Motivating Employees - 2552 Words

While working as a manager in an organization, his job is to make sure that the employees are doing their jobs and they are doing it in the most productive way. But employees are not machines that we could just program their task in their brain and they will do it automatically, they require motivation to actually do their job properly. This is easier said then done, to understand the ways of motivating people we first need to understand human nature, which is the fundamental nature and substance of humans (wikipedia, human nature). Various philosophers have come out with different theories trying to explain the human nature and how to motivate them. These philosophers include Douglas Mcgregor with his Theory X, Theory Y, and then there†¦show more content†¦The safety of the person is important because they need to feel secure in life, without that they would not be able to do anything with confidence, and they would always have the fear of being attacked or harassed. Thirdl y after the person feels secure, they would try to find love and the sense of belongingness and that is because everyone seeks to overcome the feeling of being lonely, so they would try to find someone to be with, and that includes the giving and taking of love or they would join or create a group of friends to be with. After the previous needs are satisfied, one would seek the need of self-esteem or esteem that from the others, because everyone would seek respect from others and also a stable level of self-respect, without respect the person would feel helpless, worthless and depressed. That would not motivate the employee to fully contribute their abilities to their job. And the highest level would be self-actualization, Maslow describes that its the persons need to be and do that which that person is born to do (Janet, Maslow). That motivates the person to continue to search for new ways to improve themselves, resulting the improvement and full contribution to what they are doing . Maslows theory clearly explains the need and the power behind the motivation a person need and have. Subsequently there is David McClellands achievement motivation. David believes thatShow MoreRelatedMotivating Employees At A Hospital Essay1357 Words   |  6 PagesMotivating Employees A hospital is comprised of various cultures, a multiple interdisciplinary staff and it is designed to deliver adequate health care to its patrons. The Kaluyu Memorial Hospital in Nairobi, Kenya is at the forefront of handling trauma cases, the critical ill, and some instances terminally ill individuals. The ability to deliver appropriate health care is complex and without a motivated staff, working under intense conditions makes it virtually impossible for them to deliver appropriateRead More Motivating Employees Essay1091 Words   |  5 PagesMOTIVATING YOUR EMPLOYEES Every human being needs motivation now and then. Incentives and recognition programs can support you in helping your employees become happier and more productive at work. As a leader, one of the main things to think about is how to recognize an employee for a performance that has exceeded expectations, objectives and goals. Therefore, I would like to introduce you in this paper to some ideas that hopefully would promote this method as one of the main priorities in todaysRead MoreThe Ways Of Motivating Employees3862 Words   |  16 Pagesa company to ensure that its employees are effective they must find means and ways to motivate them and push them to perform better, attract individuals when recruiting and to retain them motivating the employee will give them a sense of satisfaction the feeling that they mean something to the company. When employees work hard and they are recognized for their hard work by being given a form of incentive it motivates them to do more. The ways of motivating employees may sometimes clash with the objectiveRead MoreMotivating Employees : An Organization2005 Words   |  9 PagesMotivating Employees An organization’s purpose and/or goal is to accomplish its undertakings or objectives in an effectual approach. To achieve this it ought to have or retain employees prepared and eager to work to attain this. It requires people (motivated employees) who are prepared and wanting to meet those objectives by way of exceeding efforts and rising above the usual principles and values. Motivation is influence and strength inside a person that has an effect on his and/or her path,Read MoreMotivating Employees And Its Impact On The Workforce930 Words   |  4 PagesMotivation is the desire of doing things, to attain the goals set by the individuals. Motivating Employees is one of the most essential skills that are possessed by the manager, as it relates to the degree in which the employees can be influenced. As Mark Twain (1869) had said, â€Å"The secret of getting ahead is getting started.† Motivated employees have an impact on the productivity of the business as the employees channel their energy towards completing the organizational goals. (Marc Daft, 2012)Read MoreMotivating Part Time Employees2045 Words   |  9 PagesMotivating an organization’s employees is not amongst the easiest of tasks for a manager to accomplish. Even more challenging is motivating part-time employees whom are usually forgotten and ignored by the organization (Inman Enz , 1995, p. 1). According to Statistics Canada, nearly 19% of the workforce constitutes of contingency workers who are not being utilized to their full potential (Statistics Canada, 2008). It is noticed that the number of contingency workers is almost one fifth of the workforceRead MoreMotivating Employees Case Study705 Words   |  3 PagesMotivating Employees Case Study Alexandra Wallace MGT/312 January 12, 2015 Motivating Employees Case Study In order to be productive at work or at home an individual must be motivated to complete their task. There are two main forms of motivation, intrinsic and extrinsic. Intrinsic motivation is the desire to do the task right out of the satisfaction of a job well done without any ‘rewards’. Extrinsic motivation comes from external sources such as incentives programs. Both can be equallyRead MoreMotivational Methods For Motivating Employees1239 Words   |  5 Pagesproductivity (go hand in hand). Motivation is important in organizations because it keeps employees driven to do more, better quality work. Motivating reduces turn over and creates happier more loyal employees who will work with and through their organization to make it the best it can be. Motivational Methods There are many motivational methods used to motivate employees in organizations. Empowering employees is one method. By giving them the sense of authority to problem solve and make decisionsRead MoreThe Goals And Motivating And Leading Employees1089 Words   |  5 Pagesand organizational development, leadership, and employee development as they hey areas I have also come to recognize as the challenges I will face while achieving organizational goals and motivating and leading employees. Presently I am the HR Generalist and Payroll Manager for my organization of about 160 employees. I have only been here for a year but have already cemented myself in the organization as a motivated and driven individual working toward innovation and growth. My company has grown quicklyRead MoreMotivating Health Care Employees512 Words   |  2 PagesSlide 0: Title Slide 1: Introduction. Horizon acquired Vista travel Moved several employees from Detroit to Houston. Bookings are down Costs are up New employees are dramatically underperforming. Slide 2: There are several things wrong: Adjustment to new systems (network phone) Issues related to the move New org culture Motivation issues Slide 3: Interventions Training on the new IT systems Integrate IT systems with strategy Company needs to help with moving-related issues Provide

Workplace Challenges For Women And Minorities Essay

Workplace Challenges For Women And Minorities - How To Cope With Them? By Rizwan H Dayo | Submitted On November 29, 2011 Recommend Article Article Comments Print Article Share this article on Facebook Share this article on Twitter Share this article on Google+ Share this article on Linkedin Share this article on StumbleUpon Share this article on Delicious Share this article on Digg Share this article on Reddit Share this article on Pinterest Expert Author Rizwan H Dayo Challenges faced by women and minority at the workplace Nowadays, the concept of modernization has increased the awareness of people. Everybody is concerned about his or her rights. Apart from that, much emphasis is being put on to have the diverse workforce at the workplace to have a variety of talent. Therefore, in most of the countries many organizations are trying to transform accordingly. They are abiding the laws of Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO) in order to promote their positive image and to be in the market as the worthy contributor. However, this is not the whole story, there is something more than that. There are many organizations that are clearly able to bypass the EEO without hurting its core principles. Those so-called worthy organizations have become smart enough to stay clean despite all the mess. They are fulfilling all the documented requirements, but actually, they are not practicing those. Still, there are challenges, barriers, hurdles or whatever impediments, that are placedShow MoreRelatedDiversity And Public Administration By Harvey L. White And Rice1254 Words   |  6 Pages White and Rice (2010) stated challenges will form from changes in demographics which are affecting the demands of delivery and visions of products and services. Since 2000, minority population has increased dramatically. In result of minority population increasing, public organizations have a more diverse work environment. In the workplace, diversity can be a benefit. According to the article entitled , â€Å"Advantages and Disadvantages of Diversity in the Workplace† by David Ingram, Ingram(2015)Read MoreDiversity Within A Workforce Diversity894 Words   |  4 Pagesdifferent initiatives. Some organizations have started reaping the benefits of employees’ diversity at their workplaces. Some public and private organizations have promoted women and minorities to leadership posi tions, which was rear in the past. Despite the advantages diversity brings in various organizations and the initiatives taken by organizations to promote it, implementing it poses challenges in different organizations. Initiatives to promote diversity The demographic makeup of workforce, whichRead MoreDiversity1392 Words   |  6 PagesCreating and Nurturing a Women Minority Friendly Workplace Workplace diversity is a complex issue and addressing it is necessary to have which a competitive advantage in today’s fast-growing economy. While women appear to thrive at entry-level positions, moving up the ladder is challenging. In fact, retaining women and minorities in the workplace has become increasingly harder for large companies, especially healthcare organizations. Despite the clear value of having a diverse workforce, likeRead MoreXerox1670 Words   |  7 Pagesorganizational leaders encourage managers and employees to follow laws and guidelines. It will also discuss how hiring women and minorities improved Xerox’s profitability. In addition, the changes that Xerox made to become a more attractive employer for women and minorities will be identified. Finally, there will be an evaluation of whether or not hiring and promoting women and minorities has been unfair to Caucasian men. Ensuring Top Organizational Leaders Encourage Managers and Employees to FollowRead MoreMinority Faculty: Maintaining the Balance in the Field of Economics731 Words   |  3 PagesIn todays world, businesses and academics face many divergent challenges. In addition to the need for keeping abreast of the latest technological and research drives, managers and staff must also be sensitive to social concerns such as the diversity that is encouraged and managed in the workplace. The presence of minority staff, for example, should be supplemented with a concern and sensitivity for the needs and concerns of this sector of the staff without also appearing biased in the process. ThisRead MoreThe World As The Global Business1493 Words   |  6 Pagesan environment that constantly changes an organization needs to embrace diversity, this provides a bigger range of ideas, emotions, new perspective and a new direction into the future. These ideas are based on a bigger demographic population in a workplace, a company or a business that represents the same diversity, as society tends to survive the trends of our social economy. According to the Webster’s dictionary â€Å"Diversity† is defined as the state of having people who are different races or who haveRead MoreThe Diversity At The Workplace747 Words   |  3 PagesThomas (1992) entails the diversity at workplace in terms of all ancestry, ethnicity, age, gender, race, educational background, sexual orientation, marital status, religious belief, income, geographic location and work experience. The mobility in human resource trend is emerging within the competitive market that requires more strategic role on account of human resource management. Organizations may fall in dire consequences of outplaying by other competitors in strategic employment. Nowadays, workforceRead MoreThe 1964 Civil Rights Act1173 Words   |  5 Pagesemployers. So why it is that sex segregation is so rampant in the workplace still? S egregation is defined as the characteristic on which groups are sorted symbolized dominant or subordinate status and become the bases for differential treatment. It provides rewards for the dominating group in society and makes the minority group stay below. This process provides an illusion of equal but separate treatment for the people of the workplace. Making great strides since the 1960’s, woman to male inequalityRead MoreOrganizational Diversity Processes1075 Words   |  5 PagesOrganizational Diversity Processes I. Women and Minorities in Today’s Organizations * Glass ceiling – is a concept popularized in the 1980s to describe a barrier so subtle that is transparent, yet so strong that it prevents women and minorities from moving up in the management hierarchy (Morrison and Von Glinow) * The Equal Employment Opportunity Commission reports that â€Å"color discrimination in employment seems to be on the rise†. Recent studies have found that black job applicants withRead MoreEssay Diverse Workforce1538 Words   |  7 Pagesof a diverse workforce For an organization, a diverse workforce is good for it. Diversity is not only beneficial to both associates, but also to employers. Although associates are interdependent in the workplace, respecting individual differences can increase productivity. Diversity in the workplace can reduce lawsuits and increase marketing opportunities, recruitment, creativity, and business image (Esty, et al., 1995). In an era when flexibility and creativity are keys to competitiveness, diversity

Cautions of Technology for Artificial Intelligence- myassignmenthelp

Question: Discuss about theCautions of Technology for Artificial Intelligence. Answer: Technology is really a very severe subject, and each step must be taken earnestly. Advances that are seen in technology have no doubt provided an immense enhancement in peoples lives but quite often there are many unnecessary costs hidden along with it is hidden with it. Technical knowledge has assisted to overcome many struggles and improve the quality of health, aimed to provide more food, easiest routes to travel and many progresses. People prefer novelty and innovativeness but they forget the limits and potential dangers that are attached with the changes in the technologies. Technology is increasing at unmatched rates but people understand the effects of it at very lower rates. With the innovation and new advances that has taken place in technology, there are unavoidable advances in the concerns that the new-fangled technology will permit. The more powerful the technology is, the more harmful it becomes. And this is the major problem that is related to use of technology. In addi tion to this use of AI has also played a crucial role in declining the use of human beings. (Petronio, 2012). Artificial Intelligence is software solutions for the upcoming generations. Researchers agree that AI has unlikely exhibited human emotions like love or hate but there is no certain reason to expect this from being benevolent or malevolent as well. The use of AI might be considered as threat because it is programmed to do something which is really devastating in nature. Several autonomous weapons are designed which may cause causalities. Apart from this, AI may unintentionally lead to wars and human may lose control. So, it can be stated that if a super and extra intelligent system is tasked with a quite ambitious geo engineering projects, then it might create havoc with the ecology as a major side effects and create a human threat as a result. This will however reduce the use of human beings and will be the major cause to reduce the humanity (Feenberg, 2012). References Feenberg, A., (2012). Questioning technology. Routledge. Petronio, S., (2012). Boundaries of privacy: Dialectics of disclosure. Suny Press.

Sarah Baartman essay Essay Example

Sarah Baartman essay Paper The San, who were a hunting ND foraging people, did not believe in ownership, as lived off the land. The Shook who were nomadic herders did believe in possession and had herds of cattle and sheep, but because they were nomadic, this meant they had land of their own (although others Shook clans could get permission from the local chiefs to use their resources). The Europeans (Dutch) did however believe in private land ownership. Where the Dutch believed in private land ownership and Isakson did not, this led to conflicts between the two groups, because the land that was granted to the free burghers (historical German title acquired by family descendants of the ruling class in German speaking towns) and Hugeness was land used by the shook for cattle grazing and furthermore this put a limitation to water access, and the wild animals that were hunted by the Isakson were rapidly becoming scarce. The difference between the Dutch and Isakson were shown in Sarah Barmans life was by the fact that she was sold as a slave to a Dutch framer, where no more was she free but rather property owned. This showed the vast difference between the two groups. The Isakson believed in a supreme being who controlled over their daily life ND elements of the environment. This god was worshipped through rituals and small sacrifices. We will write a custom essay sample on Sarah Baartman essay specifically for you for only $16.38 $13.9/page Order now We will write a custom essay sample on Sarah Baartman essay specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer We will write a custom essay sample on Sarah Baartman essay specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer In counterpart to this god there was an evil deity they believed in, that brought about illness death and misfortune to the world. This difference between good and evil overlapped other areas of the Isakson life. Dance was an important part of their culture and it altered in states of consciousness to gain information on how to heal people or a remedy to a social evil. The sun and moon were also aspects of the supreme deity, as full and new moons were important for rites and dancing. One could say that the Isakson were a very superstitious group of people. Holland during this time was undergoing the protestant reformation meaning the Dutch were moving away from Catholicism and into Protestantism were faith and the practice of Protestantism are founded on the principles of the reformation, especially in acceptance of the bible as the solo source of revelation, in justification by faith alone and in all universal hood of all the believers. [www. Defenestration. Mom/protestant] Barmans life once she was in Europe after being sold to Alexander Dunlop showed the huge difference teen the Isakson and Dutch, to the Shook dance was very important them, but Dutch use their traditions via Sarah Barman for entertainment. The Dutch also disregard what was not Christianity as savage and uncivilized. Were the Isakson respected all people and the Dutch said they did (because it Was the bible they followed) they contradicted themselves by not respecting Sarah Barmans humanity. E ke said in the previous paragraph the Isakson respected all people believed that everyone was equal, and that they were no more important than the earth nor the animals. There is evidence that within their own society as they respected those above them in both society and authority. Though it is also evidently clear that the Dutch did not share the same view with the Isakson that all people were equal, as they saw no problem with killing the Isakson at their will, and as it came to Jan Van Ribbed saw no fault in having them stuffed and displaying in his homes as decoration. This clearly states the immense difference between the Dutch and Isakson. It is evident with Sarah Barman, where in the Isakson society she was respected and treated equally and in Europe she was given no respect what-so-ever and displayed for other peoples interests, because her anatomy was different to women in Europe (she had overly large genitals). She was exhibited like an animal; this stated exactly what the Europeans thought of Africa (they were backward uncivilized and backwards). Within the Dutch community there were both women respected and disrespected. Those that were respected tended to be the wives that stayed at home, looked after the children, kept the household in order and the husband happy. The ones that were disrespected were prostitute and brittle- aids. Repeating again that Isakson woman where on the same par as the men. They were treated and respected in the same manner. Sarah Barman is an example of the vast different between the novo groups. Where she was once respected and accepted, she was no discriminated, exploited and once the Europeans were done with her she was forced prostitution and alcoholism, this leading her to dying from sexual transmitted diseases on a street in Paris. From here on her skeleton and the parts the Europeans were interested in were preserved and kept in the Muse De loomed in pairs. The European social structure was followed upon the great chain of being, which meant those with status and wealth dominated society and man dominated above animals and the earth. God was above all of this and the animals were below the human. Servants were lowest level for the humans. It was eve rear for a person to move out of their positions in this hierarchical society. The San were opposite to this, due to being the hunter-gather society every person within the clan were on equal levels. The Shook were similar to the Dutch, by the fact that they were also hierarchal society were the loathe had servants. The onl y different was that their servants were in the formed of labor were they were paid and allowed to move out of the position of servitude. Sarah Barman express this difference to a substantial degree because once she Was in the Europeans possession, she was never able to leave her servitude position. Where within the Shook community she would have. There was a great difference between the Dutch and Isakson when it comes to their entertainment. Within the Isakson culture their entertainment came from oral traditions, dances and other physical activities. The Isakson entertained for the up lifetimes of the entire society.

Changing Perspective (average joe) essays

Changing Perspective (average joe) essays Every time we switch the T.V on lately there seems to be a new American reality show. An example of this is The Bachelor where they pick about 20 of the hottest girls or guys from around the country to compete for the love of one member of the opposite sex. By the end they are supposedly meant to be matched up with their perfect partner and live happily ever after. But we all know thats a load of rubbish and its always the best looking guy or girl that wins over the bachelors heart. When the new show called Average Joe began for once we could change our perspective and know its not going to be a show based on looks. The whole idea of the show was to try and change Melenas perspective of how her perfect partner should be. When the show began Melena was raving on about how she had only dated decent looking guys, but it is really what they are like on the inside that counts and looks dont matter. We all found out that was a huge lie when we saw the look on her face as 16 of the biggest geeks turned up on her doorstep. She told the host 95% werent her type and she hadnt even met the poor fellers. But could her perspectives be changed? She decided to give the guys a fair chance and actually began to get along with the them and realised they werent that bad. She was beginning to look past their appearance. But could Melena really fall for one of the Average Joes. Time went on and Melena started to see through their outside appearance and admitted she was starting to fall for a few of them. Her perspectives had completely changed. She was getting to know them and was starting to see the inner beauty of people...or was it because she hadnt seen a decent guy for a while. But just when we thought Melena had been cured of choosing looks over personality the show took a twist and three tall pretty boy models turned up and were going to be competing against the Average Joes ...

Obesity in America Papers That Do Matter a Cost-Free Obesity Essay Sample

Obesity in America Papers That Do Matter a Cost-Free Obesity Essay Sample The American Obesity Association in partnership with Centers for Disease Control and Prevention report that an estimated 15.5 percent of adolescents aged 12-19 years and 15.3 percent of children aged 6 to 11 years are obese. OBESITY IS NOT A VERDICT Obesity is a rising global concern that has taken a toll on annual health costs across the country. Besides causing a huge health burden, the impact of obesity has contributed to decreased productivity and increased absenteeism among members of our society. It becomes necessary to sensitize the private and public sector partners, medical professionals as well as the public to adopt strategies that will make healthier choices easier to make. What Is Obesity? Obesity is a health condition characterized by excessive accumulation of body fat, usually over 20% of an individuals average body weight. It is associated with an enormous amount of health complications (high blood pressure, heart disease, stroke, type 2  diabetes, and cancer), disability and even death. Individuals with a Body Mass Index of more than 30 are considered to be obese and those with a BMI of 25-29.9 are deemed to be overweight. As the condition continues to become an increasing concern in the United States, individuals have developed an interest in a field of medicine dealing with the study and treatment of obesity otherwise known as bariatrics. Further, it is common fortudents to be asked to write argumentative essays (see How to write an argumentative essay) on obesity or other lifestyle issues during their academic career. You can sign up to buy your obesity essay online for an original, high-quality essay that is written from scratch by professional academic experts. Obesity Key Facts From a global perspective, the rise of obesity has been gradual but constant ever since 1980. The American Obesity Association in partnership with Centers for Disease Control and Prevention report that an estimated 15.5 percent of adolescents aged 12-19 years and 15.3 percent of children aged 6 to 11 years are obese. The condition has continued to increase over the years affecting 78.6 million people in the United States and more than 700 million people in the world. Among the 78.6 million people in the U.S, an estimated 112,000 deaths have been linked to obesity each year making it one of the leading preventable causes of death. As the cases of obesity continue to grow internationally, so are the annual medical costs for  an average of $147 billion being spent in the U.S. on the treatment of obesity and its related health problems. Why Do People Become Obese? The leading causes of obesity are overeating and lack of physical activity. When a person takes up more calories than he or she can consume (metabolize), the excess is converted to fats that pile up with time leading to weight gain. The imbalance between calorie intake and consumption is also influenced by age, gender, genes, psychological makeup, certain health conditions, socioeconomic and environmental factors. 1. Physical Inactivity.  Many Americans are not active and easily take in more calories than they can burn through physical exercise or normal daily activities. Some of the reasons that encourage inactivity include driving, fewer physical demands because of modern technology, longer TV viewing hours, etc. 2. Unhealthy diets.  Consumption of unhealthy meals containing high levels of calories like red meat, unhealthy fats, processed foods and sugary drinks plays a major role in obesity. People with eating disorders such as binge eating also develop obesity. 3. Lifestyle habits.  A sedentary lifestyle where people are stuck  in a routine of long working hours with little room for exercise, oversized food portions, inactivity, inaccessibility to healthy foods due to cost or advertising that sways people to buy high-calorie foods. 4. Genes.  The genetics of a person will determine if a person is likely to develop obesity. Genes play a significant role in metabolism efficiency, storage, and distribution of body fat. If one or both parents are obese, there is an increased risk of weight gain hence the need to maintain healthy lifestyles that can counteract these genetic effects. 5. Medical conditions.  Certain medical conditions such as Cushings syndrome, underactive thyroid (hypothyroidism) and polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS) will contribute to obesity. Some medications are also linked to weight gain like some varieties of corticosteroids, antidepressants, and seizure medicines. Childhood Obesity Childhood obesity is defined in terms of BMI (Body Mass Index), a formula that takes into account a childs age and sex-specific percentile to determine body fat, health risk, and well-being. Obesity in children and adolescents is considered as a BMI greater than the 95th percentile. Obese children are more likely to have risk factors for bone and joint problems, sleep apnea, depression, low self-esteem, and stigmatization. Childhood obesity often persists into adulthood and could be associated with numerous chronic illnesses like cardiovascular diseases, type 2 diabetes, stroke, various types of cancer, and osteoarthritis. Top 5 Most Obese Countries Countries that show the highest obesity problems in the world are most exclusively found in the Pacific Islands. American Samoa (74.6%), Nauru (71.1%) and Cook Islands (63.7%) top the list of countries reported to have the highest proportion of people viewed as obese. Other countries like Tokelau (63.4%) and Tonga (57.6%) follow closely with the U.S. ranking at 18th position with 33% and the UK at 43rd place with 27% of the population being obese. What Is Worse: Obesity or Anorexia? Eating disorders like anorexia and obesity have detrimental health effects that could lead to death. Both obesity and anorexia are complex neurobiological disorders with metabolic consequences that have strong genetic and environmental underpinnings. While anorexics intentionally starve themselves even to death and have a fear of gaining weight, obese people are incredibly overweight. Anorexia may be a fatal psychiatric disorder due to its ability to lead to other mental disorders like schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, and depression that could cause one to commit suicide. This isnt to say that anorexia is a more dangerous problem than obesity as both conditions pose as deadly health risks. Life Without Obesity It is important for individuals to maintain a healthy lifestyle with a steady body weight by eating healthy meals, engaging in physical exercise and making meaningful societal changes. Careful individualized treatment will often be required for individuals with overweight and obesity problems to help reverse the rising epidemic rates of these conditions. Reaching and maintaining a healthy body weight helps people to lower the risk of developing serious health concerns, boost ones self-confidence and gives more energy to enjoy life. Writing obesity research essays can be challenging for most students as it requires one to provide a comprehensive analysis of the role of nutrition and physical activity in tackling the obesity menace as well as analyzing the relationship between obesity and other health problems. Get a comprehensive obesity essay by placing an order with a professional essay writing service. Our knowledgeable writers offer top-notch quality service at affordable prices while providing a clear and concise response to your assignment instructions and requirements. If you need assistance with essay writing, feel free to contact our friendly support team or place an order and we will gladly help you.

"An exploration of genes, inheritance and gene therapy for Essay

"An exploration of genes, inheritance and gene therapy for diabetes" - Essay Example Besides, if one’s exposure to the microorganism is delayed due to the better standards of the living, which hinders the development of the immune system causing to make the person vulnerable to this disease. Gene therapy is the method by which one foreign gene into any cell is introduced into the body of the patient in order to produce insulin. The introduced gene could be the insulin gene itself, but it must be controlled by specific tissue promoter which is encoded as a factor in order to activate the insulin gene (Kelly, 2007). Cell transplantation is more successful treatment for diabetes as compared to the method of using insulin injections. The transplantation of organs, tissues or cells between animal species usually provides a number of beta cells, which is known as xenotransplantation. The most suitable donor of organs or cells is the pig but the major problem in using the pig’s organs for transplantation is that it is difficult to obtain in the tissue culture and the islets of the adult pig because of their poor survival. One more serious problem in xenotransplantation is an infection, which occurs because of the endogenous porcine retroviruses, which has a potentiality to infect human cell in vitro and vivo (Allman, 2008). Expansion of the primary beta cells and beta cell precursors can also be helpful in gene therapy. Beta cells are normally present in small bodies deep rooted in the pancreas known as islets. Beta cells do not have enough capacity for replication. There are a number of gene transduction methods in practice in the world in order to treat different disease including diabetes. These include viral and non-viral methods (LeRoith et al., 2004). Non-viral methods such as calcium phosphate co-precipitation are a very simple and an affordable method for genetically modifying pancreatic cells. When calcium

Brand Strategy and Analysis Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Brand Strategy and Analysis - Essay Example This helps to establish whether the brand meets the customers’ expectation and hence establish the need to modify or maintain the brand. Moreover, the managers can carry out an analysis on the customers’ data with a view of developing a marketing strategy that will communicate the brand messages to the target customers and help in predicting future market demands for the brand. For instance, the management can derive a strategic plan for the marketing department with an aim of helping them understand the customers’ needs and henceforth design a brand that meets those needs and reaches the customers in an effective way. Additionally, customers’ analysis helps in brand positioning through the analysis and understanding of different customer segments which defines their usage, needs, and experiences (Alameda County SBDC, 2013). Indeed, such an understanding clearly helps in creating brand strategy as the brand design seeks to satisfy each customer segment. Ho w a Competitor Analysis Helps In Creating a Brand Strategy A strong brand strategy is the one which positions the company’s strengths above its competitors’ weaknesses or the one which expose no threat to the competitors (Czepiel and Kerin, 2009). To achieve this, the company’s strategists must have adequate knowledge about competitors' strengths and weaknesses which comes through competitor analysis (Brown, 2010). As such, competitor analysis helps in creating a brand strategy. For instance, the strategists may seek to establish what the competitors does best and what they perform poorly with an aim of designing a brand strategy that will capitalize on the competitors’ weaknesses and dilute the competitors’ strengths with an aim of gaining competitive advantage. Indeed, brand strategy uses competitors’ analysis to establish a profile of opportunities and threats for the company against its competitors. In addition, competitor analysis has a goal of knowing all aspects of the competitor with a view of relating to them and designing a brand strategy that will address the competitors' probable actions and responses (Czepiel and Kerin, 2009). For example, the strategists can analyze the competitors’ mission statement and future policies with a view of using that information to develop a brand strategy that will position the company in a strategic position. Indeed, brand image and brand strengths are components of competitor analysis which significantly define brand strategy. Knowledge about the competitor’s current and possible future position is fundamental in the overall strategy of a company. More so, competitor’s analysis entails the competitors marketing strategy which helps in designing brand strategy. For example, the strategists may seek to know how, where, what, and who their competitors’’ advertisement target. Such information would be necessary for the company in devising a br and strategy for the future. Example of a Customer Analysis This is a customer analysis for a car manufacturing company. The customer analysis will address the market research, customer needs, and current or targeted customers (Jersey Business, n.y). Customer Needs Most car buyers seek for high quality, low maintenance, comfortable, and durable cars.

Why I Want a Wife Essay Example for Free

Why I Want a Wife Essay Matthews and Cofer both came from different cultures and both have problems. They lived two completely different lives. Both Matthew and Cofer worried about their friends excepting the fact that they had another culture. They both lived in the United States but had another life that they didn’t like sharing, but their family would not let them forget about it. In â€Å"Don’t Call Me a Hot Tamale† Cofer, â€Å"Pick One,† Matthews, and â€Å"My Two Lives,† Lahiri all face similar adversity, social problems, and tough decision. In all three stories they have different but sometimes life changing decision to make. In â€Å"Don’t Call Me a Hot Tamale,† Cofer, â€Å"Pick One,† Matthews, and â€Å"My Two Lives,† Lahiri all have different yet similar adversity. They all face dilemmas in their everyday life. In â€Å"Don’t Call Me a Hot Tamale,† Cofer gets criticized for the way dressed. When she dresses like her mother and grandmother was taught to wear. They dressed to look sexy for themselves. But others looked down on her for that. In â€Å"Pick One,† Matthews he has to make a decision that he would have to live with the rest of his life. Either he chose to be white or black. Matthews was both black and Jewish. Matthews’s mother was Jewish and his father was black. When he went to his first day of his new school, the kids looked at him. They made him chose black or white. In â€Å"My Two Lives,† Lahiri never got to forget about her second culture. Her parents reminded her every day. Social problems were a big deal for Cofer, Matthews, and Lahiri. They all went through some kind of social problems. In â€Å"Don’t Call Me Hot Tamale,† Judith Ortiz Cofer has social problems because of the way she dresses. People don’t want to talk to a person like her that dresses like that. One night she was having dinner at a nice hotel and after she ate, she went back to her room, and on her way a middle-aged man in a tuxedo stopped her and started singing her a song. In â€Å"Pick One,† David Matthews he has social problems at his new school. One day in the hallway, on his way to class some of his classmates stopped him. Some of the kids were asking him black or white? â€Å"What are you. † He had never heard that before. He went on about his business. Later that day, it was lunch time. He walked into the lunch room and he knew right then he had to pick. It was a very hard decision to make. He made the decision to be white because they looked the most like him, and had more in common with them. In â€Å"My Two Lives,† Jhumpa Lahiri was afraid her friends wouldn’t accept her because she had two cultures. But her parents wouldn’t let her forget about her other culture. She spoke English without a accent, she comprehended the language in a way her parents couldn’t. Because of her looks she did not attend Sunday school. Conflict of growing up was hard for all three of these people â€Å"Don’t Call Me a Hot Tamale,† Cofer, â€Å"Pick One,† Matthews, and â€Å"My Two Lives,† Lahiri all moved from a different country when they was young. They had to learn a new language, understand how to speak English, and make new friends. Even after they mastered the language people still looked at them differently. Judith Ortiz Cofer had to live with people looking at her for the way she dressed. But that was how her mother and grandmother dressed. David Matthews had to live with making a decision that would follow him the rest of his life. His mother was Jewish and his father was black. He had a lot of conflict while he was growing up. Jhumpa Lahiri parents wouldn’t let her forget about her other culture. Hey told her until they pasted away that her second culture would be in her life. In â€Å"Don’t Call Me a Hot Tamale,† Judith Ortiz Cofer, â€Å"Pick One,† David Matthews, and â€Å"My Two Lives,† Jhumpa Lahiri all have different yet similar adversity’s, social problems, and conglict of growing up. In all three stories they all go through life changing experiences. Cofer goes through things because of the way she dresses. Matthews goes through school and has to pick what color he is. And last Lahiri worries about her friends accepting her for who she is.

Athletes vs Couch Potatoes Essay -- Health Diet Exercise

For many years, I’ve have been labeled as a couch potato due to my laziness and my lack of a healthy diet. Throughout my childhood, I had very few friends and I stayed inside my house, most of the time. I was always into sports, but I never got to actually join a team and play with my friends because I never enjoyed moving around. I never liked to run, skip, or jump because I was 20 lbs. overweight and I hated sweating due to the sweltering heat. I enjoyed sitting in the couch all day, doing nothing but watching T.V, eating junk food, playing video games, and watching the day go by. However, I needed to change my life around, so I joined the gym, started to eat vegetables and white meat, instead of chips, cookies, or other junk food, and I exercised daily. I was proud by the results at the end because I felt healthy, fit, and much more energetic. Many former couch potatoes have become athletes because they adopt active lifestyles and eat healthier. Unfortunately, some people fall into the trap of a sedentary lifestyle and maintain it that way. They stay sitting around, sleeping, eating junk, or watching T.V. Athletes look forward to be involved in physical activities, while couch potatoes let life go by. Due to differences in lifestyle, physical activity and health, athletes are healthier and much more energetic than couch-loving counter-parts. Athletes live a more active lifestyle than their couch laying counter-parts. They are either gifted with physical talents or they train extensively to improve balance, strength, and flexibility by exercising. Most Athletes go to the gym about 2-3 times a week and do about 1-2 hours of cardio to improve their heart rate and maximize fat-burning. They get up early in the morning or go o... ...† Nature Publishing Group 28 January 2009. 27 October 2010 http://www.nature.com/nrcardio/index.html â€Å"Why can a trained athlete run a marathon, but a couch potato cannot run half a mile?† Discovery Communications Inc. n.d. 27 October 2010 http://health.howstuffworks.com/wellness/diet-fitness/information/question485.htm J. Anderson, L. Young and S. Prior â€Å"Nutrition for the Athlete†. 2010 Colorado State University Extension. 12 May 2010. 26 October 2010 http://www.ext.colostate.edu/pubs/foodnut/09362.html Albanesius, Chloe â€Å"More Than Half of U.S. Adults Play Video Games† Ziff Davis, Inc. 08 Dec. 08. 27 Oct. 10. http://www.pcmag.com/article2/0,2817,2336392,00.asp Lifestyle â€Å"Health Effects of a Sedentary Lifestyle† LifeMojo Health Solutions Pvt Ltd. n.d. 26 October 2010. http://www.lifemojo.com/lifestyle/health-effects-of-a-sedentary-lifestyle-44282279#ixzz14A8O9cyZ

Education Essays – Educational Lottery

Is it truly the harder you work the further you get in instruction or is it an â€Å" educational lottery † whereby your academic hereafter is pre-determined before birth.AbstractionThis paper aims to look at the extent that the instruction system in the UK can best be regarded as a meritocracy based on difficult work and diligence or a societal lottery whereby pupils are channeled into socially pre-determined functions and degrees of accomplishment. In order to organize my research in a manner that is commensurate with methodological and expositional unity I will try to prove my hypothesis through a typical thesis-antithesis-synthesis construction ; detailing foremost the history environing province instruction, secondly the assorted strains of Liberal teaching method that assert its meritocratic character and thirdly how Marxist and Neo-Conservative theory refutes this and positions province run instruction as a mechanism of societal control and work force filtering. Throughout I will put these theoretical impressions into a current political context utilizing a assortment of beginnings that includes informations refering the sum of preschool topographic points available to kids in interior metropolis and hapless countries, the educational disparities between the races and genders and the degrees of Higher instruction support that is allocated by organic structures such as the AHRC. I will besides do usage of the many authorities documents and paperss that have been published since 1997.Introduction: State Run – State IssuesThe Introduction to this paper will concentrate on the peculiar jobs and issues that arise when instruction is inducted into the province. The modern instruction system, in Britain, can be said to hold begun with theElementary Education Actof 1870 ( Haralambos and Holborn, 2004 ; Curtis and Boultwood, 1967 ) , it was this Act that foremost advocated a system of school boards that oversaw the course of study and teaching method of local schools and led finally to theFisher Actof 1918 that made school compulsory ( McKibbin, 1998 ) . The recent authorities paperssYoung person Matters( 2005 ) and the model for theNational Skills Academy( 2005 ) represent what is a changeless hostility in British pedagogical policy ; on the one manus asseverating the primacy of a Liberal educational foundation and on the other the demand to bring forth a work force for all the assorted degrees of employment strata. This subdivision of the paper will analyze this hostility as it manifests itself in current authorities thought, pulling on these two recent policy paperss every bit good as other cardinal beginnings ( Salisbury and Riddell, 2000 ; Cole, 2000 ; Smithers and Robinson, 2000 ; Levinson, 1999 ) . It is hoped that this debut will give a house anchoring in current Government policy and will besides supply a stable footing for the treatment to come.Chapter One: The Liberal IdealThis chapter will supply the thesis component of my paper and will take the signifier of an expounding upon Liberal educational theory and how it is reflected in the modern system. In many ways the Government’sYoung person Matters( 2005 ) papers can be seen as an entry point into such Broad theory that centres around impressions originally developed by John Dewey in the early portion of the 20th century ( Dewey, 2005 ; Dewey, 2000 etc. ) . This point of view non merely asserts the intrinsic value of instruction but besides sees advancement as a merchandise of difficult work and diligence irrespective of gender, category or race ( DfES, 2005: 9 ) . Commensurate with this argument is the review of the three-party system of instruction that comprised of grammar, secondary modern and proficient colleges and that formed the footing of the work of Halsey, Floud and Anderson ( 1961 ) . In order to prove such theories I will analyze Government statistics on non merely exam consequences ( DfES, 2004 ) but besides the National Curriculum appraisals ( DfES, 2005 [ Provisional ] ) , Student Loan information ( DfES, 2005 ) , Higher Education Grants ( DfES, 2005 ) and a host of other Government published documents that assert the proliferation of what I have termed the ‘Liberal Ideal’ . This chapter aims, through a treatment of Broad policy, to foreground the extent that current instruction system does so intend that the harder you work to foster you acquire.Chapter Two: The Education MachineThis chapter aims to take a contrary place to predating one and therefore supply the antithesis to the thesis. Through an expounding of the theoretical model of Marxism and Conservatism I will measure the extent that the British instruction system is designed to ease the proliferation of an political orientation that places the creative activity of a work force above the wants of single pupils to stay in instruction. Under such a impression, the instruction system does so go a lottery, based upon pre-determined factors like category, race and gender. The theoretical base for this chapter will be drawn from such surveies as Paul WillisLearning to Labor( 1978 ) , Bowles and Gintis’ surveySchooling in Capitalist America( 1976 ) and the Neo-Marxist theories of Glenn Rikowski ( 1997, 2001 ) . I will besides, nevertheless do some reference of the functionalist ethos ( Durkheim, 1982 ; Giddens, 1971 ; Black, 1961 etc. ) that sees the instruction systems as carry throughing avitaldemand in the economic system of an industrial society by supplying a graded work force ; a construct that can be seen to be reflected in both the Conservative policies of the 1980s and the Blair administration’sNational Skills Academy( 2005 ) . In order to put such impressions into context I will look in peculiar at the support given to those pupils wishing to go to Higher educational constitutions ( such as the grants awarded to graduate students from organic structures such as the AHRC ) and the Government’s new committedness to supplying non-academic preparation to immature people via the new apprenticeship strategy ( Learning and Skills Council, 2005 ) .DecisionsMy decisions will be drawn from non merely the theoretical base of this paper but besides the research information in the signifier of confirming statistics. The construction I have chosen to construct this paper around offers us ample chance to analyze the theoretical base and the current state of affairs in tandem ; puting the Government’s ain instruction defining policy within the context of sociological theory and the empirical information. It is hoped that it is in the combination of these three elements that I shall be able to to the full pro ve my research hypothesis and pull worthwhile decisions.MentionsBowles, Samuel and Gintis ( 1976 ) ,Schooling in Capitalist America,( London: Routledge )Cole, Mike ( 2000 ) ,Education, Equality and Human Rights, ( London: Falmer Press )Curtis, S.J. and Boultwood, M. ( 1967 ) ,An Introductory History of English Education Since 1800, ( London: University Tutorial Press )Department of Education ( 2005 ) ,Young person Matters, ( London: HMSO )Department of Education, ( 2005a ) ,National Skills AcademyModel, ( London: HMSO )Dewey, John ( 2000 ) ,Experience and Nature, ( London: Capital of delaware )Dewey, John ( 2005 ) ,Democracy and Education, ( London: Digireads )Durkheim, Emile ( 1982 ) ,The Rules of Sociological Method and Selected Texts on Sociology and its Method, ( London: Macmillan )Giddens, Anthony ( 1977 ) ,Capitalism and Modern Social Theory: An Analysis of the Writings of Marx, Durkheim and Max Weber, ( Cambridge: Cambridge University Press )Halsey, A.H, Floud, J and Anderson , C.A ( 1961 ) ,Education, Economy and Society, ( London: The Free Press )Haralambos, M and Holborn, M ( 2004 ) ,Sociology: Subjects and Positions, ( London: Collins )Levinson, Meira ( 1999 ) ,The Demands of Liberal Education, ( Oxford: Oxford University Press )McKibbin, Ross ( 1998 ) ,Classs and Cultures in England 1918-1951, ( Oxford: Oxford University Press )Rikowski, Glenn ( 1997 ) , â€Å"Scorched Earth: preliminary to reconstructing Marxist instruction theory† , published inBritish Journal of Sociology of Education, Vol. 18.Rikowski, Glenn ( 2001 ) ,The Battle in Seattle: Its Significance for Education, ( London: Tufnell Press )Salibsury, Jane and Riddell, Sheila ( 2000 ) ,Gender, Policy and Educational Change: Switching Agendas in the UK and Europe, ( London: Routledge )Smithers, Alan and Robinson, Pamela ( 2000 ) ,Further Education Re-Formed, ( London: Falmer Press )Willis, Paul ( 1978 ) ,Learning to Labor, ( London: Arena ) Web sites hypertext transfer protocol: //www.apprenticeships.org.uk/hypertext transfer protocol: //www.bbc.co.ukhypertext transfer protocol: //www.dfes.gov.uk/hypertext transfer protocol: //www.homeoffice.gov.uk/hypertext transfer protocol: //www.statistics.gov.uk

Economic Crisis in Europe

How does Economic Crisis Affect European Union and how Does EU Reacts Introduction to the European Union and the Economic Crisis It is a fact world wide that we are facing an economic crisis. There are many Countries inside European Union that can hardly respond to the values of the crisis. The whole commission has to Decide and act properly for all those countries that can hardly respond to the crisis. The depth and breath of the current global financial crisis is unprecedented in post-war economic history.It has several features in common with similar financial-stress driven crisis episodes. It was preceded by relatively long period of rapid credit growth, low risk premiums, abundant availability of liquidity, strong leveraging, soaring asset prices and the development of bubbles in the real estate sector. Stretched leveraged positions and maturity mismatches rendered financial institutions very vulnerable to corrections in asset markets, deteriorating loan performance and disturba nces in the wholesale funding markets.Such episodes have happened before and the examples are abundant (e. g. Japan and the Nordic countries in the early 1990s, the Asian crisis in the late-1990s). But the key difference between these earlier episodes and the current crisis is its global dimension. ( http://ec. europa. eu/economy_finance/publications/publication15887 ) THE CRISIS FROM A HISTORICAL PERSPECTIVE A perfect storm. This is one metaphor used to describe the present global crisis. No other economic downturn after World War II has been as severe as today's recession.Although a large number of crises have occurred in recent decades around the globe, almost all of them have remained national or regional events – without a global impact. So this time is different – the crisis of today has no recent match. To find a downturn of similar depth and extent, the record of the 1930s has to be evoked. Actually, a new interest in the depression of the 1930s, commonly class ified as the Great Depression, has emerged as a result of today's crisis. By now, it is commonly used as a benchmark for assessing the current global downturn. The purpose of this hapter is to give a historical perspective to the present crisis. In the first section, the similarities and differences between the 1930s depression and the present crisis concerning the geographical origins, causes, duration and impact of the two crises are outlined. As both depressions were global, the transmission mechanism and the channels propagating the crisis across countries are analyzed. Next, the similarities and differences in the policy responses then and now are mapped. Finally, a set of policy lessons for today are extracted from the past.A word a warning should be issued before making comparisons across time. Although the statistical data from previous epochs are far from complete, historical national accounts research and the statistics compiled by the League of Nations offer comprehensive evidence for this chapter. Of course, any historical comparisons should be treated with caution. There are fundamental differences with earlier epochs concerning the structure of the economy, degree of globalization, nature of financial innovation, state of technology, institutions, economic thinking and policies.Paying due attention to them is important when drawing lessons. (http://ec. europa. eu/economy_finance/publications/publication15887 ) Responses to Crisis In a single market and a huge trading bloc like the EU, coordination of national economic policies is important. Through such coordination, the EU can act with speed and consistency when faced with economic challenges, as the current economic and financial crisis. Sixteen countries have even one step further by adopting the euro currency.The framework for cooperation in economic policy is Economic and Monetary Union (EMU), whose members are all EU countries is a framework within which countries agree common guidelines on important issues of the economy. The final result of the cooperation is more growth, more jobs and higher level of social protection for all. Moreover, this cooperation allows the EU to respond to global economic and financial challenges in a coordinated way. The EU as a major trading power, is more resilient to external shocks and, thus, can effectively address the various economic and financial problems.The EU has faced in a coordinated way the current financial and economic crisis, from the first moment occurred in October 2008. National governments, the European Central Bank (ECB) and the Commission work together to protect their savings to maintain the flow of credit at affordable terms for businesses and households, and to establish a better system of global management of the financial sector. The aim is not simply the restoration of stability but to ensure that the conditions to re-launch growth and job creation.So far, EU governments have placed more than 2 trillion for the rescue effort of their economies. European leaders have coordinated their interventions, providing support and allowing banks to grant loan guarantees. The EU also increased state guarantees for private savings accounts to 50,000 euros. The use of the euro as common currency in many European countries worked very positively during the crisis. Helped the EU to react to the global credit crisis in a coordinated manner and provide greater stability than would happen without it.For example, as the ECB could cut interest rates throughout the euro area (instead of each country sets its own exchange rate), banks across the EU can now borrow or lend to each other under the same conditions . The euro is used daily by more than 60% of EU citizens Having a single currency was a win-win for abolished the cost of converting currencies at leisure or business trips within the eurozone, abolished or significantly decreased in almost all Where the cost of cross-border payments; consumers and busine sses can easily compare prices, thus fostering competition.Participation in the euro zone is a guarantee of price stability. The ECB sets the key interest rates at levels designed to keep medium-term inflation in the euro area below 2%. It also manages the foreign reserves of the EU to intervene in currency markets to influence the euro exchange rate. (http://europa. eu/pol/financ/index_el. htm ) Europe, mistakes and the economic crisis The crisis was born on August 9, 2007, when the European Central Bank (ECB) introduced 95 billion liquidity to markets, while the BNP Raribas freeze three investment funds because of subprime had value.The injections are slightly stimulated the patient and the ECB has gained credibility. Apart from the monetary policy should, however, warned governments to take steps to eradicate the evil and to prevent the liquidity crisis be turned into a solvency crisis. Then the ECB was slow to cut interest rates. When in March the European Parliament held a deba te devoted to these issues in preparation for the European Council in April, the former Irish Finance Minister Charlie Mc.Creevy had preferred to keep racing †¦ Also the perception of Manuel Barroso's role is questionable. Rather than enshrine it in the spirit of community spirit, arrested him as a dead leaf which is led and borne by the wishes of the Council: the Commission should propose only what Member States want. The organization of the Commission creates a blind spot in understanding this crisis. The macroeconomic and related issues with the markets depend on two different committees.In the European Parliament in October 2006 calling on the Commission â€Å"to pay more attention to the effects of market behavior on the macroeconomic situation in the euro area. Because there had to break the morale of the household, mobile motorized development, and because it was easier not to go ahead, the governments leave the ECB to intervene alone. Adopt them journey to the lessons of the crisis are not dealt with the pollution of subprime, the address of which is limited to calls for transparency from banks.But this is contrary to the rules of the market because it requires â€Å"players† to risk their reputation. Transparency could be only by on-site inspections, for which nobody had the means. In the spring the International Monetary Fund released figures decline in growth in Europe while car sales fell in Germany. In the holy alliance of the European executive and the ECB decided that the data were under American influence and too pessimistic. By optimizing the expectations we had in denial of reality.After a serious error assessment of the Bush administration ran away evil and rotten egg of subprime cut the mayonnaise in the world economy have serious economic and social consequences. The decision to leave at the Lehman collapse Vrothers on September 15 caused a systemic crisis marking the death certificate of the Reagan-Thatcher era. In Europe-in this new phase of the crisis-the first reflex was to rescue the Irish, which has decided to guarantee all deposits of banks. Angela Merkel initially denied any plan to support the European banking sector.After Nicolas Sarkozy left alone against the German refusal, Gordon Brown presented his own plan and moved to the Eurogroup. As a former Finance Minister of the main economic spot of Europe, he knew very well what he was talking and was able to combine the political imperative for action control mechanisms. Nicolas Sarkozy, who has made Jean-Claude Trichet in the class of head of state or government, seemed to be trying to play a kind of changing the State Monopoly French capitalism, industry and the media depending on the mood.This was perhaps another reason why the banks refused the first version of the plan and forced the state to offer loans without taking any involvement. We thus present a massive plan to support banks without exchange intervention to long-term strategy. There is also a risk that the pressure for reforms to evaporate with a new relative stabilization of markets and argued that any significant change endangers the fragile economies. Finally, the European response to banking crisis will be in parallel with national plans.An ambitious Commission will undertake to lead the implementation of these projects to be used in a European strategy. Europe can provide the best, the ability of the default rules, is the soft power of the modern era that is so necessary by globalization. For this reason the Commission should rediscover the nature and take-back initiatives is one of the great challenges of the next European schedule. (http://www. tovima. gr/default. asp? pid=2&ct=6&artid=23784&dt=18/11/2008 ) Economic crisis leading to â€Å"relaxation† of EU rules on deficitsThe ‘relaxation' of the rules on deficits under the Stability Pact (up to 3% of GDP) in fact go the European governments, as the financial crisis requires more government spending to avoid recession. Although the head of the Eurogroup Jean-Claude Juncker said at the meeting of four European leaders in Paris on Saturday that â€Å"the Stability Pact should be respected† in its entirety, is a common belief within the EU that will be tolerated a-temporary-breaching the 3% of GDP as the primary objective in this very difficult international situation is the stability of the system.Officially, most EU leaders insist on fiscal discipline is, but everyone knows that without government intervention the situation will deteriorate and European economies will slip into recession. The ‘culture' that prevails in Europe, captured the French president Nicolas Sarkozy, saying that â€Å"the implementation of the Pact should reflect the exceptional circumstances where we are. † The â€Å"exceptional circumstances†, according to international organizations, the most serious economic crisis of the Great Depression of the 1930s.This issue wil l be addressed by the European finance ministers Monday (Eurogroup) and Tuesday (Ecofin) in Luxembourg. The ministers will discuss the crisis and will refer to measures taken in their countries to reduce the impact of the credit â€Å"suffocation†. The EU prefers assistance â€Å"in case† and, for the moment at least, does not discuss the possibility of a common reserve fund (suggested and took back then N. Sarkozy) to rescue the banking and general corporate financial industry tested by the crisis.

Difference Between Recession and Depression

Difference Between Recession and Depression There is an old joke among economists that states: A recession is when your neighbor loses his job. A depression is when you lose your job. The difference between the two terms is not very well understood for one simple reason: There is not a universally agreed upon definition. If you ask 100 different economists to define the terms recession and depression, you would get at least 100 different answers. That said, the following discussion summarizes both terms and explains the differences between them in a way that almost all economists could agree with. The Newspaper Definition of Recession The standard newspaper definition of a recession is a decline in the Gross Domestic Product (GDP) for two or more consecutive quarters. This definition is unpopular with most economists for two main reasons. First, this definition does not take into consideration changes in other variables. For example, this definition ignores any changes in the unemployment rate or consumer confidence. Second, by using quarterly data this definition makes it difficult to pinpoint when a recession begins or ends. This means that a recession that lasts ten months or less may go undetected. The BCDC Definition of Recession The Business Cycle Dating Committee at the National Bureau of Economic Research (NBER) provides a better way to find out if there is a recession is taking place. This committee determines the amount of business activity in the economy by looking at things like employment, industrial production, real income and wholesale-retail sales. They define a recession as the time when business activity has reached its peak and starts to fall until the time when business activity bottoms out. When the business activity starts to rise again it is called an expansionary period. By this definition, the average recession lasts about a year. Depression Before the Great Depression of the  1930s,  any downturn in  economic  activity was referred to as a depression. The term recession was developed in this period to differentiate periods like the 1930s from smaller economic declines that occurred in 1910 and 1913. This leads to the simple definition of a depression as a recession that lasts longer and has a larger decline in business activity. The Difference Between Recession and Depression So how can we tell the difference between a recession and a depression? A good rule of thumb for determining the difference between a recession and a depression is to look at the changes in GNP. A depression is any economic downturn where real GDP declines by more than 10 percent. A recession is an  economic downturn  that is less severe. By this yardstick, the last depression in the United States was from May 1937 to June 1938, where real GDP declined by 18.2 percent. If we use this method then the  Great Depression  of the 1930s can be seen as two separate events: an incredibly severe depression lasting from August 1929 to March 1933 where real GDP declined by almost 33 percent, a period of recovery, then another less severe depression of 1937-38. The United States hasn’t had anything even close to a depression in the post-war period. The worst recession in the last 60 years was from November 1973 to March 1975, where real GDP fell by 4.9 percent. Countries such as Finland and Indonesia have suffered depressions in recent memory using this definition.

The Difference Between Works Cited and Bibliography

The Difference Between and Bibliography The citation of sources prevents plagiarism, helps a professor fact-check an essay or paper for accuracy, and can aid the student in finding information if they decide to return to a certain source in the future. Most everything written or published in the higher academy is cited. The citation of sources prevents  plagiarism, helps a professor fact-check an essay or paper for accuracy, and can aid the student in finding information if they decide to return to a certain source in the future. Learning the importance of citing sources is something any and every student should learn wholeheartedly and always embrace because, at the college or university level, it is a fact of life. ANNOTATED BIBLIOGRAPHY EXAMPLES However, with the overwhelming bombardment of information and terminology in higher education, it can be a challenge doing things the correct way – and can get very confusing.  This certainly applies to a writing assignment requiring a student to cite the sources they have used, referred to or encountered in compiling information and writing an essay or research paper. A page and Bibliography are perfect examples: the two are often used interchangeably, mean close to the same thing, yet have entirely different purposes, meanings,  and implications. The Bibliography Bibliographies, which are mostly found at the end of a book or published an academic  article, are a list of the books or other articles referred to in a scholarly work – and are not merely a simple paper, essay or research paper written by an undergraduate. Usually printed as an appendix, bibliographies provide an overview of what has been published on a topic. Some bibliographies are annotated, meaning they include a brief summary of each work’s contents and explain how it was relevant in writing about the subject of the paper. A bibliography is an ideal starting point for the student looking to conduct research on a specific topic or range of topics.  However, some professors may require their students to make a list of all the sources that informed the student writing the paper – those that may have  lead the student to other, more recent sources. In this case, a bibliography may be best. The The , often referred to as the â€Å" Page,† is a separate page at the end of a student’s essay or research paper; it lists the sources they used in the writing and completing their assignment – whether they used information in direct quotes, rephrased summaries, the incorporation of data and general information, like statistics. Whenever a student borrows legitimate information from any reputable source (anything that is not common knowledge: â€Å"the capital of Thailand is Bangkok†), that information needs to be cited in MLA style. This list should be alphabetized by authors’ last names – or by editors’ or translators’ names – and should have â€Å"† as a centered heading. In many cases, one’s professor may read the student’s page first to get a feel for the kind of effort put into the assignment. FOOTNOTES VS. ENDNOTES Student, keep in mind!  In the event, a student is not sure which exactly their professor prefers – works cited, bibliography or an annotated bibliography – that student should talk with their professor; rather than risk getting a low grade, it is best they inquire early on in getting an assignment.

3D Printing in Architecture depends on Tessellation Essay

3D Printing in Architecture depends on Tessellation - Essay Example In older days, architecture was known as a field which was dependent upon the manually made three-dimensional models and designs.Today, thanks to technology and development, these models are made with the help of software and executed using modern techniques Many of these techniques help the architects to present their ideas through designing software and programs such as the CAD techniques. As the trends have changed, the architecture processes are now more dependent upon techniques such as tessellations. However, many architects today believe that 3D printing in architecture mainly depends on tessellations. Tessellation refers to the placing of shapes repeatedly to form a pattern. These shapes are repeated again and again to cover the spaces and overlap one another. Tiling is another word for tessellation which refers to the filling of spaces with tiles such as on floors, ceilings or walls. The tessellation technique is widely used in the world around us whether it is in mathematic s, natural world, arts or architecture. It is known as a technique which enables the architects to create structures and interiors1. The process is closely related to architecture as there are many aspects which need the process and application of tessellation such as the facade of the building, the material used or the interior walls. Figure 1 shows a form of 3D tessellation. Figure 1. TurboSquid, 2013 This essay addresses the need of tessellation in CAD and 3D printing used in architecture. 3D designs in tessellations are greatly used in architecture nowadays, and the modern methods rely on tessellation techniques and materials. The essay discloses how this is applied and what the critiquing views of this process are. Tessellation is used mainly because of its application in many processes. The methods are easy and useful for many procedures in architecture. However, this essay will assess the methods, procedures and problems of using tessellation in architecture identifying why i t is the most important factor. Literature The architecture today has a different meaning than it had several years ago. Today, the 3D printing and designing is a huge part of the architectural industry. The designs are made and executed through computer programs and 3D models. From the initial stages of building the structure till the last stage, 3D designing is used. On the initial stage, when the architect is told about the space and size of the structure, s/he uses computer programming to build diagrams and illustrations of how the building will be structured. There are special programs that automatically measure and illustrate all calculations and measurements. These programs build 3D blocks and diagrams which present the structure and how it will be organized2. 3D block diagrams are the most commonly used programs for the initial stages. Many architects use these 3D tools to build graphics for their structures. These computer models show all graphics and details of the structu re including rooms, walk ways, lifts, etc. and all from different angles and perspectives. CAD applications are used for the clients so that they can easily understand the 3D design. The use of these programs does not only make the work of the architect easier, but it also saves a lot of time of the planning, executing and applying. Figure 2 shows a 3D model made using computer programming. The figure shows how the structure includes various aspects that will make it easier for the constructor as well as the client. These models give a clearer picture of the building than ledgers and spreadsheets. This is because the data and information is delivered using graphics, pictures and 3D designing rather than coded information in rows and columns3. Figure 2. 3D Printing in AEC, 2011 The nature of the architectural design requires many creative and technical aspects which can be fulfilled by the CAD software which is the computer-aided design program. CAD programs allow the

GDP Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

GDP - Essay Example As the discussion highlights  demographic studies have also shown that quality of life is judged more accurately by average life expectancy, ratio of hospitals to population, ratio of doctors available per patient, age distribution, income distribution, average household and gender ratios. These factors play an important role in any economy because earning money is not the only objective, the money earned should be translated into something which really has meaning and/or which could bring happiness to individuals for instance if the money earned could not be translated into good medical health care services then it is of no use to the individual, money earned should have the potential to be translated into goods and services of the highest quality.  According to the report findings  GDP is a widely used tool when assessing the economic health of any country because it is a true representation of the country when it comes to economic activity that is being carried out and how w ell the economy is doing but it is not a true representation of the welfare of the general masses or level of satisfaction that the entire population has, this is so because human nature needs have to be satisfied through goods and services and not through earning money only.  Human needs can only be met in a satisfactory way if the quality of the goods and services provided is extremely high, in third world countries such as India and Pakistan, the problem is that people do have the money but the quality of life is very low due to problems that the economy is facing.

Construction Management Coursework Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2250 words

Construction Management - Coursework Example ce management theory, move on to discuss the changing patterns of human resource management within the construction industry, and focus definitively upon a specific dimension of the human resource management process; taking special time and consideration in terms of providing a discussion on the merits and limitations of the dimension in question. Through such an examination and discussion, it is the hope of this particular student that the reader will gain a more warmed understanding with respect to the subject matter and further grasp upon the realm of human resource management as it relates to the construction industry. Likewise, before delving directly into a discussion of unique changes in terms of the construction industry as it relates to human resource management, this particular section will tell into some of the overarching human resource management theories that have been promoted and employed throughout organizations around the globe - over the past several decades (Roberts, 2013). The first of these is with respect to what is known as the vertical integration approach. Within this particular paradigm of human resource management, individual stakeholders within leadership and management are of the understanding that unique metrics and guidelines for the way in which employees and the employer should relate with one another are best relayed from the top down. Within this clearly structured approach, other management utilizes and leverages middle management and subsequent supervisors as a means of relating their overall goals and expectations to stakeholders within the very bottom layers of the organizational structure (Fong et al., 2011). Whereas this particular approach can be useful in terms of defining a company culture in a rapid manner, the ultimate level to which it can â€Å"stick† is oftentimes somewhat limited. Furthermore, as will be discussed at further death laser within the analysis, this particular approach does not necessarily lend itself

The Frugal Innovation In Africa Economics Essay

The Frugal Innovation In Africa Economics Essay Failure by conventional theories such as the product life cycle and closed innovation to explain recent trends in innovation, have laid a foundation for the emergence of different approaches to innovation management. One such approach is frugal innovation which has, in the recent past, been given recognition both by practitioners and academics. Frugal innovation aims at offering goods and services that are affordable, robust and of acceptable quality in a volume-driven market. So far academic attention on frugal innovation has been paid to countries outside Africa. The review of extant literature found only one academic paper on frugal innovation in Africa. This paper was based on a single case study and just focused on the service industry. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to identify examples of successful frugal innovation in Africa and categorize them based on local conditions. Using an analogical method, six successful cases of frugal innovation were identified in differ ent countries. Frugal innovations were categorized into basic needs and luxury frugal solutions respectively. Further from the six cases, five success factors were identified. These are; needs conceptualization, passion, local networks, investing in local RD and a flexible and well defined rolling out process. These cases suggest that companies wishing to develop frugal solutions aimed at specifically addressing the needs of customers in Africa must be receptive to the above factors. This study highlights the existence of frugal innovation in Africa and the critical factors vital for creating new, affordable and robust products and services for what we call unthawed markets in Africa. The study has also shown that despite frugal innovation attracting academic attention in the last decade, it has existed in Africa for a considerable period of time. For the future, studies should be focused on identifying more cases of frugal innovation in Africa. In addition, such cases should be sub jected to in-depth analysis. We also encourage comprehensive studies aimed at developing new theories and testing the proposed ones. Keywords: Frugal Innovation, Africa, product life cycle, unthawed markets, success factors 1. INTRODUCTION The ongoing shift in the global innovation landscape has presented numerous challenges (Magnusson 2000; Chesbrough 2003). These challenges have brought conventional theories such as the product life cycle and closed innovation into the spot light. As a result many countries and firms are developing new ways and means of conducting business. For example, multinationals from developed countries are increasingly globalizing their RD activities. Firms from emerging economies such as India and Brazil, which traditionally played a secondary role in global innovation, have now begun to catch up with developing their own innovative capabilities (Mathews, 2002). Some of these firms have emerged as major players in certain sectors like information technology and mobile communications. In this shift, particular attention has been paid to emerging concepts of innovation. Recent research has identified five distinctive but interrelated innovation concepts for the years ahead (Eagar et al., 2011). These concepts are: customer-based innovation; proactive business model innovation; integrated innovation; high speed/low risk innovation and frugal innovation. The literature on all the five concepts is scant because they are in their infancy phase. Frugal innovation also known as reverse innovation is about minimizing the use of material and financial resources in the complete value chain with the objective of reducing the cost of ownership while fulfilling even exceeding certain predefined criteria of acceptable quality standards (Tiwari and Herstatt, 2012). From the organizations point of view, a frugal solution is designed, produced, delivered and maintained to achieve the needs of underserved consumers in constrained environments (Bhatti, 2012). For the consumers, frugal products and services extend from simply costs to functioning with few resources, and lack of necessary infrastructure. Examples of successful frugal innovation include the Tata Nano car in India that costs less than US$3000, a low-cost battery powered refrigerator in India (called Chotukool) created by Godrej Company and a mini-handheld electrocardiogram (ECG) machine called Mac 400 created by GE at its Bangalore laboratory (Howard, 2011). Based on evidence from frugal solutions in and outside Asia, it is clear that frugal innovation is a cutting edge initiative that has challenged conventional ways of innovation management. It is destined to address the needs of both the lower and middle income groups all over the world. Despite these impressive strides, the initiative has received little academic attention particularly in Africa. Scholarly works that have attempted to deal with this subject have mainly concentrated on emerging economies in Asia (Tiwari and Herstatt 2011, 2012; SAGPA 2011; Tood and Lawson 2003; Fukuda and Watanabe 2011; Kohlbacher and Hang 2011; Pinelli 2011; Eagar et al., 2011). Africa is in desparate need of frugal innovation given the higher levels of poverty in comparison to other continents. For instance in 2011, 35 out of 45 nations identified as having Low Human Development on the United Nations Human Development Index were located in Africa (UNDP, 2011). The implications of these facts are tha t the gap between the rich and the poor in most African countries is quite high and the population of the lower and middle income groups is higher than those in the high income group. This means that there are fewer people who are able to enjoy certain things in life because of the low purchasing power. More often than note, people in the lower income group would like to enjoy the same goods and services as those at the top of the economic pyramid but are not able to. Therefore there is a seemingly dormant and non-consuming market for which frugal products can take advantage. We call this market unthawed market because it is not fully exploited and seems frozen. The limited research so far carried out on frugal innovation has not addressed emerging issues in this field in Africa. To our knowledge there has only been one study conducted on frugal innovation in Africa. It was a single case study that focused on service innovation in Kenya (Wooder and Baker, 2012). There is need to cas t the net wide and look at Africa as a whole in order to identify other cases of frugal innovation. This will give us a clearer picture of both product and service innovations for mass markets in Africa. As populations in Africa grow and demand for unique and reasonably cheap goods and services go up, frugal innovation is a must for this continent. Given the foregoing, it is imperative that a preliminary study to find examples of frugal innovation in Africa is conducted. Hence the purpose of this study is to address this gap. More specifically our study aims to identify cases of frugal innovation in African, categorize them and bring out success factors of such innovations. Identifying cases of frugal innovation will provide important insights that will stimulate further research not only in Africa but in other parts of the world. 2. FRUGAL INNOVATION: THEORETICAL BACKGROUND In this era that is increasingly being defined by the globalization of competition as well as major fiscal and demographic challenges, the task of managing innovation is vital for companies of every size in every industry (Tidd, 2006). Although innovation is a very difficult process to manage, it is critical in sustaining businesses and ensures competitive advantage. The way organizations bring out new ideas and take them to the market has undergone fundamental change. There is a paradigm shift in how companies commercialize industrial knowledge. In the following we have shown how two conventional theories of innovation and product development are no longer sustainable. Subsequently, frugal innovation is becoming relevant. 2.1 The Product Life Cycle cannot explain recent trends in innovation Historically there were attempts and initiatives to understand product and service innovation. One such initiative was the product life cycle (PLC) theory developed by Raymond Vernon. The PLC is an economic theory that attempted to explain the observed pattern of international trade. Vernon (1966) argued that many products experience cycles. The theoretical rationale behind the PLC theory emanates from the concepts of diffusion and adoption of innovations (Everett, 1962). Schematically, the PLC may be approximated by a bell-shaped curve that is divided into different stages (see Figure 1). Although the number of phases suggested by different scholars varies from four to six, for the purpose of this paper we have adopted a four-phase cycle as proposed by Polli and Cook (1969). The four-phase cycle is realistic. Some cycles, which include a saturation stage, have proved to be unrealistic and questionable. For example, a clear distinction could not be drawn between the mature and satura tion stage (Gardner, 1987). Pollit and Cook (1969) stated that sales follow a sequence of stages, starting with product introduction and proceeds with growth, through maturity and eventually decline. Figure 1. Product Life Cycle Source: Polli and Cook (1969) Below is the summary of the four stages in a products life cycle: Introduction New products are introduced to meet local and national needs. Profits are often low because customers are few. This stage is characterized by significant uncertainty regarding the market size, consumer tastes and technological constraints. Growth Products become more widely known and accepted. Profits begin to be earned as the image of the product is developed. Maturity Products may be extended by adding both width and depth. Sales are at their peak and profits are high. There is production of standard products through standardized production processes. Decline Sales fall very fast and profit go down. Prices are also likely to fall. Vernon (1966) posited that products are initially discovered and produced in developed countries (north) and exported to the less developed countries (south). The emphasis was on the role of innovation, scale ignorance and uncertainty. Vernon discarded the classical assumption that knowledge is a free good. He claimed that developed countries spend more on product development and innovation than developing countries. Hence they tend to develop high end products. Initially, the manufacture of a new product tends to be located in the country that developed it. This is largely on account of large markets in the developed nations therefore early stages of a products life production need to be located close to the market. Vernon further argued that when products become mature their degree of standardization and consequently of price elasticity of demand increases, cost considerations become more important and production will often move to less developed countries. Concerns about productio ns costs and possibilities of economies of scale results in shift of location of production from the north to the south. Hence the north produces only new goods while the south produces only old goods (Funk, 2004). The cycle arises because what is a new good in one period eventually becomes an old good in another period. The PLC theory is a conventional concept which has stood the test of time. It has represented central elements of innovation and marketing for four decades (Mercer, 1993). Following its development in the 1960s and subsequent popularization in the 1970s, the theory has remained a stable feature in international trade. A great deal has been written on the subject and several empirical studies have validated its existence (Polli Cook 1969; Meenaghan Turnbull 1978; Klepper 1992; Mercer 1993; Funk 2004). The PLC has been used for strategic planning, product development, financial management and has been considered to be an influential concept (Moon, 2005) and an enduring marketing framework (Golder Tellis 2004). The concept has been used for specific technologies (Abernathy and Utterback, 1978); for dominant designs (Tushman and Anderson, 1990), for customer adaptations of new technologies (Rodgers, 1962) and for specific industries and clusters (Audretsch and Feldman, 1996). Indeed the evidence supporting the PLC theory and the amount of attention bestowed upon the theory in the academic literature over the years have been impressive. However, in the recent past the PLC concept has begun to appear unsustainable. There is a serious deficiency in the assertion that new products and innovations happen in developed countries and later get adopted in developing nations. Recent scholarly work has brought out evidence showing an increasing trend of product development and innovations originating from developing nations such as India and China (Tiwari Herstatt 2012; Prahaland 2005; Economist 2010b). These countries are no longer just borrowing innovations from developed countries; but from time to time are contributing innovations to the rest of the world including advanced economies (Govindarajan Ramamurti, 2011). Recent research has suggested that enterprises are increasingly using fast-growing developing economies as lead markets for innovating specific pro ducts, services and technologies (Tiwari Herstatt, 2012). An example of such innovations is a washing machine called Mini Magical Child introduced by Haier, a Chinese home appliances firm. This washing machine is being sold in the US and Europe. These innovations have been termed frugal innovation because they meet the needs of low end customers at affordable prices and have acceptable quality (Zeschky et al. 2011). This trend cannot be sufficiently explained by the PLC theory and by factors such as degree of standardization and price elasticity of demand. To the contrary, the trend has challenged the core assumptions of the PLC theory and proves, in the interim, that innovation and new products can emerge from anywhere and not just in advanced countries. The assertion, by Vernon, that discarded the notion that knowledge in a free good therefore cannot stand. 2.2. The Closed Innovation approach has been eroded The old paradigm was called closed innovation which was based on the strict control of successful innovation (Chesbrough, 2003). Under this view, organizations generate their own ideas, develop them, finance them and support them on their own. In short, companies maintain complete control of all aspects of the innovation process and inventions are kept highly secretive. Traditionally many organizations followed this model and it worked well for most of the twentieth century (OVO, 2008). However, over the years a number of factors have led to the erosion of the closed innovation approach (Chesbrough, 2003). First, due to an increase in the mobility and availability of highly educated people, large amounts of knowledge leave the research laboratories of many companies. Second, the availability of venture capital has increased significantly in the recent past making it possible for promising ideas and technologies to be further developed outside the organization. Third, other firms in the supply chain began to play an increasingly pivotal role in the innovation process. Finally, today there is an abundance of knowledge in virtually every field. The proliferation of public scientific databases, online journals, low-cost internet access have given firms access to a wealth of knowledge that was far more expensive and time-consuming to reach as recently as the early 1990s. The above factors have rendered the closed innovation model unsustainable. Consequently, some mature firms got stuck in a narrow search for efficiency, displaying short sightedness and an inability to innovate to the extent needed to sustain their competitiveness (March, 1991; Dougherty and Hardy, 1996). Hence, many organizations started looking for other ways of increasing the efficiency and effectiveness of their innovation processes. On the other hand, these conditions have led to the globalization of innovation and emergence of what Chresbrough (2003) has called open innovation. Under this paradigm, firms can and should use both internal and external ideas to develop and commercialize products and services. Open innovation provides means to benefit from a much broader base of individuals and organizations. Ideas coming from customers and business partners may identify gaps and needs that internal team may have been ignoring or unable to identify. Firms are tapping into internal a nd external sources of knowledge to review development cycles, re-think development costs and develop products for particular markets with differing customer tastes, geographic conditions or regulatory requirements (Buse et al. 2010; Cantwell, 1995; OECD, 2008). Internationalization of RD which was thought to be phenomena of the developed countries such as Japan and Germany has now shifted to developing countries (Carlsson, 2006). There is a remarkable trend of multinational enterprises selecting locations in emerging economies such as India and China to conduct innovation activities (Tiwari, 2007; OECD; 2008). 2.3 The emergence of frugal innovation The open innovation approach and the failure by traditional theories such as the PLC to elucidate the current innovation trends, have laid a basis for the emergence of different approaches to innovation management. One such approach is frugal innovation which targets middle and lower-income customers in rapid growth markets (Pinelli, 2011). Frugal innovation is also called reverse innovation (Govindarajan and Ramamurti, 2011) constraint-based innovation, meaning sparse in the use of raw materials and their impact on the environment (Innovation Post, 2011). It is driven by resource constraints imposed by infrastructural and business environment (Sehgal et al. 2010). Practitioners have referred to frugal innovation as a holistic rethinking of products and services offered to the customers and underlying processes and business models so that companies can squeeze costs and expand the customer base, business and profit (Jagati, 2011). These customers are enjoying their first taste of mod ern prosperity and are buying for the basics not for fancy features (Prahalad, 2005). They have unique needs that are not usually addressed by mature market products, mainly due to prohibitive cost base of developed world products. To produce frugal goods, complex and concerted RD efforts are required (Jagati, 2011). In this regard, the field of engineering has also undergone some changes in order to face these challenges. In 2006, the Chairman and CEO of Renault-Nissan Alliance, Carlos Ghosn came up with the term frugal engineering to describe the competency and aptness of Indian engineers in developing products like Tata Motors Nano. Frugal engineering is an overarching philosophy that enables a true clean sheet approach to product development (Sehgal et. al. 2010). It avoids needless costs and addresses millions of consumers at the bottom of the pyramid who are moving out of poverty in developing nations. Kumar and Puranam (2012) in their recent research identified the following underlying principles on which frugal engineering efforts seem to rest: Robustness The characteristic of being physically strong and inured to endurance. Most of the developing nations have harsh environments such as extreme temperatures. Portability Poor roads and transportation in the emerging economies call for the importance of goods that are easily portable. Small and lightweight products become highly desirable. Defeaturing This refers to feature rationalization. Usually features accumulate in products over time. Therefore there is need to remove some of them that do little to enhance the actual product. Leapfrog technology Leapfrogging is a process of making progress by large jumps as opposed to small increments. This may seem contradictory for developing nations. However, engineers in India and China have adopted technologies that make dependence on existing infrastructure irrelevant. Mega-scale production It is estimated that the middle class in Asia alone is 525 million people, greater than the entire population of the European Union (Pinelli, 2011). This massive population can help firms produce on a massive scale and drive costs down. Service Ecosystems By using efficient service ecosystems, firms utilizing frugal engineering have been selling large volumes to multiple segments, each with slightly different needs. With ecosystems low costs have been achieved. In India, frugal innovation is known as Jugaad innovation which means doing the best with what one possesses (Innovation Post 2011). Jugaad is a colloquial Hindi word which roughly translates as an innovative fix; an improvised solution born from ingenuity and cleverness (Radjou et. al., 2012). The term refers to a unique way of thinking and acting in response to challenges. Juggad is, quite simply, achieving more with less. India is becoming a leader in frugal innovation (Tiwari and Herstatt, 2012). In fact it is rapidly emerging as one of the hotspots for the development of innovations tailored to the needs of lower income groups (Kubzansky and Karamchandani, 2009). As mentioned earlier, the best known example of a frugal product is probably the Tata Nano car, which has become so popular in India and dubbed the peoples car (Howard, 2011). At the end of 2010, 70,000 units had been sold. Tatas aim was to develop and produce a car that would be much cheaper than any other car in the w orld. To achieve this, the company reengineered parts to save weight, reconfigured assembly methods and developed a complex network of third party suppliers to increase efficiency (Pinelli, 2011). In view of this ground breaking technology, some established car manufactures from advanced economies have seen a reduction in their sales. According to the Society of India Automobile Manufacturers, in 2011 Suzukis car sales in India dropped by 11.9 percent for the first time in 9 years (Nagata, 2012). Suzukis market share in India which was 50 percent in 2009 dropped to under 40 percent in 2011. Another example of frugal innovation is Indias technologically sophisticated solutions. The country is providing satellite launch services at the India Space Research Organization (ISRO). This organization is offering commercial services to space agencies and research institutions all over the world for costs that are significantly lower than those of its competitors in the developed world (Chand rashekar, 2011). In the medical field, a unique and interesting trend has emerged. Sometime back people seeking specialized medical treatment from developing nations would travel to developed nations for treatment. However, because of new and affordable medical services in India, patients from wealthy countries are going there for specialized treatment (Moriyasu, 2012). The comparably decent treatment is much cheaper and waiting time is short. For instance, the heart bypass surgery which costs US$144,000 in the US is available for US$8,600 in India (Moryyasu, 2012). In this regard, the number of medical tourists received by India has grown to 4.6 times the number received five years ago. At Indraprastha Apollo Hospital in New Delhi, patients from the US, the UK and the Persian Gulf States have been treated. Another country with successful cases of frugal innovation is China. For example, BYD in that country has developed a very low-cost method of producing lithium-ion batteries whose cost has been reduced from US$40 to less than US$5 per unit (Kharas, 2010). Other frugal products in China include a washing machine called Mini Magical Child developed by Haier, a home appliance company in 1996 (Hang et. al., 2010). The product was designed for small daily loads and offered an alternative to large expensive washing machines. These are all examples of good enough products designed to fulfill the basic needs at low cost thereby providing high value. From the scarce literature, three studies that attempted to address frugal innovation theoretical issues were identified. The first one proposed a frugal theoretical model on the basis of resource constraints, institutional innovation and social innovation (Bhatti, 2012). According to this model, the intersections among these three innovation streams present a fertile space where frugal innovation can be located. If each stream is taken separately, it cannot deal with the challenges of innovating for the underserved in emerging markets. The second study presented a conceptual framework for product innovation (Ray and Ray, 2011). As shown in Figure 2, they contended that to serve the markets at the bottom of the pyramid three concepts need to be harnessed; architectural innovation, modularity and collaborative partnerships. When performance of existing product technologies far exceeds what customers in mass markets are able to utilize or pay for; innovators need to develop simpler and cheaper products. They likened this to Christensens model of disruptive technologies. In this context, architectural innovation becomes the logical low cost choice, since it recombines existing component technologies in new ways, to create and alter price-performance packages without further investments in developing new core technologies. Modularity incorporated in such products enables firms to improve performance overtime to appeal to more discerning mainstream customers, eventually facilitating a technology to emerge. In short modularity is for customization and improvements. Furthermore, given that developing disruptive technologies is prone to high uncertainties and unforeseen costs, which maybe further exacerbated by institutional weaknesses in emerging economies, the authors drew on the concept of collaborative partnerships. Such firm practices will lower the costs and risks associated with innovation. The third study focused on frugal service innovation in Kenya, Africa. T he aim of the study was to explore how the MPESA solution (which will be discussed later in this paper) was conceived, designed and delivered to the customers (Wooder and Baker, 2012). The study proposed a service innovation framework comprising how to; create, deliver, capture, defend and sustain value. Unlike the model proposed by Bhatti, the last two conceptual frameworks have been subjected to some testing. While the three models are in tandem on affordability, resource constraints and internal capacities of firms, the Bhatti model appears complicated and difficult to implement. To test the intersection of social innovation, institutional innovation and resource constraints is such a mammoth task. BOP DISRUPTIVE TECHNOLOGY simpler, cheaper than mainstream products Architectural Innovation Modularity Collaborative Partnerships Figure 2: A Conceptual Framework for product innovation for mass markets in emerging economies Source: Ray and Ray (2011) In order to understand how MNCs are organizing frugal innovation efforts in emerging markets, an in-depth study of five firms was carried out (Zeschky et al., 2011). Initially 13 firms, representing a variety of industries, were identified. The firms were sieved and eight dropped due to insufficient available data. The remaining five were found suitable case studies. Analysis was based on three criteria; product characteristics, motivation for developing products and implementation of product development. The study found that besides having similar structures regarding organization of RD, all of the five firms had a successful history of frugal innovation. Based on the above criteria it was established that successful frugal innovation: Should be grounded in the drive to meet the needs of resource-constrained customers at the lowest possible cost. Require local organizational structures and resources. Should result in products and services that are easy to use, robust and reliable. The above and other previous studies provide empirical evidence and a yardstick upon which future studies can be benchmarked. First, primary data was used; second the sample was reasonable and third firms represented different industries. 3. RESEARCH METHODOLOGY This research focuses on identifying examples of frugal innovation in Africa. Being the first study of this kind in Africa, we used analogical thinking to identify of frugal innovation. The use of analogies in research involves the transfer of knowledge gained from one area (source domain) to another area or field (target domain) (Kalogerakis et al. 2010; Keane 1988). The knowledge and evidence of frugal innovation in some emerging economies (source domain) presented in this paper was used to identify examples of frugal innovation in Africa (target domain). As shown in this paper, there are successful examples of frugal innovation in India and China and these will be the yardstick against which cases in Africa will be identified.. Specifically the Zeschky et al. (2011) selection criterion was used to locate exceptional cases of frugal innovation in Africa. We scanned research databases and reviewed reports, articles and papers from previous studies and projects. Sources of such data included the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), World Bank, reputable journals, African Union (AU) and New Partnership for Africas Development (NEPAD). This methodology was appropriate at this stage of the research. For the future, there will be need to carry out comprehensive in-depth case studies of the identified cases. Such studies will provide us with detailed insights of the firms design, and production processes and commercialization of products. 4. EXAMPLES OF FRUGAL INNOVATION IN AFRICA Drawing from the literature, we present six examples of successful frugal innovation in Africa. These cases are drawn from a range of broad areas ranging from housing construction to electronic money transfer technologies. 4.1 Moladi: Affordable houses in South Africa In many African countries, housing is one of the most sensitive issues affecting the lower income groups. In South Africa for example, close to 13% of the 14.3 million households are informal dwellings (Statistics South Africa, 2011). The term informal dwelling is often used in South Africa to designate shacks, corrugated-iron structures and other makeshift shelters. The above statistics represents about 1.8 million households (between 7.2 and 10.8 million people). Informal structures are often made of highly combustible materials such as wood and cardboard which pose serious safety and environmental concerns. The structures are easily damaged and exposed to the external elements meaning that people often live in damp, very hot or very cold conditions. The other concern is inadequate or lack of sanitation and running water which constitute a serious health hazard for the population. Similar conditions are present in many parts of Africa. In order to address this problem and as part of public policy, the South African government took a number of initiatives. It became one of the few countries in the world where the right to adequate housing of all citizens is enshrined in the constitution. According to section 26 of the constitution, the state has an obligation to take reasonable legislative and other measures, within its available resources, to achieve the progressive realization of this right [to housing]. (Republic of South Africa, 1996). In order to translate this commitment into results, the first fully democratic South African government, immediately upon taking office in 1994, embarked on a far-reaching economic policy framework called the Reconstruction and De