a person to be lonely. In my opinion this is wrong because the external conditions do play some roles in cause a person to feel lonely. Variety of conditions can cause a person to feel lonely. Conditions where causes the person to be neglected, and in time, he will feel lonely, after a while. Negligence of the people surround him will trigger his feeling of being left alone, thus it rose the lonely feeling in him. The author wrote that being lonely is extremely bad for your health. She claimed that if you’re lonely then the chances you get sicks is higher than one who are not, because you less likely doing recreational activities. This is not a right context because even you’re alone, it doesn’t mean that you’re less likely to do recreational activities. It is all depend on one’s will to do so. In this current era, most people who lived alone, like the one who live in studio apartment ( normally for one person only) they usually do have their own recreational activities like gym, etc. So, the writer’s idea of being alone or feeling lonely is bad for your health is wrong. If one’s will is strong enough to do their own health beneficial activities, this problem won’t occurred. In the article, Stephen Marche’s wrote that by using social network, popular kids popular while lonely skulker skulk alone, even on the social network, and she thinks that the social network is primarily only for lonely skulking. If she’s saying that social network can only use for lonely skulking, that’s wrong. The social network has many benefit and can be beneficial in many way. It’s all depends on the person use the social network and how is he going to utilise the function for his own good. The content of social network is wide, so it has it own pro and cons. Though, most people nowadays will fall to its cons, but that is up to that person  himself. For me, this is a good article for all the social network users out there. It will gave them a new light and let them grasp a new idea of how benefiting is the social network itself, and how it can also kill one’s feel and make them feel lonely. It will set a good example on what shouldn’t you do, and how to avoid yourself from feeling lonely. Reference Stephen Marche, (MAY 2012) Is facebook making us more lonely. ATLANTIC MAGAZINE [pic] BAE 1024 Advanced Management English Lecture : Mdm. Dahlia Syahrani Md. Yusof Name: Muhammad Zulthaqif 1081101498 Eddy Wong Chung Yii 1101109375

Effects of Munchausen Syndrome by Proxy | Literature Review

Effects of Munchausen Syndrome by Proxy | Literature Review What are some of the factors associated with mothers inflicting consistent harm on their children? Munchausen by proxy. A review of the literature. Introduction The literature on Mynchausens syndrome by proxy is considerable and growing at a rapid rate. Many professionals are sure that the condition exists and there appears to be an equally certain number in the non-professional sector who argue vociferously that such professionals are misguided. The purpose of this review is to determine the evidence base for the condition (Sackett, 1996). and to try to present a rational assessment of the very emotive arguments in this area. Literature review The first article that we shall consider is the book by Feldman (et al 1994) which appeared a decade ago, but is useful as it was considered by many to be the â€Å"gold standard† on the topic in its time. The book itself is written as a series of case narratives followed by a discussion on each. This is clearly instructive, but the most important seminal feature of the book is the fact that it was the first to draw a clear distinction between factitious illness and malingering. It describes the authors’ perception that factitious disorders lie along a spectrum from the benign use of illness on one extreme to the syndrome of Mynchausens syndrome by proxy at the other. It is fair to comment that, inevitably, thinking has progressed since this book was published and the basic amalgamation of factitious illness with malingering no longer finds a resonance with mainstream practice today. Malingering is defined here as â€Å"conscious manipulation for external gain such as compensation† while factitious disorder is defined as â€Å"an unconscious motivation to gain attention or control†. More modern opinion believes that many people who seek compensation after trauma are genuine, as can be their symptoms, whether they are purely physical or psychological. The more modern appreciation of the problem would consider that malingering is a conscious manipulation – and therefore not an illness, whereas the factitious disorders generally are essentially unconsciously motivated and therefore more akin to a hysterical conversion disorder and therefore a true illness. The next book to consider is a more recent publication which takes the same presentation – discussion format, as the last. This book (Gregory 2004) is remarkable as it is written by a survivor of the abuse from Mynchausens syndrome by proxy and, in our opinion, should be read by every worker in the field. It presents a remarkably perceptive insight into the mechanisms of the disorder together with a remarkable analysis of the actual resultant coping mechanisms employed by the proxy child who progressively gains both insight and resilience as she gets older and approaches adulthood. It is equally important for the consideration that the author develops for her younger siblings as she becomes aware of them being damaged in the same way. From the healthcare professional’s point of view, there are a number of truly insightful comments including: But the memories that hang heaviest are the easiest to recall. They hold in their creases the ability to change ones life, organically, forever. Even when you shake them out, theyve left permanent wrinkles in the fabric of your soul. Such books as these two are clearly inspirational and edifying, but they do not contribute to the evidence base directly. For that we must turn to the peer reviewed literature. Professors Craft and Hall (2004) have published an excellent review of the pertinent issues which looks, with a degree of concern, at the media presentation of the issues. They suggest that the presentation of Mynchausens syndrome by proxy in the media tends to both glamorise and demonise the condition in a way that is very unhelpful to the healthcare professionals working in the area. They cite tabloid phrases such as â€Å"Meadows discredited theory of Munchausen syndrome by proxy† as being truly hostile to the overriding needs of the victims. The paper itself sets out the evolution of the condition from Caffey’s 1942 paper, where the condition was described but not named, through the papers by Money and Werlwas (1976) to the present day assessment of the condition. The authors specifically consider the issues of Mynchausens syndrome by proxy in relation to severe child abuse and apparent cot death, and provide what should perhaps be considered a most authoritative resume on the issue. In terms of specific psychopathology we can turn to papers such as the one by Eminson D (et al 2000) who suggest that the perpetrators have an increased incidence of personality disorder or, more rarely a psychotic illness. Firstman R (et al 1998) point to the fact that women who suffer from the condition tend to have reported a number of â€Å"fantasies, obsessions and anxieties† regarding their babies which typically focus on their perceived inability to care adequately for them. Golden M (et al. 2003) adds the observation that many of these fantasies include the worry that the mother may actually harm the child together with the observation that there is an associated increase in the incidence of Post natal depression in these cases. References Caffey 1942,  quoted in Royal College of Paediatrics and Child Health.  Fabricated or induced illness by carers.  London: RCPCH, 2002. Craft AW and D M B Hall 2004 Munchausen syndrome by proxy and sudden infant death BMJ, May 2004; 328: 1309 1312 ; Eminson DM, Postlethwaite RJ. 2000  Munchausen syndrome by proxy abuse: a practical approach.  Oxford: Butterworth Heinemann, 2000. Feldman MD, Ford C, Reinhold T 1994  Patient or Pretender: Inside the Strange World of Factitious Disorders  London: Wiley, ISBN 0-471-58080-5 Firstman R, Talan J. 1998  The death of innocents.  New York: Bantam, 1998. Golden MH, Samuels MP, Southall DP. 2003  How to distinguish between neglect and deprivational abuse.  Arch Dis Child 2003;88: 105-7. Gregory J 2004  Sickened: The True Story of a Lost Childhood  London: Century books ISBN 1 844 13442 3 Money and Werlwas (1976)  Quoted in Fisher G, Mitchell I.  Is Munchausen syndrome by proxy really a syndrome?  Arch Dis Child 1995;72: 530-4. Sackett, (1996).  Doing the Right Thing Right: Is Evidence-Based Medicine the Answer?  Ann Intern Med, Jul 1996; 127: 91 94. 7.12.05 PDG Word count 1,083  

Mission And Goals Of Marks And Spencer Commerce Essay

Mission And Goals Of Marks And Spencer Commerce Essay MS has been acknowledged as a legendary UK retailing organization and therefore they are exemplars of best practice in society. MS in a western world is a managerial giant (Drucker, 1974). It has been identified as one of the best managed companies in Europe (Tse, 1985). MS corporate objectives are laid down in its Mission statement which is Making aspirational quality accessible to all and this is the base which tells us what the business and what it should be in the future. In its mission statement the MS outlined clothing and food business as its core business but financial objectives such as shareholder wealth maximisation is also taken into account as this helps in occupying more market share and so increased its sales. MS have a strong tradition of corporate social responsibility as they want it to be integrated into all their operations at every level. There are three main generic strategies that can be adopted by any company including MS where the customers are ready to pay a premium and this can be achieved by differentiating its product and services in such manner that it is valued by the customers. Therefore MS has adopted focussed differentiation strategy in food and clothing industry but its market share is relative low with low industry growth whereas Financial services industry growth output is very high but MS market share in it is very low and which demands substantial capital investment in the market to turn them into Stars according to BCG Matrix. MS targets mostly the age of 30 plus with high disposable income to spend like executive class and they value them and therefore many of its products are highly priced though high quality is maintained. Although MS, Clarks, Faith and Office are in a high quality segment where others like Top shop and River Island ends as a medium priced segment but these can be outweighed in fashion market of shoes and clothes and because of all these variations in Individual styles and spending habits, MS must plan for an idea which counteracts the risks around its strategic choices because there are various risks in terms of focus strategies in that imitation and changes in the target market and due to this it makes an easy entry of foreign player which is broad market cost leader that can easily adopt MS products in order to compete directly and gaining the market share hence therefore to tackle and survive in the cut throat competition of super markets where Giants as Asda, Tesco and Sainsbury, they need to have a contingency plan and bend their strategies in terms of focussed differentiation and adopt cost leadership. In recent years MS has started corporate social responsibility as an effective tool to increase awareness among different generations to differentiate them from their competitors and this is possible with proper drive for innovation across all its Strategic business units(SBU) where they have to generate strategies at SBU level. This has been done continuously by MS now such as Sustainable fishing, organic colouring of clothes, salt reduction, animal welfare and fair-trade. The strategy process which has started in 2006 when labelling has been done as a part of an integrated communication drive to state their position on corporate social responsibility (CSR) and this was the first time since its origin that MS have involved its stakeholders on such a scale and this CSR issue has been promoted through national advertising, in-store dà ©cor, MS website and the main communication channel among its employees. They provide a huge range of clothing, food, home and beauty products that are established through longstanding core values quality and service, through innovation, value and trust. The trust we are talking about is the bond between the company and its customers, its employees and shareholders and this trust was integrated among all to achieve success for the business. The management team confirmed it once again that the companys promise to its core values and aggressively used CSR is an integral part of refining and improving commercial performance and customer loyalty. (Paul Myners, Chairman and Stuart Rose, Chief Executive, 2004) In conclusion each business unit known as (SBU) Strategy Business units of MS needs to develop a its own CSR strategy that helps that specific unit to measure and tackle its risks and opportunities that may rise from its market position, its customer base, its product range and quality and its supply chain which is of utmost importance. For example MS has identified sixteen separate core issues relates to their business which comprises of health, labor standards, packaging, fair-trade etc. and through strategic intent they are able to develop clear strategy and position on each issue. MS Culture The culture of any company plays an important role and so for Marks and Spencer as culture is all about people and the way in which they interact with each other in the organisation and that is crucial for the company while making their decisions. MS should have positive culture which may influence the decision making process that can help to achieve excellence in their business and it is possible only when both management and its employees work together and thinks the same. In simple words culture in any organisation is the way the things are done to achieve business goals and objectives. MS culture (Their way of doing things) since it originated: MS were heavily dependent on British suppliers and thus not strived for cheaper buying from overseas market. MS have a centralized system of buying from the central office which is an old formula and incurs cost heavily as movement of goods increases. The store managers of MS followed central direction on store design and layout, training and development, merchandising and so on which makes the store identical where local discretion is limited. The managers were restrained to respond to the local needs of the customers as there were severe restrictions. MSs organization structure can be categorized as reflection which is taken for granted fashion and this type of attitude is shared among the members of the organization. The societal beliefs and basic assumptions operate among the members automatically. These basic assumptions and taken for granted fashion have taken MS roots from the basis of the organisational success. The rationale behind a particular manner in which people act and the reasons behind the action is not dependent on the blend of objective and subjective factors, but in a complex network of meanings as created and understood by the participants (Schutz, 1964). Its very important that employees act accordingly therefore at the end organisations do not react to their environment, its their members react due to changes in the environment within and outside the organization. The culture that originates out of MS is a customer specific or customer driven. This type of culture can be said when everyone in the business makes a deliberate but real effort whether the management or its employees to improve customer service. This can be achieved when good market research has been conducted, employing right people and giving them proper training and updated e-commerce technology is used. MS culture is dynamic and regards changes as opportunity and not as a threat and they are doing this because they are always looking for new ideas at any stage and this is where all employees and management are involved together to make it successful and achieve its goals and objectives. The People may act in terms of their own when facing any problem in work without regarding the observers explanation of the situation and thats why its very difficult to handle situations related to culture which is composed of management and employees (Silvermans, 1970). The key feature for sustainability in any organization is to change dynamically and evolve continuously to conquer with its environment in which it operates but this has not been done by MS and the firms failure in terms of its culture in words of Mr. Richard Greenbury, M S Chief executive from 1991, I think that the simple answer is that we followed absolutely and totally the principles of the business. I was the business with the aid of my colleagues based upon the very long-lasting and recognized ways of running it. (Johnson Scholes, 2001. Most of the researchers and analyst have found that MS had remained for the longer period with their traditional risk averseness formula then it was needed. MS can be concluded on the note that its organizational culture has led to failure in nurturing the dynamic nature of the organizations which has eventually led towards the fall of MS since the late 1990s. This effect of huge inequality between the organizations standard and their erratic environment is due to the changes in the Organizational culture. In present scenario MS is trying to hold the competitive nature of the business and trying its best to get back on the track and therefore they have no fear in implanting new strategies and new strategic approaches are being adopted and implemented to fasten the recovery of the business. References: Drucker, P. F. (1974). Management: Tasks Responsibilities Practices. Heinemann, London. Tse, K. K. (1985). Marks and Spencer Anatomy of Britains most efficiently managed company. Pergamon, Oxford. Johnson Scholes 2002 Strategic Management, Exploring Corporate Strategy Text Cases 6th Edition. Schutz 1964, Phenomenology, [Online], 4/12/05, Available from: http://plato.stanford.edu/entries/schutz/

Death Of A Salesman: The American Dream :: Death Of A Salesman

For Willy and Linda, life's accomplishments and sources of pleasure are simple. This statement gives an excellent judgment of their lives because they lead very average lives for the time, and any depth is ignored on their part. This little scene exemplifies this point by showing a focus in their lives, being the mortgage on the house. For twenty-five years Willy and Linda have been working to pay off their mortgage, and once they do that, they will attain a sense of freedom, or the "American Dream". That dream, especially pertinent at that time of growth in the United States, presents a perfect representation of their goal. This goal is clearly outlined by dollar signs and a sense of ownership, two key points to personal success. The key thing which leads to Willy and Linda's depressions, is their inability to face reality in the present. Their lives are lived in the future, and even in this scene as Willy states; "You wait, kid, before it's all over we're gonna get a little place out in the country."(p.72), we see his ability to constantly speak of unpractical dreams. Their last payment on the mortgage gives closure to this life filled only with dreams, and will allow them to realize some of their idealistic thoughts. Their entire lives have been concentrated on this house, their one meaningful possession, therefore this last payment is an accomplishment beyond any other. Willy is a salesman, always traveling from state to state staying in motels away from home. This increases the importance of a house to him because it is not only a place of habitation but a representation of stability in his life. It is a concrete item which cannot be taken away from Willy once he has made the last payment. While discussing his sons with Linda, he states; " And they'll get married, and come for a weekend†¦". He shows the same pride for his ownership of the house as he did for Biff during his football years. The house is the center of Willy's being, and now that he almost has it, he can see that it has been his life's work. He is a character who remains content only by trying to believe that he is living the "American Dream", and pride of his most valued possession is all he has to hold onto. Although, at this point in his life, Willy Loman is beginning to notice where all of this dreaming has led him.

Linux :: essays research papers

LINUX One of the up and coming server operating systems is Linux. In an article from CNET News on July 24, 2000, a new study has identified Linux as being a significant threat to Microsoft in the server market over the next few years. What is Linux and how is it making its impact on the server industry? This paper will answer these questions. Linux – What is it? Linux is a free Unix-type operating system originally created by Linus Torvalds along with other developers in the industry. Linux is an independent POSIX (Portable Operating System Interface) implementation and includes true multi-tasking, virtual memory, shared libraries, TCP/IP networking and other features consistent with Unix-type systems. Linux was developed under the GNU General Public Licensing and all of its source code is freely available to everyone. This doesn’t necessarily mean that the program and all of the distributed software is free. There are companies and developers that may charge money for the program as long as the source code remains available. Linux In Business? Linux is becoming more and more used in business today. One of the main reasons is the cost-effectiveness of the operating system itself. As well, there are numerous articles all over the Internet and news media detailing the positive aspects of open source operating systems in business today. One reference found on the Open Source website describes the basic idea behind open source code. â€Å"When programmers on the Internet can read, redistribute, and modify the source for a piece of software, it evolves. People improve it, people adapt it, and people fix bugs. And this can happen at a speed that, if one is used to the slow pace of conventional software development, seems astonishing.† (Open Source, August 2000) From a businesspersons standpoint, the open-source model has a lot to offer. Companies are now able to build open standards as actual software and many companies and individuals can collaborate on a product that none of them could achieve alone. With open source code, there can be rapid bug fixes and changes that the user asks for, done to the user's own schedule. Other positives are increased security and increased reliability, and yet another positive is the ability of Linux to run on systems as low-end as a 386 to the higher end systems such as Alpha and Sparcs. Where is Linux Headed? Based on the reports and studies being conducted by independent firms around the world, it is very apparent that Linux is making great strides in the networking market.

Biblical Symbolism In Rime of the Ancient Mariner :: Samuel Taylor Coleridge

  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Samuel Taylor Coleridge's poem "The Rime of the Ancient Mariner," written in 1797, has been widely discussed throughout literary history. Although critics have come up with many different interpretations of this poem, one idea that has remained prevalent throughout these discussions is the apparent religious symbolism present throughout this poem. "The Ancient Mariner" contains natural, gothic, and biblical symbolism; however, the religious and natural symbolism, which coincide with one another, play the most important roles in this poem (Piper 43). It is apocalyptic and natural symbolism that dominates the core of this poem (43). The biblical symbolism found in this poem mainly reflects the apocalypse, as it deals with the Mariner's revelation that good will triumph over evil, and his acceptance of all nature as God's creation. It is impossible to believe that Coleridge was not thinking of the mysterious wind that blows on the Mariner, without any awareness of the wind as a Biblical symbol of the Holy Spirit. Coleridge could also not associate the murder of the albatross with the crucifixion of Jesus Christ. The reader is told that the Polar Spirit "loved the bird that loved the man who shot him with his bow." It is doubtful that someone with Coleridge's Christian background and faith could fail to see here an analogy with God who loved his son who loved the men that killed him. Another example of symbolism is the fact that the albatross is hung around the Mariner's neck like a crucifix. Event the "cross" in "cross-bow" hints at the murder of Jesus, which logically paces the albatross as a symbol for Christ. It is thought that Coleridge deliberately created these symbols and images with Christian meaning in mind. The apocalypse is heavily reflected upon throughout this poem as Coleridge combined the vivid colors, the ocean, and the death fires of "The Ancient Mariner" with the terror and desolation of the days of wrath in the apocalypse. The section of the poem after the Mariner kills the Albatross is a description of the emptiness and desolation that the Mariners experience, and the curse that is over the ship. This section of the poem has tremendous correspondence to the apocalyptic story. The language and form in this part of the poem represent the images and words, which have traditionally described the wrath of God and the guilt of man in Christian term s. Its is at this point in the poem that the Mariner feels guilty for having killed the Albatross and for the deaths of his shipmates.

Industrialize or Perish

â€Å"Industrialize or Perish† Industries refer to units that are engaged in the business activity of converting raw materials or semi-finished goods into finished or final goods, which are then made available to the final consumers. For any economy to flourish industrialization is very essential. Industries act as major accelerators of economic development in a country. There are many advantages of having a good industrial system functioning in a country. Especially in a developing country like India, Industries are of utmost importance.They provide the vast population with better employment opportunities, better standard of living, better supply of goods and services and so on. However, in a vast country like India it is important that the functioning of these industries be monitored. Here comes the need for a strong and efficient Industrial Policy. In order to see to that the industries function in the desired manner it is essential that these industries be kept under obser vation and also the government works on the functioning of these industries. Industrial Policy is an important document which lays a wide canvas and sets the tone for implementing promotional and regulatory roles of the government. † – K. Aswathappa Thus, it is clear from the above definition that an Industrial Policy lays down a definite framework that governs and monitors the functioning of the industries in a country. It is essential to understand the importance or reasons behind having a strong and efficient Industrial Policy in any country: a. Balanced Development of industries b. Meet National Priorities c. Regulate Expansion of Private Industries d. Prevent Concentration of Wealth in Few Hands e.Monitor Foreign Trade Three Major Industrial Policies in India: There have been three major industrial policies in the Indian Industrial context. The first was Industrial Policy Resolution of 1948. This resolution soon after the independence focused on accepting the role of both private and public sector units in the country, role of small and cottage industries and also remarked that the small and cottage industries are major employing industrial units. This resolution also divided the industries into four categories – Industries where state had monopolies, mixed sector, the field of government control and the field of private enterprise.This resolution did not give much importance for the welcoming of foreign capital. Second important industrial policy was Industrial Policy of 1956. This policy focused on accelerating the rate of economic growth and speeding of industrialization, importance of public sectors, prevent monopolies and reducing income disparities. This policy was highly criticized for giving importance for the development of public sector units rather than the private enterprises. Third and the most important is the Industrial Policy of 1991. This year is also called as the year of economic reforms in India.This marked the majo r shift of the Indian Economy from closed to open economy. Liberalization, Privatization and Globalization was introduced in the economy in order to encourage competition in the economy. This policy focused on the following spheres Abolishing Industrial Licensing, Encouraging Foreign investment and foreign trade agreements, reducing the importance of public sector units and liberalizing the restrictions on the working of industries. Recent Developments in Industrial Policy: Change is inevitable and nothing can escape change. So are the industrial sector and the industrial policy.Over the years the industrial policy has gone through many changes and developments. Some of the recent developments in Industrial sector Policy are as follows: a. Liberalization: The Industrial Policy of earlier years focused more on stringent rules and regulation. The tariff policies, trade regulations etc were strict and prevented the development of industries. This policy was used in order to protect som e industries. However, now after the reforms in 1991 the scenario has completely changed. The economy is now more liberal in terms of tariff and foreign trade rules.This has increased the investment in certain sectors and has also increased the overall national income. Liberalization has also enabled the economy to be self sufficient. This will reduce the dependence of the domestic economy on foreign economy. b. Globalization: Today the Indian market is merged with the global market. This has increased the competition for domestic industries leading to better quality goods, efficient working of the organization and also reduced prices. Globalization has added on more jobs for the citizens within the country.Now global markets have made it possible for the consumers to choose from a wide variety of products. It also increases the foreign trade of the country. c. Reduced Role of Public Sector: The role of public sector over the years has reduced. Due to this there is a reduction in hi ndrances such as Bureaucracy and Red-Tapism. Thus, the reduced role of public sector has certainly helped the economy to grow and develop efficiently and effectively. This has also reduced the burden on the government budgets. Also, many sick units have now been converted into private enterprises.Thus, this has also increased the revenue of the country. d. De-licensing: There was a license raj before the introduction of the 1991 reforms. Now the economy is relived of this. The government in order to encourage investment has abolished the compulsory licensing for all industries except a few that are strategic and defense related and which seek governmental supervision. De-licensing is the major change that has improved the total investment in the economy. Larger investment means better services and better supply of goods. Also, de-licensing has increased the scope for more and more industrial units to be set up. . Foreign Technological Agreements: In recent times there has been a gre at importance given for foreign technological agreements. Due to import of foreign technology into the country the efficiency of the domestic industries have improved. Also, this has helped the domestic companies flourish not only within the geographical boundaries of a country but also globally. f. Consumer is King: Due to the increase in competition for domestic industries the consumers have been benefited a lot. The consumers have a vast range of products to choose from and also globalization has put a stop for the expansion of Monopolies. . Autonomy to Private Sector: Over the years there has been many measures adopted in order to give more autonomy for private enterprises. Some of the measures are disinvestment, privatization, etc. h. Importance of Small Scale Industries: The importance of the small and cottage industries are highlighted in all the industrial policy resolutions. The small scale industries are encouraged for the numerous benefits they provide the economy with su ch as, employment, increase in the national income, increase in exports, etc. i.Importance of Information Technology: In recent years the importance of IT sector has increased tremendously. This has led to flourishing of Business Process Outsourcing (BPOs) and Knowledge Process Outsourcing (KPOs). Thus, these were some of the recent development or trends in the Industrial Policy of India. Reference: 1. Essentials of Business Environment – K. Aswathappa 2. en. wikipedia. org 3. Study on Industrial Policy and Services – European Commission 4. What is the importance of industries to our country? – Saptarshi Dutta (PreserveArticles. com)

Marketing and Refrigerators

MARKETING PROJECT BIMM(PGDM-A) GROUP MEMBERS: * BHOOMIKA JOSHI * HIRAL SAVLA * PRIYANKA VARDANI * SWATI DIXIT * SHRUTI SANCHETI * SNEHA UPADHAYA * RUMPA SARKAR INDIAN REFRIGERATOR INDUSTRY (MARKET ANALYSIS) Refrigerator market in India Refrigerators have been manufactured in India since 1950s. Till the 1980s players like Godrej , Kelvinator , Allwyn & Voltas controlled almost 90% of the market. Earlier the white goods sector was categorized as a luxury goods industry and was subject to oppressive taxation & licensing. The situation changed after the liberalization of the Indian economy in the early 1990s.The government removed all restrictions and now there is no restriction on foreign investments and licences are no longer required. Post-liberalization , a number of foreign companies entered the market and many domestic players also diversified into refrigerators. BPL & VIDEOCON who already had a presence in the consumer electronics market leveraged their strengths to en ter the durables sector. The refrigerator, today, quite simply is an indispensable item of everyday use. The refrigerator market has registered almost 40% growth over the last 4 years – from 3. 3million units in 2004/05 to 4. million units in 2008/09. With growing disposable incomes and a low penetration level for the category (34% even in urban India), the market is set to explode in the coming five years. The present scenario in India is that refrigerators have the most aspirational value after televisions. This shows that the growth rate of refrigerator is high. Today refrigerators are being manufactured in two basic designs which are: a) Direct Cool Refrigerator b) Frost Free Refrigerator In these two designs of refrigerators, the direct cool design market is much more than the expensive frost-free models.Although the growth is marginal in the direct cool models, the major factor for its growth is the availability of low priced models. Indian refrigerator market is valued at Rs 4000 crore. Refrigerators hold only 16% of consumer durable market that is valued at around Rs. 20,000-25,000 crore in India. Its market is growing at the rate of 7-8% annually. MAJOR BRANDS OF REFRIGERATORS IN INDIA: * Akai Refrigerators| * Allwyn Refrigerators| * BPL Refrigerators| * Daewoo Refrigerators| * Electrolux Refrigerators| * Frigidaire Refrigerators| * GE Refrigerators| * Godrej Refrigerators| Hitachi Refrigerators| * Kelvinator Refrigerators| * LG Refrigerators| Whirlpool Refrigerators| * Samsung Refrigerators| Sharp Refrigerators| * Siemens Refrigerators| * Videocon Refrigerators| * Voltas Refrigerators| * | SWOT analysis for Indian Refrigerator Industry Strengths: 1. Presence of established distribution networks in both urban and rural areas 2. Presence of well-known brands 3. In recent years, organized sector has increased its share in the market vis a vis the unorganized sector. Weaknesses 1. Demand is seasonal and is high during festive seasonal 2.Demand is dependent on good monsoons 3. Poor government spending on infrastructure 4. Low purchasing power of consumers Opportunities : 1. In India, the penetration level of white goods is lower as compared to other developing countries. 2. Unexploited rural market 3. Rapid urbanization 4. Increase in income levels, i. e. increase in purchasing power of consumers 5. Easy availability of finance Threats: 1. Higher import duties on raw materials imposed in the Budget 2007-08 2. Cheap imports from Singapore, China and other Asian countries COMPETITIVE FORCES IN INDIAN REFRIGERATOR INDUSTRY:The model of pure competition implies that risk-adjusted rates of return should be constant across firms and industries. However, numerous economic studies have affirmed that different industries can sustain different levels of profitability; part of this difference is explained by industry structure. Refrigerators constitute the second largest product segment within the Indian consumer durables sectors in Ind ia. On the basis of Michael Porter’s five forces model an industry faces the following competitive forces: Diagram of Porter's 5 Forces | SUPPLIER POWER Supplier concentration Importance of volume to supplierDifferentiation of inputs Impact of inputs on cost or differentiation Switching costs of firms in the industry Presence of substitute inputs Threat of forward integration Cost relative to total purchases in industry|   | BARRIERS TO ENTRY Absolute cost advantages Proprietary learning curve Access to inputs Government policy Economies of scale Capital requirements Brand identity Switching costs Access to distribution Expected retaliation Proprietary products| | THREAT OF SUBSTITUTES -Switching costs -Buyer inclination to substitute -Price-performance trade-off of substitutes| | BUYER POWER Bargaining leverageBuyer volume Buyer information Brand identity Price sensitivity Threat of backward integration Product differentiation Buyer concentration vs. indusry. Substitutes a vailable Buyers' incentives| DEGREE OF RIVALRY -Exit barriers -Industry concentration -Fixed costs/Value added -Industry growth -Intermittent overcapacity -Product differences -Switching costs -Brand identity -Diversity of rivals -Corporate stakes| Designing Competitive Strategies of Refrigerators: A market with competition may typically be occupied by: * MARKET LEADER- LG (29. 4%) * MARKET CHALLANGER- WHIRLPOOL (25%) * MARKET FOLLOWER- GODREJ (22%) MARKET NICHES- HAIER (5%) MARKET LEADER (LG) STRATEGIES: LG marketing strategy is to increase its market share. LG's new strategy aims to focus on the premium segment of the market that fetches greater margins as opposed to volumes. The company claims this will benefit its consumers, channel partners and stakeholders as it focuses on products that drive rapid growth and lead in their brand category to create value for customers. In India for more than a decade now, LG is the market leader in consumer durables and recognized as a leading technology innovator in the information technology.LG is the acknowledged trendsetter for the consumer durable industry in India with the fastest ever nationwide reach, latest global technology and product innovation. Indian challenges The challenges faced by LG when it entered the market in 1995 were: †¢ Low brand awareness about LG in India. †¢ One of the last MNCs to enter India. (Samsung, Sony ;amp; Panasonic entered in 1995 ;amp; LG in 1997. ) †¢ High import duty. †¢ Competition from local players and other multinational companies in the consumer Electronics segment †¢ Price sensitiveness of Indian consumers Factors for success:Innovative marketing strategies (pre-emptive defense) To make itself a known brand in this sector, LG has taken innovative marketing and promotional initiatives: †¢ Launch of new technologies in the sector. It has state of art, R;amp;D labs in Pune and Bangalore. (position defense) LG with its motive of â€Å"life’s good† Regional channel strategy and wide distribution network LG has adopted the regional distribution model in India. All the distributors work directly with the company. This has resulted in quicker rotation of stocks, and better penetration into the B, C, and D class markets.LG also follows the strategy of stock rotation, rather than dumping stocks on channel partners. LG has over 46 branch offices and another 110 area offices across the country. LG had set a target of developing 2,000 dealers in 2004, in addition to the existing 3,000 dealers all over India. LG MARKET SEGMENTATION: Market segmentation can be done on the basis of : * Geographic segmentation: Region: all metro cities and suburbs. * Demographic segmentation: Family size: 1-2, 3-4, 5+ Gender: male, female. Income: 3, 00, 000Rs and above. Social class: working class, middle class and upper middle class. Psychographic segmentation: Lifestyle: culture oriented, health oriented. * Behavioural segmentation: Occasio ns: festivals and regular occasions. Benefits: quality, service. Loyalty status: none, medium, strong, absolute. Readiness stage: unaware, aware, interested, desirous, intending to buy. LG MARKET TARGETING: * LG has targeted its market on the basis of the product that they are offering to the consumer, so they are following market specialization. * They are targeting: * Upper class segment * Upper end * They are targeting to those consumer who are more concern of style product. Their product is more of upper mid class and premium segment, their target audience are those consumers, who want quality product as the best price. * LG is now going to shift over to mid class segment and want to mass market their product. LG MARKET POSITIONING SRATEGY: * With the tagline Life’s Good ,LG positioning is to differentiate their products on the basis of technology which appealed to the consumer on the basis of health benefits. * With the tagline ‘Life’s Good’ its corpo rate philosophy to make people’s lives better, convenient and healthier. * Their positioning strategy is technologically intelligent and futuristic. As they are in upper and premium segment, so they are featuring that their brand is young, vibrant and premium. * They are talking about the value and changing lifestyles in their positioning strategy. LG PRODUCT RANGE LG refrigerators are divided into three categories :- 1. Single door refrigerators 2. Double door refrigerators 3. Side by side refrigerators Different models available under each category are :- 1. SINGLE DOOR REFRIGERATORS (price range varies from9400 to 15800 Rs) * 27O Lts – GL- 281 (3models) * 235 LTS – GL -245 (5models) * 215 LTS – GL 225 (4 models) ;amp; models ) 185 LTS – GL 195 (6 models) 2. DOUBLE DOOR REFRIGERATORS (price range varies from 14750 to 60900 Rs) * 604 LT – GR M712YSQ * 559 LT – GR B652YSP * 491 LT – GL 548 (2) * 466 LT – GL 528 (3) * 422 LT – GL 478 (2) * 390 LT – GL 405 (2) ;amp; GL 408 (2) * 350 LT – GL 365 (2) ;amp; GL 368 (3) * 320 LT – GL 335 (4) ;amp; 338 (2) * 290 LT – GL 305 (3) ;amp; GL308 (2) * 260 LT – GL 27 (2), GL 275 (3) ;amp; GL 278 * 240 LT – GL258 (3), GL 255 (3) ;amp; GL 254 3. SIDE-BY-SIDE REFRIGERATOR ( price range varies from 58000 to 175000 Rs) * 721 LT – GR P267BTB * 693 LT – GR P247JHM/ CSP 567 LT – GCP227 (3) * 581 LT – GCB21 (2) * 567 LT – GC L217 (2) MARKET CHALLENGER (WHIRLPOOL) STRATEGY With 25% market share whirlpool is the Market challenger for the refrigerator Market: Whirlpool’s international outlook was initiated in 1958 when it entered Brazil, but it was the ‘80’s that marked the beginning of Whirlpool’s aggressive strategy to be a world-wide competitor. India was identified as a growth market in late ‘80’s when Whirlpool Corporation entered into a joint vent ure agreement with TVS group to produce automatic washers at a plant set up in Pondicherry.This was a modest beginning was made to establish the Whirlpool brand in India. In 1995 Whirlpool Corporation acquired Kelvinator of India Limited and entered into the Refrigerator market in India. In late 1995 majority ownership was gained in the TVS joint venture and the two entities were merged to form Whirlpool of India Limited in 1996. Housewives: The advertising tagline is ‘Your magic in Homemaking’, which inspires the Indian housewife to buy its product. 6th sense cooling: 6th sense cooling is the patent technology of whirlpool, with which it is trying to capture market share of the Indian refrigerator market.Economy: Whirlpool has understood Indian market very closely and has been launching products as per the requirement of the customer from different segments. Whirlpool segmented the market mainly on the basis of price and capacity. Price has been kept keeping the needs and wants of the customer and product is designed such that it is feasible to every customer. Whirlpool has segmented its refrigerators under three segment: WHIRLPOOL MARKET SEGMENTATION: a)Geographic segmentation: Region: all metro cities and suburbs areas. b) Demographic segmentation: Family size: 1-2, 3-4, 5+ Gender: male, female.Income: 1,50,000Rs and above. Social class: working class, middle class and upper middle class. c)Psychographic segmentation: Lifestyle: culture oriented d)Behavioural segmentation: Occasions: festivals and regular occasions. Benefits: quality, service, economically viable Loyalty status: none, medium, strong, absolute. Readiness stage: unaware, aware, interested, desirous, intending to buy. WHIRLPOOL MARKET TARGETING STRATEGY: * Whirlpool through its advertisements has been trying to target the housewives, trying to portray as a partner in homemaking. Hence, the prime target consumer for Whirlpool is Housewives. Whirlpool main targeting strategy is to p rovide economically viable household products. * They are also targeting in terms of capacity and usage nature of the consumers. Like they have different refrigerators for consumers with requirements of not very big capacities, i. e. Households, Small Shopkeepers and Bachelors etc, then different refrigerators for the middle class consumers who has average amount of income to dispose and different for the upper class or high class consumers, which includes people with high income and also industries which requires storage capacity of more than 310 Lts.WHIRLPOOL MARKET POSITIONING STRATEGY: Whirlpool has been trying to position itself as partner in homemaking. This has been pretty much evident from the advertisements of Whirlpool. Whirlpool’s advertising tagline is ‘Your magic in Homemaking’. This is Whirlpool’s advertising tagline. Whirlpool’s earlier tagline was â€Å"You ;amp; Whirlpool. The world’s best homemakers. † It has been evo lved to reflect the changed homemaker of today versus the yesteryears. Through Whirlpool’s intensive consumer research Whirlpool found that today’s homemaker believes in having everything perfect at home and takes pride in having achieved it!She has begun to look for that something exceptional, something additional in all the brands she chooses to help her achieve that. Whirlpool, as the brand that partners to this demanding homemaker of today, call this quality of hers as ‘magic’ and wish to be the home appliance brand that helps her create her â€Å"magic in homemaking†. Hence the new tagline â€Å"Your’s magic in the homemaking†. MARKET FOLLOWER (GODREJ) SRATEGY: The Godrej have always believed in the innovation. It has always emphasized on the development of new technologies. It invests large amount of its time and energy in R;amp;D.It goal towards strengthening its presence in the market by introducing higher performance refrigera tors for providing maximum benefit to consumers. The follower, Godrej is an adapter while following the leaders in the market. It has imitated the commercial refrigeration technique i. e. , direct cooling from the leader of the market but on the other hand it is the India's first complete range of refrigerators with â€Å"5 Star Energy Rating. † By launching an entire range of 5 Star Rated Refrigerators, it has raised the bar on product efficiency while delivering the best monetary value for the consumers.Thus it is successfully and efficiently moving towards its goal. Godrej marketing segmentation: a)Geographic segmentation: Region: all metro cities and suburbs areas. b) Demographic segmentation: Family size: 1-2, 3-4, 5+ Gender: male, female. Income: 1,50,000Rs and above. Social class: working class, middle class and upper middle class. c) Psychographic segmentation: Lifestyle: culture oriented d) Behavioural segmentation: Occasions: festivals and regular occasions. Benefit s: service, economically viable Loyalty status: none, medium, strong, absolute.Readiness stage: unaware, aware, interested, desirous, intending to buy. GODREJ TARGETING STRATEGY: Godrej produces wide range of refrigerators to cater to the different demands of different type of users. In each category, it produces large number of models. Each model has different features and different capacities. While purchasing a refrigerator, determine your requirements and preferences. Godrej refrigerators are designed to have very attractive looks and designs. They have very sleek and stylish frame. They can fit into even small flats and homes.These refrigerators are available in various colors, styles and sizes. Apart from exterior designing, the interior of the Godrej refrigerators is designed ergonomically to offer great convenience of use, so they are targeting middle and working class customers who desires stylish yet economically viable products. They have also introduced 5 star energy rat ing, it is the first complete range of refrigerators with five star rating. Therefore, they are taking steps toward energy saving and providing more economically viable products, by becoming environment friendly.GODREJ POSITIONING STRATEGY: The tagline of Godrej is ‘Brighter Living’. Godrej says that the only thing cooler than our fridges is the Kulfi we stash in our freezers. With several firsts : swivel, a humidity jog dial, freezer air-current design – Godrej refrigerators have not only stood the test time they have also run head to head in the race with modernity. Godrej EON fridges are available in a host of dashing colors to go with decor and mood. There are polybag suspenders to hang up veggies in fridge.So every day, they are trying to make the world brighter place, with their services and also cooler. Therefore, goes with their tagline brighter living. MARKET NICHER (HAIER) STRATEGY: It is quality price specialist as Haier operates at the highest end of the market. Haier’s strategy mainly concentrates on their constant efforts towards internationalization. Several Chinese manufacturers who entered India priced their products low by compromising on quality, thinking that Indian consumers preferred to buy low priced irrespective of their quality.This gave Indian consumers the impression that anything â€Å"made in China† would be cheap and of poor quality, but Haier break this Indian mentality by introducing high price product for upper premium class only, not compromising on the terms of quality. HAIER MARKET SEGMENTATION: a)Geographic segmentation: Region: all metro cities and urban areas. b) Demographic segmentation: Family size: 1-2, 3-4, 5+ Gender: male, female. Income: 8,00,000Rs and above. Social class: upper middle class, Upper lower class and upper-upper class. c) Psychographic segmentation: Lifestyle: culture oriented ) Behavioral segmentation: Occasions: festivals and regular occasions. Benefits: service, qua lity oriented. Loyalty status: strong, absolute. Readiness stage: unaware, aware, interested, desirous, intending to buy. HAIER TARGETING STRATEGY: Their targeting strategy is more customer-oriented. Haier understands the consumer needs better and reflects that in consumer offerings. It is a manifestation of today’s young couple’s lifestyle which connotes speed, style and togetherness. It targets upper premium segment by manufacturing wine coolers in the society.It is the niche segment in the Indian society as the use of the wines in the Indian houses is very less. Only few (very small in number as compared to the market) use the wines and thus Haier in the wine cooler segment caters the need of the only those customers that manufactures wine coolers (which are very few in the numbers with a particular unique demand) thus they are serving the niche segment. Hence their targeting strategy is to target upper premium segment. HAIER POSITIONING STRATEGY: Life is very invol ving and everyday it offers you new challenges.Haier has peeped into life and come up with ideas that make living enjoyable and joyous. The main brand Idea was that Haier products are Inspired by Life: this is now expressed as Inspired Living. There is also another perspective on Inspired Living. All Haier products are the result of closely studied actual usage patterns of home appliances, i. e. , inspired by everyday life. For example, Haier was the first to launch a Bottom Mounted Refrigerator in the country. It is based on a simple insight that refrigerator shelves are used far more often than the freezer shelf.So Haier has put the freezer at the bottom and refrigerator racks at convenient heights, so that you don’t have to bend your back frequently. As a late entrant into the category, Haier understands the consumer needs better and reflects that in consumer offerings. This is how they write the positioning statement: Haier is better than all other brands for easy adopter s because it offers them benefits that help them lead a better life as a result of our endeavour to understand life better and work technology around it.

Family in Transition Essay

The study of the family faces various difficulties. The difficulties essentially arise from the changing forms of families in the United States in the modern times. The legalization of same sex marriages in the society is one of the sources of definition problem in the recent past. People get it hard to call the union of people of the same sex family since the union may not fulfill the roles of a family such as siring children. Another problem has arisen from the internal shift from a case where the father used to be the leader of the family to such family setups like single motherhood and single fatherhood. (b). The Traditional Family In the United States over the years the traditional family was comprised of the father mother and children. The father was the head of the family whereby he provided for the family by working in the public space. The mother was subservient to the father and her duties were restricted to the domestic space (Skolnick & Skolnick, 2008, p6). Over the past hundred years changes have occurred to the traditional family. The changes have been influenced by the industrialization that led to work for women and also by the changing of psychological orientation of the people in the country. The realization of women’s ability to perform in the workplace that was initially the province of men has made women ask for more equality with men in those areas where they were initially oppressed. With hard economic realities children have to study hard in order to be successful in the future, hence Children are occupied in education for most of their days and are absent from the family most of the time. They have changed from being domestic workers alongside their mothers as the society has shifted to education for survival. (c). Several Myths Regarding The Family Exist In The Contemporary World. Skolnick & Skolnick (2008, p5) writes that four myths about the family exist. The first is the universality myth. This myth holds that families are the same all over the world. This myth has been promulgated by anthropologists who seek a universal definition of the family. However this myth is not truth because different cultures have differing constitutions of the family. For instance there are incidences of monogamy and polygamy. The myth of universality is thought to be influenced by the notion of taking nuclear monogamous family as the ideal. It is however not fair to subscribe to this myth as different families have different member construction. The myth of harmony is another notion that has been used when referring to the family. There has been a long history of seeing families as either happy or unhappy, or normal and abnormal. This myth has however been proven as false since the family may have many problems that are kept secret by the members of the family. It is common for families that are seen as normal by the society to have domestic violence going on. This myth has the effect of making people oblivious of the real situations that families go through. Another myth is the myth of parental determinism. This myth tries to take the responsibility for functional family from the family members by laying the blame on the way one was brought up. This myth does not stand in the face of studies that have come out with conclusion that a child’s behavior is not totally dependent on what their parents or the society teaches them. The study informs that people’s behaviors are influenced by their own thinking and temperaments and characteristics. The myth of a stable past holds that there was a golden era of the family whereby members of the family existed with minimum or no conflict. This myth claims that evils that dog the family in the modern times were not existent in the old times. However, no evidence has been adduced to support this myth. Any attempt to give evidence reveals how past generations were afflicted by social ills such as premarital sex, infanticide and illegitimate children. 2. Conservatives, Liberals and Feminists views on the â€Å"Decline of the Family† The family in the USA has been facing several problems in the modern times. According to conservatives, symptoms of the decline of the family have been seen in the increased number of single parents, reduction of births, increase in gay and lesbian relations, couples refraining from getting children in marriage, divorces, female spouses’ economic independence in marriages, divorces among others (Skolnick & Skolnick, 2008). Liberals don’t see this as the signs of decline but rather as the signs of welcome change in the way people perceive the family. Feminists, who have for long pressed for the release of the woman from her traditionally imposed roles in the family, sees the developments that enhance the freedom of women in marriages such as economic independence or even divorce as welcome developments. For liberals who advocate for the societies breaking away from old traditions the apparent changes in the family today are welcome. They argue that these developments are a source of more liberty to the family members as they help make an environment for the home that is new. Liberals place a premium on the capacity of the family to create happiness for its members and they hold that the happiness results from the realization of individual family members desires. The result is a rather flexible definition of the family whereby people get to have diversity of what can be called families and also family values. In the circles of liberals these developments are transitional and are essentially progressive hence they should be embraced. They are said to lead to a better society. Conservatives views on the modern changes of the family are directly opposite to those of the liberals. The conservatives see them as the signs of the ultimate family decline. The conservative’s opinion puts them in contrast with feminists as well.   The stance of the conservatives is widely criticized because they support systems that are known to be unprogressive just for its own sake and never adapting to change. They for instance, by advocating for the traditional kind of family, they support male chauvinism in the society whereas women have become empowered and hence play roles men used to play in the past. Feminists have been accused for causing breakups in families since they advocate for the liberation of the woman. The society has faced situations whereby the mother who would like to put their families first is scorned upon by feminists. The role of the woman in the family hence becomes attractive to disagreements some which end up in separation and divorce There are questions ranging about the family in the country in the modern day. People ask of the family whether it is an institution headed for extinction of whether it is undergoing transition. It is no doubt that the developments on the family are deeply influenced by the ideological emphasis of the American people on values of individual liberty and choice. There is no doubt that the society in general and the family in particular must in a way accommodate the changes that have happened in the modern world. The changes such as the financial empowerment of women and the realization of gay as well as lesbian rights have irrevocable impact of bringing change to the roles of members within the family. Consequently relations in the home are bound to be altered of redefined. Equality of the sexes in the society, unlike the traditional patriarchy also contributes to the changes happening to the family. The changes have the impact of bringing more happiness in the society and they are welcome to a great number of people. Caution should be taken, however to avoid the situation of imposed decline on the family by adapting thoughtlessly to the tide of change. The family has for long been a source of emotional and moral support and its end would bring disillusionment to the society. The changes to the traditional family should not destroy the traditional role of the family such as procreation. There is a need to adapt to the roles of the modern woman in the home and do away with the traditional roles, for it seems that it is by embracing roles that the family stays together. 3. Decline of gender inequality in America Gender inequality has been on the downward trend since the 1840s. The era of decline of inequality since then is divided into four parts which mark the steps in the progress towards equality (Skolnick & Skolnick, 2008, p105). The era of separate spheres existed between 1840 and 1890. In this era equality of the sexes was formally instituted. Only single women worked and a few number of women attended colleges. This are had minimal divorces that happened only out of dire circumstances. In the realm of procreation there was no control of births. Also in this era was subordination of the women by their husbands as an aspect of culture. The era of egalitarian illusions followed. This era that is known as the era of assimilation occurred between 1890 and 1940. In this era jobs for married women began to be found in the society. There was increase in the rate of divorce in the society but it was not easy to get divorced. The family also enjoyed increased control over reproduction. Mothers in the society in this era were well educated and could be employed in the public service. 1940 to 1990 was the era that followed. Hereby is when jobs became available for women of all kinds and women could access education the same way as men did. The era also saw the increase divorce in the society as it got increasingly accepted. Again there was increased sexual freedom in the society and the cultural values included pursuing careers and equality in marriages. The subsequent era that is from the 1990’s to the present day has seen women occupy the highest offices alongside men. There is a conscience that duties of the domestic setting pull women back. However, in this era whereby women seem to have made the great strides towards equality with men there remains some lucrative domains in education that are dominated by men, for instance the domain of engineering. Moreover evils perpetuated against women in the society such as rape are still at high levels. These residual inequalities are currently being dealt with and it is hoped that the completion of the equality may take effect soon.