Essay on Ancient Greek and Mesopotamian Religions - a...

Ancient Religions By: MLB As civilization has progressed through the ages, many religions have arisen and taken hold around the world, two if the most interesting, being the religious beliefs of the ancient Mesopotamian and the Greeks. These two religions were practiced in different areas and at different times and, therefore, show that religion has played a critical role in every society and civilization. No matter how it is organized or what type of god is worshiped, a society would be nothing without some kind of deity to organize it. In comparing the religious beliefs of the Mesopotamian and the Ancient Greeks religious components highlighted including the style of worship, the temples†¦show more content†¦Although the styles were different between these two cultures, both the Mesopotamian and the Greeks took great pride in glorifying their gods. Just as each culture built unique places of worship as was their style of worship unique. In the Mesopotamian religion there were well over 3000 gods and goddesses. Each city had its own patron god who was in charge of that city. It was also believed that each person had his own lesser god who would appeal with the greater gods on his own account. At the upper part of the Mesopotamian pantheon sits An, the Lord of heaven and Enlil, Lord of the earth. These two gods had a sour attitude towards the human beings. It was Enki, god of sweet waters, magic and wisdom, that was humanitys friend. The Mesopotamians also had an interesting view on doing evil and evil acts. They never blamed themselves; instead it was all put on a demon taking over the persons body. So instead of punishing the individuals for their crimes, the Mesopotamians would try to exorcise them. People wore amulets or charms to try to keep the evil demons away. If they performed a ritual fault or accident, such as touching a cursed person, it could invoke the wrath of the gods and that was when a persons personal god would have to defend you before th e greater gods (Garber, 204).Show MoreRelatedMesopotamian Literature : The Civilization1005 Words   |  5 Pagesthis age. In early Mesopotamia, the Mesopotamians and the Egyptians had a communal outlook on religion. Although their religious outlook was the same, they viewed the world in many different ways that in fact affected their thoughts, art, and literature. The Mesopotamians had a very basic pessimistic belief on their world and viewed the gods as a way to win at life and to handle their desires. Mesopotamian literature was written very severely harsh. Mesopotamian literature was written to accentuateRead MoreEssay on Ancient Religions: A Comparison2239 Words   |  9 Pages Ancient Religions: A Comparison As civilization has expanded and improved it has gone through many different religions. Some of the most interesting and different have been the Mesopotamian religion, the religion of the Greeks and finally Christianity. These three religions were practiced in different areas and different time periods and therefore they will be excellent for a comparison. Religion is a key part of every society and civilization. No matter how it is organized or what type of GodRead MoreStudying The Religion Of The Ancient Israelite People : An Analysis1199 Words   |  5 PagesStudying the religion of the Ancient Israelite People must be done in a careful manner. The ways in which biblical scholars frame significant ideas can have a major effect on how their point is received. Today’s ideas about the religious lives of Canaanites have been drawn on primarily from The Hebrew Bible and archaeological evidence. In their respective works, biblical scholars Benjamin Sommer and Carol Meyers choose to interpret these pieces of religious evidence is varying ways; Meyers takesRead MoreAncient Egyptian Art And Art Essay1655 Words   |  7 PagesAncient Egyptian sculpture was influential for the time and as well as today through many methods including various sculpture and pottery ranging from colossal obelisks to tiny pieces of pottery. Egyptian developments in sculpture and pottery show aspects of religion, the spreading of their culture, and advanced design. Egyptian sculptures was influenced by their religion through many methods. One of these methods were the obelisks, there happened to be specific rules for them as they were afterRead MoreThe Changing Role of Women in Ancient Civilizations Essay2422 Words   |  10 Pageslife was like for women during ancient times. In many of the organized ancient civilizations, it was very common to find a primarily patriarchal civilization in government as well as in society. The causing factors can be attributed to different reasons, the main being the Neolithic Revolution and the new found dependence on manpower it caused. As a result of this, a woman found herself to be placed into an entirely different view in the eye of society. In comparison to the early Paleolithic matriarchalRead MoreAp World History Units 1-3 Study Guide Essay4374 Words   |  18 PagesWritten languages * Complex political order and power 6. Evidence proves that the Mesopotamians * Traded extensively with peoples as far away as Anatolia, Egypt, India 7. Major effect of Neolithic Revolution * The establishment of sedentary village communities 8. Conditions for women in Mesopotamia * Grew increasingly worse over time 9. The division of the ancient people into social and gender hierarchies was first made possible by * Rise in agriculturalRead MoreA Critical Thinking Exercise : The Role Of Religion During World Civilizations3861 Words   |  16 Pages Critical Thinking Exercise: The Role of Religion in Early World Civilizations Name Stephanie Trent_________ Students will complete this critical thinking exercise in history as a â€Å"thought paper,† but will identify sources for their answers. Students can use the textbook and class notes for sources, but can use other sources. This exercise is in the form of a â€Å"short answer format.† This must at least be six full pages, but can be longer if needed. Students are expectedRead MoreReligion : A Powerful Force3704 Words   |  15 PagesReligion has been a powerful force in human history. Mankind has longed and searched for the answers to its purpose, the reason for being and the possibility of life after physical death. They reasoned that an afterlife would be a place of accounting and reckoning for the life they lived on earth. Religious belief systems seemed to give the answers as to how to prepare for the afterlife. Religion became the means of giving answers to those basic yet deep-seated questions of both life and death. ReligionRead MoreMy Definition Of Wor ld History3916 Words   |  16 Pagesmore agricultural society. Tom Standage uses a pictogram that was discovered in Mesopotamia, found evidence of tools used for making, brewing, harvesting, and transporting beer or its ingredients, and Mesopotamian and Egyptian records. He also commonly uses Cuneiform records and tablets. Many ancient cultures used beer to share with others, and by doing this, became closer to one another. This is because drinks can be shared easily and doing so shows friendliness, trust, generosity, and kindness.Read MoreWorld History AP8768 Words   |  36 Pagesoverextension and the creation of a unified identity that redefines conquered peoples, are timeless issues still relevant today. Margin Review Questions Q. How did Persian and Greek civilizations differ in their political organization and values? †¢ The Persians built an imperial political system that drew upon previous Mesopotamian polities, including the Babylonian and Assyrian empires. The Persian Empire was far larger than its predecessors, stretching from Egypt to India, and ruled over some 35 million

Progressivism Movement - 1941 Words

Progressivism implies a philosophy that welcomes innovations and reforms in the political, economic, and social order. The Progressive movement, 1901 to 1917, was ultimately the triumph of conservatism rather than a victory for liberalism. In a general sense, the conservative goals of this period justified the Liberal reforms enacted by Progressive leaders. Deviating from the traditional definition of conservatism (a resistance to change and a disposition of hostility to innovations in the political, social, and economic order), the Conservatist triumph was in the sense that there was an effort to maintain basic social and economic relations vital to a capitalist society. The Progressive leaders essentially wanted to perpetuate Liberal†¦show more content†¦However, in perusing anti-monopoly law enforcement, Taft and his Attorney General George Wichersham brought44 indictments in anti-trust suites. Taft was successful in healing the Republican split between conservatives and progressives over such issues as tariff reform, conservation, and the almost dictatorial pwer held by Republican Speaker of the House, Joseph Cannon. Tafts inability to bring both wings of the party together led to the hardened division which would bring about a Democratic victory in the 1912 elections. In 1910, Republican progressives joined with Democrats to strip Speaker Cannon of his pwer to appoint the Committee on Rules and serve on it himself. Although critical of Cannon, Taft failed to align himself with the progressives. Also, another event pushing the greater split in the Republican party was the Ballinger-Pinchot Disputes (1909-1910). Progressives backed Gifford Pinchot, chief of the U.S. Forest Service, in his charge that the conservative Secretary of the Interior, Richard Ballinger, was giving away the nations natural resources to private corporate interests. A congressional investigatory committee found that Ballinger had done nothing illegal, but did act in a manner contrary to the governments environmental policies. Taft had supported Ballinger through the controversy, but negative public opinion forced Ballinger to resign in 1911. Tafts political standing with progressive Republicans hurt the election ofShow MoreRelatedThe Reform Movement of Progressivism1084 Words   |  4 Pages Progressivism is defined as an early 20th century reform movement seeking to return control of the government to the people to restore economic opportunities and to correct injustices in American life. During this time period, certain aspects of American life were in need of drastic change, so progressives led the charge towards reforming American society and politics. Among these aspects, social and political conditions were some of the most heavily reformed, involving women’s rights, and corruptionRead MoreProgressivism : A Wide And Varied Movement Essay1332 Words   |  6 PagesProgressivism was a wide and varied movement that changed American values and lifestyles having everlasting impact on American history. Progressivism, ranging from 1880 to 1920, was a well-planned and well-organized movement in the United States having wide as well as diversified goals. Leaders of progressivism movement focused on humanity element and tried to make advancements by promoting liberation to stimulate human force along with exploiting human potential to remove restraints imposed by contemporaryRead MoreAdvantages And Disadvantages Of The Progressives1277 Words   |  6 PagesProgressivism, †¦unlike populism, whose grassroots appeal was largely confined to rural regions in the South and Mid-West, focused on the nation altogether, coming in all different forms. (Shi Tindall 778) The movement consisted of moral Christians who disliked politics. They believed that politics, †¦had become a contest between good and evil, honesty and corruption (Shi Tindall 778). Therefore, they believed the government should provide more, addressing the issues dealing with rapid urbanRead MoreThe First Midterm Assig nment During American History1500 Words   |  6 PagesSecond Midterm Assignment They Progressive Movement was, â€Å"a period of dramatic political reform and social activism. (Tindall, 718)† In other words the progressive movement was established to fix society’s ills that occurred in the late-19th century and early-20th century especially from the Gilded Ages, without including controversy and trying to please everyone’s needs. â€Å"Progressivism was wide-ranging impulse rather than a single organized movement, a multifaceted, often fragmented, and at timesRead MoreThe Movement Of Stem Education1815 Words   |  8 Pagesemerges certain philosophies of education. Those philosophies of education can then be directly linked to issues/ problems in education today. This paper will take a detailed look at pragmatism and its link to progressivism. Then, an examination of how those principles have shaped the movement of STEM education will provide a complete overview of these early century physiological foundations to modern day education issue s. There are principles and thinking within all three topics that overlap. In orderRead MoreProgressivism Within Twenty First Century Learning1203 Words   |  5 PagesProgressivism within Twenty-First Century Learning By Josh Fix Submitted to the Faculty of Columbus State University in Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree of Doctor of Education in Curriculum and Leadership Columbus State University Columbus, GA July 2015 By design twenty-first century learning prepares students to be successful, contributing citizens in the locale of today’s global society. Twenty-first century learning requires students to understand how to learnRead MoreThe Progressive And Gilded Age914 Words   |  4 Pagesthemselves and the society a safer and a better place to live. The Progressive worked to make big business regulate more responsible and clean up corrupted businesses, city, improving a better working conditions etc.†(Discussion 9). New comers to the movement strived to adjust to new conditions at one hand while attempting to keep up their particular society and dialect framework with the other making a perplexing circumstance. The Progressives â€Å"offered an impressive array of reform proposals† becauseRead MoreEssay on A Progressive Movement1538 Words   |  7 PagesA Progressive Movement Much of a historian’s job is to read what their colleagues have written on their subject of interest at the moment. Often, they then go on to write their own opinions on the subject, thereby influencing the historians of the future. The famed historian and teacher Richard Hofstadter wrote The Age of Reform in 1955 about the late 19th century and early 20th century movement of Progressivism. In turn, other historians that include Paula Baker, Richard McCormick, andRead MoreProgressivism Historiography Essay2107 Words   |  9 PagesAwesome Student Mrs. Aars CIS American History 15 March, 2013 My Take on the Progressives The common thought about progressivism before the 1950s were that it was a movement by the common people to curb the excessive power of powerful people such as urban bosses, corporate moguls, and corrupt officials. However, when George Mowry wrote his Progressivism: Middle Class Disillusionment, he challenged the common idea that the progressives were middle class citizens and instead considered them toRead More History Essay2625 Words   |  11 Pagescontinued between historians of various perspectives is the study of American Progressivism that was started in 1955 by Richard Hofstadter in his controversial book entitled The Age of Reform. His theory of the Progressive Movement is explored and questioned by Peter Filene’s â€Å"An Obituary for ‘The Progressive Movement’,† Richard McCormick’s â€Å"The Discovery that Business Corrupts Politics: A Reappraisal of the Origins of Progressivism,† and Paula Baker’s â€Å"The Domesticatio n of Politics: Women and American

Business Information Systems Improving Marketing and Sales

Question: Discuss about theBusiness Information Systems for Improving Marketing and Sales. Answer: Improving Marketing and Sales Suppose that August Online Technology wanted to increase the annual sales of the product analyzed, the Internet can be used to improve the marketing and sales in the following ways: by enhancing the awareness of goods. Customers always purchase products they know well. Through the utilization of the social media, the business can boost product awareness. At the same time, marketing the public can be introduced hence, alerting a larger group of people about the product provided by the company (Arndt and Ze, 2014). This access to broader market can be realized through print ads and television. Therefore, the Internet enables the business to access and sell goods to more people, both internationally and locally. The internet can also be used to increase sales by increasing the traffic. Traffic increment only requires the company to exert more effort on the web marketing. Having a bigger website audience, the August Online Technology can disseminate information regarding the organization, improve the businesss product image and foster good customer relationships. When the image of products and services is developed, most online users can get attracted easily resulting in more sales (Peeters and Gilmore, 2013). With all the mentioned means, the realization of higher returns of investments by August Online Technology is evident. Marketing through the internet is useful enough to make the company put forward an active compound effect on its website. This indication implies that the effort placed by the corporation during the previous month can still have an impact for the next one or two years. Through the Internet, the company can also use the social media and blogs to attain learning curve, allowing the company to interact freely with customers through chats (Tse, 2013). This good communication plan boosts the relationship between the enterprise and online customers hence, improving marketing and sales. Network Security Risks and Protection Suppose I had product plans and details on the August Online Technology computer network, there are many possible security risks and Internet and Network attacks that might impact the safety and privacy of my product. Some of them are viruses, SPAMs, spoofing, spyware, blended threats and denial of access attack (More hospitals assess computer security risks, 2011). Computer virus represents a program written with the intention of spreading stealthily and faster to other computer systems. Whether more or less, a virus attack causes functioning disruptions to the attacked computer. This type of internet threat is capable of spreading through any mode for digital data exchange, and the danger is always very high. SAMs is an enormous and automatic delivery risk that sometimes occurs repeatedly of unsolicited emails to people with whom the mail sender has possessed no contact. However, this attack is weak. Spoofing is a threat that entails stealing of ones identity, and use them for advantage gain. In this issue, individual rights are obtained and used to claim of having acquired specified qualifications at ones expense (Moon et al., 2016). Spoofing is one of the internet threat whose dangers are very high. Also of significant threat, spyware is a software that collects peoples information without their knowledge of retransmitting the data through the internet. This threat is installed when a user browses the internet, to make an additional download from untrusted sites. On the other hand, the blended threat is an attack to both the consequences and the levels of means of propagation. Blended is a very dangerous threat because it combines many risks together. Lastly, in denial of service attack, attackers sends connections in large number to a target, aiming at making the user unable to meet the requests applied by his computer. Some of the security tools that can be used to protect th e product and the product information are quality antiviruses and real-time anti-spyware protection (Khattak et al., 2014). References Arndt, A. and Ze, W. 2014. How Instructor Enthusiasm influences the Effectiveness of Asynchronous Internet-Based Sales Training. Journal for Advancement of Marketing Education, 22, 2, pp. 26-36. Khattak, N, Chadwick, D, Ahmed Bhatti, R, Shad, S, Shafique Butt, F. and Ullah Munir, E. 2014. Assessment of anti-spyware tools for signature and behavior base techniques. Science International, 26, 5, pp. 2071-2076. Moon, D, Lee, J, Jeong, Y, and Park, J. 2016. RTNSS: a routing trace-based network security system for preventing ARP spoofing attacks. Journal of Supercomputing, 72, 5, pp. 1740-1756. More hospitals assess computer security risks. 2011. Health Facilities Management, 24, 6, p. 6. Peeters, S. and Gilmore, A. 2013. How online sales and promotion of snus contravenes current European Union legislation. Tobacco Control, 22, 4, pp. 266-273. Tse T. M. 2013. The Marketing Role of the Internet in Launching a Hotel: The Case of Hotel ICON', Journal Of Hospitality Marketing Management, 22, 8, pp. 895-908.

Internship Report free essay sample

The internship report should be properly typed. Submitted both in hard copy as well as soft copy. †¢The internship report should be original, no photocopies are accepted. †¢The length of your Internship Report should not exceed 5,000 words. Use standard formal level of English (no slang or colloquialisms). †¢Use a good quality white bond paper. †¢Student should adhere to the timings for submission of report. No excuse will be entertained in any case. †¢Note: Delay in submission of internship report will attract PENALTY. WRITING RULES †¢Pages must be numbered †¢All margins (Left, Right, Top, Bottom) must be 1 inch. †¢All Headings Times New Roman 13 pts Bold †¢All Sub Headings. Times New Roman 13 pts Bold †¢All Body Text – 13 pts Times New Roman †¢All line spacing must be 1. 5 points Complete report and all paragraphs must be fully justified †¢Bind the Internship report in a suitable protective cover. OUTLINE FOR INTERNSHIP REPORT Recommended format to be followed: 1*Title page: The title page of the report will include: a. We will write a custom essay sample on Internship Report or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page The names of the organization b. The name of the internee, Student ID c. The date of the final report d. Name of the university 2* Dedication Write down the dedication of your internship report. 3*Acknowledgement Write down the Acknowledgement for your internship report. 4*Executive Summary : The summary is considered by many to be the most important part of a report. It is a difficult part to write and should always be written last. (normally just one page). Purpose: Provides a brief summary of the report, information abstract. No reference is made to any part of the report; a summary is complete in itself. Content: †¢States the most important information in the report. †¢The purposes, method, reason for the report. †¢The findings, conclusions, decisions, recommendations . †¢All major generalizations or assumptions of the report. for An Executive Summary deals with every section of the report in a short form. It can be called as micro image of the report. An executive summary is overview of the complete report which helps the reader to get quick glance at the report before reading it in detail. Everything important that you have done, discovered and concluded should be mentioned, but briefly and concisely. GENERAL GUIDELINES FOR INTERNSHIP REPORT (FOR ATC STUDENTS ONLY) All the students are required to follow the following instructions: †¢Each student will have to submit the report in the recommended format. †¢Internship report is an individual task. One cannot submit the same report as the other students, each report has to be different, even if the company is same. The internship report should be properly typed. Submitted both in hard copy as well as soft copy. †¢The internship report should be original, no photocopies are accepted. †¢The length of your Internship Report should not exceed 5,000 words. †¢Use standard formal level of English (no slang or colloquialisms). †¢Use a good quality white bond paper. †¢Student should adhere to the timings for submission of report. No excuse will be entertained in any case. †¢Note: Delay in submission of internship report will attract PENALTY. WRITING RULES †¢Pages must be numbered †¢All margins (Left, Right, Top, Bottom) must be 1 inch. All Headings Times New Roman 13 pts Bold †¢All Sub Headings Times New Roman 13 pts Bold †¢All Body Text – 13 pts Times New Roman †¢All line spacing must be 1. 5 points †¢Complete report and all paragraphs must be fully justified †¢Bind the Internship report in a suitable protective cover. OUTLINE FOR INTERNSHIP REPORT Recommended format to be followed: 1*Title page: The title page of the report will include: a. The names of the organization b. The name of the internee, Student ID c. The date of the final report d. Name of the university 2* Dedication Write down the dedication of your internship report. 3*Acknowledgement Write down the Acknowledgement for your internship report. 4*Executive Summary : The summary is considered by many to be the most important part of a report. It is a difficult part to write and should always be written last. (normally just one page). Purpose: Provides a brief summary of the report, information abstract. No reference is made to any part of the report; a summary is complete in itself. Content: †¢States the most important information in the report. †¢The purposes, method, reason for the report. †¢ The findings, conclusions, decisions, recommendations . †¢All major generalizations or assumptions of the report. or An Executive Summary deals with every section of the report in a short form. It can be called as micro image of the report. An executive summary is overview of the complete report which helps the reader to get quick glance at the report before reading it in detail. Everything important that you have done, discovered and concluded should be mentioned, but briefly and concisely. GENERAL GUIDELINES FOR INTERNSHIP REPORT (FOR ATC STUDENTS ONLY) All the students are required to follow the following instructions: †¢Each student will have to submit the report in the recommended format. Internship report is an individual task. One cannot submit the same report as the other students, each report has to be different, even if the company is same. †¢The internship report should be properly typed. Submitted both in hard copy as well as soft copy. †¢The internshi p report should be original, no photocopies are accepted. †¢The length of your Internship Report should not exceed 5,000 words. †¢Use standard formal level of English (no slang or colloquialisms). †¢Use a good quality white bond paper. †¢Student should adhere to the timings for submission of report. No excuse will be entertained in any case. Note: Delay in submission of internship report will attract PENALTY. WRITING RULES †¢Pages must be numbered †¢All margins (Left, Right, Top, Bottom) must be 1 inch. †¢All Headings Times New Roman 13 pts Bold †¢All Sub Headings Times New Roman 13 pts Bold †¢All Body Text – 13 pts Times New Roman †¢All line spacing must be 1. 5 points †¢Complete report and all paragraphs must be fully justified †¢Bind the Internship report in a suitable protective cover. OUTLINE FOR INTERNSHIP REPORT Recommended format to be followed: 1*Title page: The title page of the report will include: a. The names of the organization . The name of the internee, Stu dent ID c. The date of the final report d. Name of the university 2* Dedication Write down the dedication of your internship report. 3*Acknowledgement Write down the Acknowledgement for your internship report. 4*Executive Summary : The summary is considered by many to be the most important part of a report. It is a difficult part to write and should always be written last. (normally just one page). Purpose: Provides a brief summary of the report, information abstract. No reference is made to any part of the report; a summary is complete in itself. Content: States the most important information in the report. †¢The purposes, method, reason for the report. †¢The findings, conclusions, decisions, recommendations . †¢All major generalizations or assumptions of the report. for An Executive Summary deals with every section of the report in a short form. It can be called as micro image of the report. An executive summary is overview of the complete report which helps the reader to get quick glance at the report before reading it in detail. Everything important that you have done, discovered and concluded should be mentioned, but briefly and concisely. Internship Report free essay sample Achievements Skills learned concerning office etiquette and mannerism will for sure be an asset. The mode of dressing, not to mention office language and courtesy were major learning achievements. The three months stay at the KNBS has afforded me the opportunity to acquire and develop skills that are very necessary in the job market. I also enjoyed working with statisticians, demographers, samplers and economists, who gave me the challenge and passion to endure in my academic endeavors. The work environment capacitated my ability to initiate problem solving and systematic thinking skills. More so the virtues of high work ethics and office integrity, maturity and ability to work without supervision. Adding to experience and skills were the three supervisors who were supervising us and of which we consulted them time to time whenever we encountered problems with the data, as they were trained and self motivated persons, and helped us to develop ourselves and to achieve the required skills and meeting deadlines. We will write a custom essay sample on Internship Report or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page The culture within KNBS has moulded me into a highly proactive team player ready to work under pressure. It’s in dealing with the vast national data that I developed a strong analytical knowledge of government systems, NGO’s and international agencies. The operations within KNBS revolve purely on statistics. CHAPTER THREE Conclusion The most difficult part of this job is that one has to remain seated throughout the day with only a lunch break in between, keying in data which is really challenging as there is a lot of monotony. One cannot solely rely on hard work but also speed in using the keyboard and also accuracy lest you make errors. KNBS is a good organization to work for, a reputable growing rganization which provides ample opportunity for students to polish their skills and broaden their minds while gaining experience of practical life and to work with a lot of talented and experienced people who are always adding something to your knowledge. Also helps students be ready to enter the job market which is faced with stiff competition. Thus this opportunity offers stud ents an upper hand in employment opportunity upon recommendation from the organization. All in all, the experience of working and learning at the same time in such a reputable organization is awesome. Employees there would not show attitude and even supervisors passing by would crack a joke or pass a comment and leave you enjoying it for the day. It will be an unforgettable experience of my life where I learnt the way to interact and polish my abilities at the organization level, had the experience and exposure of performing and handling tasks, supervisor and subordinate relation and development of skills and was able to practically apply my studies of statistics and data handling and I wish to work them in future after completing my degree in Economics and Statistics. Never have I felt bored, bright and full of life are the workdays at KNBS professional environment and friends I have, and made, work you enjoy. That’s what KNBS is all about. Recommendations * Engage the attaches in more rigorous activities like in research for other indicators using data available: statisticians are meant to be researchers. * Encourage the KNBS staff to incorporate the students in all of their activities related to office e. . field activities i. e. surveys etc. * The bureau should be ready to co-worker with other experts and higher institutions of learning through statistical joint forums or symposiums to discuss their challenges; successes and where assistance is needed help one another. * The Ministry of Planning and National Development, under which KNBS falls should provide remuneration(an allowance) to students which will make life a little more bearable Internship Report free essay sample I have concentrated my best effort to achieve the objectives of the report and hope that my endeavor will serve the purpose. Working 60 days in Mercantile Bank Limited, Main Branch was a worth while experience for me as it helped to combine practical experience with my theoretical knowledge. Sincerely yours, Shahinor Rahaman MBA 15th batch Class Roll:14488 Exam Roll: 2006/35 University of Chittagong. Acknowledgement Many people have contributed to the writing of this internship report. I acknowledge my indebtedness with deep appreciation to K. M Golam Mohiuddin, honorable supervisor of my internship program and Assistant Professor of School of Business, who assigned me to prepare this report on â€Å"Credit Policy Practice of Private Commercial Banks of Bangladesh, A Study on Mercantile Bank Ltd. ’’. I am especially indebted to Md. Rabiul Islam, Senior Vice President Head of Branch of Mercantile Bank Ltd. whose direct cooperation recommendation helped me to get such a nice internship immediately when getting an internship was an urgent requirement. We will write a custom essay sample on Internship Report or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page I would convey my cordial thanks to Md. Abdus Salam, Vice President Manager Operation of Main Branch. My innumerable thanks heartiest gratitude always will be to Mr. Md. Fakhruzzaman Chowdhury, AVP In charge of Credit Division of MBL Main Branch. I am indebted forever to him and without his help successful preparation of this report was really impossible for me. I am also grateful to the other executives officers of Mercantile Bank, Main branch. I am also grateful to our Departmental Chairman, for giving me an identity with which I could work at Main Branch of Mercantile Bank Ltd. Through doing this report, I have extracted more precise knowledge about various terms related to policy practice of credit. Finally, I would like to express thanks to my entire course teacher and the Department for introducing such academic work. Shahinor Rahman Abstract In Banks and Financial Institutions, Credit Risk is considered as an essential factor that needs to be managed. Credit Risk is the possibility that a borrower or counter party will fail to meet its obligations in accordance with the agreed terms. Credit Risk, therefore, arises from the Bank’s dealings with or lending to corporate, individuals and other Banks or Financial Institutions. Credit Risk Management needs to be a robust process that enables Banks to proactively manage loan portfolios in order to minimize losses and earn an acceptable level of return for shareholders. Mercantile Bank prepared Credit Policy in May 2000 and circulated the same to the Branches / concerned Executives for Compliance which was revised in August 2003. In order to cope with the fast changing scenario of dynamic global economy, liberalization and globalization and in the light of the directives / suggestions of the Focus group of Bangladesh Bank, the Credit Policy has been revised in October, 2005. All Executives / Officers of the Branch as well as Head Office especially those are entrusted with the responsibility of Credit marketing, approval processing, credit monitoring, recovery and compliance, must keep themselves thoroughly conversant with the contents of the Credit Policy for meticulous compliance. MBL is to does everything within the context of its policy and Bangladesh Bank guidelines. Every private commercial bank formulates its policy for their operations to keep banks viable and profitable and also for the safeguard of depositors’ interest. Practices of Credit are however, subject to additions, alternations and modifications as may be warranted by the change of circumstances due to passage of time, to suit the requirement of the Bank. Whatever the policy of Bangladesh Bank is most of the private commercial banks are inclined to invest in the highly profitable sector simultaneously where risks are lower. Only the credit department has been covered in the internship program, it is not possible to go to the depth of each activities of branch because of time limitation. In this report those credit schemes are high lighted only which are most familiar to common people as well as frequently practiced by a bank especially MBL Main Branch. And only the parts relevant to my focusing fields have been taken, thus the actual credit Policy has been shortened to facilitate the study. MBL discourages the persons who are inclined to get loan for their urgent purpose. Mode of disbursement, charge documents etc. creates bottleneck in loan approval process. Head office takes so longer time in processing and approval of corporate loan. The total sanctioning process event takes month after month to give the final decision. MBL does not sanction loan to all sectors equally as they require, rather it concentrates its loan and advances within some limited fields and category. It has Credit Card facilities, but ATM booths are located only in some commercial hubs in the city. Again the terms and conditions of the credit card are not changes with the changing environment. That’s why ATM card holders most often don’t take credit card facilities even in some cases employee of MBL use other banks’ credit card. Consumer credit schemes (CCS) are more popular and required things among the people of various classes, but the effective rate of interest is very high. And the terms and conditions of CCS loan are also very inconvenient and discourage people. Loan sanctioning and disbursement procedure are not so easy and flexible being considered the requirements of different classes of people. Sector wise loans in agro based industries and firms, leather technology can be convenient and flexible for the receiver. Loan facility parameter should be expanded so that all the people can get loan according to their needs. Average cost of fund is very high. On the contrary Business Power for sanctioning loans and advances at branch level is negligible. Lots of new commercial bank has been established in last few years and these banks have made this banking sector very competitive. So, now banks have to organize their operation and do their operations according to the need of the market. Banking sectors no more depends on a traditional method of banking. In this competitive world this sector has trenched its wings wide enough to cover any kind of financial services anywhere in this world. The major task for banks, to survive in this competitive environment is by managing its assets and liabilities in an efficient way. Every organization has its positive as well as negatives and in case of Mercantile Bank Limited existence of the later one is less then the earlier one and as the management is determined to reach the pick of success it seems that in near future the negatives will be eliminated. Eight years is a very short span of time and the organization, which can establish itself as one of the most reputed private commercial Bank in the country within this short period deserves special credit and with their able leaders Mercantile Bank will reach the highest level of success very shortly. Internship Report free essay sample Guidelines for Writing Internship Reports Objective Writing reports is one of the most formal ways of presenting the results of a project. Reports can be written about any professional activity including experimental or test results, design proposals, economic or technical feasibility studies and project summaries. They usually follow a major effort on a single topic and are written for review by people involved in decision making or affected by their work. Internship students are asked to write an Internship Report for a number of reasons, including practice in the following: Organizing and presenting a large amount of information elated toa problem. Interpreting relevant information. Evolving relevant conclusions which result in recommendations. Essential Elements An Internship Report contains four essential parts. However, it may also contain other information and be laid out under different tiles. These essential parts are: A clear definition of the problem addressed by the study. Ђ The details of the study including: assumptions, alternatives, and predicted outcomes; Conclusions following from the details. We will write a custom essay sample on Internship Report or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page Recommendations derived from the conclusions and addressing the problem. Recommendations are required in your Internship Report. Guidelines for Writing Internship Reports Choosing a Topic Your Internship Report should be based on a specific aspect of the relevant organization where you intend doing your internship, e. g. HR, Finance, Marketing, Logistics, etc. Hence you should research a topic that is related to your work or place of internship. In this regard ,a generalized study report will not be acceptable. Style The Internship Report is expected to be analytical rather than descriptive. It should contain accurate, factual information together with sound arguments and conclusions. The format of the report should normally follow the guidelines provided n RD Research Book issued by RD Office. General Guidelines The length of your Internship Report should not exceed 10,000 to 12000 words or 40 to 50 pages with 1. 5 line space, including appendices. The length should reflect the complexity of the topic and the thoroughness of the research. The Internship Report should be self-contained (explain any terminology particular to the topic the first time you use it), consistent, and to the point. It should be 2 understandable to someone who nas background in the area ot the report but is unfamiliar with the particular topic of the report Use standard formal level of English (no slang or colloquialisms). Use the first person only in the letter of transmittal and in the preface. Use a good quality white bond paper. Use only one side of the page for all text and fgures. Start major sections of the report on new pages. Bind the Internship Report in a suitable protective cover. Number the pages: DAII pages that come before the body of the report are numbered using lower case Roman numerals. The title page is considered to be page 1, but is not numbered. o The body of the Report begins with the introduction. The pages of the body are given in Arabic numerals. The first page of the introduction is considered to be page 1, but it is not numbered. Leave margins of 1 on the top, bottom, and sides of each page. Internship Report Format The following shows the pattern that should be used for the Internship report: *optional 3 Detailed Section Information The following information explains the purpose and suggested content of each of the Internship Report sections. Include only those sections and content which are appropriate for your topic. Cover Purpose: Provides a binding for the report, identifies the topic and owner of the eport. Content: Otitle of the report Oname of the student Olnternship Course Number (i. . CICS 500) Olnternship Employer Odate report submitted 9 Guidelines for Writing Internship Reports Letter of Transmittal (loose attachment to report slip inside front cover) Purpose: A brief covering letter, addressed to the first official reader Content: Oname of manager and department for whom the report was prepared Oterms of reference of the report Oauthorization, degree of confidentiality of report Ogeneral comm ents on the nature of and the time involved in the investigation Oa comment on the quality of the recommendations Omust be written in formal business letter style and signed in long-hand Oflrst person may be used Title Page Purpose: Identifies the topic and ownership of the report. Content: Otitle of the report (clearly identifies the subject of the report) Oname of the addressee or recipient, Army Public College of Management Sciences Ostudent, student ID ODate and place Pretace or Foreword Purpose: Provides reader with background of writing the report. Content: Opurpose, background, scope of subject coverage Ocontributions of others to the report Summary 4 The summary is considered by many to be the most important part of a report. It is a difficult part to write and should always be written last. It is often the only part that managers in the work place have time to read, so it is important to state your case succinctly (normally less than one page). Purpose: Provides a brief summary of the report, an information abstract. No reference is made to any part of the report; a summary is complete in itself. Content: Ostates the more important information in the report Othe purposes, method, reason for the report Othe findings, conclusions, decisions, recommendations Dall major generalizations or assumptions of the report The title page is considered to be page l, but is not numbered. The summary is sometimes called the Management Summary or Executive Summary. You may write the preface, or foreword, in the first person. 10 Guidelines for Writing Technical Reports Table of Contents Purpose: Identifies contents and organization of document. Content: Osection headings Opage numbers List of Figures (optional) Purpose: Identifies any figures, drawings, or photographs shown in the report. Content: Onumber of figures Otitle of fgures Opage number List of Tables (optional) Purpose: Identifies any tables shown in the report Content: Onumber of table Otitle of table Opage number Introduction Purpose: Introduces the subject of the report to the reader. Remember that the reader may be from a different branch of the discipline, and will require some orientation to the subject of your report. Content: Subject and purpose of the report: states briefly why the report is being written and what the report is intended to achieve. scope: describes how broad or how limited the treatment of the subject will be 0 5 Oplan of development: outlines which areas will be covered Othesis of the report: the general conclusion and/or the general recommendation Discussion Purpose: Presents evidence (facts, arguments, details, data, test results, etc) necessary to the purpose of the report. Content : This section contains the main part of the report. All evidence must be developed in an organized, logical and orderly manner. All information must be relevant. This section should contain pertinent fgures, tables, footnotes and references to material in appendices. Any additional supporting information should be placed in an appendix but referenced in the discussion. Any additional supporting intormation should be placed appendix but referenced in the discussion. Guidelines for Writing Internship Reports in an Conclusions Purpose: States briefly the major inferences that can be drawn from the discussion. Content: Omust be based on information presented in the discussion Deach conclusion should be presented as a separate paragraph, with paragraphs numbered in sequence for easy reference Onever suggest or recommend future action Recommendations P urpose: Suggests a course of action based on the findings and conclusions. Content: Omust follow logically from the conclusions Omust be supported both by the conclusions and by the data in the discussion References/Bibliography (optional) Purpose: Acknowledge use of materials from printed sources in the preparation of your report. Indicate exact source of all quotations and/or results of previous work. Content: Oauthors name, title of book, year published, publishers name, city, ISBN number, page number Obibliographic entries are listed alphabetically by the name of the author or by the first major work of the title OExample: Vetterli, C. Technical Report Guidelines, Internship Journal, Vol. 1 No. 1, August 1992. Ocommon knowledge does not require a reference, e. g. the peed of light, the atomic weight of some element. If a new value for a commonly accepted quantity is cited, the source should be referenced. Appendices (optional) Purpose: Includes data, which is not necessary to an immediate understanding of the discussion. Content: 6 Dappendices can contain program listings, drawings, extra figures, technical specifications, or other detailed explanations of some aspects of your Report. The conclusion should never suggest or recommend future action. References can be collected on one page at the end of the report, or they can be placed as footnotes on he bottom of the page on which the reference occurs. The term appendix applies to only one set of data: for example, program listings would be in Appendix A and technical specifications would be in Appendix B. 9 Guidelines for Writing Internship Reports Reference Material Every writer requires: Oa grammar handbook Oa good dictionary: Oxford is recommend Recommended grammar handbooks: 0Milward Flick, Handbook for Writers, Harcourt Brace, 2nd Edition, 1993. OPrentice-Hall, Handbook for Writers, 1st Edition, 1996. OStrunk and White, The Elements of Style, Collier Macmillan. 9

Characteristics of an Effective School Principal

Characteristics of an Effective School Principal A school principals job is balanced between being rewarding and challenging. It is a difficult job, and like any job, there are people who are not able to handle it. There are certain characteristics of a highly effective principal that some people do not possess. Besides the obvious professional requirements needed to become a principal, there are several traits that good principals possess allowing them to do their job successfully. Each of these characteristics manifests themselves in the daily duties of a principal. A highly effective principal will possess each of the following seven qualities. A Principal  Must Exhibit Leadership This is a characteristic that every principal must possess. The principal is the instructional leader of their building. A good leader has to take responsibility for the successes and failures of her school. A good leader puts the needs of others in front of her own. A good leader is always looking to improve her school and then figures out how to make those improvements regardless of how difficult it might be. Leadership defines how successful any school is. A school without a strong leader will likely fail, and a principal who is not a leader will find herself without a job quickly. A Principal  Must Be Adept at Building Relationships With People If you dont like people you shouldnt be a principal. You have to be able to connect with each person you deal with on a daily basis. You have to find common ground and earn their trust. There are many groups of people that principals deal with daily including their superintendent, teachers, support staff, parents, students, and community members. Every group requires a different approach, and individuals within a group are unique in their own right. You never know who is going to walk into your office next. People come in with a variety of emotions including happiness, sadness, and anger. You have to be able to deal with each of those situations effectively by connecting with the person and showing him that you care about his unique situation. He has to believe that you will do whatever you can to make his situation better. A Principal  Must Balance Tough Love With Earned Praise This is especially true with your students and your teachers. You cant be a pushover, meaning that you let people get away with mediocrity. You have to set expectations high and hold those you are in charge of to those same standards. This means that there will be times when you have to reprimand people and likely hurt their feelings. It is a part of the job that isnt pleasant, but it is necessary if you want to run an effective school. At the same time, you must offer praise when it is appropriate. Dont forget to tell those teachers who are doing an extraordinary job that you appreciate them. Remember to recognize students who excel in the areas of academics, leadership and/or citizenship. An outstanding principal can motivate using a combination of both of these approaches. A Principal  Must Be Fair and Consistent Nothing can take away your credibility more quickly than being inconsistent in how you handle similar situations. While no two cases are exactly the same, you have to think about how you have handled other similar situations and continue on that same track. Students, in particular, know how you handle student discipline, and they make comparisons from one case to the next. If you are not fair and consistent, they will call you out on it. However, it is understandable that history will influence a principals decision. For example, if you have a student who has been in multiple fights and compare her to a student who has only had one fight, then you are justified in giving the student with multiple fights a longer suspension. Think all your decisions through, document your reasoning and be prepared when someone questions or disagrees with them. A Principal Must Be Organized and Prepared Each day presents a unique set of challenges and being organized and prepared is essential to meeting those challenges. You deal with so many variables as a principal that lack of organization will lead to ineffectiveness. No day is predictable. This makes being organized and prepared an essential quality. Each day you still have to come in with a plan or a to-do list with the understanding that you will probably only get about one-third of those things done. You also have to be prepared for just about anything. When you are dealing with that many people, there are so many unplanned things that can occur. Having policies and procedures in place to deal with situations is part of the necessary planning and preparation to be effective. Organization and preparation will help reduce stress when you are dealing with difficult or unique situations. A Principal  Must Be an Excellent Listener You never know when an angry student, a disgruntled parent or an upset teacher is going to walk into your office. You have to be prepared to deal with those situations, and that starts with being an exceptional listener. You can disarm most difficult situations simply by showing them that you care enough to listen to what they want to say. When someone wants to meet with you because they feel wronged in some way, you need to hear them out. This doesnt mean that you let them bash another person continuously. You can be firm on not letting them belittle a teacher or student, but allow them to vent without being disrespectful to another person. Be willing to go the next step in helping them resolve their issue. Sometimes that might be mediating between two students who have had a disagreement. Sometimes it might be having a discussion with a teacher to get his side of a story and then relaying that to the parent. It all begins with listening. A Principal  Must Be a Visionary​ Education is ever-evolving. There is always something bigger and better available. If you are not attempting to improve your school, you are not doing your job. This will always be an ongoing process. Even if you have been at a school for 15 years, there are still things you can do to improve the overall quality of your school. Each individual component is a working part of the larger framework of the school. Each of those components needs to be oiled every once in a while. You may have to replace a part that is not working. Occasionally you may even able to upgrade an existing part that was doing its job because something better was developed. You never want to be stale. Even your best teachers can get better. It is your job to see that no one gets comfortable and that everyone is working to improve continuously.

How to Buy the Best Travel Insurance

How to Buy the Best Travel Insurance SAT / ACT Prep Online Guides and Tips A stolen laptop, a skiing injury, a dangerous hurricane- knock on wood that none of these accidents or emergencies ruin your travels. While you can’t do much to ward off bad luck, you can protect yourself from financial loss by buying a travel insurance plan. The best travel insurance will reimburse money you lose from a cancelled flight, medical issue, stolen belongings, or a number of other accidents that can occur when you travel. You can buy short-term travel insurance to cover a single trip or long-term insurance if you’re moving abroad for a year or more. This guide will go over all the benefits of travel insurance, as well as help you decide whether or not you need to purchase a plan before your trip. If you already know you want a plan, then jump down to my picks for the five best travel insurance plans for 2016. To start, let’s go over what travel insurance plans cover. What Is Travel Insurance? What Does It Cover? There are a variety of travel insurance plans out there, and you can shop around for one that covers what you need and leaves out what you don’t. Most plans insure the following essentials: Medical costs incurred from injuries on your trip (you may have to meet a deductible first, and then the insurance will cover costs beyond it) Trip interruption or cancellation (due to external circumstances, not because you woke up that morning and didn’t feel like flying) Lost or stolen baggage or belongings Emergency evacuation 24-hour emergency assistance Some plans only cover medical costs, and leave out the rest or offer these coverage options as add-ons. Many plans make a 24-hour travel service available to you, and some offer concierge services to help you make reservations. If you’re heading to the Alps to go skiing or Thailand to go rock climbing, then you can also add on coverage for any injuries incurred during adventure activities. Holiday insurance plans cover a wide range of issues, but they draw the line at some expenses. Read on to learn what most travel insurance plans don’t cover. Waiting at baggage claim and your suitcase is nowhere to be seen? Travel insurance can cover the cost of lost luggage. What Does Travel Insurance Not Cover? There are some limitations to travel insurance. If you’re traveling to a country in conflict, for instance, then you won’t find yourself covered there under most plans. Most plans also don’t cover, Elective surgery or treatment Injuries caused by alcohol or drug use War Some holiday insurance plans also don’t cover pre-existing medical insurance or acts of terrorism, or they offer these types of coverage as additional add-ons. When you buy a plan, make sure to read the fine print to see what’s included. If something important is missing, then see if you can add it onto the plan. After you purchase a plan, hopefully, you won't have to interact much more with the travel insurance company. But what if you do fall ill or get your laptop stolen? How exactly will your travel insurance plan cover these costs? How Does Travel Insurance Work? In the majority of cases, your holiday insurance will reimburse you after you file a claim. If an incident occurs, then you should save all receipts or other documentation to submit to the travel insurance company. If you're in need of emergency assistance, then you should call its 24-hour emergency assistance number. Most insurance companies advise you to contact them and submit a claim as soon as you're able after an incident occurs. That way they can process your claim quickly, as well as let you know any additional steps you need to take in the moment. While travel insurance reduces the financial risks of a trip, it isn’t necessary for all travelers. When should you take steps to insure your travels, and when would you be fine doing without? Make sure to keep all your receipts in case you need to file a claim. Do You Need Travel Insurance? Whether or not it makes sense for you to insure your trip depends on a number of factors. I’ve gone on a bunch of international trips and have only purchased travel insurance once. I insured a multi-month trip where I was backpacking around developing countries and wanted to be covered in case of injury or illness. If you’re not sure whether or not you need to buy travel insurance, consider these next four questions. #1: How Much Will Your Trip Cost? Are you investing a significant amount of money in your trip, or are you taking a short discount flight and crashing on your friend’s couch? If the former, then you might want to protect yourself with trip cancellation or interruption insurance so you don’t face a big financial loss. Look for coverage that will reimburse your flight, hotel, and any other pre-booked reservations. If you’re going on a relatively short, inexpensive trip, then you probably don’t need travel insurance to protect your investment. This doesn’t necessarily mean you don’t want your medical costs to be covered, but you likely don’t need insurance that covers trip cancellation or interruption. #2: Are You Already Covered? Before you start picking out a plan, check to see whether any of your existing policies- health insurance, car insurance, credit card agreements- cover any travel risks. Your regular health insurance, for instance, might reimburse you for medical expenses that you incur while abroad. Certain countries, furthermore, may offer free or low-cost healthcare to visitors. If you’re renting a car during your travels, then your regular car insurance or even credit card might cover rental insurance (except in Israel and Ireland, the latter of which I found out on a recent trip to the Ring of Kerry). Furthermore, some credit cards will also reimburse lost luggage or a cancelled flight. As you start to think about insurance, check out any existing policies you have to see if any aspects of your travels are already covered. Some car insurance and credit card policies cover the cost of rental cars in other countries. #3: Are You Worried About Emergency Evacuation? If you’re traveling to a country with volatile conditions, whether they be political or climate-related, then you might want to make sure you’re covered in the event of emergency evacuation. While you’ll likely have to choose a plan that’s a step above the basic one, you can get covered for emergency evacuation, as well as any loss or injury due to natural disasters or terror attacks. If it looks like a storm is brewing, then you may want to take coverage. #4: How Concerned Are You? Finally, the decision about whether or not to buy travel insurance may largely come down to peace of mind. If you’re really worried about the risks of your trip, then the additional cost of holiday insurance could be worth it to clear your mind and allow you to enjoy your trip. If you end up at the conclusion that you do need travel insurance, which plan is best for you? The following are some of the main coverage options to look for when choosing your best travel insurance. Traveling during a stormy time of year? Some insurance plans cover cancellations or delays due to weather. What Should You Look for In a Travel Insurance Plan? Most travel insurance companies provide plans at a few different levels, from the most basic to the deluxe, as well as optional add-ons to cover specific medical concerns or activities. Below are some essential features that most plans cover. Consider if any or all of these categories are important to you as you decide which travel insurance is right for you. The four main categories are trip cancellations and interruptions, medical and personal issues, overall cost, and miscellaneous personal needs. #1: Trip Cancellations and Interruptions Trips might get cancelled or interrupted by weather, employment transfer, jury duty, natural disaster, passport or visa theft, pregnancy, pre-existing medical condition, sickness, injury or death of traveler or a loved one, terrorist attack, traffic accident en route, or work reasons. Basic plans tend to cover cancellation due to weather or natural disaster, while pricier plans will cover a pre-existing medical condition or employment transfer. Typically, only the most comprehensive plans cover â€Å"cancellation for any reason.† You might also look to see if your plan covers delayed, lost, stolen, or damaged luggage, as well as the cost to replace a lost or stolen passport or visa. #2: Medical Issues These issues could include medical or dental emergencies, hospital visits, prescribed drugs, ambulance services, 24-hour medical assistance, and return of remains. Some plans may also cover pre-existing medical conditions. #3: Miscellaneous Personal Needs Look to see whether your particular needs are covered, whether you want to make sure you’re covered in case of bungee jumping incident or that your kids are covered for free under the plan. These miscellaneous needs largely depend on the length and nature of your trip. If you're planning two weeks of bungee jumping, rock climbing, parasailing, and whitewater rafting, then you might want to add on coverage for adventure activities. #4: Overall Cost Finally, a major last consideration is how much you want to pay for travel insurance and how much the company will dish out. Some companies insure a trip up to $10,000, while others cover trip expenses up to $100,000. You should also look at medical deductibles, or at how much you’ll have to pay out of pocket before the insurance company will start to reimburse doctor visits and other medical costs. Cheap travel insurance plans tend to cover just one or the other when it comes to medical and travel insurance. You might be able to find medical travel insurance for only about $30 for a two-week trip. Plans with more perks may range anywhere from $100 to $400 for a month-long trip abroad. With these factors in mind, I picked out the five best travel insurance plans. Read on to see options that provide comprehensive coverage, competitive rates, medical support, and coverage for older travelers and expats. The 5 Best Travel Insurance Plans Taking the above factors into account, I looked at different travel insurance companies and compared the extent of coverage, the potential for plan customization, and the overall cost to choose the best plans. If you want to compare travel insurance on your own, you can also check out the travel insurance search engines, InsureMyTrip and SquareMouth. These travel insurance comparison sites are superior to a travel or booking agency, which could have partnerships or gain commissions for pushing certain policies. Read on for the best travel insurance companies for 2016 and what makes them stand out from the pack. Below, you’ll find some more advice on how to buy a travel insurance plan to cover your trip. #1: Travelex Insurance Services- Best for Overall Coverage Travelex rose to the top of the pack for its wide range of customizable options for both leisure and business travels. It has three plan levels- basic, select, and max, all of which cover 100% of your trip’s cost in the case of cancellation or interruption. The select and max plans, actually, cover 150%, meaning you’ll get additional money back! The plans also cover up to $100,000 in medical costs. Travelex insurance covers children under the age of 21 for free. It also has add-on options for adventure activities, like rock climbing or parasailing. The basic Travelex plan does not cover pre-existing medical conditions, so you’d need to choose the Select or Max plan if you want that coverage. Overall, Travelex is a good choice if you’re covering a relatively pricey, international trip. The downside is that you can’t cover trips that are longer than 180 days. I also found the website to be kind of clunky; you need to fill in all of your personal and trip details before you can get an initial quote. Make sure your travel insurance plan includes everything you need, like lost luggage reimbursement or emergency medical helicopters. #2: HTH Travel Insurance- Best for Medical Coverage If your main concern is medical coverage, then you should check out HTH travel insurance. It allows you to buy travel medical insurance without any other add-ons. If you do go with HTH, you’ll have access to a useful app that locates English-speaking doctors close to you and helps you book appointments. Depending on your plan, you can get coverage for anywhere from $50,000 to $1 million in medical. The plans can cover an unlimited number of trips within a 12-month period, and some even let you keep the health coverage for nine months after your trip ends. There are a variety of plans for individuals, students, groups, and expats living abroad. There are a couple downsides to HTH insurance plans. One is that they don’t cover injuries from adventure sports and other activities. The second is that you might have to have a primary health care plan in order to purchase some of the HTH plans. HTH is a good choice for medical insurance abroad, but it unfortunately falls short if you’re an adventure sports enthusiast. #3: World Nomads- Best for Budget and Adventure Travelers While HTH doesn’t cover adventure sports, World Nomads has add-on coverage to cover over 200 of them! It’s a popular company for adventurous travelers, backpackers, and anyone traveling on a budget. I used World Nomads on my multi-month trip and found that it had relatively cheap holiday insurance plans with great coverage options. Plus, the website is streamlined and easy to use, and you can sign up anytime before or even during your travels. World Nomads plans cover trip cancellation or interruption, medical care, emergency evacuation, and lost or stolen gear. They insure your trip for up to $10,000, lost or stolen baggage for up to $3,000, and medical costs for up to $100,000. Since World Nomads sets a limit on trip cancellation at $10,000, it’s not the best choice for luxury travelers. Another downside? It doesn’t offer plans for groups or travelers over the age of 70. If you're going on a long-term international trip, then you should probably get insurance, just in case. #4: TravelSafe Insurance- Best for Long-Term International Trips If you’re traveling internationally and would like reservation or language assistance while abroad, then TravelSafe is a good option. It offers 24-hour travel assistance services, including concierge and interpreters. TravelSafe will insure trips for up to three years, so you can buy annual travel insurance plans. You’ll get up to $2,500 coverage of a lost or stolen passport or a missed flight or other connection. TravelSafe has a variety of individual and group plans at three levels, silver, gold, and platinum. The platinum plan offers a â€Å"cancel for any reason† benefit, which will refund 75% of your trip. #5: Allianz Global Insurance- Best for Older Travelers While several travel insurance companies set an age limit, Allianz doesn’t impose one. It’s also relatively inexpensive compared to a lot of other companies. Allianz offers a variety of coverage options and will insure trips that cost up to $100,000 (a much larger sum than the $10,000 covered by World Nomads). You can buy a short-term or annual plan, and children under the age of 17 are covered for free. Allianz has an app that will help you find nearby English-speaking emergency services in most countries. It doesn’t offer concierge services to help you with reservations, though, nor does it cover the cost of a lost or stolen passport. Allianz is a good option for older travelers, plus it’s a relatively affordable choice for those looking to insure an expensive trip. Once you find the comprehensive or cheap travel insurance plan that best meets your needs, what do you do next? What steps do you need to take to purchase travel insurance? Purchasing travel insurance is easy! Just go online. How to Buy a Travel Insurance Plan Once you’ve done a travel insurance comparison, thought about your needs, and chosen the best travel insurance for you, you can take steps to purchase a plan with an online application. You can buy your insurance directly from the company’s website or from a travel insurance compare search engine, like InsureMyTrip. You’ll need to know the dates of your trip, as well as your passport number. You’ll also fill in general personal information, your country of origin and destination, and ultimately, your payment details. Once you submit, you should get a confirmation email of your plan purchase immediately, as well as supporting documents sent via email or mail within a few days or weeks. Most travel insurance companies want you to purchase your plan prior to departing on your trip. Ideally, you should buy a plan immediately after you make your first deposit (usually the flight purchase). If you decide you want to buy additional add-ons, like a â€Å"cancel for any reason† option, then you’ll probably need to take care of it at least two weeks before you leave. World Nomads is unique because it lets you purchase a plan even after you’ve already left, and you can extend it any time if your plans change and you decide to enjoy your international vacation for a few weeks or months longer. Again, once you buy your plan, you’ll receive your insurance ID and policy through email or mail. Ideally, you'll never have to communicate with the travel insurance company after you buy your plan! Finding the Best Travel Insurance: Final Thoughts Ideally, you’ll never actually need to use the benefits of your travel insurance because your trip will go off without a hitch. Knowing that the benefits are there, though, can give you peace of mind, as well as provide serious financial protection should any unforeseen emergencies occur. Before buying a travel insurance plan, make sure to consider your needs and reasons for buying insurance. If it makes sense to insure your trip, then search around for the best rates and the coverage that protects you in the ways you need, whether you need medical coverage or just want to insure your electronics or extreme whitewater rafting trip. Again, the most common considerations for people when they buy travel insurance are injury or illness, trip cancellation or interruption, lost or stolen belongings, 24 hour services, and other issues in the destination country that could call for an emergency evacuation. Whether you’re a luxury traveler, backpacking through Southeast Asia, going on a family trip, or moving to another country, you will be able to find a travel insurance plan that specifically meets your needs as a traveler.

Theories on Mental Health and Illness Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Theories on Mental Health and Illness - Essay Example Further, incorporates psychological meaning of events, feelings and behaviors in nursing interventions (Evans, 2008). Travelbee- Human-to-Human Relationship model emphasizing purpose of nursing through establishment of nurse-patient relationship; must assist the patient, family or community to cope with sufferings (Evans, 2008). These ideologies pave the way for considerate and indulgent nursing practice. These theories have given a now outlook to the nursing practice, enabling the development of congenial nurse-patient relationship. This give an impact on the psychology of the patient and helps the patient to confide on nurse, building a confidence and trust in nurse's practice. This trust in turn helps in sooner recovery of patients from the ailments. Psychological theories play crucial role in the personality judgment through human behavior, supporting psychotherapeutic interventions for mental illness.

Critically assess the use of environmental principles in environmental Assignment

Critically assess the use of environmental principles in environmental law - Assignment Example At present, the guidelines of the international environmental law play an imperative part that imposes considerable impact upon the notion of sustainable development. Environmental evaluation is quite essential for upholding the sustainable development of society as well as useful for establishing necessary laws related to environment. Apart from the factor of global warming, the aspect of climate change also contributes largely upon affecting the natural environment by a greater extent. Since the year 1960, several environmentalists took significant initiatives for reducing pollution, cleaning up the wastes, implementing strict laws for every individual of different nation, minimizing wastage products and introducing recyclable materials for the manufacturing of new products. In the year 1969, United States National Environmental policy Act referred that every societal member must follow the environmental laws in order to mitigate the impact of global warming. The major reason for e stablishing the international environmental regulation is for addressing social as well as environmental factors that have been considered as the root cause of global warming. By taking into concern the present environmental situation, it has been apparently observed that there has been drastic increase of pollution due to huge augmentation of carrier vehicles and industrial wastes. In order to make control of all these environmental aspects, lawyers and various environmentalists implement certain effectual environmental principles in order to create awareness about preserving the nature within the community people (University Corporation for Atmospheric Research, 2012). This paper intends to critically assess the execution of environmental principles in environmental law concerning different significant aspects. These aspects include the different principles relating to environmental law, environmental regulation and protection along with international and European Environmental La w. Principles of Environmental Law Polluter Pays Principle The ‘Polluter Pays Principle (PPP)’ is considered as an effectual guideline concerning the environmental policy. This policy implies that community people must take deliberate initiatives towards preventing the increased level of pollution. The major objective of the ‘PPP’ is to internalizing the external activities of environment so that every community people can become quite conscious towards maintaining the cleanliness of nature. The principle of international environmental law was initiated in the year 1972 and it is recommended by ‘Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD)’. OECD is recognized as a council that established the guidelines concerning international environmental law. The council stated that these guidelines should be executed for assigning the costs that are incurred for the prevention of pollution. Moreover, the council also introduced as well as implemented certain crucial initiatives with the intention of properly utilising the limited environmental resources (Lucia, 2010). The core meaning of the PPP is that any polluter should incur the costs in relation to the safeguard and the control

Bioinformatics for geneticists Essay Example for Free

Bioinformatics for geneticists Essay Bioinformatics is a recently evolved field in biology. The definition is still evolving but in essence, bioinformatics is the â€Å"computational branch of molecular biology† (Claverie 2007, p. 9). This is because the field integrates computer technology and information processing systems to combine biological data and analyse biological problems. The primary aim of this new field is the ascertainment of biological insights and establishment of a global view to support a unified understanding of concepts in biology. This found application in genetics by addressing the need for a database containing large volumes of biological information, especially on gene sequences. Eventually, bioinformatics allowed geneticists to access available data on genetics and combine new data for analysis to support continuity of knowledge building on genetics. (National Center for Biotechnology Information 2004) Bioinformatics Challenges for the Geneticist Bioinformatics create a number of challenges for geneticists. The aim of bioinformatics is three-fold. First is storage of large bulks of information in accessible databases. Second is the development and application of computer systems to support analysis. Third is the development of computer systems allowing interpretation of analysed data in a biologically meaningful manner. (Luscombe, Greenbaum Gerstein 2001) The second and third aims pose challenges for geneticists who need to be adept not only in accessing but also in developing and using information system tools in analysing and interpreting data in the context of genetic research. Having existing information in a database is useless without the competence to access specific data and integrate this with new data as well as analyse and interpret these in the context of the particular genetic research. Bioinformatics Needs of Geneticists Bioinformatics supports the needs of geneticists. One justification for computational systems in genetic research is to develop a global view of experimental design to integrate research efforts and results in different countries. This is necessary to link and bring together all existing knowledge on various areas of genetic research, especially nucleic and amino acid sequences. Another justification for bioinformatics in genetics research is database mining to facilitate the generation and testing of hypothesis on the functions and structures of gene and proteins by using available data as framework (Barnes Gray 2003) Managing and Manipulating Genetic Data Generally, there are two ways of managing and manipulating data. One is the use of software. A number of software emerged supporting the development genetic linkage maps and other purposes. Although software varies in function, the common aim is to aid in understanding genetic linkage information and automating the research process to support effective map building. (Weaver et al. 1992) The other is network systems comprised of a database and accessibility through network connections. Networks allow geneticists to access available information such as on genetic markers so they can combine this with new data for analysis and interpretation. This supports the continuity of global genetics research. (Cheung et al. 1996) Value of Bioinformatics The essence of bioinformatics to genetic research is innovativeness and huge potential in developing novel approaches to genetics research. Bioinformatics has the potential to analyse and interpret data not only for purposes of completing the research purpose but also for the practical purpose of usefulness in diagnosis or therapy. (Jones Phillip 2000) The potential of bioinformatics in translating genetic data into practical solutions for actual biological problems accounts for the expected increase in the value of the bioinformatics market to billions of dollars in the next five years (World Bioinformatics Market 2008). Bioinformatics for Genetic Study Designs and Analysis Bioinformatics allowed the development of better study designs and analysis for genetic research that address previous methodological problems. Genetics and bioinformatics both adhere to collaborative investigations. Genetic research necessitates phenotypes and researcher expertise in mapping or sequencing studies while bioinformatics depends on high quality databases as well as access and integration tools and expertise. (Schmidt 2003) Collaborative designs constitute a common challenge in genetics and bioinformatics. With bioinformatics, problem identification in research focuses on testing hypothesis such as gene identification in cancer research or linking new and previous data such as on mutations. Data gathering is through data mining by searching various databases using the Internet and networks. Data is then subject to integration and organisation according to the biological problem studied such as combining data on protein structure with its properties and functions contained in various databases. Data analysis considers breadth and depth. Breadth refers to analytical processes comparing genes using algorithms while depth pertains to the determination protein encoding of a particular gene. Tools such as modelling and simulation support data interpretation and presentation. (Luscombe et al. 2001) In the case of gene expression research, this required the efficient analysis of microarrays and population. Bioinformatics provided two-colour microarrays as a more effective analytical design by covering twice the number of distant pair design profiles and population. (Fu Jansen 2006) In cancer epidemiology research, bioinformatics supported the integration of genetic susceptibility factors to create innovative study designs (Malats Castano-Vinyals 2007). Non-Coding RNA Bioinformatics Bioinformatics plays an important role in non-coding RNA research. Hiro et al. (2006) explained that non-coding RNA genes have weak statistical signals and the potential of bioinformatics addresses this limitation by providing systems of searching and predicting non-coding RNA. Huang et al. (2008) discussed that bioinformatics can support non-coding RNA search through CYK-type and covariance programs but there is need to improve further programs to accommodate arbitrary RNA structures. Bioinformatics and Cancer Genetics Bioinformatics supports genetic research on cancer. Kato and Kato (2006) reported that that bioinformatics supports cancer research through omics data functions to support knowledge on genetic biomarkers linked to cancer including ‘predisposition, diagnostic, prognostic, and therapeutic markers’ using data and text mining programs. Barnes and Gray (2007) explained the contributions of bioinformatics to cancer genetics as cancer genomes, cancer genetics design, cancer gene mutations, and other breakthroughs. Bioinformatics and Gene Identification Biotechnology significantly contributes to the identification of disease genes by allowing the management of large bulks of data including DNA sequences and microarray data in identifying genetic functions that cause diseases. Chen and Chen (2008) explained the role of bioinformatics in linking genes and disease outcomes through gene identification algorithms incorporates into analytical software. Algorithms direct calculation and data processing by providing a sequence of instructions in handling data. Tu et al. (2006) discussed the use of the network-based stochastic algorithm in inferring disease causing genes and identifying regulatory pathways. Bioinformatics in Single Gene Orders and Mutations Bioinformatics is also useful in studying single gene orders and mutations to ascertain genetic causes of monogenic diseases. Barnes and Gray (2007) explained that the data storage and processing solutions of bioinformatics led to outcomes such as the genome-wide map of monogenic diseases, understanding of the nature of mutations in single gene orders, and implications of epigenetics on Mendelian traits. Cooper, Stenson and Chuzhanova (2006) explained that bioinformatics support studies of single gene orders and mutations via the Human Gene Mutation Database (HGMD) that contains a wide range of information on nuclear genes, particularly germ-line mutations that are associated with inherited diseases. In 2005, the database contained 53,000 lesions together with data on DNA sequences, splice junction, and polymorphisms. The database provides core data with which new data is combined to build knowledge on monogenic diseases. Bioinformatics and Genetic Data Mining Bioinformatics supports data mining and analysis in genetics research. Wang et al. (2005) explained that bioinformatics support genetic data mining and analysis through various databases on areas of genetic studies such as the gene mutation databases as well as software or programs operating through context-based algorithms. This enables analytical processes, to integrate genetic data, via clustering methods for microarrays, comparison of DNA structures, identification of sequence characteristics, discovering disease markers, indexing of pathways and sequences, among others analytical outcomes. Geneticists can select which algorithmic tool in bioinformatics to use in managing and analysing particular data involved in the study or integrating data from various databases. Since bioinformatics continues to evolve, new analytical tools would evolve to address current problems in data mining and analysis for genetic research. The National Center for Biotechnology Information (2004) identified two breakthrough contributions of bioinformatics in genetic data mining and analysis. One is protein modelling. DNA sequences can encode proteins with particular functions but protein structures cannot be visually seen using x-ray crystallography or nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy making it difficult to study protein encoding. Bioinformatics allows protein modelling to visualize proteins in three-dimensions and by using templates enables the prediction of structures of similar proteins. The other is genomic mapping for the management of sequence information, which is painstaking when manually made. Bioinformatics provide maps to guide geneticists in pointing the precise location of gene sequences. Bioinformatics in Improving Genetic Research Schmidt (2003) explained that bioinformatics improve genetic research by providing evolving and improving means of managing data explosion. Research advancements resulted to large data on nucleotide sequences comprising DNA and amino acid sequences comprising proteins stored in databases around the world. However, manually pulling out data for use in succeeding studies and analysing vast data takes time. Manual study of outputs has become tedious. Bioinformatics improve genetic research by allowing geneticists to search databases for the gene composition, proteins and mutations as well as model the chemical and structural compositions of living cells to support various health implications such as cancer and drug studies. A researcher cannot be familiar with every known genetic interaction, so that bioinformatics becomes necessary in managing and interpreting systems-level information. Conclusion Bioinformatics has transformed the field of biology, particularly genetics, by providing approaches, processes and tools to ease the difficulties of managing and analysing large bulks of data that have accumulated over decades of genetic research. Bioinformatics has made genetics an information and practice science from primarily a laboratory-based science. Furthermore, the continuously evolving field of biometrics holds the potential to facilitate further advancements in genetics through the development of new software, algorithms, and processes useful in filling research gaps in genetics. However, geneticists play an important role in directing and enhancing the role of bioinformatics in genetics. This requires geneticists to understand bioinformatics to develop data processing and analytical tools addressing the different needs in various areas of genetic research. References Barnes, M. R,. Gray, I. C. eds. , 2007. Bioinformatics for geneticists. 2nd ed. Hoboken, NJ: Wiley Publishing, Inc. Chen, Y. P. Chen, F. , 2008. Using bioinformatics techniques for gene identification in drug discovery and development. Current Drug Metabolism, 9(6), pp. 567-573. Cheung, K. H. , Nadkarni, P. , Silverstein, S. , Kidd, J. R. , Pakstis A. J. , Miller P. Kidd K. K. , 1996. PhenoDB: an integrated client/server database for linkage and population genetics. Computers and Biomedical Research, 29(4), pp. 327-337. Claverie, J. , 2007. Bioinformatics for dummies. 2nd ed. Hoboken, NJ: Wiley Publishing, Inc. Cooper, D. N. , Stenson, P. D. Chuzhanova, N. A. , 2006. The Human Gene Mutation Database (HGMD) and its exploitation in the study of mutational mechanisms. Current Protocols in Bioinformatics. Unit 1. 13. Available at: http://www. ncbi. nlm. nih. gov/pubmed/18428754? dopt=Abstract [Accessed 14 October 2008] Fu, J. Jansen, R. C. , 2006. Optimal design and analysis of genetic studies on gene expression. Genetics, 173(3), pp. 1993-1999. Hiro, K. , Akio, K. Masaru, T. , 2006. Bioinformatics analyses of non-coding RNA. Protein, Nucleic Acid and Enzyme, 51(16), pp. 2420-2424. Huang, Z. , Wu, Y. , Robertson, J. , Feng, L. , Malmberg, R. Cai, L. , 2008. Fast and accurate search for non-coding RNA pseudoknot structures in genomes. Bioinformatics, 24(20), pp. 2281-2287. Jones, P. B. Phillip, B. C. , 2000. The commercialization of bioinformatics. Electronic Journal of Biotechnology, 3(2). Available at: http://www. scielo. cl/scielo. php? pid=S0717-34582000000200002script=sci_arttext [Accessed 14 October 2008] Katoh, M. Katoh, M. , 2006. Bioinformatics for cancer management in the post-genome era. Technology in Cancer Research Treatment, 5(2), pp. 169-175. Luscombe, N. M. , Greenbaum, D. Gerstein, M. , 2001, What is bioinformatics? A proposed definition and overview of the field. Methods of Information in Medicine, 40, pp. 346–58. Malats, N. Castano-Vinyals, G. , 2007. Cancer epidemiology: study designs and data analysis. Clinical and Translational Oncology, 9(5), pp. 290-297 National Center for Biotechnology Information, 2004 Bioinformatics, Available at: http://www. ncbi. nlm. nih. gov/About/primer/bioinformatics. html [Accessed 14 October 2008] Schmidt, C. W. , 2003. Data explosion: bringing order to chaos with bioinformatics. Environmental Health Perspectives, 111(6), pp. 340-345. Tu , Z. , Wang , L. , Arbeitman, M. , Chen, T. Sun, F. , 2006. An integrative approach for causal gene identification and gene regulatory pathway inference. Bioinformatics, 22(14), pp. 489-496 Wang, J. T. L. , Zaki, M. J. , Toivonen, H. T. T. Shasha, D. E. eds. , 2005. Data mining on bioinformatics. London: Springer-Verlog. Weaver, R. , Helms, C. , Mishra, S. K. Donis-Keller, H. , 1992. Software for analysis and manipulation of genetic linkage data. American Journal of Human Genetics, 50(6), pp. 1267–1274. World Bioinformatics Market. 2008. ReportLinker. com. Available at: http://www. reportlinker. com/p092468/World-BioinformaticsMarket. html [Accessed 14 October 2008]

Steveston Village and Deep Cove- Canadian Tourist Attractions Essay

Nowadays, lower mainland tourist attractions are one of the most attractive tourist destinations for people to go travel. They always locate just beside the big cities, but you can get many special things you can’t get in the big cities, such as the natural environment, local building, fresh air and peaceful feeling. Many people like to relax in the lower mainland tourist attractions at weekend. Vancouver is a city full of good lower mainland tourist attractions. Steveston Village and Deep Cove are two of the most famous lower mainland tourist attractions in Vancouver. According to the research of location, environment, and entertainment of Steveston Village and Deep Cove exhibits, we can found that both lower mainland tourist attractions supply an interesting traveling experience. However, Steveston Village’s is fitter for people who want to get fun while Deep Cove’s is suitable for people who want to relax quietly. Firstly, looking at the location of Steveston Village and Deep Cove will helps to explain why both these two lower mainland tourist attractions are very amusing, but adapt to different people of different purpose. To begin, Both Steveston Village and Deep Cove are locating beside the water. Steveston is located on the mouth of Fraser River. And it is a once-boisterous frontier seaport and principal port on the Fraser River. Similarly, Deep Cove is off Burrard Inlet on the North shore of Vancouver, and it is hidden treasure at the entrance to Indian Arm. In addition, Steveston Village and Deep Cove are quite near the commercial centers. Steveston Village just besides the Richmond Centre and it is about 15 miles (24 km) south of Vancouver. Likewise, Deep Cove is just a 20-minute drive from Vancouver. However, there a... ...k in Deep Cove. Overall, Steveston Village’s fishing style is fit for people who want to see the special things. Deep Cove is a place can give people opportunity to feeling the peaceful of the nature. In conclusion, both Steveston Village and Deep Cove are excellent place to go travel. Steveston Village will provide a wonderful play land to people would rather have delight, whereas Deep Cove is ideal for people who want to quiet and cotton to natural world. The differences in their location, environment and entertainment have obviously show the reasons these two lower mainland tourist attractions are attract different kinds of people. Every coins has two sides, nothing is perfect. Both Steveston Village and Deep Cove are showing the example that if who can insist to keep his style and continue to make it better, it will attract more and more people in the future.

Entering the soft drinks industry in india Essay

India is an enormous and diverse country with a population of over 1 billion people, making it difficult to make any generalisations about what Indians like and want from a soft drink (Background to Business in India, 2011). The soft drink industry in India has been growing rapidly since 2006 and in 2010 generated a profit of $3. 8 billion and although the market is set to decelerate, by 2015 he market value will be $5. 9 billion (Soft Drinks Industry Profile: India, 2011). From this, India is an attractive marketplace with many opportunities for a soft drinks manufacturer to want to expand in to. Porter’s National Diamond: Factor Conditions India has a very young population with over half being under the age of 25 (BSCAA , 2009) This is an advantage to the MNC wanting to expand their business in to India as research by Euromonitor (2011) suggests that young people aged 16-25 are more likely to purchase bottled soft drinks. Conversely, the diversity of the population in India must be stressed as it is such a large country, with a huge divide between rich and poor. Also with regards to human resources, the MNC could benefit from the profusion of low-cost labour in India (Maan, M et al, 2011), meaning the MNC could move its manufacturing to India to reduce its operating costs whilst targeting the young population with their soft drink product. When assessing the physical resources in India, the MNC needs to consider the poor infrastructure in the country and how rural some of the areas are. It would not be advised to enter the market in east/northeast India unless selling cheap bottled water because the area is very rural and poor and there is only really a market for selling healthy, clean and sanitised water (Soft Drinks in India, 2011). However, south India would be a much more promising area to invest in to and the MNC would have better business opportunities here. Southern India benefits from a much more affluent population of young, employed people, who in recent years have become much more health-conscious, which has led to an increase of 24% in market sales (Soft Drinks in India, 2011). If the MNC were to invest in India, concentrating on one area to ensure they reach the correct target audience, Southern India would be ideal to bring out a range of waters and juices to attract the young, health-conscious population there. Carbonated drinks should not be considered at research by Euromonitor (2011) stress the saturation of the market by megabrands such as Coca Cola and the need for â€Å"healthier† bottled, soft drinks. These also relate to the social and environmental sectors of the PESTLE model. Porter’s National Diamond: Demand Conditions In India, there is an increasing demand for healthy and hygienic soft drinks but sports drinks will remain to be the most rapidly growing sector due to the popularity of sports with young Indians (Soft Drinks in India, 2011). The research from Euromonitor (2011) states that Indians have moved away from carbonated drinks due to the rising health awareness, and have started to purchase more water and fruit and vegetable juices. For the MNC to compete against the increasing international competition, they would need to think â€Å"glocally†. Glocalisation entails local and global activities acting simultaneously, where they would â€Å"think globally and act locally† (Glocalisation, no date). By adapting to the local environment, the MNC could gain a competitive advantage as an international brand as they would appear to take in to account the local surroundings of their brand and they are more likely to be successful as they would be selling a product that the local Indians would want. The MNC should internationalise to respond to the megatrend of competitors, which is a deterministic force, and then compete through adaptation of their product to suit the local surroundings in India. The strategy the MNC should consider after analysing the demand conditions is to consider both price and value together. They should differentiate themselves from other soft drink suppliers by offering a strong brand that young Indians are conscious of (Soft Drinks in India, 2011) but also an acceptable price. Although there is a huge poor population in India, if the MNC were to target Southern India as suggested after looking at the factor conditions, research by the Bureau of South and Central Asian Affairs (2011) depict a large and growing middle-class population of India that have a disposable income of between $4,166-$20,833 per year; this suggests that they could price their product in correspondence with the other brands as there is a growing population of richer Indians. Also by offering benefits of a brand and a health-conscious drink that is in high demand at the moment, they can concentrate on focussing on that one area of India where they could possibly dominate the market in a smaller area. Porter’s National Diamond: Firm Strategy, Structure and Rivalry With regards to structure of firms, the MNC will have to consider how different India is in terms of how they do business compared to Europe. In India, the majority of organisations have a strong hierarchical structure, with one authoritarian leader at the top (World Business Culture, 2011). When investing in to the Indian market it is recommended to approach business in the same hierarchical structure that India have as it is indisputably acknowledged. If they were to enter the market dealing with business in a more democratic, flat manner, how Europe would normally deal with business, they are unlikely to thrive. In terms of rivalry, there appears to be a lot of competition from other brands of soft drinks. Bisleri holds the largest amount of market share with 23. 6% in 2010; however this is the main seller of clean, hygienic water in India (Soft Drinks in India, 2011). After this, Coca Cola and Pepsi with all their sub-brands hold high shares in the market in India. If the MNC were to invest in to the Indian market, the strategy they would have to take would be to introduce a new soft drink that promotes sustainable benefits of being a healthy, branded, bottled soft drink that is different from the standard carbonates that the international, well-known brands offer. By differentiating their product and adapting it to the local environment in India, the MNC will gain competitive advantage. Porter’s National Diamond: Related and Supporting Industries Soft drinks are sweetened with sugar (Beverage Health, 2010) and India is the second largest producer of this commodity in the world (Sugar: Supply and Demand, 2010). This would be a benefit to the MNC as a main ingredient to soft drinks is readily available and will be cheaper rather than importing it from other countries. Plastic is also heavily involved when packaging soft drinks, through a third party factory. Luckily for the MNC, India has had a high development of their machinery which can create high-quality plastic products, including bottles (Indian Plastic Portal: 2009). By having plastic bottlers locally available, the MNC will have an advantage on being able to easily be supplied the service; however the price at which they purchase the plastic bottles for their soft drink product could be expensive due to the competition of other, more established brands such as Coca Cola. Porter’s National Diamond: Role of Chance The role of chance could invalidate the advantages of investing in the market in India at any time. Chance events that could affect the MNC introducing a new soft drink in India could include: well-established brands like Coca Cola or Pepsi creating a new product which young Indian’s are more likely to be swayed towards due to brand loyalty; another chance event could be new health awareness campaigns that may affect a young individual’s view on bottled soft drinks. There are constantly rising issues concerning health and the amount of sugar young people consume which could seriously harm the reputation and also the sales that the MNC could potentially make when entering the Indian Market. Also factors such as soaring prices in sugar or limited water supply could dramatically affect the manufacture and production of soft drinks. Porter’s National Diamond: Role of Government Currently, India is considered at a low-cost option for organisations to invest in to with its strong domestic market, high savings rates and positive demographic trend (World Business Culture: 2011), however, this could quickly change as India’s government could, at any time, implement new tax laws, quality standard laws or changes in antitrust laws which could alter the ease of entering in to the Indian marketplace for soft drinks. The MNC must take in to account and assess all the different policies and laws for foreign markets to invest to ensure they can operate their business properly. Issues that may arise in this determinant will also occur in the PESTLE model if the MNC were to undertake this from of country analysis. Porter’s Five Forces Buyer Power: Research by Datamonitor (2010) suggests that buyer power is temperate within the current soft drink suppliers in India as they sell not only to independent retailers but they sell their concentrates to bottling companies. However, the buyer power for a new brand of soft drink in India could affect the MNC profusely; this is due to the fact that the consumers will already have brand loyalty to the well-known and well established soft drink brands in India. The buyers would have to have an incentive to purchase the new product over something they are already used to and like; therefore having a relatively strong power over the new entrant. Supplier Power: Due to the fact that most ingredients of soft drink products are commodities means that supplier power is reasonably low and these commodities are readily available, for example: sugar (Datamonitor: 2010). Water, which is also a main component needed for the manufacture of a soft drink product, could be a problem in India as the sanitation of the water can be a problem and the supply is not always constant (India: Development Policy Review, 2007). Finally, supplier power from plastic packaging companies is growing due to the rise in awareness of environmentally friendly packaging (Datamonitor, 2010). New Entrants: If the MNC were to invest in to India, to ensure they were successful, they will need to ensure that they concentrate on differentiating and adapting their product to the area and from other brands (Datamonitor, 2010). Research by Euromonitor (2011) also suggest that by having a strong brand name and by using national figures to advertise the brand, a new entrant to the soft drinks market in India will thrive. From this, it suggests that there is a market for new entrants as long as the product is differentiated and well distinguished from the other products that already exist. Datamonitor also recommend that a new entrant should stress the health benefits of their product to attract more consumers. Substitutes: There is a reasonable threat from substitute products in the soft drink market in India. Research by Datamonitor (2010) depicts the larger brands like Parle Bisleri to be a higher threat as they offer other kinds of confectionary products as well as a wide range of soft drinks and the substitutes are able to stored differently (on shelves at room temperature). Datamonitor recommends that leading brands, as they have a diverse range of products, can reduce the risk of the substitutes on their performance. Rivalry: Research by Datamonitor (2010) gives evidence that the marketplace for soft drinks in India is concentrated with the top three players (Parle Bisleri, Coca Cola and Pepsi) holding 74. 1% of the market volume. These brands not only offer standard carbonated soft drinks and bottled water but speciality bottled teas and coffees. Therefore, if the MNC were to enter in to the Indian soft drink market, to remain a competitive brand, they would need to offer an adapted product to attract new consumers and draw them away from the well-established brands they know well. The Diffusion Curve. (Pearce, 2011) India as a whole would be placed in sector â€Å"late majority† due to the whole population of India being respectively poor with a GDP of only $1190 (World Business Culture, 2010). This means that they would purchase the product but maybe not straight away, when it is released, they will start to consume when the soft drink has become much cheaper. However, in a much more affluent area like South India where there is a population of young professionals with brand consciousness (Euromonitor, 2011) the population would be within the â€Å"early majority† sector. This is due to the fact that younger, wealthier people are more likely to want to try out new products when they see others consuming them and also feel the need to try out new products if the benefits and brands are well advertised to them (Euromonitor, 2011). Recommendations After assessing the market for soft drinks in India, it would be recommended for the MNC to invest in to this attractive marketplace. It is important for the MNC to internationalise its operations to diversify themselves, to respond to foreign competition and to take advantage from lower costs and increased technological expertise. However, there are many factors to consider when entering the market in India: firstly, the MNC must take in to account how diverse the nation is. As mentioned before, the population is huge and it would be ignorant to make any generalisations; therefore it would be a sensible idea for the MNC to only enter the market in one area of the country, for example southern India. It has been discussed that southern India is a much more affluent area of India, in which are many young, employed Indians who should be the target audience for the MNC as they are accessible and sustainable. Secondly, the competitors in this area must be considered. In order to be successful in investing in to India, it would be sensible for the MNC to create a product that is not standardised but adapted to the needs and likes of the population in this area. The MNC should conduct some research in to what kinds of flavours and tastes that are preferred in order to create a product that would thrive in Southern India. It is also very important for the MNC to create a product in which the health benefits are a main factor of their soft drink. Throughout the research in this feasibility study, it has been stressed that there is a need from consumers for a soft drink where the health benefits are highlighted as although the carbonated soft drink market is booming (Euromonitor, 2011) it is saturated with other competitors; therefore, the MNC should compete through differentiation and offering benefits of their â€Å"healthier† soft drink product. Overall, the MNC has the chance of being successful when investing in to Indian soft drink market. They need to be careful when dealing with business with them, ensuring they have conducted enough research in to how they do business as it is very different to Europe, as said before, they deal with business in a hierarchical and authoritarian way. However the foreign environment is uncontrollable and the MNC has no control over the macro environment, so they must ensure to fully understand the marketplace and how India operates with foreign investors. Critical Evaluation of Porter’s National Diamond Porter’s National Diamond is described as a â€Å"methodological approach to analyse the most current industry occurrences and competitive status, and to identify emerging issues and opportunities for successful market development† (Batra, M et al, 2009). The diamond is used to investigate an organisation’s ability to compete in international markets by looking at four different components: factor conditions, demand conditions, related and supporting industries and strategy, structure and rivalry. Secondary to these four determinants, porter stresses the need for considering the role of chance and the role of the government in order to have a sound analysis of the competitive advantage of nations. Porter’s national competitive advantage theory suggests that a country’s competiveness within a certain industry will depend on the whether or not the industry has the room to innovate and advance (Wild, 2011, p177). Porter’s diamond is mainly concerned with how and why certain countries are more competitive in different industries. His theory amalgamates the two different denominations of international trade theory from country based theories such as mercantilism and comparative advantage, and also firm based theories such as product life cycle and national competitive advantage (Griffin, 2007, p164) There are many advantages of using Porter’s National Diamond: it allows an organisation to asses and analyse a country, covering all necessary areas to think about, ensuring that it would be a successful country to invest in to. It ensures that the organisation takes in to account everything they need to when considering investing in another country. Although it is only a forecast, if the organisations thinks about all possible occurrences and fully assesses all the components, it should give them an extensive knowledge and assertion that they are making a prosperous investment. Another advantage is that it is academically renowned and used by many organisations and governments across the world. However, Porter’s National Diamond has been criticised for many reasons: firstly it suggests that any role of government is negative, where it could be positive and encourage foreign investments and make domestic industries less competitive (Hadjidakis, 2007, p88). The role of chance is also too difficult to predict as any environment can change very rapidly and unexpectedly. According to Dickens (2007, p187) the diamond compresses too much complex and intricate information in to a â€Å"four-pointed diamond model† and this is not enough to be able to measure the national competitiveness of a country adequately. It has also been argued that porter’s model lacks any distinct definition of the four determinants which in turn, will reduce the predictive power and accuracy of the diamond model (Grant, 1991). Within international business management, when applying Porter’s national diamond, it should be ensured to consider every single aspect that Porter recommends in to major detail to ensure a forecast for investment is as accurate as possible. The different aspects of the diamond should be developed as much as possible so that international competitiveness is driven to thrive and succeed. Reference List Background to Business in India (2011) Available at: http://www. worldbusinessculture. com/Indian-Business-Style. html (Accessed: 10 January 2012). Batra, M. , Niehm, L. (2009), â€Å"An opportunity analysis framework for apparel retailing in India: economic, social, and cultural considerations for international retail firms†, Clothing and Textiles Research Journal, Vol. 24 No. 4, pp. 287-300 Beverage Health (2010) Available at: http://www. beveragehealth. org. au/scripts/cgiip. exe/WService=ASP0017/ccms. r? 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