The Pastoral Letter :: essays research papers

Religion Paper In the pastoral letter, it declares that â€Å"basic justice demands the establishment of minimum levels of participation in the life of the human community for all persons.† This small excerpt criticizes the church as well as society though. This Catholic Framework for Economic Life represents a fundamental challenge to a "winner takes all, every person for oneself" economic ethic which leaves too many behind. It seeks to shape the national debate about how to balance our budget without further burdening the poor. It offers a different set of values. I have read the Bishops' pastoral letter, and I find myself feeling a little defensive and a little irritated at some of his principles. Some of his remarks criticize society and confuse me dearly. It is stated in the pastoral letter that when a person is marginalized or not allowed to participate in something, it is a violation of their justice. The Bishop tells us that the framework is not about political platforms or secular economic theories. Instead he says it's about the poor people who have to scrap and fight for any sort of economic freedom in this world. These are the poor people who basically have to do the dirty work in this world and are the people who are taken for granted by the more wealthy people. My question is; okay, what about them? Should we have to do absolutely everything ourselves so someone does not have to come in at night and clean up after us. Do working people have to take their own garbage out at night and vacuum their offices so someone does not have to clean up afterwards? This is in effect marginalizing the poor worker’s jobs and is violating their justice. It is a bold contradiction and one that confuses me. On the other hand, should we leave garbage everywhere so after hours people have lots of work and more jobs are then provided for people with limited skills and education? Should we pay higher wages and provide better benefits to the people who clean up after us? How much higher? Maybe they should make the same amount the normal working person makes. There are poor people who can get around this though. I remember a job a few years ago where a number of janitors at my summer job made more money than some of the actual teachers that were fairly new in the district.

The Conflict of Kashmir

It is well – known that the State of Kashmir has always been a bone of contention, a perennial problem ever since India and Pakistan achieved their independence. The issue of Kashmir is one of the major problems which has stymied the world for so long, eventuating in horrendous loss of life and negative impact on the development of Kashmir. The history of being of Kashmirian nation is full of distress and suffering. The life of this nation is associated with poverty and oppression; therefore, this cannot be wished away and needs to be thoroughly discussed analyzing the origins of conflict of Kashmir and defining possible solutions.Kashmir is a beautiful region of South Asia, nestled between Pakistan, India, and China. The vast majority of the region's 13 million inhabitants live between the Himalayan Mountains and the Pir Panjal Mountains in the Kashmir Valley. Kashmir has two important water supplies that flow through it – the headwaters of the Indus River and the Jhel um. The climate and fertile lands of Kashmir are convenient for farming that produce rich procurements of corn, wheat, rice, fruit and vegetables. Another feature of Kashmir is that approximately 80% of Kashmir's population is Muslims.It is believed that these two factors of Kashmir are the main cause of conflict between India and Pakistan. Therefore, let's keep this in order and consider everything step by step. The Region of Kashmir has changed significantly over the last sixty years, largely due to actions of humans and the redrawing of its political borders. In 1947 Britain withdrew from India leaving behind a partitioned subcontinent. Two Independent states, India and Pakistan, had come into being. Jammu and Kashmir were one of the states that had existed under the British control.At that time, all the princely states had two choices: accede to Pakistan or India. Meanwhile all the states did the needful, the State of Kashmir took a unique turn, an eventful and an unprecedented turn. On October 26th, 1947 Raja Hari Singh signed an â€Å"Instrument of Accession† to India. This action violated the rights and hopes of 77% Muslim population of Kashmir to join Pakistan that has resulted in at least four major wars. Besides loss of liberty for 10 million people, it has entailed loss of lives, which was more than 102, 000, in the form of executions, bombardment and disappearances, terrible tortures, injuries, exual discriminations, destruction of property and business. The governments of India promised the people of Kashmir that they would be able to vote for their future sovereignty, but this never happened. Both Pakistan and India have claim to the Region of Kashmir over the past six decades. Pakistan has laid two major interests to the region. The first one is the Indus River, which begins in Kashmir. The Indus River plays a crucial role for Pakistan, because it is one of the main sources of water.Secondly, as it was written, Pakistan keeps on trying to unite Muslim population of Kashmir with Muslim brothers and sisters from Pakistan. Whereas, India claims that Kashmir is an integral part of their territory and will not relinquish its control of the region. Turning to the possible solutions, it is often reported that many efforts were undertaken by both India and Pakistan. Furthermore, The United Nations have tried to regulate these tensions and reach a compromise which would be convenient for both sides. Unfortunately, all these steps did not succeed.For instance, there were a proposal to accept a boundary which would divide Kashmir into two parts, with one side administrated by India and another side by Pakistan. Current border, namely the Line of Control, divides Kashmir into Pakistani Kashmir and Indian Kashmir. According to the statistical data, this boundary is secured by 650,000 Indian soldiers, while a total army consists of 1,3 million soldiers. I am completely sure, that this the worst way to remedy a situation since the vast majority of Muslim residents would have had to stay with India.In my view, The United Nations must take a stronger role in this conflict. The U. N. must require that India and Pakistan allow the people of Kashmir to decide their sovereignty. People of Kashmir should be given the rights to choose whether they want to accede to India or Pakistan. It is extremely important that Kashmir must not be divided by cultural differences, which may create an area of internal conflict in the future. There must be organized special elections under the control of the U. N. and other political observers.However, I strongly believe, that the needs and interests of Pakistan and India have to be taken into account as well. It implies that Pakistan should be given the assurance that some part of the important water source, Indus River, will be available for Pakistan whatever happens next. India's needs should not be ignorant though. Of course, there should be fixed limitations for consuming the w ealth of Kashmir by India and Pakistan. Obviously, these all would motivate both sides to resolve an issue in a short time. Second solution for the Conflict of Kashmir is giving an independence to whole Kashmir Region.First thing which can come to one's mind is that none of the countries will accept this way. The cause of this is that neither of sides are willing to give away the land which is very beneficial and profitable. Nevertheless, this difficulty can be overcome easily. In my opinion, the U. N. could exert pressure upon both Pakistan and India in order to force them to acknowledge the State of Kashmir as an independent area. If to consider Kashmir as an independent region, it is certain that Kashmir is comprehensively weak and will not be able to exist without any help from the outside.So, in this situation both Pakistan and India could render assistance and support to Kashmir to build an economics and ensure a gradual development, but with compensation. In simple terms, Ind ia and Pakistan could have a bargain with Kashmir. For instance, these countries are able to ensure the safety of Kashmir – allocate small part of their military in Kashmir. Moreover, both India and Pakistan can give the help to Kashmir with integration to the Organisation of United Nations. Also, they could establish some kind of institutions in order to stimulate the economics of independent Kashmir.In return for this, Kashmir could allow Pakistan and India to consume finite part of natural resources. In my point of view, it would be much better if all the sides signed a declaration of alliance and interaction. In conclusion, it must be said that we cannot remain oblivious to these heinous crimes, nor can the international community. We must pay more attention to this conflict and to the ways how this issue can be resolved. Every move leads to the serious outcome, as in 1947 if Raja Hari Singh had chosen more sensible decision , so war would have been avoided and people of Kashmir would not have suffered.Unfortunately, humankind cannot go back to that time and try to prevent this conflict.Bibliography: 1. Global Conflict: Kashmir. BJ Basinski CIM/CAM; 11-23-99. 2. The Columbia Electronic Encyclopedia. Columbia University Press. 3. The interview of Sumantra Bose to Fathom – â€Å"The conflict in Kashmir. † Sumantra Bose; 2001. 4. The official website of BBC News channel – (special reports): â€Å"The future of Kashmir? † (http://news. bbc. co. uk/2/shared/spl/hi/south_asia/03/kashmir_future/html/) 5. The Kashmir Issue: Some Options Towards Solution. Dr. Misbah Islam.

Compensation Strategies Essay

Executive Summary This report will look at 3 different compensation systems that our company can develop and roll out within our company for our employees and future employees. Compensation is one of the most important and rewarding factors for our employees. Employees rely on their compensation to pay their rent or mortgage, food for their family, vacations, education for their children, and prepare for their retirement life. How compensation is paid can determine the quality of employee you obtain and how long you retain them. This report provides information on different compensation strategies to attract/recruit good talent, improve employee production and retain valued employees. Annual merit increases help companies to continue being competitive in the work force. Research shows employees want to work for employers that are competitive with salaries. By moving to an annual merit increase system employees will continue to increase production and meet business objectives to receive more compensati on. Employees look at merit increases as entitlement and production can remain flat. Our company can increase productivity across the board by tying business goals to merit increases. In order to get the production needed, communication from management will need to take place to set expectations of achieving goals and what the potential merit increase the employee can receive by hitting those goals. Healthcare benefits can be a deciding factor for many people on whether or not they consider working for our company or if they decide to leave our company. Health benefits provided by the employer shows they care  about the employee and it helps get the employee back to work quicker which helps to be more productive. Healthcare is not only a benefit to the employee but also part of their compensation. Communication and training by management should be conducted annually to go over the employees full Comprehensive Compensation Package to show the total monetary amount received by the employee from the employer. The last type of compensation we will consider for the employees as a company is a 401(k) plan. 401(k) plans are growing with the number of employers that are providing options for their employees. As the research shows, the cost of losing an employee in the long run due to not providing a 401(k) plan can create higher turnover and training costs. We want to recruit and keep top employees and based on the research shown, providing a 401(k) plan will do what we need. My recommendation is to implement the annual merit system, health care benefits and a 401(k) plan. For the compensation packages to be a success we will create compensation statements for every employee to review and train all managers with direct reports so they can deliver the great message we have to share. Also, goals and expectations will be implemented as early as possible during the year to establish a strong foundation for performance. Our compensation plan is intended to attract key talent, increase employee engagement, incent and retain high-performing managers who will enhance the profitability of our company and create value for our shareowners. Introduction Compensation is an important element of our company. Employees rely on their compensation to pay their rent or mortgage, food for their family, vacations, education for their children, and prepare for their retirement life. How compensation is paid can determine the quality of employee you obtain and how long you retain them. This report provides information on different compensation strategies to attract/recruit good talent, improve employee production and retain valued employees. Also, with sales volume goals to increase, technology and innovation changing so quickly, and the quality of service customers are expecting, employers have to come up with ways to be better than their competition. The way to be better than your competition is through the people who work for the company. And one the best  ways to attract those employees are to have a better compensation packages for your employees. The goal for this research will show you the positive impacts to the company by offering Annual Merit Increases, Healthcare Benefits, and 401k plans to the employees. These compensation benefits are important to high quality employees our company’s trying recruit, retaining high producing employees, as well as, increasing motivation and production with all other employees. By implementing these actions our company will be able to show our employees our commitment to be the best company to work for and to show how valuable our employees are to the company. Research Findings Merit Pay Increase According to Towers Perrin’s Global workforce study, competitive base pay is the most important factor that attracts UK workers to an employer, with almost six-out-ten (59%) respondents stating that this would influence their decision (â€Å"Competitive base pay,† 2007, p.16). Not only is it important to attract workers but retaining high performing employees and keeping them motivated to increase and maintain productivity to compete in the marketplace is vital. One way to retain and motivate employees is through annual merit increases. If a merit pay system succeeds, it motivates employees to work harder and achieve more (Mack, 2014). In order for the merit pay system to succeed it will need to be tied in with the business strategy of the organization and not viewed as an entitlement. Merit increases can motivate employees to achieve whatever goal the company sets. For example, by finishing projects timely with high quality or rolling out new operational procedures for the company. Employees often fail to see a link between merit pay and the accomplishment of business goals because no link is being made (Heneman, 2002, p.382). In a Supervisory role is important direct reports understand how their individual goals align to organizational priorities and how merit increases are earned based on exceeding their given goals. Planning and Goal Setting is the foundation for performance management and execution of our strategies. It focuses on ensuring employees have a clear understanding of annual organizational  priorities, and defining individual employee goals aligned to their job role and those priorities. Finally, it is important that effective communication exists between employees and management and that managers have the requisite tools for administering rewards (Leritz Ph.D., 2012, p.1). Analysis: Research shows employees want to work for employers that are competitive with salaries. By moving to an annual merit increase system employees will continue to increase production and meet business objectives to receive more compensation. Employees look at merit increases as entitlement and production can remain flat. Our company can increase productivity across the board by tying business goals to merit increases. In order to get the production needed, communication from management will need to take place to set expectations of achieving goals and what the potential merit increase the employee can receive by hitting those goals. Healthcare Benefits According to â€Å"Competitive base pay most important for recruitment† (2007), â€Å"almost two thirds (59%) of staff would consider leaving their job if their employer failed to address health and wellbeing in the workplace. Business in the Community’s Business action on health campaign shows that 83% of staff considers the way that an employer looks after the health and wellbeing of staff is important when choosing a job† (p.16). Effective communication from employers about the compensation plans has a major influence on the turnover rate of the top performing employees. Because one companies benefits are better than the other doesn’t mean employees will stay. Based on the surveys conducted, companies with better communication strategies and lesser benefits had only 12% turnover compared to 17% turnover with companies that offered better benefits. Companies with excellent benefits and effective communications had only an 8% turnover of top-performing em ployees. Also, when employees were surveyed on how satisfied they were with their benefits, only 22% were satisfied with the better benefits from employers with poor communications. On the other hand, 76% of employees with lesser benefits and effective communication from the employers were satisfied with their benefits (â€Å"Better benefits  communications,† 2005, p.9). Companies must show the employees that healthcare benefits are a part of total compensation because companies that don’t effectively communicate the value have higher turnover rates for top performers. According to Kathryn Yates, global director of communication consulting at Watson Wyatt, â€Å"Employers can spend huge sums of money on benefits, but if their employees aren’t aware of the cost or don’t appreciate the value of the benefits, they aren’t going to see a return on their investment.† (â€Å"Better benefits communications,† 2005, p.9). Analysis: Research shows the importance of health benefits to employees and what it takes to retain those employees. Health benefits provided by the employer shows they care about the employee as well as it helps get the employee back to work quicker which helps to be more productive. Healthcare is not only a benefit to the employee but also part of their compensation. Communication and training by management should be conducted annually to go over the employees full Comprehensive Compensation Package to show the total monetary amount received by the employee from the employer. This communication and training on healthcare benefits are vital to keeping our top performers. 401(k) Plan The increase of matching contribution for 401(k) plans through employers has risen from 68 percent to 73 percent over the last couple of years (Plenda, 2013, p.31). In a recent survey, if another employer offered a similar job with a 401(k) plan, 40 percent of employees said they would pursue other opportunities with the new employer. It was also determined when a 401(k) plan is presented most employees work harder and stay on the job longer (Lamont, 2014, p.10). People who save money are good workers because they place greater value on future outcomes. These types of employees work more and are more conscientious of how they treat employer assets because they understand their reputations will be hurt by careless actions they take. Not only do employees stay on the job longer but companies can use 401(k) plans to attract workers that are more conscientious and productive on the job (Munnell & Sunden, 2004 pp. 3-20). Research by Bank of America Merrill  Lynch shows higher turnover rates, increase in training costs, and lower productivity and sales as a potential consequence for not offering a competitive benefits package to its employees. Employers should look at benefits as one of the most important investments they can make. These investments will attract top talent and show they are invested in their employee’s professional growth, as well as, their financial well-being to give them a competitive advantage over other employers (Brooks, 2012). Analysis: 401(k) plans are growing with the number of employers that are providing options for their employees. As the research shows, company’s not providing a 401(k) plan can lose employees’ to competitors, lose productivity and sales. We want to recruit and keep top employees and based on the research shown, providing a 401(k) plan will do what we need to help increase our advantage of attracting and keeping top talent over our competitors. Recommendations Our company’s compensation plan is intended to attract key talent, increase employee engagement, incent and retain high-performing employees who will enhance the profitability of our company and create value for our shareowners. Below are the recommendations to begin implementing merit increases, healthcare plans, and 401(k) plans to our employees. These actions will align specific goals to our organization’s priorities and enables us to execute its strategies to deliver exceptional compensation packages to our employees. Recommendation: It is recommended to establish goals and expectations every year to ensure employees have a clear understanding of annual organizational priorities and their defined individual employee goals are aligned to their job role and those priorities. Managers will meet with each of their respective employees to communicate their goals and expectations and have the employees sign and approve understanding. On February 15th, annually, managers will meet with each employee to discuss results and give feedback on achievements, strengths, areas of opportunities, and merit increase the  employee will be receiving on their March 1st paycheck. By implementing a merit increase we will increase employee engagement, incent and retain high-performing employees who will enhance the profitability of our company and create value for our shareowners. Recommendation: My recommendation is to set up health care benefits with United Health Care and contribute $500 per month towards employee’s costs. Additionally, implement a Comprehensive Compensation Package to be presented and reviewed by the manager to the employees at their annual merit increase to show them the rich compensation they have with the company. The Comprehensive Compensation package will give a personalized overview of all components of the employee’s compensation and cash value of the benefits available. By communicating with the employee’s, we will see an increase in retention and satisfaction that will decrease our company costs and increase profitability. Recommendation: My final recommendation is to set up Fidelity to manage the employee’s 401(k) accounts. In addition, the company will match 3% of the employee’s contributions and will schedule yearly financial seminars with Fidelity for financial guidance and retirement advice. During yearly reviews, managers will be present the Comprehensive Compensation Package to give an overview of all components of the employee’s compensation and cash value of the company matching. By providing a 401(k) plan and financial guidance we will attract top recruits, as well as, retain top employees. Conclusion My goal for this research is to show you the positive impacts to the company by offering annual merit increases, healthcare benefits, and 401k plans to the employees. These compensation benefits are important to recruit high quality employees, retain high producing employees, and increasing motivation and production with all other employees. By creating annual merit increases, employees are more productive and try to reach the highest increase they can get to add to their salary. Adding the company’s business objectives to the merit increases for the employees to reach will add  increased productivity to the company. Adding healthcare coverage for employees and communicating with them the value added to their compensation is important to retaining employees. Employees with healthcare also go to the doctor more often and come back to work quicker which means less down time and higher production. Lastly, introducing a 401(k) plan to the employees creates long lasting and loyal employees that are vested in the company’s success. The findings show the importance of pay to employees and the importance of attracting employees to a company. Also, employees work harder which will make the company more profitable. Planning, goal setting, communication. The importance of the findings for healthcare is employees are will to leave their company if employers don’t provide healthcare benefits. Shows communication is very important in making sure employees understand the benefits to make sure they don’t leave. Shows increase in businesses providing 401k plans and attracting hard workers.shows how important benefits are in keeping and attracting employees. Work harder and stay on the job longer How important it is to show benefits are part of compensation to show the value and keep top performers. Communication is going to be the fundamental key to getting the buy in and positive reactions to implementing these compensation benefits. The best merit increase plan, healthcare plan, and 401(k) plan can generate positive employee reactions or a negative employee reaction. The actual effect depends on whether these plans are understood and accepted and whether employees’ perceptions of the facts are positive. Finally, it is important to make sure we keep pace and understand what other organizations benefits are to their employees and we stay competitive to them, we also remember the employees must understand the benefits and buy in to them to be successful. References Better benefits communications can help to improve retention. (2005, April). Managing Benefits Plans, 5(4), 9. Retrieved from http://eds.b.ebscohost.com/ehost/pdfviewer/pdfviewer?vid=5&sid=09c97eff-2de5-4526-9558-66dcdfc85554%40sessionmgr114&hid=110 Brooks, C. (2012). Monetary benefits play increasing role in luring workers. BusinessNewsDaily, Retrieved from

Capabilities in the Workplace Bangles Pvt. Ltd.?

Abstract: A business is likely to flourish when it makes best use of its core competencies, organization capabilities, and increases its capacity. This paper describes a firm, Bangles Pvt. Ltd, which is headquartered in UK and is looking to expand into the Asian market via its online store. The paper discusses the core competencies the firm has along with its organizational capabilities which will help the firm in making this expansion successful. Introduction: Bangles Pvt. Ltd is an online business based in the United Kingdom and run through social media sites, the company’s own personal website, and through other buying/selling websites such as eBay and other portals. The business originated in 2006 after the owner finished her Arts degree from a local college and decided to use her expertise in her own small enterprise. Initially she took the responsibility of production herself and began to produce highly colourful, intricately designed, handmade bangles on order. However, as business began to boom she hired two other designers to help her with the production in 2007 and currently employs 10 people to produce bangles in the ranges of collections titled casual/everyday bangles, semi-formal bangles, bridal bangles, and exclusive designs. The company basically operates upon an order service in which customers either send their orders in the inbox on sites such as Facebook or fill out order forms on the company’s own personal website. The sites are full of colourful albums full of designs of various bangle creations which are updated regularly and articles targeted towards different target audiences regarding how to use the bangles and other fashion tips (Bangles Pvt Ltd, 2014). While the company instantly began to gain steady business and maintained a commendable reputation, the company is currently facing a number of issues as it plans to expand further into other markets and has also recently begun to supply bangles in Asia via the owner’s relatives and friends who live there. The Asian market shows high potential for the company as the use of bangles is highly widespread in many Asian countries and the designs of the bangles support Asian cultural traditions while adding a contemporary touch to what is traditionally worn by Asian women. However, this will add an additional burden upon the employees at Bangles who are already over-absorbed in producing bangles for current customers. The owner i s slightly worried that if the brand is not managed properly by the distributors she appoints (friends and relatives), which may cause a detrimental impact upon the company’s name and future prospects (Bangles Pvt. Ltd, 2014). Thus, it is essential for her to ensure that the operations and delivery processes in Asia are properly conducted and reliable. There is also danger that her products will end up in the retail market in Asia if no controls are implemented and may be sold to customers in bulk. The owner of Bangles also needs to ensure that her employees in Asia conform to company policy and are highly cooperative with her and her UK-based employees. She needs to maintain decorum with her employees and coordination with respect to meeting customer demand and responding to customer preferences. This paper will outline the company’s main core competencies, organizational capabilities, and capacity-building tools which can help Bangles solve its current expansion prob lems in the Asian market. The paper will then conclude by providing recommendations as to what the organization needs to further develop and commenting upon its managerial practices while summarizing the main points made in the paper. Core Competencies, Organizational Capabilities, and Capacity-Building: Core competencies are the unique qualities or strengths that a firm has which differentiate them from their competitors and are difficult to replicate. They are a source of competitive advantage for a firm and enable the firm to perform efficiently and effectively in a particular area relative to their competitors (Gupta, 2013). Bangles Pvt. Ltd has several core competencies which strengthen the firm and result in increased business. One of the core competencies of Bangles Pvt. Ltd is the diversified workforce, which consists of close friends and students of the owner who originate from different countries and are able to provide Bangles with unique and original ideas for bangle designs. Thus, the aesthetic appeal of Bangles’ products suits the modern tastes of consumers in the UK, India, Pakistan, Turkey, China, and Nigeria as the designers of Bangles originate from the countries mentioned. Another core competency of the firm is the owner’s personal involvement in the business and the fact that the owner provides customers with a personalized service and is highly interactive with the customers. Additionally, the owner also provides a customized service to customers who wish to get their own bangles designed at an affordable price. Also, the owner’s large social circle and connections with people in Asia who can help in expanding and managing the business is also a core competence as the owner will not have to associate with unknown parties in order to achieve expansion into Asia. The organizational capabilities of the firm are the manner in which people are managed in a firm in order to gain a competitive advantage (Grafton, Lillis, & Widener, 2010). The organizational capabilities of Bangles include the owner’s excellence in human resource management as she has been successful in motivating employees since the business’s inception. The owner’s charismatic leadership style and the informal organizational culture of th e firm help the employees remain comfortable and united with one another. The owner also attempts to organize the employees in the organization through the use of various communication tools including a personal group on WhatsApp, an intranet which enables the employees to interact with one another, and through the use of video conferencing when applicable (Bangles Pvt Ltd, 2014).The business’s strong internal associations and the fact that all of the designers in the firm are educated, trained, and experienced in the field of arts and crafts enables the firm to perform faster and more efficiently in order to quickly meet customer demand. The lack of misunderstandings between employees and the close connection between employees and the owner also serves as a source of competitive advantage and enables the work to be done quicker. The organization is currently working on capacity-building as it has previously increased its capacity by purchasing three small machines, which hel p cut the thread and sew on the beads for intricately and delicately designed bangles. Using these machines has sufficiently increased the capacity of the firm and Bangles has been able to complete more orders than it previously had. The company has recently tried division of labour and instead of asking one designer to complete a full pair of bangles, they have tried to break down the tasks and let one worker complete a portion of an order while the others complete other portions. This has shown commendable results recently as capacity has slightly increased. In order to solve the problems arising from an expansion into the Asian market, Bangles must use its core competencies, organizational capabilities, and capacity-building tools to its advantage. The owner can use the core competency of having a diversified workforce to be able to accurately meet the aesthetic demands of customers in Asian countries. Moreover, the owner needs to use her social connections in order to appoint a reliable manager in Asia who will help in the distribution of Bangles’ products and also manage the brand image of the firm. The owner can make use of the firm’s strong communication network to set up a system in which she communicates with customers in Asia herself or responds to their messages as soon as possible if there is a difference in timings in order to provide them with a personalized and customized service where applicable. Thus, to efficiently manage business in Asia, the owner must make use of her charismatic leadership style to constantly remain in touch with employees and the manger in Asia and ensure she is updated upon changing trends. The owner must also have a rigid plan towards crisis management in order to ensure that she is able to solve such problems without increasing hassle and confusion and risk in damaging the brand’s reputation. The owner can also extend the intranet to include employees in Asia and to ensure that she communicates wit h them personally in order to ensure that they are familiar with the organizational culture and are absorbed into the enthusiasm of being a part of the organization. These are the strategies that the firm can use by making use of its existing core competencies and capabilities. However, the firm may also need to enhance other departments in order to efficiently compete in the Asian market. Conclusion and Recommendations: It is evident that the firm has numerous core competencies and organizational capabilities which enable the firm to efficiently compete in the market and which can be used to its advantage in expanding into the Asian market. However, the firm may consider increasing its efficiency and capacity by hiring additional designers in Asia who can produce the bangles there and ship them to customers easily and without additional cost. Moreover, the firm may also hire additional staff in the UK to ensure that there is always someone available online to cater to customer queries and demands. In order to appropriately achieve this, Bangles may also consider giving its staff training in customer service and managing across cultures. Hence, the firm’s core competencies of a diversified workforce, strong social connections, and the owner’s personal involvement in the business serve to be highly beneficial while organizational capabilities of a strong communication network and informa l organizational culture are redeem high benefits. References Bangles Pvt. Ltd. (2014) Facebook Page [online] Accessed on: February 20, 2014 Available at: https://www.facebook.com/bangles Grafton, J., Lillis, A. M., & Widener, S. K. (2010). â€Å"The role of performance measurement and evaluation in building organizational capabilities and performance.† Accounting, Organizations and Society. Vol. 35(7) pp. 689-706. Gupta, R. K. (2013). â€Å"Core Competencies for Business Excellence.† Advances in Management. Vol. 6 (10). pp. 712-723

Water Pollution. Dangers and Causes Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Water Pollution. Dangers and Causes - Essay Example Most of the water on the surface of the earth is sea water which is not usable for most of water’s essential purposes, including drinking. Fresh water is the most essential form of water for survival of life. The events of past years have raised the concern over the perennial availability of fresh water and are slowly converting fresh water into a commodity rather than an available for all resource. Preservation of the quality and availability of fresh water has become one of the most pressing environmental challenges in the 21st century. This concern is very high for third world countries where there is an alarmingly high dearth of drinkable water, rendering scores of people to die due to diseases emanating from poisonous water. Pressures on water resources: The increasing stress on water resources is from several sources and can take various forms. The impact of these pressures can vary and contribute to the ever increasing problem of easily available fresh water. Several fa ctors contribute to increasing the stress on water resources. The growth of urban metropolises and changing lifestyles impacts the amount and pattern of water consumption. From using fresh water solely for necessary purposes, consumption patterns have changed to lavish and unessential patterns including embellishment of hotels, malls, etc. Increased industrial activity with respect to the use of water has increased the pressure on water resources. ... The excessive industrial waste has significantly hampered the natural cleansing process, leaving previously fresh water, polluted and not useful for the purposes it was meant for. Human waste contributes significantly to the problem also. Every day, approximately 2 million tons of human waste are disposed in water courses (UN Water). The dilemma of developing countries is alarmingly bad, approximately 70 percent of all industrial waste is dumped into waters, leading to the pollution of usable water supply. Dangers of water pollution: All water pollutants are dangerous to humans as well as lesser species. Some of the key ingredients of the most prevalent pollutants, including industrial waste, include sodium, which is implicated in cardiovascular diseases; nitrates are guilty of causing blood disorders, whereas mercury and lead can cause nervous disorders. DDT, which is found in some forms of industrial waste, is toxic and can not only impact living humans but can also affect chromoso mes. Another dangerous toxic ingredient found in industrial wastes, PCBs, is known to cause liver and nerve damage, skin eruptions, vomiting, fever, diarrhea and significant fetal abnormalities (Geol). The impact of pollution from sewage and human wastes is also lethal. Dysentery, salmonellosis and hepatitis are some of the diseases transmitted by sewage in drinking and bathing water. This problem is extremely frequent in developing and less developing countries where there is no clear mechanism to separate fresh and drinkable water from polluted water (Tripathi and Pandey). Causes of water pollution: The sources of water pollution can be divided into point sources and nonpoint sources. Point sources refer to factories, wastewater treatment facilities, septic systems, and other

Finance and groowth strategy Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 4250 words

Finance and groowth strategy - Essay Example This phenomenon makes the valuation of any potential investment a cumbersome task for any decision-maker. For this purpose, several valuation models have been developed that have been tested academically and professionally as being effectively helpful in analyzing investment projects, such as the discounted cash flow, present value, Tobin's q, etc. The discounted cash flow is regarded as the most important technique in evaluating long-term investment decisions, in particular. Reilly and Brown (2003) consider the calculation of discounted cash flow to be the most commonly practiced technique for the valuation of assets. The model is specifically utilized in large organizations as an effective means to analyze an investment on the basis of returns expected within a certain number of years. For instance, a company wants to invest a certain sum of money (See Table 1 and 2) to purchase an asset that is likely to benefit the company and provide a flow of income for the period of five years. This company can utilize the DCF method to reach an appropriate decision concerning whether to buy the asset or not. The asset will be purchased if the Net Present Value (NPV) calculated appears to be positive, whereas the company will not go for this investment if the NPV is less than zero or negative. This model evaluates the value of a company's asse... Wolfe and Gold (2004, p191) state that, "with the discounted cash flow theory cash flows are discounted at a risk-adjusted discount rate to arrive at an estimate of value". Thus, this method utilizes a discount rate to evaluate the cash flows expected from the use of the asset. In the following example (See Table 2), the discount rate is taken as 15%, whereas the investment is evaluated for the period of five years. After discounting the cash flows expected to be received in the given years, the present value is obtained. Table 1 Cash Flows *Considering Expected Inflation =3% Year 1 Year 2 Year 3 Year 4 Year 5 Cash Inflow* $7,519,000 $7,594,190 $7,669,380 7035528 6497543 Less: Operating Costs $1,460,000 $1,503,800 $1,548,914 $1,595,381 $1,643,242 Less: Depreciation $2,266,667 $2,266,667 $2,266,667 $2,266,667 $2,266,667 Operating Income BT $3,792,333 $3,823,723 $3,853,799 $3,173,480 $2,587,634 Tax (10% assumed) $379,233 $382,372 $385,379 $317,348 $258,763 Operating Income AT $3,413,099 $3,441,350 $3,468,419 $2,856,132 $2,328,870 Add: Depreciation $2,266,667 $2,266,667 $2,266,667 $2,266,667 $2,266,667 Cash Flows $5,679,766 $5,708,017 $5,735,086 $5,122,799 $4,595,537 Table 2 Year Cash Flows Discount Rate- 15% Present Value 1 $5,679,766 0.870 4,941,396 2 $5,708,017 0.757 4,320,968 3 $5,735,086 0.658 3,773,686 4 $5,122,799 0.572 2,930,241 5 $4,595,537 0.497 2,283,981 Net Present Value 18,250,272 - Explicating The Investment Risks French and Gabrielli (2005, p80) illuminate that "the DCF method can mirror the all risk yield approach by explicitly applying all the assumptions that have been implicitly allowed for". The preeminence of this method lies in pre-identifying the risks concerning a prospective investment while

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

8 - Research Paper Example The paper will examine the eight stages of market development for e- businesses and explain how the company can build on them for her success in the highly competitive UK market. The success of the company is highly dependent on how best she can position herself in the e- business world. Such Success will be determined by how well she can design her e- business channel priorities. This is the initial stage in the development of e-businesses. In regard to this, CK-E-LINK will ensure that customers post all the required details regarding her customers in the UK. The prospective customers should make orders through this portal and collection of services made at convenient time. About the development of proper market and product strategies, the company will identify the most preferred cloth designs and food types by most of her customers in the region and capitalize on them. The prime intention here is to increase customers attraction by winning their confidence. The company can then diversify her commodities and markets to further increase her customer base. Moreover for CK-E-LINK to properly position herself in the market against her competitors, she will improve the quality of her foods and cloth designs and increase her services efficiency against her competitors while maintaining the standard market prices. CK-E-LINK can use the simple business, service and revenue model technologies to model her business, services and revenue channels to fit well in the competitive UK market. The simple model involves the five steps strategies: identifying features and technologies to be embedded on the products, identify and segment market targets within the UK and e ven beyond for convenience and expansion, confirm the available revenue streams for each segment, design the mechanisms to be used in capturing value within the segments and then create values for each segment while trying to entice good payments for better profits (Winter). Market