Music as an important feature of A Midsummer Night’s Dream

Show where you would include music in your production and what different effects you would try to achieve. The earthy, natural feeling of A Midsummer Night's Dream gives many inspirations and possibilities for music to be included in the play. It also, contrastingly, gives the opportunity for music not to be used (for example during the songs specifically written in the text and the overall lyricism of the play). Before the performance, during the interval and afterwards I want to show and enhance the nature links within the play. I thought of a time when man and nature were very close, and remembered some tribal music I had. It uses a lot of drums and panpipes, very primitive instruments that show the early nature of the music and the time. It also uses voice, but no words, relying on the noises made by the human voice rather than the pronunciation. An early interpretation of the word â€Å"faerie† meant a spiritual being who was very much linked with nature. These beings had good and bad sides, so are not the archetypal â€Å"fairies† often portrayed today. The spiritual, tribal music would enhance the idea that the faeries are not that dissimilar to humans, while remaining completely different. I would like to give the audience a hint of what is to come just before it happens. For example, just before a fairy is about to come onstage, I would have a short piccolo burst to signify it. This could be continued for each of the three â€Å"classes† – mortals and Mechanicals too. The higher-class mortals could be symbolised by a short burst on the trumpet. This could be increased to a fanfare for Theseus when he enters, and vary between a short note for the lovers on their own to a full fanfare for the court. Similarly, since the Mechanicals are also mortals, a brass instrument could be their entrance too. This would link them to the members of the court, but by using a different instrument such as a trombone, it would set them apart as well. A trombone would be good because it is associated with slapstick comedy, which is what the Mechanicals are, essentially. These notes before an actor's entrance would have to be timed very well so that they came before an entrance, but not too far before so as to detract from the last scene. When Titania and Oberon meet in Act II, Scene I, Titania has a very long speech on how the seasons are being disrupted by their lovers' feud. This speech would be difficult to say while keeping the attention of the audience, and previously I have ideas to cut it. However, looking at the music in this production I have decided on a great piece that would really work. It is called Pachelbel's Frolics. It is derived from Pachelbel's Canon but slowly changes during the piece, almost too slowly to notice. By the end of the music, it has progressed into a full-blown Irish Gig. I think this is wonderfully significant to the piece as it so accurately portrays the changes of which Titania speaks. The fact that it happens so slowly will confuse the audience I think, because they will not notice the change in tune until it has changed thoroughly. Act II, Scene II has the fairies singing Titania to sleep. It would be tempting to use music here to support the fairies. After thinking this through, I decided that no music would be better, as that way the lyricism in the text can come through in their voices alone. Harmonies and vocal variations within the song would be nice here, showing how the differences in the worlds come together to make something that is good. The rhythm and harmonies alone should be enough to carry the piece through. We have tried it in production with it as a choral piece, each saying different lines, and it didn't work very well. Treating the song as a song would work better, but this would require getting a musical assistant to produce a tune for the song, and to work on the harmonies. It would also require actors who could sing and manage harmonising. I think that if the piece was done well, it would work much better than if music were put to it. Act III, Scene I includes Bottom's rowdy song, originally sung to cheer himself up and make him less scared. As it continues, I think he should get rowdier and bawdier; more confident. I don't think I would use music here either. At the beginning he should definitely be alone, and any musical accompaniment would detract from his solitude onstage. For the first half of the song, before Titania wakes up, he should sing quietly, building up to full volume at the line â€Å"The wren with little quill. † Then, after Titania's line he can start at full volume, loudly, brash, almost in a drunken way. His voice should not be particularly tuneful, but very loud (as if to make up for it! . This would show how unrefined he is, and how totally unsuited to Titania. It would also emphasise the differences in appearance and behaviour, especially if Titania is played very daintily and quiet in the scene. The final place where music could be used is in Act V, during and just after the Bergomask dance. Again, I would like to use the music here to emphasise the class differences between the three group s. When the Mechanicals dance, the music they dance to should reflect their status. This is why I chose â€Å"Irish Party in Third Class. It is an Irish tune, much more heavy and beating than the one I have used previously. It is from the party below decks in Titanic, and has such a great atmosphere to it that it would work with the Mechanicals' base instincts. This would also show the class boundaries, as it is fairly apparent that this music is not â€Å"refined† for the other members of the household. The heavy beat of the drum and the deeper notes of bagpipes compared to the fiddle make the piece quite natural and tribal again, while keeping its Irish connotations. After the performance of the Mechanicals' play, Oberon and Titania appear to bless the house. They also dance, and as Shakespeare's stage directions are very remote, the dance could be of any kind. I thought that to emphasise the link with nature, it would be good to use the music from the interval as a dance for them. It has very heavy drumbeats and so carries a good rhythm for dancing. The tribal links would be carried through the whole play, creating continuity through the performance. The whole essence of the fairies in my production is their darker, less â€Å"perfect† side. This dance at the end could be very ritualistic, almost pagan. Through the dance we could see their personalities come through as themselves.

Developmental Assets

EDU360 Developmental Assets July 2010 Education is one of the most important aspects of any child’s life. One day I hope to be a positive and successful teacher, where children need and want to have me be a part of their learning and successes throughout their lives. Educational philosophy has changed over the decades, and still today, not everyone is in total and complete agreement on the subject. Nevertheless, one thing is certain: philosophy is the groundwork of learning styles. All children learn differently and no one philosophy is completely correct. Children are not a one size fit all it comes in a verity of style and beliefs. If we start to guile them by being a good role model, you will be giving the needed equity’s to the young people, by giving the need path to go down for success life. There are four basic educational philosophies that exist including idealism, realism, pragmatism, and existentialism. These four philosophies are not the same, but they do attempt to aim for a similar if not the same goal. To put it simply, they are trying to better our educational system. Every teacher has a different style of teaching that can be reflected as their own. For every teacher that is in one way or another stand by the four basic philosophies. The more assets they have, the more they thrive and the less likely they are to take part in risky behavior. Physical characteristics of these children play a huge part it is formed from good relationships, opportunities, and personal qualities these young children will find essential to avoid risks and to thrive in their lives. Teachers most keep in mind that development and improvement of assets is an ongoing process. Not all children possess the same asset but all can grow and develop over time. We need to pass as many assets as we can to the children we encounter one time or daily. Teaching our children to make smart decisions, be responsible students and caring citizens is a goal for all educators. By teaching young children at a young age of kindergarten through third grade to me is the foundation once they are out of the home. Learning new things, through new soundings by teaching boundaries and what the expectations are to give a type of empowerment. With the start of strong relationships between adults and young children, peers are central to asset building. Everyone can build assets needed to success. All children, youth and even adults can and are building the required assets through community and family, by playing their own roles. It is done through positive support in a constructive, active home and school. By giving the core to their self-confidence, this will stay with them as they grow. It important to install empowerment to all children, this can be done by positive reinforcement. Complement day is a fun rewarding why to teach this. Developmental Assets are important for any child to learn to possess them betterThese are important characteristics for all children regardless of background, gender, economic status, ace or family situation (Webb, 2010 p. 227). To have these as early as possible help the children avoid risks and stay away from participating in risky behavior. It helps them learn how to make good choices and caring responsible adults (Schultz, 2006). It really is the foundation to represent to relationships opportunities, and personal qualities that all young people need not be a risk. There is a list of the 40 developmental assents web page is http://www. earch-institute. org/assets for all ages. Developmental assets are broken up into 20 External Assets and 20 Internal Assets. Each one dives into four categories. External Assets: Support, empowerment, boundaries, constructive use of one’s time and expectations these are needed to help give a rounded life. Teachers have the responsibility for these young so they end up with the creating internal assets too. There needs to be an allied commitment to nurture their core qualities, which will guide them to their choices, which will help generate a well-balanced self, capable of resolving issues, and focusing on opportunities. These four categories of internal assets are: a pledge to learn social skills, positive morals, and social skills and give them a positive identity about themselves. For teacher, developmental assets are is the foundation to a wide-range of children and adolescent growth, the ability to spring back for setbacks, and one social and mental health. The more assets young people have the better. Children with more assets at a young age will most likely grow up to be considerate of other, able to accomplish more and become responsible adults. These individuals contribute to their society with a meaningful purpose for their lives. So just by taking the time to know who they are gives a strong foundation the can build on. It’s important to help the children find their loyalty to learning with positive values. This can be done through social planning and decision making, which will give them a positive self-esteem. What it comes down to is that Developmental Assets are the ground work for basic life skills and traits that are a very important start for children to have successful growth and development. It is like giving them the tools to ensure that they have skills to deal with if experiences they will encounter on to make a successful adult. Capable of making good choices for themselves and being that positive influence needed for the others around them. The song the comes to mind is by Michael Jackson called I believe that children are our furthers, it is a example of what is need so badly in our community. The three risk factors I have chosen are low parental support, mentally ill parents, and participating in public assistance programs. Parental support/involvement in education and home is a vital fundamental start to a successful life. Without the support of inside and outside of the school gives a greater chance of a child being at risk. Just by attending parent-teacher conferences, showing interest, and setting expectations makes more of a difference to a child than one realizes. To me, school is important at any age, but a child with low parental support may never see the importance of it through the parent and needs to get support. Another way for a child to be at risk is having a mentally ill parent. Mental illness can have social problems causing many issues within families, school and work. It is not easy for a child to cope with a mentally ill parent. It can cause the role to be reversed the child take care of the parent, leaving no support in the schools and lack of a role model. The child can be neglected or put in to danger. There are children from broken homes that are at risk too. These children are at higher risk in education. There are a wide range of behaviors that come up with a broken home. It has a huge influence on academic performance, psychological and emotional suffering, social misbehavior and teen pregnancy to name just a few. There is a study that says â€Å"children that come from broken homes were three times more likely to suffer from attention deficit disorders than children form intact homes† (Schultz, 2006). Children model the behavior that they see the ones they look up to. If it is lacking the home it is the teacher’s role job to give them positive engagement that will develop the wonted assets. â€Å"Developmental Assets model is a philosophical approach to developing youth rather than criticizing them so they can avoid negative behavior and excel at positive behavior†(Codie, 2010 ). To be a mentor to students at the level they are in need of. Our children in school today have a growing need for stronger home to school connection than ever as the deal with a variety of situations, having anything from a mentally ill parent, to children that are dependent on different programs due to providers not having the finances, right down to having very little parental support. Our children are dealing with increasing choices and need a strong support system to depend on outside of school. Being a family with good communication skills gives children empowerment of safety and good resources that can be used in school and the community. As a school, there are lots of different ways to help children feel like they are fully capable of achieving their true potential. There are a variety of controversial situations children face each and every day inside and outside of schools. In school, there are small groups that play games that address situation they may face on a daily basis from bullying, dealing with anger and how to deal with it appropriate to the situation on the card. Some schools have exemplary programs for dealing with anger, showing them faces on a chart and how they are feeling and what the next step is to stop the anger. It is on the child desk or note book and every classroom wall. This is allowing the child in control of their behavior and letting them learn they can achieve this goal. The biggest thing is to get the parents involved in the handling of what is best for their child. Teachers can make a great impact on our world through the relationships with students. Teachers should help each student meet their fullest potential by providing an atmosphere that is safe, able to support risk-taking and encourages a circulation of ideas. To see the connection to learning through the eyes of the child taught by am inspire is the highest level of sat faction. In education it is a process and sadly some are overlooked. As a teacher, the students would be main concern, guiding me in my philosophy of teaching. It takes experiences and we all have much to learn but to strive to do to teach each and every child as I enter into the workforce. I think the environment should always contribute to an environment that is allowing the teacher to be the guide, it should also be a place that let the child natural interest are free to learn form and the finally one is to show respect for all. Helping students to find the inner nd support in their path success, on most be a mentor and teacher that helps all in need, and by doing this the world is going to be a better place. Class rooms should be about the students and what they can bring to their success. The surrounding that the students are in each day makes a different. When using pictures and things to relate to their class in a contributing to their educational needs. Visual aids are a way to let th e child bring success as a whole but for them self too. Showing the children of the future that they have the ability to learn with the tools available is the role of a teacher. A thriving classroom/school is to teach children how to communicate their own beliefs and nurture their own ideas. Children learn from teaches commination and it leads to trust and positive relations. A simple way to teach this by having a time set aside each week for the children to draw a name and to give a complement to the other students. It builds respect as well confidence for the speaker and receiver. In conclusion, it the student that come first and that is the foundation on which all teaching decisions should be booked. To keep an open mind is to be flexible, each and every one learns a little differently. We as teacher have to learn and change as to what the children’s needs are. We all have the potential to bring something unique and special to the table but when the door is open at a young age more doors will open. Through the use of assets using communication and treating them like we all want to be treated things work out for the best. All it takes is the time to find the common ground between you and any child. One life touch is one step closer to success. It’s like planting seeds for the future and instilling healthy balance in their life. References: Codie McLachlan. (2010, April 30). 0 Assets videos target adults as well as youths. Saint City News, 17. Retrieved August 8, 2010, from Canadian Newsstand Complete. (Document ID: 2045205771). Gudrun Schultz (2006, January 16). Broken Family Structure Leads to Educational Difficulties for Children http://www. lifesitenews. com/ldn/2006/jan/06011605. html Schultz Gudrun (January 16, 2006). Broken Family Structure Leads to Educational Difficulties for Children http://www. lifesitenews. com/ldn/2006/jan/06011605. html Webb, L. D. , Metha, A. & Jordan K. F. (2010). Foundations of American Education (6th ed. ). Developmental Assets EDU360 Developmental Assets July 2010 Education is one of the most important aspects of any child’s life. One day I hope to be a positive and successful teacher, where children need and want to have me be a part of their learning and successes throughout their lives. Educational philosophy has changed over the decades, and still today, not everyone is in total and complete agreement on the subject. Nevertheless, one thing is certain: philosophy is the groundwork of learning styles. All children learn differently and no one philosophy is completely correct. Children are not a one size fit all it comes in a verity of style and beliefs. If we start to guile them by being a good role model, you will be giving the needed equity’s to the young people, by giving the need path to go down for success life. There are four basic educational philosophies that exist including idealism, realism, pragmatism, and existentialism. These four philosophies are not the same, but they do attempt to aim for a similar if not the same goal. To put it simply, they are trying to better our educational system. Every teacher has a different style of teaching that can be reflected as their own. For every teacher that is in one way or another stand by the four basic philosophies. The more assets they have, the more they thrive and the less likely they are to take part in risky behavior. Physical characteristics of these children play a huge part it is formed from good relationships, opportunities, and personal qualities these young children will find essential to avoid risks and to thrive in their lives. Teachers most keep in mind that development and improvement of assets is an ongoing process. Not all children possess the same asset but all can grow and develop over time. We need to pass as many assets as we can to the children we encounter one time or daily. Teaching our children to make smart decisions, be responsible students and caring citizens is a goal for all educators. By teaching young children at a young age of kindergarten through third grade to me is the foundation once they are out of the home. Learning new things, through new soundings by teaching boundaries and what the expectations are to give a type of empowerment. With the start of strong relationships between adults and young children, peers are central to asset building. Everyone can build assets needed to success. All children, youth and even adults can and are building the required assets through community and family, by playing their own roles. It is done through positive support in a constructive, active home and school. By giving the core to their self-confidence, this will stay with them as they grow. It important to install empowerment to all children, this can be done by positive reinforcement. Complement day is a fun rewarding why to teach this. Developmental Assets are important for any child to learn to possess them betterThese are important characteristics for all children regardless of background, gender, economic status, ace or family situation (Webb, 2010 p. 227). To have these as early as possible help the children avoid risks and stay away from participating in risky behavior. It helps them learn how to make good choices and caring responsible adults (Schultz, 2006). It really is the foundation to represent to relationships opportunities, and personal qualities that all young people need not be a risk. There is a list of the 40 developmental assents web page is http://www. earch-institute. org/assets for all ages. Developmental assets are broken up into 20 External Assets and 20 Internal Assets. Each one dives into four categories. External Assets: Support, empowerment, boundaries, constructive use of one’s time and expectations these are needed to help give a rounded life. Teachers have the responsibility for these young so they end up with the creating internal assets too. There needs to be an allied commitment to nurture their core qualities, which will guide them to their choices, which will help generate a well-balanced self, capable of resolving issues, and focusing on opportunities. These four categories of internal assets are: a pledge to learn social skills, positive morals, and social skills and give them a positive identity about themselves. For teacher, developmental assets are is the foundation to a wide-range of children and adolescent growth, the ability to spring back for setbacks, and one social and mental health. The more assets young people have the better. Children with more assets at a young age will most likely grow up to be considerate of other, able to accomplish more and become responsible adults. These individuals contribute to their society with a meaningful purpose for their lives. So just by taking the time to know who they are gives a strong foundation the can build on. It’s important to help the children find their loyalty to learning with positive values. This can be done through social planning and decision making, which will give them a positive self-esteem. What it comes down to is that Developmental Assets are the ground work for basic life skills and traits that are a very important start for children to have successful growth and development. It is like giving them the tools to ensure that they have skills to deal with if experiences they will encounter on to make a successful adult. Capable of making good choices for themselves and being that positive influence needed for the others around them. The song the comes to mind is by Michael Jackson called I believe that children are our furthers, it is a example of what is need so badly in our community. The three risk factors I have chosen are low parental support, mentally ill parents, and participating in public assistance programs. Parental support/involvement in education and home is a vital fundamental start to a successful life. Without the support of inside and outside of the school gives a greater chance of a child being at risk. Just by attending parent-teacher conferences, showing interest, and setting expectations makes more of a difference to a child than one realizes. To me, school is important at any age, but a child with low parental support may never see the importance of it through the parent and needs to get support. Another way for a child to be at risk is having a mentally ill parent. Mental illness can have social problems causing many issues within families, school and work. It is not easy for a child to cope with a mentally ill parent. It can cause the role to be reversed the child take care of the parent, leaving no support in the schools and lack of a role model. The child can be neglected or put in to danger. There are children from broken homes that are at risk too. These children are at higher risk in education. There are a wide range of behaviors that come up with a broken home. It has a huge influence on academic performance, psychological and emotional suffering, social misbehavior and teen pregnancy to name just a few. There is a study that says â€Å"children that come from broken homes were three times more likely to suffer from attention deficit disorders than children form intact homes† (Schultz, 2006). Children model the behavior that they see the ones they look up to. If it is lacking the home it is the teacher’s role job to give them positive engagement that will develop the wonted assets. â€Å"Developmental Assets model is a philosophical approach to developing youth rather than criticizing them so they can avoid negative behavior and excel at positive behavior†(Codie, 2010 ). To be a mentor to students at the level they are in need of. Our children in school today have a growing need for stronger home to school connection than ever as the deal with a variety of situations, having anything from a mentally ill parent, to children that are dependent on different programs due to providers not having the finances, right down to having very little parental support. Our children are dealing with increasing choices and need a strong support system to depend on outside of school. Being a family with good communication skills gives children empowerment of safety and good resources that can be used in school and the community. As a school, there are lots of different ways to help children feel like they are fully capable of achieving their true potential. There are a variety of controversial situations children face each and every day inside and outside of schools. In school, there are small groups that play games that address situation they may face on a daily basis from bullying, dealing with anger and how to deal with it appropriate to the situation on the card. Some schools have exemplary programs for dealing with anger, showing them faces on a chart and how they are feeling and what the next step is to stop the anger. It is on the child desk or note book and every classroom wall. This is allowing the child in control of their behavior and letting them learn they can achieve this goal. The biggest thing is to get the parents involved in the handling of what is best for their child. Teachers can make a great impact on our world through the relationships with students. Teachers should help each student meet their fullest potential by providing an atmosphere that is safe, able to support risk-taking and encourages a circulation of ideas. To see the connection to learning through the eyes of the child taught by am inspire is the highest level of sat faction. In education it is a process and sadly some are overlooked. As a teacher, the students would be main concern, guiding me in my philosophy of teaching. It takes experiences and we all have much to learn but to strive to do to teach each and every child as I enter into the workforce. I think the environment should always contribute to an environment that is allowing the teacher to be the guide, it should also be a place that let the child natural interest are free to learn form and the finally one is to show respect for all. Helping students to find the inner nd support in their path success, on most be a mentor and teacher that helps all in need, and by doing this the world is going to be a better place. Class rooms should be about the students and what they can bring to their success. The surrounding that the students are in each day makes a different. When using pictures and things to relate to their class in a contributing to their educational needs. Visual aids are a way to let th e child bring success as a whole but for them self too. Showing the children of the future that they have the ability to learn with the tools available is the role of a teacher. A thriving classroom/school is to teach children how to communicate their own beliefs and nurture their own ideas. Children learn from teaches commination and it leads to trust and positive relations. A simple way to teach this by having a time set aside each week for the children to draw a name and to give a complement to the other students. It builds respect as well confidence for the speaker and receiver. In conclusion, it the student that come first and that is the foundation on which all teaching decisions should be booked. To keep an open mind is to be flexible, each and every one learns a little differently. We as teacher have to learn and change as to what the children’s needs are. We all have the potential to bring something unique and special to the table but when the door is open at a young age more doors will open. Through the use of assets using communication and treating them like we all want to be treated things work out for the best. All it takes is the time to find the common ground between you and any child. One life touch is one step closer to success. It’s like planting seeds for the future and instilling healthy balance in their life. References: Codie McLachlan. (2010, April 30). 0 Assets videos target adults as well as youths. Saint City News, 17. Retrieved August 8, 2010, from Canadian Newsstand Complete. (Document ID: 2045205771). Gudrun Schultz (2006, January 16). Broken Family Structure Leads to Educational Difficulties for Children http://www. lifesitenews. com/ldn/2006/jan/06011605. html Schultz Gudrun (January 16, 2006). Broken Family Structure Leads to Educational Difficulties for Children http://www. lifesitenews. com/ldn/2006/jan/06011605. html Webb, L. D. , Metha, A. & Jordan K. F. (2010). Foundations of American Education (6th ed. ).

Incredible Hulk Means Incredible Band-Aids Essay

Band-Aids have been around since the 1920s, and they are an internationally known product. Band-Aids must be marketed to an international audience, and since most everyone knows what a Band-Aid is, the company must rely on marketing techniques to show consumers why the Band-Aid brand is the best choice to purchase. In a Band-Aid advertisement released in 2010 by an advertising company, JWT Dubai, there is a picture of the Hulk’s hand with a tiny Band-Aid wrapped around it, and the entire page is colored with different shades of green. This ad is not covered in crazy pictures or an array of vibrant colors; it is simple and concise. This simplistic advertising of the Hulk’s hand makes this ad easy for anyone to comprehend, and it also conveys several different powerful messages to show a consumer the effectiveness of this product. Johnson & Johnson was founded in 1886 and is a Fortune 500 corporation that has worldwide pharmaceutical sales of around 65 million dollars. Jo hnson & Johnson sells medical devices, pharmaceuticals, and consumer-based packages (Wikipedia, 2011). Three brothers founded Johnson & Johnson in Brunswick, New Jersey, and then an employee invented Band-Aids. In 1921 Band-Aids were made available to the public, and it was the first commercial dressing made for small wounds (Johnson & Johnson, 2011). This corporation now operates in over 57 countries, and its products are sold in over 175 countries. Johnson & Johnson ranks at the top of Harris Interactive National Corporate Reputation Survey, and the Barron’s magazine has ranked them the world’s most respected company. The U.S. State Department awarded Johnson & Johnson with the Benjamin Franklin Award for public diplomacy for funding international education programs. (Wikipedia, 2011). Johnson & Johnson is a globally known company, and almost everybody has used a product from this company. Even though Johnson & Johnson is a large and well known company, advertising is an essential tool to keep reminding consumers who can provide the best at home medical products. This advertisement was marketed internationally, and The Hulk, is an internationally known hero. The target audience was geared more towards men, children, and parents. Men are more likely to know who The Hulk is, and that is why this ad was placed in various men’s magazine. This ad was placed in different video game magazines that are read by mostly boys and men. Another placement of this ad was on the Internet, like children’s clothing sites. This could be effective because a mother could be shopping for clothes for her son, and she sees the ad and can relate to it because her son loves The Hulk. This ad could be placed in nearly any magazine, and be effective because of the nature of the product. Even though this ad is aimed more at men and boys, it has other ways to attract women to the product. This ad was also placed in some women’s magazines like home and garden, crafts, and even fashion editorials. Even if a woman did not know who The Hulk was, she can still conclude from the advertisement that the Band-Aid heals, protects, and is strong. This ad can appeal to men and young boys more than women, but no matter where it is placed it can still convey a message of strength and healing. By using the comic pop culture icon, The Hulk, it shows the strength and flexibility of the Band-Aid. The main point of this advertisement is to show how flexible the bandage is. The idea was that Bruce Banner put the Band-Aid on before he became The Hulk, and when he turned into The Hulk, the band aid was so flexible and strong it did not fall off. The Hulk is associated with strength, so by seeing the Hulk’s hand the idea of strength is revealed. The message is no matter how active you are or where you go, the Band-Aid will stay put. Another message that can be relayed is that The Hulk seems indestructible, and even super heroes use Band-Aids, and no household should go without them. By using the renowned hero The Hulk, the product’s benefit truly comes to life, and the ad speaks volumes using no words. Some ideas and messages are conveyed to a consumer in other ways than words. In this advertisement the color green is used to help emphasize the idea of the ad. The color green is used worldwide to represent safety and is considered the most restful color. Green can also represent nature, healing, growth, and balance. The purpose of Band-Aids is to heal wounds, and the various shades of green exemplify the healing and safety elements of the bandage. The different green shades are used to initiate feelings of safety and healing, and the advertisement wants the reader to associate their brand with those feelings. The subject of this ad is the contrasting tan bandage on the Hulk’s finger. The contrasting tan color illuminates the product, and the combination of the colors help create the idea of the importance of the hand and its bandage. A lighter green of shade is placed in the center of the ad, and that creates a spotlight effect to enhance the focus of this ad. By just using colors alone, this advertisement sends a subtle message to its audience. When designing this ad, advertisers also had to consider the placement of the images and product. When people read a page, the normal reading pattern is from top to bottom and left to right. The Hulk’s hand starts at the upper left hand side of the page, and advertisers make a visual path down Hulk’s hand to the product that is being advertised in the middle of the page. Since there is a monochromatic color scheme, it is difficult to lose focus of the main subject. After the reader views the bandage, the visual path continues down Hulk’s bandaged finger to a box of Band-Aid brand bandages. The placement of the Band-Aid box at the bottom right hand corner makes the brand the last image a reader sees before turning the page. The effective mapping of the images draws attention to the important elements of the ad, and in a specific order the advertisers want a consumer to see the ad. This advertisement proves that a product can be marketed effectively by using simplistic placement techniques and monochromatic color schemes. The color choices effectively set a calming and healing mood, and the strong and powerful hand shows the strength and flexibility of the product. Even if someone did not know who The Hulk was, this ad could still be beneficial because it shows a strong hand with a little Band-Aid wrapped around it, and it could be inferred that the little Band-Aid is strong. The Hulk Band-Aid ad was voted one of the top 40 most creative ads by adsoftheworld.com in 2011, and it still circulates on the Internet as a brilliant ad. Reference: Johnson & Johnson. (2011). Johnson & johnson. Retrieved from http://www.jnj.com/connect/about-jnj/company-history/ Wikipedia. (2011, November 25). Wikipedia. Retrieved from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Johnson_&_Johnson

Rise and Fall of Civilizations During Pre-History to 1500 CE Research Paper

Rise and Fall of Civilizations During Pre-History to 1500 CE - Research Paper Example The current socio-political status-quo is said to be the continuation of the previous political world order. This paper aims to discuss the rise and fall of different civilizations and how the acted as a base to shape the contemporary political practices. The civilizations which have been chosen for the purpose of discussion in the paper are chosen on the basis of their impact on political contribution. Byzantine Empire Contribution to Political Diplomacy: Byzantine Empire was basically a facet of the Roman Empire during middle Ages. Likewise other civilizations, the Byzantine Empire had its own army and societal setup. Byzantine Empire had to face a number of challenges as the demise of the Roman Empire in its initial phase was noted. The era of Byzantine Empire can also be referred to an era of preservation of Roman traditions and values. The employment of diplomacy was concerned as significant in the era of Byzantine Empire. It can be said that most of the modern practices in the political diplomacy are inspired by the Byzantine Empire1. ... on made to the modern political practices of diplomacy, the Byzantine Empire ultimately led to its dissolution in the long run2 Anglo-Saxon Empire Contribution to Democracy: By going through the history of the Anglo-Saxon Empire, it becomes easy to understand that common language and the control of the ancestors on the tradition of a community can create a balance in the community. The political control was bestowed to the ancestors of the civilization as they were considered as the teachers of the forerunners. The Anglo-Saxon Empire is basically referred to the German invaders who invaded British during the 5th century. The contribution of the Anglo-Saxons on the modern political practice was their tradition of following meetings and discussion. This act of discussing any political action is considered as democratic act in the modern time. The political order in the era of Anglo-Saxons was stable and able to meet the needs of its people which ultimately led in increased loyalty from the people. It would not be incorrect to state that Anglo-Saxons could not survive for a very long period of time in Britain because they were divided into groups which fought frequently. The increased fights between these invader groups resulted in the fall of the civilization. Despite the interest of the civilization in maintaining army, Anglo-Saxons lost because of its own armed men3 Ottoman Empire Contribution to Bureaucratic Structures: Among different civilizations, Ottoman Empire is considered to be an Empire which lasted longer than any other Empire in the history. This Empire was also known as Turkish Empire which had its own supremacy in terms of monarch. The political control in the Ottoman Empire was strictly liable to the monarchs. The Empire is also known as a symbol of

Russian Lit Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Russian Lit - Essay Example This is the tragedy of their love. The Theme of Love in The Lady with the Little Dog. The Lady with the Little Dog is one of Anton Chekhov’s most popular short stories and also one of the greatest love stories in literature. The entire narrative revolves round the theme of love. The protagonists, Dmitri Gurov and Anna Sergeyevna, are married and have their own separate, routine family lives that are not particularly cruel or intolerable. As such, their passion is not something which automatically deserves approval. However, the compassion and tenderness with which the author delineates the love between Dmitri and Anna arouses the reader’s sympathy and justifies their common search for a meaningful relationship. Their passion transforms the cynical Dmitri into a true lover and a more compassionate man. The Lady with the Little Dog is a story of illicit passion and the conclusion is ambiguous. There is no ‘they lived happily ever after’ at the end. Their inab ility to overcome the clandestine nature of their meetings lends a tragic note to the narrative. They are doomed to live apart. The protagonists’ love arises from a shared need, transforms Dmitri’s cynicism into true passion, and leads to their living double lives which cannot be reconciled with social norms. Dmitri and Anna come to Yalta with the shared experience of loveless married lives. Both have been married early in their respective lives: obviously in marriages which have been arranged for convenience, according to the custom in the Russia of those days. Dmitri is afraid of his wife and does â€Å"not like to be at home† (Chekhov, p. 361), while Anna despises her husband for being â€Å"a lackey† (Chekhov, , p.365). Both of them are obviously in search of romance and have come to Yalta prepared to actively seek out and enjoy new experiences and pleasures. Dmitri is lured by the â€Å"tempting thought of a swift, fleeting love affair,† (Chek hov, p.362) and Anna yearns for â€Å"something better --- a different life† (Chekhov, p. 366). Anna is aware of Dmitri’s motive in pursuing her, but does nothing to discourage him. In spite of her moral qualms, and the comparative innocence of her character, she voluntarily surrenders to her passion. They deliberately embark on a one week fling, which they fully expect to be a temporary indulgence. However, contrary to their expectations, the beautiful surroundings, their common needs, and their shared celebration of â€Å"this sweet delirium, this madness,† (Chekhov, , p.368), take root as enduring love. Dmitri enters into his relationship with Anna in the same spirit of cynicism with which he has always dealt with women in the past: despising them as â€Å"an inferior race!† (Chekhov, , p.362). Being unfaithful to his wife is nothing new to him. He is bored and irritated by Anna’s remorse and her continuous fear of being despised by him for bein g a â€Å"trite, trashy woman† (Chekhov, , p.366). He admits that she is deceived in thinking him to be â€Å"kind, extraordinary, lofty† (Chekhov, , p.368). He is ready to put Yalta behind him and move on with life in Moscow. He is totally unprepared to find that his memory of Anna â€Å"followed him everywhere like a shadow and watched him† (Chekhov, , p.369). What begins as just a search for another conquest ends with making a new man of him. He realizes that â€Å"there was no person closer, dearer and more important to him in the whole world† (Chekhov, , p.372). He complacently thinks it is she who loves him and continues

The politics of cultural stereotyping in Los Vendidos Research Paper

The politics of cultural stereotyping in Los Vendidos - Research Paper Example Los Vendidos talks of a time in California when policies regarding race regularly emphasized the differences between black and white, rather than talking of them as one unified whole. The governorship of Ronald Reagan was a prominent cause for this, as his policies regarding race relations have been widely condemned as racist and one where class plays an important role; with poor African Americans facing the brunt of his policies (Reagan). The reference to Reagan in Los Vendidos, is thus not a passing remark on the part of Valdez. It is an overt critique of Reagan, who was then the Californian governor. Miss Jimenez is a character who has moved beyond the lower class beginnings of the Mexican immigrants that Honest Sancho initially shows her, when she asks for a representative of the Mexican American community for the campaign that Reagan intends to carry out. The story thus points to the degeneration of democratic politics into a system where it becomes merely a system where people of different communities are trapped in the form of vote banks. Valdez pokes fun at this tendency by pointing out the utter lack of agency that such representatives possess within the democratic setup that is thus envisaged. He also highlights the bitter truth of the Mexican American himself/herself choosing to stereotype people of his/her own community. This is exactly what Miss Jimenez seems to be doing (Chabram-Dernersesian, 130-45). She moreover, desires to move out of the stereotype that is forced upon her by the mainstream American society, thereby showing that stereotypes are created both by the mainstream and the marginalized sections of the society. By the end of the play, the three Mexican American men, hitherto thought to be robots, by declaring themselves human, come out of the stereotypes that are created for them by the society. They choose also to remain outside the realm of the stereotypes that Mexican Americans choose to create for themselves by uniting for the caus e of the Mexican community and thereby breaking the boundaries that are created within the Mexican American community by people like Miss Jimenez. Miss Jimenez represents the bourgeoisie who chooses to dissociate herself from her own marginalized community so as to try and be a part of the mainstream society. Her need for disguising herself as a â€Å"white washed Mexican† is something that Valdez chooses to poke fun at (Valdez). The recognition of the need for a collective action on the part of marginalized ethnic groups across the world and the need for a nation to be wary of the bourgeoisie which seeks to stifle any such attempt at revolution is what stays with the reader at the end of the story. The play also seeks to undercut the idea of the United States of America as the melting pot of all cultures, and a place where every culture is accepted, an image that is summed up in the phrase, ‘the American Dream’, which seems to promise immigrants a free society t hat does not discriminate between its citizens on superficial grounds such as race. The idea of an egalitarian America has been undercut by many writers of non-white origin during the twentieth century. This idea, which dates back to the puritanical idea of America as a utopian land was one that was created by its white settlers. The need for creating such a society through revolution and unrest is articulated in this play by the three characters who turn out to be humans and not robots, at the end of the pla

Improvement of Graduation Rates of Senior High School Research Proposal

Improvement of Graduation Rates of Senior High School - Research Proposal Example According to City-Data (2009), the population consists of 84.3% Caucasians, 4.8% African American, 4.1% Hispanics, and 3.5% Asian. The estimated median household income is $36,718. Kansas median household income is $47,817 and the estimated median house or condo value in 2009 is $172,746 which was $93,700 in 2000 (City-Data, 2009). The cost of living in Manhattan is significantly lesser than the US average. In Manhattan, the index of the cost of living is 83.5 as compared to 100, which is the average index in the US (City-Data, 2009, para 1). The Bangkok High school district’s goals are increased graduation rates for senior high school student. The areas of concern include improving passing the end of year exam percentage from 68.8% to 75% (Bangkok School, 2009). Description of Work Setting The action research project will take place with senior high school in the Bangkok High School located in Manhattan, Kansas. The Bangkok High School consists of grades 10 through 12. The mi ssion of Bangkok High School is to prepare students for a positive and successful life, whether that be in college or the workforce, after their graduation. Our goal is to provide students with a structured curriculum, state of the art technology, and high expectations to succeed. Furthermore, students will also learn to become independent and responsible citizens who are capable of handling difficult emotional and social situations with a positive and productive disposition. (The Bangkok High School Mission, 2009). The student enrollment in the Bangkok High School is approximately 1,715, there are 168 certified and non-certified personnel, and the number of students with each teacher is 22 (Bangkok School, 2009). There are 74 full-time teachers on staff with 50 existing classrooms (Bangkok School, 2009). The twelfth grade’s enrollment is 554 students, with 30 full-time teachers. All students and teachers are a partaker in this research project on this senior high school camp us (Bangkok School, 2009). In this research project, 200 students who are unprepared for the end of year exam, 30 students in depression, and another 30 who frequently miss school will be included. Writer’s Role The writer has a Bachelor of Science in Education degree majoring in Health Education from Kasetsart University in Bangkok, Thailand and has a 1-year teaching experience. Chapter II: Study of the Problem Problem Description The senior high school students have failed the end of year exam and only 68.8% managed to receive a high school diploma during the 2009-2010 school year. This is a one-semester study. Problem Documentation The documentation comes from a report on and the end of year test score, an observation report on the students with depression, and an attendant’s report on the end of year exam. 381 of the 554 senior high schools students (68.8%) received a high school diploma. As many as 173 out of the 554 senior high schools students (31.2%) failed the ir end of year exam. 13% of the senior high school's students (22) were absent on their end of year exam. 22% of the senior high school's students (110) were unprepared to assume the responsibility for their learning and failed their end of year exam, and 15% of the senior high school's students with depression (25) failed their end of year exam.  

Cross Cultural Management Issues of UK, China, Spain, and Finland Essay

Cross Cultural Management Issues of UK, China, Spain, and Finland - Essay Example This paper will assess the management issues which could arise in an international team consisting of English, Chinese, Spanish and Finnish members. It will then seek to propose methods for addressing these issues and dealing with them effectively. Cross-Cultural Concepts and Issues Which Could Arise There exist many differing theories as to the way in which cultures differ considerably on several levels. One pertinent theory put forth by Maletzke (1996) categorises cultural differences into 9 groups. Although these will be briefly stated, they are relevant in assessing which problems could arise for a manager of an international group. Maletzke states that cultural differences can consist in many different categories (1996). The national character of a culture consists in the shared basic behavioural patterns and personality traits of the people in the culture. In the business arena this can be an issue if one culture, being inherently different to another, finds it difficult to und erstand, or co-operate with the other. For example, the Spanish culture is open, loud and friendly whereas the Finnish culture is formal, softly spoken and favours courteousness. This may cause the Finnish person to be offended or overwhelmed by the playful, less formal characteristics of the Spanish person. The Spanish may also overwhelm the Chinese person as Chinese tend to be more softly spoken and less verbal. Another important element of culture is time concept, which has the potential to differ greatly between cultures and cause problems when co-ordinating meetings and planning schedules. Here there exists the potential for the Chinese and the English person to conflict in that the former is less prompt for meetings, and often has no fixed start or end time whereas the English person desires a more specified form of time management. This also applies to the Spanish who may stand alone in his lack of planning, relaxed perception of time and lack of willingness to restrict his d ay to particularly planned schedules and meeting times. The space concept of culture can cause problems in that the Finnish, English and Chinese may conflict with the Spanish concept of space. The Mediterranean culture of the Spanish places little importance on private space, and may even adopt constant forms of physical contact in order to communicate and express himself. This may cause discomfort, particularly for the Finnish culture which is likely to see physical contact between mere business associates as inappropriate and even offensive. For example, the Finnish method of greeting is a simple handshake with a smile, as is the English method. The Spanish is more likely to shake hands, yet place a hand on the back of the person he greets, or even kiss the cheek of the person he greets. The two methods are rather different and have the potential to cause issues in the business arena. Perception as a facet of culture also has the potential to be an issue, in that it could represen ts which each culture defines as important and non-important. Perhaps the largest potential of raising issues is the language and non-verbal communication of each culture. Of course, different languages are a major problem, though more importantly, even if

Total reward Coursework Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words - 1

Total reward - Coursework Example experienced more staff movements between Business and Retail banking and few movements between Central Support functions and Corporate Banking (Wright, 2004). The foundation of reward carried out is job evaluation and the organization has 20 grades. Due to the difficulties experienced in the Mitchell Bank, this report has been made to find solution to the problems through Total Reward. The report is to analyze the effectiveness of Total Reward in MB and come up with recommendations to promote high profitability and employees’ motivation within the bank. Total reward as a term had been adopted to give reward strategy that come with extra components like development, learning together with factors of the working environment, into the benefits package (Armstrong & Brown, 2001). Total rewards are all the equipments accessible to the employer that may be applied in the attraction, motivation and maintenance of the employees. According to Armstrong, total reward approach benefits involve total effects of different reward types giving a deeper and progressing impact on employees’ commitment and motivation (Wright, 2004). The employment relation developed by the total reward approach applies total use of transactional and relational rewards and hence more appealing to the employees (Davis & Edge, 2004). Total reward could be financial or non-financial. Financial Reward (FR) constitutes job-based payment which gives base pay considering the job’s significance, and person-based pay that gives rewards in the merit’s shape pay that identify individual’s capability or contribution. Non-financial motivators are the intrinsic factors that concentrate on recognition, achievement, influence, responsibility and personal growth (Armstrong, 2012). The model of total reward applied in this report Towers Perrin. Adopting this model would provide improvement on productivity and lowers staff turn over since it is more in details as compared to other models. The model assists

My Ideal Government System Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words - 1

My Ideal Government System - Essay Example For example, monarchy system will lessen quarrels of its people since there is only one person ruling such as a king. There will be an ideal government system if people can just forget the disadvantages of each system. My ideal system will be the making of a system that does not have rebellion, conflict, crime, corruption and discrimination. By only then it can be called the ideal government system. An ideal government system ensures that the aspects of discrimination conflicts discrimination rebellion and crime are absent (Behrouzi 10). In discrimination, the people face prejudice due to their gender, race, or sexual orientation. An ideal government looks into these issues, and makes sure that every citizen lives a comfortable life (Behrouzi 12). An ideal government should be a democratic government that respects the ideas of citizens. All citizens regardless of race or gender should be allowed to participate in matters that concern the government. For example, the regime that allows voters to elect leaders without the presence of election anomalies is an ideal regime. Looking into the platforms of Obama and Romney; it is evident that Obama supports gay marriages thus; the government that Obama intended to form does not discriminate the gay community (Behrouzi 15). The platform respects abortion rights. The platform is in line with the Supreme Court ruling that declared abortion as a legal right. In contrast, the Romney platform abhors gay marriages. This is evident as the party platform gives the rights to states plus the federal government to decline same sex marriages. Romney’s platform supports constitutional changes that would refer the aspect of marriage as unification between a man and woman. The aspects found in Romney’s platform cannot lead to an ideal regime (Becker and Michael 23). This is because the platform discriminates gays plus lesbians and fails to respect the decision of a woman concerning abortion. Obama’s

Illuminating the Illusion Essay Example for Free

Illuminating the Illusion Essay Jay Chiat, and expert in the advertising field, looked at advertising differently than those in the advertising business today. He launched the Energizer Bunny and Apple commercials. Not only that, he started a new age of advertising during the Super Bowl. Chiat was an amazing advertiser; however, he reached a point in 1997 where he desired to leave the marketing industry. He no longer agreed with the ideals of the advertising world. In Chiat’s essay, â€Å"Illusions are Forever,† he uncovers the true ideals of the marketing industry. His essay discusses how the lies in advertising â€Å"lie in the situations, values, beliefs, and cultural norms used to sell a message.†(212) Through this essay, Chiat uses strong, vivacious words to create an image of the true face of advertising. In the same manner, he includes examples and descriptions that embellish that image and grab the attention of the reader. Amidst all of this, Chiat composes his essay in a manner that allows for a clear, insightful message to come across. Chiat is indeed bitter of advertising, but that does not affect his message. He remains conversational throughout the course of the essay. The technique that Chiat uses throughout his writing is superb, and he does an excellent job of getting his message across. Chiat uses strong, vivid word choice throughout his essay to give his readers a precise image of the schemes used by today’s advertisers. Chiat’s words â€Å"unrelenting†(213) and â€Å"24-hour-a-day drumbeat†(213) allow his readers to imagine how advertisers are constantly hammering their ideas into the heads of the viewers. Words such as â€Å"robs us†(213) allow Chiat to make the point that advertisers rob Americans of their view of life, replacing it instead with an â€Å"illusion†. Chiat also uses â€Å"seductive†(214) to give his readers a further understanding of what advertisers are seeking. Chiat is using words such as â€Å"seductive†(214) to enlighten consumers to the idea that advertisers twist their lies in a fashion that is seemingly pleasing to the eyes but is still made up of lies. Chiat’s words are critical of advertisers and how they do not truly care about their consumer. Chiat, nonetheless, does not blind his reader to the essay’s purpose by getting lost in the emotional rhetoric. Chiat’s writing is filled with informative and detailed rhetorical modes that greatly add to the impact of his argument. Unlike many writers who seem to get lost in their descriptions of a topic, Chiat includes examples, definitions and descriptions while still shining light upon the advertising backdrop. One instance of this occurs when Chiat uses the example of the wedding ring from DeBaers, Chiat uses this example to help the readers visualize how the advertisers seek to infiltrate the minds of their consumers. Following this example, Chiat then defines â€Å"unmediated†(213) as â€Å"without media†(213). Chiat defines â€Å"unmediated†(213), a word that most take lightly, in an effort to give his readers a clear understanding of the strategies used by advertisers. A few paragraphs later, Chiat proceeds to describe internet advertising. Chiat gives a clear image to his readers on how internet advertisers drag adults in with their â€Å"authoritative-looking†(213) websites. Chiat’s placement of these examples, definitions and descriptions is excellent. He places them in positions that not only increase the flow of the writing but also pique the interests of his readers. Adding the rhetorical modes previously mentioned is very important for writers such as Chiat because there are points in writing where the pace of the writing dies down. Chiat places these modes in marvelous positions that keep up the pace of the article as it moves along. Along with descriptive words and examples, organization of ideas is also critical when writing an essay, and Chiat’s layout of paragraphs is very logical, and in turn deductive, in other words, the reasoning follows the thesis. Chiat opens up his essay with a bit of background on advertising in order to strengthen the thesis that follows. His thesis is clear and to the point. Because his thesis is mentioned in the beginning of the essay, and the reasoning behind his essay follows in each of the body paragraphs, Chiat’s essay follows this deductive style. Chiat then uses this combination to capture the reader’s attention and make them want to read more with each following paragraph. Chiat pulls the reader along not only with his strong words but also by arranging his ideas in a fashion that allows for a constant pace. In the same manner, each of the points that Chiat makes relates back to the thesis. The readers are not led up to an  apparent climax only to find another exposition; Chiat’s points are clear and flow beautifully. He includes good transitions that allow the writing to have the feel of a constant flow and not have abrupt stops in the middle of the writing where a change in direction occurs. Chiat has a great understanding of how to organize his thoughts, and he demonstrates that in his writing. Besides simply writing in a way that is pleasing to the eyes, Chiat also keeps a good tone throughout the course of the writing. This allows him to keep his readers from turning to other writings. The tone throughout his essay is bitter, but Chiat remains conversational at the same time. The descriptions of the different advertisers are definitely negative; Chiat makes it clear that he does not agree with advertisers. In the concluding paragraph of his essay, Chiat challenges us to find our own personal truth rather than the apparitional truth presented to us by advertisers. In a similar manner, Chiat says in his final paragraph that people should ignore the vision of life offered by advertisers. Amidst all of this negativity, Chiat’s writing maintains a conversational feel. Chiat involves his readers directly by asking them questions, having them imagine images, etc†¦ Chiat may have held a bitter tone over the course of the essay, and though in many cases writers using a bitter tone in their writing drive away their readers with their immense negativity, Chiat does not overpower his readers with his negative thoughts and descriptions. In fact, Chiat’s calm yet bitter tone allows his readers to better embrace his feelings. Chiat uses strong word choice and rhetorical modes, clear organization, and an inviting tone to strengthen his essay on the schemes behind advertising. These different components throughout his essay enable his readers to gain a broad understanding of Chiat’s different poins and the lies surrounding them every day. Chiat uses his great understanding of these different devices to uphold a steady pace and a smooth flow. Chiat’s â€Å"Illusions are Forever† is a well spoken essay. It captures the interests of its readers, it is very informative, and it is a very relaxed read for a negative view of advertising.

Proposed Mexican Business Essay Example for Free

Proposed Mexican Business Essay A business plan is very important guide that directs the management of the business or organization towards achieving its goals. Analysis of the market in which a business is venturing is very essential. This gives a clear picture of the entire market that the business is getting into. This paper will look at the economic, demographic and socio-economic details of each major state in Mexico. This paper will further go ahead to explain both the foreign and the foreign and the domestic banks that are operating in Mexico. This paper also includes detailed ideas about recruitment of employees in Mexico. Finally it gives extensive information about the American companies that are operating in Mexico. Mexico is known to be a constitutional republic federally based in North America. It is bordered on the northern side by United States. The North Pacific Ocean borders this republic on the south and the western sides. Mexico is highly referred to as the United Mexico States. The Caribbean Sea is very visible on the southeast part of Mexico. It consists of many states which are thirty one in number. Mexico City is known to be one of the most populated cities in the world. (Crandall, 2004) Mexico as earlier on illustrated has got approximately thirty one states. They include Sonora, Baja California, Chihuahua, Coahuila, Nuevo Leon, Tomaulipas, Durango, Baja California Sur, Chiapas, Guerrero, Jalisco, Nayarit, SLP, Oaxaca, Campeche and Vera Cruz among others. These Mexican states are also divided into different municipalities. In the year 1900, the population in Mexico was approximately 13.6 million.   The demographics of Mexican states are as follows. Michoacan state is known to have the lowest population growth. Quintana Roo has the highest population growth rate. These two states are the least populated. Baja California has Sur and Baja California has the highest migration rate. Below are the demographics by city and state. Rank    Core City   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   State      Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Pop  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚     Rank   Ã‚   Core City   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   State      Ã‚  Ã‚  Pop 1   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Mexico City   Ã‚   DF   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   19,231,829   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   11   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Queretaro   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   QT   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   918,100 2   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Guadalajara   Ã‚  Ã‚   JA   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   4,095,853   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   12   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Merida   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   YU   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   897,740 3   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Monterrey   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   NL   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   3,664,331   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   13   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Mexicali   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   BC   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   855,962 4   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Puebla   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   PB  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   2,109,049  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   14   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Aguascalientes AC  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   805,666 5   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Toluca   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   ME   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   1,610,786   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   15   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Tampico   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   TM   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   803,196 6   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Tijuana   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   BC   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   1,483,992   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   16   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Culiacan   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   SI   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   793,730 7   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Leon   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   GT  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   1,425,210  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚      17  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Cuernavaca   Ã‚  Ã‚   MO   Ã‚  Ã‚   787,556 8   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Juarez   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   CH  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   1,313,338  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   18   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Acapulco   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   GR   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   786,830 9   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Torreon   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   CO   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   1,110,890   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   19   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Chihuahua   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   CH   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   784,882 10   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   San Luis Potosi SL   Ã‚  Ã‚   957,753   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   20   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Morelia   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   MI   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   735,624 The economy in this nation is firmly established. It is known to be the world’s 12th largest in line with its economy. This is according to GDP and PPP. This nation has an economy that is highly diversified. The infrastructure is quite developed in terms of telecommunications, airports, distribution of gas, railroads and seaports among other sectors. (Denizer, 1997) The socio-economics data reveals that the population in this nation that is in extreme poverty has tremendously decreased from twenty four point one percent to approximately sixteen point nine percent. This is according to the World Bank. It is however very evident that there are huge disparities in the incomes of the poor and the wealthy in the nation. There are also remarkable differences between the south and the northern areas of Mexico. These differences still exist amongst the urban and the rural areas. The contrasts are quite sharp in relation to human development and income levels. These issues still remain to be quite problematic in Mexico. Poverty has been reduced in Mexico through the increase in the middle class purchasing power. The inflation in Mexico is as low as 3.3%. This has resulted in middle class people in this nation having a credit consumption that is quite high. There is great stability in the nation in terms of monetary terms.   Through remittances from citizens in Mexico, poverty has been greatly alleviated. The infrastructure in Mexico is quite developed and this makes it very easy to carry out business in this republic. This is in terms of the road network. Chiapas State in Mexico is very developed in terms of the infrastructure. There are both foreign and domestic banks in Mexico. Research shows that Mexico allowed foreign banks to open up branches therein. This was made easy through foreign acquisitions of the various domestic banks in Mexico. It is very clear that foreign banks in Mexico are more profitable when compared to the domestic banks in Mexico.   This shows that foreign banks have had positive impacts on the entire banking sector. Citibank is one of the foreign banks that started operating in Mexico in the year 1994. This bank is U.S based. This was through the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA). (Houghton, 1999) Other foreign banks that are operating in Mexico include Scotiabank, HSBC, Banco Santander and BBVA. Banco Santander is based in Spain, Scotiabank is in Canada, and HSBC is in U.K while BBVA is in Spain. Among the domestic banks include Banco de Azteca. The other prominent domestic bank that is operating in Mexico is called Barnote. It is highly known even among the locals for its excellent services.] Recruitment is a very essential part of organizational management. This is due to the fact that this process enables an organization to get qualified professionals that are quite competent in carrying out the tasks assigned to them. Critical analysis of the entire business sector shows the way it carries out this important task. Looking at most of the organizations in Mexico, they carry out recruitment process through advertising of the vacant posts. Many organizations advertise in their Company websites, they also place advertisements in newspapers and sometimes over the radio. The management clearly indicates the desired qualifications of potential employees. Interested candidates then send their particulars (these are the cover letter and C.V) to the organization either by post or by electronic media. The application letters and C.Vs are then analyzed and the qualified candidates are then short listed. These are then communicated to such that they attend an oral or written interview depending on the organization. Some organizations use both methods. Some organizations carry out one and others two interviews with the potential candidates. Those who pass the interviews are either communicated to trough post or through telephone. The qualified candidates are then incorporated into the organization where they go through training or induction in relation to their work or job profile. All these normally result in organizations having qualified employees. This process is carried out by the management team in organizations in Mexico without favoritism. There are different American Companies that are operating in Mexico. Most of these Companies are very successful. Amongst the American Companies that are successfully operating in Mexico include Diners Club, Master Card and American Express Bank. These Companies are well known in the Mexican Republic and their profit margins are very high. Research shows that there are very many factors that have made American Companies operating in Mexico to be successful. (Houghton, 1999)   One of the major factors that have made these Companies to be successful is the NAFTA initiative. Through this it has become very easy for the American based Companies to start up branches in Mexico. The management in these Companies is very sound. This is bearing in mind that these organizations have been in existence for some time. There are various strategies that the American companies that are based in Mexico use. These strategies include marketing both through online and offline means. The online means that are highly used by these successful Companies include the use of internet advertising. Before these organizations or Companies start up their branches in Mexico, they normally carry out adequate research. This is in relation to the competitor companies in the market and their prices. Through this they then strategize by carrying out product differentiation and this enables them to have a place in the market. Among the strategies that that American Companies that are based in Mexico employ include PESTLE analysis and SWOT analysis. In the PESTLE analysis they consider the political, Economic, Social, Technical and legal factors that would affect the business. With this information at hand, the Companies succeed very easily. Another strategy that is incorporated is ensuring that most of the employees in the Companies are citizens of Mexico. Through this, they find favor with the people and therefore market penetration becomes easy since the people identify with the organizations. The Companies are known to get involved in corporate social responsibilities in Mexico. (Robert, 2006) This gives the Company better standing in the Mexican Republic and therefore enhances their overall success. Most of the American based Companies that are operating in Mexico normally use their manufactured products to test the market before they open up branches in Mexico. This becomes very easy for the Companies to gain more customers in the long run. (Krauze, 1998) In conclusion, a business plan clearly gives a business the required guidelines. Mexico is a republic that is found in North America. There are approximately thirty one states in Mexico. The demographics of this nation reveal that the urban states are highly populated compared to the rural towns. The economy of Mexico is very stable and well established. In fact it is known to be the 12th wealthy nation worldwide. The socio-economics of this nation shows that there are high disparities between the rich and the poor. The infrastructure on the other hand is very well developed. This is in terms of telecommunications, road network and information technology network. There are both domestic and foreign banks in Mexico. The foreign banks include Scotia bank, HSBC, Banco Santander and BBVA. Domestic banks include Banco de Azteca and Barnote. Successful American Companies operating in Mexico include American Express, Diners Club and Master Card. They ensure that they carry out extensive marketing analysis before opening branches in Mexico. This enables them to succeed. Reference: Crandall, R. (2004): Mexicos Domestic Economy; Policy Options and Choices; Mexicos Democracy at Work; New York; Lynne Reinner Publishers Denizer, C. (1997): The Effects of Financial Liberalization and New Bank Entry on Market Structure and Competition in Turkey; New York; Melbourne Press   Houghton, M. (1999): Mexico in Perspective; 3rd edition; New York; McGraw Hill   Krauze, E. (1998): Mexico: Biography of Power; Modern Mexico; 1996- 2007; New York; Melbourne Press Robert, C. (2006): Foreign Bank Entry; Experience; Implications for Developing Economies; New York; Free Press

Analysis of Finlands Government Budget

Analysis of Finlands Government Budget Abstract A Government Budget is an administration report introducing the governments proposed incomes and spending for a financial year that is regularly passed by the assembly, affirmed by the president and exhibited by the Finance Minister to the country. (4) The purpose of this project is to compare the Finnish government budget from the years 2013 and 2014, analyse them and evaluate if the latest budget has managed to stabilise the national economy. Keywords Government budget, GDP, inflation, private and public Sector Introduction A government budget shows the expectations of a government’s revenues and spending in annual basis. The purpose of a government budget is to balance the national economy equilibrium. There are three types of government budgets Balanced, surplus and deficit budget. A budget is balanced when a government’s revenue and expenditure are equal. It is surplus when the expected revenues exceed expenditure, and it is deficit when the expected expenditure is bigger than the revenues. GDP, gross-domestic product, is a tool for measuring national production. It can be measured in three ways by production approach, income approach, and expenditure approach (Y = C + I + G + (X − M)). However, the GDP doesn’t take a stance on measuring wealth, volunteer services, or how beneficial or harmful the production is or has been to the economy, environment or nation. The gross-domestic product visualises the size of the national production and hence is a good tool for understanding, analysing, planning and controlling the economy. In this assignment, we will be looking at GDP as a measurement tool in stabilising the national economy. Introduction of the country and its economy Finland has a highly industrialised, mixed economy with a ‘per capita’ output equal to that of other western economies such as France, Germany, Sweden or the United Kingdom. The largest sector of the economy is services at 66 percent, followed by manufacturing and refining at 31.4 percent. Primary production is 2.9 percent. With respect to foreign trade, the key economic sector is manufacturing. The largest industries are electronics (21.6 percent), machinery, vehicles and other engineered metal products (21.1 percent), forest industry (13.1 percent), and chemicals (10.9 percent). Finland has timber and several mineral and freshwater resources. Forestry, paper factories, and the agricultural sector (on which taxpayers spend around 2 billion euros annually) are politically sensitive to rural residents. The capital region generates around a third of the GDP. Finland is highly integrated in the global economy, and international trade makes a third of the annual GDP. Exports within The European Union make up to 60 percent of the total trade. The largest trade flows are with Germany, Russia, Sweden, the United Kingdom, the United States, Netherlands and China. Trade policy is managed by the European Union, where Finland has traditionally been among the free trade supporters. Finland has been ranked on third place in the Global Competitiveness Index (GCI) 2013-2014 and tops the sub-rankings related to education. This has helped the economy to become the most innovative of the world (GCI). High firm competitiveness has also led to a balanced international creditor position. (1) 2.1 Private sector, income tax and unemployment Finlands income is generated by the approximately 1.8 million private sector workers, who make an average 25.1 euros per hour. The middle income workers tax wedge is 46 % and effective marginal tax rates are very high. Value-added tax is 24% for most items. Capital gains tax is 28% and corporate tax is 26%, which is about the EU median. (1) The population ages rapidly, while labour mobility is hampered and structural unemployment high. Finland’s export market share is briskly deteriorating due to falling structural demand for some of its main products and lost global (price) competitiveness. Part of the production has moved abroad The unemployment rate was 9.50% in 2014, slight growth from 2013 (8,8 %). The employment rate is (persons aged 15–64) 68.6%. 2.2 Public sector State and municipal politicians have struggled to cut their consumption, which is very high at 58 % in comparison to GDP. Much of the taxes are spent on public sector employees, many of which are jobs-for-life and amount to 550 000 state and municipal employees, which makes 10% of the whole population in Finland. (1) Finland’s institutions belong to those best performing in the world. Public institutions function well and are thoroughly transparent. Moreover, government officials tend to respond adequately to risks and are often able to find multi-party consensus on difficult reforms. Budgets of 2013 and 2014 Finland has been a part of Eurozone recession in recent years. It was estimated that the current recession would end in 2013 but the growth would remain slow. The reason for the low growth lies in financial and debt crisis. The work output is not growing, structural change has affected existing production capacity and the amount of new investments is low. This chapter focuses on the details budget changes between 2013 and 2014. The Finnish GDP was 210 billion euros in 2013 referring to chart 1. In 2013, the prediction of the decrease in GDP volume is 0.5 %. The decrease in the outcome is due to decreasing investment and export rates. In budget of year 2014 the total output increased by 1.2% by domestic consumption and export. This was mainly due to gradual recovery of the Eurozone. Real GDP growth differs and can be seen from chart 2. (3) Chart 1: GDP changes. (3) Figure 1: Changes in market prices GDP from year 2010 to estimated 2015. Chart 2. Real GDP growth. (6) Revenues and detailed budgets per sector can be seen in following figures 2 and 3. Figure 2. Revenues and expenditures of year 2013. (3) Figure 3. Revenues and expenditures of year 2014. (3) As referred to the comparison of the 2013 and 2014 budgets, there is a decrease of 200 million â‚ ¬ in the budget of 2014. The government is trying to stabilise the economy by increasing revenue from taxes and selling stocks. There has been a main increase in budgeting in the sectors of health and society together with foreign affairs. Budget has been decreased for most of the sectors. Notable change is that the budget for the president has been cut with more than 3 million. Taxes On-budget revenue for 2014, excluding net borrowing, is estimated at around EUR 46.9 billion. Tax receipts account for around 85 % of all on-budget revenue. It was estimated that central government tax revenue will increase by approximately 2.5 %. That means approximately 1.0 billion increases in tax revenue compared to 2013 budget. Corporate income tax reform was implemented in 2014 together with divided taxation to support economic growth, employment and entrepreneurship. Corporate income tax was lowered 4.5% to 20%. It was estimated that the lowering of the corporate tax rate, reduces central government’s imputed tax revenue by 870 million euros. By lowering the corporate income tax rate the economic growth was estimated to be boosted and as a consequence tax base will be expanded. Also it helps the Finnish production to stay in Finland rather than moving abroad for avoiding large taxes. Tax revenue loss is also compensated with removing and limiting tax subsidies. (3) Dividend taxation was amended. Earlier 70% of dividend income was treated as taxable income and after amending the figure is 85%. For non-publicly listed companies the income will be taxed in full as capital income. Changes to dividend taxation are expected to increase central government tax revenue by approximately 200 million euros. An essential part of increased tax revenue consists of increase in excise duties. It was estimated that increases in taxation of tobacco, alcoholic beverages and soft drinks will increase tax revenue by 230 million euros. Increases in taxation of electricity and transport fuels were estimated to increase central government tax revenue by 195 million euros. In addition, tax for old electricity power plants without carbon dioxide emissions was introduced. Power plant tax aims to collect 50 million tax revenues. (3) Value-added tax rates were increased from the beginning of 2013 by one per cent. General tax rate is now 24 % but tax rate is lowered for some goods and services. For example value-added tax rate for food and restaurants is 14 % and 10 % for medicines, public transport and accommodation. Chart 3. Value added tax rates in 2014. (3) Education As a reserve funds measure, the college list and the focal government exchange record of the managerial extension of the Ministry of Education and Culture will be solidified for 2013. An aggregate of EUR 60 million will be allotted to diminishing class sizes in essential instruction. An aggregate of EUR 58 million will be allotted in 2013 for the repair of dampness and mould-harmed school structures and for instructive establishment foundation costs. Health Health insurance repayments are to be increased in 2013 to around EUR 4.9 billion. Government investment funds measures are controlled and will have a general impact of about EUR 143 million one year from now. The greatest sparing, EUR 103 million, identifies with repayments for restorative costs. Also, government consumption for health insurance pay will diminish all EUR 40 million, as the maintenance for travel costs will be raised. Transportation EUR 28 million in assignments is proposed for ecological backing to vessel ventures, as a gift for a vessel to be finished in 2013, taking into account an approval given in 2010.29. Moreover, A total of EUR 27 million will be dispensed in 2013 for the procurement of another icebreaker. Spending on significant public sectors Figure 4 shows the spending comparison in percentages of all tax revenues on public sectors. This section will inspect the spending in detail for the most significant sectors. Figure 4. Tax euros spent comparison for years 2013 and 2014. In the education sector, student grant is tied to an index starting from 1 August 2014 and the amount of the state guarantee for study loan per month is raised by 100 euros. Study loan deduction system is proposed to be replaced by a study loan credit system which encourages more effective completion of studies. In the upper secondary school and polytechnic, the immigrants will have a possibility to get student financial aid starting from fall 2014. In the social and health care services however, 10 million euros will be allocated to improving support services for family care. Annually, 54.5 million euros will be allocated to implementation of the Act on Supporting the Functional Capacity of the Older Population and on Social and Health Care Services for Older Persons. In the transportations sector, 1.601 million euros will be reserved for traffic route investments and 767 million euros is reserved for daily maintenance of the traffic routes. Finances General government in Finland consists of central government, local government, employee pension funds and other social funds. The decrease of total output in recent years will affect the general government financial standing in the next years and so the general government will continue to show deficit. Central and local government show clear deficit, employee pension sector surplus and other social security funds are in balance. The Budget for 2014 shows a deficit of 7.1 billion euros. In terms of national accounts, the central government deficit is expected to be around 3.6 per cent of GDP in 2014. The budgeted estimate for central government debt at year-end 2014 is close to 100 billion euros. In 2013 budget deficit was 7.0 billion which was about 2.8 per cent of GDP in that year. Central government debt at year-end 2013 was 96 billion euros. The Government aims to balance central government finances and to bring the government debt-to-GDP ratio into a downturn by the end of the parliamentary term. In order to achieve the goals, the Government has decided on measures decreasing expenditure and increasing revenue. The measures will be implemented gradually by 2015 and they will improve the central government’s financial standing by approximately 4.8 billion euros starting from 2017. The measures include lowering corporate income tax rate, reform of divided income taxation, local government reform, social and health care service structure reform and housing policy reform. The measures also include increasing young people’s access to education and employment as well as employment of people with partial capability for working. The Government will assess the achievement of objectives annually. If central government debt relative to total output does not take a downturn, the Government has to commit further measures. European Union Finland is expected to contribute an estimated 1.974 million euros to the EU budget and the European Development Fund in 2014. Finland’s contributions will be 5 million euros lower than contributions in the 2013 Budget. Finland is expected to receive 912 million euros from the EU budget in 2014, which is 306 million euros less than receipts in the 2013 budget. The income decrease is primarily due to the fact that the payments for rural development in 2014 are expected to be delayed during the first programme year. The income payments will be balanced out in coming years The economic sanctions the European Union has set on Russia due to the conflict between Ukraine and Russia, the results of the slight collapse of the Russian economy is affecting the Finnish economy both directly and indirectly. Similar situation was seen during the collapse of Soviet Union in 1991, when the Finnish economy was even more dependant of its Eastern neighbour. Inflation Chart 3. Shows the inflation rate (6) In 2014 total exports remained at the same level as the year before, while imports decreased by one per cent. According to the preliminary statistics the value of exports was 55.8 billion euros and the value of imports 57.6 billion euros. (1) Binding expenditure ceilings set at the beginning of each administration’s four-year term prevent the government from running large deficits. Government debt is relatively low, borrowing is based on long-term bonds, bond yields are very low and net public assets are very large. Despite the depression in the western countries, there has been a positive trend in growing consumer confidence during 2014. Inflation rates continued its dropping trend, as on 2013 it was 2.2 % and 2014 1.7 %. Still, wages and salaries grew by 1.3 % the same year. (4) 4. Conclusion The economic outlook for 2014 was weak. Furthermore, Finland had to deal with declining export sectors, a relatively fast ageing population, and private sector indebtedness. However, in overall, Finland’s public finances and banking system are solid, institutions are strong, and the business sectors are competitive. Finland’s strengths are competitive business sector and highly educated workforce, healthy public finances, strong institutions and qualified government officials. The dangerous weaknesses come from the ageing, rigid labour market and waning export sectors. For the first time in three years, the GDP increased on 2014. It can be said that there has been a turn for better in planning and controlling the economy via the government budget.

Herbal Dietary Supplements :: Diet Supplement Weight Loss Gain Research Paper

Herbal Dietary Supplements Fit America Fit America touts itself as the very best and most practical 100% Natural system of weight loss that helps an individual lose weight without dieting. Fit America is a natural weight control that is composed of 13 herbs and minerals that supposedly "help suppress appetite, regulate the bowels and kidneys, and stimulates the metabolism so the body uses the foods consumed more efficiently." The Fit America program requires a high protein, low carbohydrate diet. Fit America promises that an individual can expect to lose up to 10 to 18 pounds per month with a proper balance of food and water consumption. These herbal supplements include astragalus, bitter orange, cascara sagrada, fo-ti, gingko, english hawthorn, henna, licorice root, ma huang, and valerian root. It is recommended that individuals who utilize the Fit America program begin by taking one gray colored herbal capsule twice a day and one peach colored herbal capsule once a day. The Fit America program then encourage s the individual to gradually increase their dosage of grey colored capsules but to take no more than eight in one day1. For a 7 - 10 day starter kit of Fit America, the price is $29.95. For a 45 day supply, the cost is $139.00. I will attempt to review the safety of these herbs and their effects on the human body. Herbal Regulations When a pharmaceutical company desires to market a prescription drug, they must meet certain procedures and standards established by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA). These procedures can last many years and incur hundreds of millions of dollars of cost for the pharmaceutical company. Before a drug can be marketed, it must first be patented and then pass three phases of clinical investigation. In Phase I, the drug is tested by giving a small amount of it to a limited number of people. At this stage, the researchers are looking for the pharmacological effects on the body such as side effects. In Phase II, individuals who have the condition that the drug is supposed to treat are tested. Approximately 100 people are tested in this phase. If Phase II shows signs of promise, then clinical investigations move into Phase III.

Otto Von Bismarck Essay -- History

Otto Von Bismarck Otto Von Bismarck was a great leader in the unification of Germany. His skill as a diplomat was unrivalled during his reign as chancellor of Prussia. The mastery he showed in foreign policy was such that he was able to outwit all other powers and make their leaders appear inadequate. Bismarck was an unrivalled diplomat during his reign. His German Reich constitution of April 1871 allowed him to dictate the government on his own terms. However, the parliament only â€Å"had the power to initiate debate upon any point of his (Bismarck’s) policy, but neither he nor any other minister was responsible to the assembly for his actions" (T. A. Morris, p116). Furthermore, the constitution was designed to give the impression that power was shared equally between the emperor and the chancellor, however Bismarck had the upper hand in all crucial decision-making, as he was adept at convincing Wilhelm of the correctness of his policy. A further example of the extent to which he was a great chancellor is the fact that he was able to deal with the internal opposition. Bismarck was able to gain the support of the National-Liberal party as they were sympathetic to the chancellor because he had brought about national unity, the party's major policy aim, and also because many short-term goals of the two partners coincided - most notably "consolidation of that national unity and the centralisation of the administration of the Reich" (Morris, p118). His association with the ...

Productivity Growth In the US :: essays research papers

It was said that once-in-a-century advances in technology are transforming our economy. The computer chip is doing for today's knowledge economy what electricity did for our industrial economy a century ago. Synergies in technology are driving acceleration in productivity growth that enables us to grow faster with less inflation. Economic progress is speeding up; the speed limit is rising.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã¢â‚¬Å"Real GDP growth has averaged 4 percent for the past four years, with declining inflation. This almost doubles the 2 percent to 2.5 percent not long ago considered the maximum noninflationary potential. But we've been growing faster than potential and sustaining the unsustainable for four years and counting. Sounds odd, doesn't it? Our faster output growth is based primarily on faster productivity growth and secondarily on faster labor force growth†.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Productivity growth now appears to be at least 2.5 percent and rising. An increase from 1 percent to 2.5 percent is an increase of 150 percent, a huge jump with profound implications if sustained. Last year was encouraging. Productivity raised over 3 percent for the year and over 5 percent in the second half.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  It was said that the United States entered the 21st century with its economy on a roll. GDP growth averaged more than 3 percent a year in the 1990s. The country created 17 million jobs, driving unemployment down to a 30-year low of 4.1 percent.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  In the 1999-2000 the economy wasn’t doing so bad the unemployment rate was down, there were more jobs available, and production was doing well. When 2001 stated and even before then the economy was going down, many people were being laid off and so on. Then it happened the September 11th attack on the US, this attack has left the Productivity Growth In the US :: essays research papers It was said that once-in-a-century advances in technology are transforming our economy. The computer chip is doing for today's knowledge economy what electricity did for our industrial economy a century ago. Synergies in technology are driving acceleration in productivity growth that enables us to grow faster with less inflation. Economic progress is speeding up; the speed limit is rising.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã¢â‚¬Å"Real GDP growth has averaged 4 percent for the past four years, with declining inflation. This almost doubles the 2 percent to 2.5 percent not long ago considered the maximum noninflationary potential. But we've been growing faster than potential and sustaining the unsustainable for four years and counting. Sounds odd, doesn't it? Our faster output growth is based primarily on faster productivity growth and secondarily on faster labor force growth†.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Productivity growth now appears to be at least 2.5 percent and rising. An increase from 1 percent to 2.5 percent is an increase of 150 percent, a huge jump with profound implications if sustained. Last year was encouraging. Productivity raised over 3 percent for the year and over 5 percent in the second half.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  It was said that the United States entered the 21st century with its economy on a roll. GDP growth averaged more than 3 percent a year in the 1990s. The country created 17 million jobs, driving unemployment down to a 30-year low of 4.1 percent.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  In the 1999-2000 the economy wasn’t doing so bad the unemployment rate was down, there were more jobs available, and production was doing well. When 2001 stated and even before then the economy was going down, many people were being laid off and so on. Then it happened the September 11th attack on the US, this attack has left the