Frito Lay Company Essay

Let’s look at how the potato chip came to be. In 1853 the first potato chip was invented by a chef at the Saratoga Springs New York resort in 1853. It was created because one of the customers at the resort keep sending them back because they were too thick, soggy and had no taste to it. Crum then decided to fry them and sprinkled them with salt for taste. They were soon a regular item on the menu. Later, around the 1920’s they then moved from restaurants to being massed produced. Once they came up with a way to keep them fresh and from breaking up, they were able to put them into mass production 1920‘s. Frito Lay was created in 1938 by Herman Lay. Frito Lay is one of the leading potato chip companies in the United States for many years. They continue to post recording breaking numbers in all of their brands. One of their enduring brands is the Lays potato chips. These potato chips can be found in many different flavors. The currently are barbecue, sour cream and onion, ranch and many others. However, this industry is highly competitive and there are large manufactures that have many types of products and other snacks. Smaller companies have found a way to compete with the larger companies. These small companies have gained footing by introducing the new healthier chips that are now being sold in health food stores. A lot of concern about the Salt content is what enable smaller companies to compete. They focused on these healthier brands and have introduced a product that is totally opposite of the major brands. Lays has also added Dips to their brand. They currently consist of Ranch, French onion and etc. This was created because dip is consistently served with potato chips at events such as birthday parties, foot ball parties, luncheons and etc. Frito Lay Extended Enterprise Supply Chain Farm Manufacturer Warehouse/ Retailer Consumer Distributor When it comes to potato chips, the industries in the extended supply are few. The first industry is the farm where the potato chip comes from. They are currently located in cities like North Dakota, New England, Florida, Michigan, Texas and California and etc. They are also located in Central and South America, Brazil, Europe, in Leicester and Coventry England, Asia, Middle East & Africa and India. These farms have been picked for their potatoes that will be used in the making of the potato chip. Because a potato is something you can grow yourself, it is very easy to make potato chips. However, these potatoes are planted and treated with the utmost of care to produce a high quality product. The potatoes are grown and harvested and then they are shipped to a Frito-Lay plant. When they arrived the first thing they do is wash them. They are then peeled with the utmost care. Next they are then cut into slices and then rinsed again to remove particles produced from the cutting. They are then cooked in oils such as sunflower, canola and corn oil. These are very important because they are considered all-natural oils. They contain 0g trans fat and are considered lower in saturated fats. Once dried, they are then sprinkled with salt for taste. Because creating these potato chips is so simple they can be created in less than a day. Once they are packaged, they are then sent out to distributions centers worldwide. This is where the products are stored and then loaded on to trucks and then taken out to stores, gas stations, vending machines and etc. Frito lay currently markets to a wide variety of consumers. One consumer is high school teens and college age students. They have many different places where they consume the product. One of the ways in which they consume the product is in sports and entertainment areas such as movie theaters or sports stadiums. Another place it is being consumed is in the home. Frito Lay has focused on the snack side for many years. These are the type of people who would eat these snacks and did not care about their weight or being healthy. But recently, Frito Lay has changed to targeting more healthy consumers also. With the way the world is changing constantly, Frito-lay is always trying to keep up by targeting with the ever changing times. Because so many people are becoming health conscious, Frito-lay as also targeted this audience. They have come up with some products that allow the consumer to also focus on their health and physical appearance. In order for Frito-lay to stay competitive, it is apparent that they have to target this demographic also because in the recent years some of their snacks have been losing sales. Another of their target audience is the Hispanic market. Hispanic market are targeted because the chips can sometime be the meal or a side dish to the meal. Also this demographic is constantly growing in numbers and have become an important and influential part of society. Frito-Lay’s wholesale and distribution consumers are also a major business. They are the resellers such as retailers and wholesaler who buy Frito-Lay’s finished goods and resell them for a profit. Frito Lay also sells directly to large retailers and retail chains and through wholesalers to smaller retail units. Frito- Lays itself also targets big business customers of other companies. Lay’s identify prospective buyers, monitor current customers’ needs and levels of satisfactions, and personally attend to existing customers. Essentially, Frito lay’s target consumer consists of everyone. It consists of Frito-Lay constantly changing their product to keep up with the changing taste of the consumer. In getting the product to the consumer, Frito-Lay has experienced bottlenecks. This is usually seen with the individuals who deliver the product to the shelves. They are the individuals who places the product on the shelves for the consumer to buy. Obviously this is a very important part of getting the product to the consumer. Frito-lay found that the sales portions was hindering the driver getting the product to the stores on time. Therefore, they separated the two which helped tremendously. Conclusion: Frito-Lay’s new product development, advertising, and marketing efforts continues to help them to grow in the salty snack market. Frito-Lay’s measures economic activity which aids them in improving their organization. Their industrial production and manufacturing production had made them the leading snack food organization in the world. Frito-Lay continues to try and have an enormous amount of knowledge at its fingertips. It continues to ascertain seasonal local demand of each of its products and exactly how much inventory each store has at any time. By keeping track of this information, it helps to better plan seasonal and local promotions. By knowing specific inventory at each store, Frito-Lay could better plan and improve its routing and inventory systems. References: Çetinkaya, S., ÃÅ"ster, H., Easwaran, G., & Keskin, B. (2009). An Integrated Outbound Logistics Model for Frito-Lay: Coordinating Aggregate-Level Production and Distribution Decisions. Interfaces, 39(5), 460-475. Feld, C. S. (1990). Directed decentralization: the Frito Lay story. Financial Executive, 6(6), 22-25. â€Å"Frito-Lay History†. Frito-Lay North America, Inc.. Retrieved 4 January 2013 @ www.fritolay.com Jacobson, G. (1989). How Frito-Lay Stays in the Chips. Management Review, 78(12), 11.

Osmosis: Concentration

OSMOSIS and TONICITY IN POTATO STRIPS The purpose of this experiment was to make observations and conclusions about the ability of cells to adjust to varying chemical concentrations in the environment and to observe the effect of isotonic, hypotonic and hypertonic solutions on cells. Hypothesis If a solution is Hypotonic, then water will move from the beaker into the potato because water outside the cell will be in higher concentration than water inside the cell. If a solution is Hypertonic, then the solution will move into the cell from the beaker and water will move out of the cell into the water because of a difference in concentration. If a solution is isotonic, then the cells will remain the same because the solution concentration is the same as in the cell. Materials Fresh potato, knife or scalpel, three test tubes, test tube rack, dropper pipette, paper towels, electronic balance, timer, three provided solutions labeled A, B, and C. Procedure Obtain three test tubes and a test tube rack. Label the test tubes A, B, C using a wax pencil. Cut three French fry type strips of potato 7cm in length, no thicker than 5mm. Pat each potato with a paper towel. Measure the initial mass of each strip and record it before putting each in a test tube. Use a dropper pipette to cover the potato strip in test tube A with solution A, the potato strip in test tube B with solution B, and the potato strip in tube C with solution C. Place the tubes in a test tube rack and wait one hour. Remove the strips from the test tubes after one hour and pat dry with a paper towel. Measure the final mass of each strip and record it. 10. Examine each potato strip and observe any changes in texture. Results In Solution A, the potato slice in the water did not change, indicating the solution contained an equal amount of concentration. In Solution B, the potato slice in the water is larger, indicating that more molecules went into the potato than came out, because there was a higher concentration of water outside the potato. The potato slice from Solution C is much smaller indicating that more water molecules came out of the potato than went in because there was a higher concentration of water inside the potato. Conclusion In conclusion, the hypothesis was found to be correct. Solution A was Isotonic because the final mass of the potato slice was 2. 9 as opposed to 2. 8 at initial mass, which basically stayed the same. Solution B was Hypotonic because the initial mass for the potato slice was 3. 3 then expanded and weighed 3. 6 at final mass. Solution C was Hypertonic because the potato slice lost water and became much smaller in which the initial mass was 2. 8 and the final mass weighed in at 2. 2. In all three solutions, water is moving across the membrane to establish equilibrium. Based on the Diffusion-Osmosis Review on page 26, and not knowing the definite solution in each tube I am going to conclude that there was Saline in Solution A 0. 9% Sodium Chloride which makes cells neutral. In Solution B, therewas a small percentage of salt predicting . 9%. In Solution C, salt was higher than . 9%. All had salt in the tubes but different tonicity. The water could go in or out of the potato to equalize the concentration of salt in the solution. Based on this experiment and using this in real life, it taught me that when mixing the intravenous fluid for a patient to make sure only 0. 9 percent of salt is added in order for the saline to be isotonic to the red blood cells. If not, the red blood cells will expand and complications will arise.

Develop a list of sources of financing for a small business Essay

Develop a list of sources of financing for a small business - Essay Example In this source, a proprietor uses own savings or borrows or sells a personal item such as bonds, mutual funds, stocks, or real estate to fund his/her business. In addition, one may use home-equity line of credit to finance own business. Furthermore, one could give loans or merely contribute money to own business. The other sources of contribution include family and friends with access to more cash than the proprietor does. The second sources of finance for small businesses are banks. In fact, in current times, banks have become quite instrumental not only in supporting already established small businesses but also in giving start-up loans for new small businesses (Burk & Lehmann, 2006). Unfortunately, banks have quite cumbersome conditions to be met before small business loans are approved. For instance, banks have to establish the credit worthiness of the borrowing business of person, more so with regards to a business’ money-making history. That is, commercial banks would wa nt to be assured that the loaned will be able to repay the lent sum plus the interests therein. It is thus imperative that the person seeking a loan from a bank draws up a good business plan in addition to the collateral against which the loan is to be given. If not, the borrower must have a guarantor or a cosigner who must satisfy the bank that he/she will repay the loan if the borrower fails to pay. Venture Capital Firms is the other common source of financing for small business. These firms give funds to small businesses considered and believed to have outstanding growth potential. On a rather negative note, quite a few small businesses are financed by venture capital firms. Being financed by venture capital firms is significantly unlike getting financed by bank loans. In fact, venture capital lenders have a right not only to the repayment of the capital but also on the interest earned by the loan, notwithstanding the profits or losses/failure

Hipaa, How it may affect me in a doctor office Essay

Hipaa, How it may affect me in a doctor office - Essay Example In case of a job change I will be able to benefit from the act as I will be able to reduce the exclusion period in group health plan and health insurance coverage. This is a positive affect that the act will have on me. As an employee in a doctor’s office, HIPAA would affect me in numerous ways from the second part of the HIPAA. First and the foremost, there would be increased pressure in order to ensure the safety of the health care data. Personal responsibility needs to be taken in order to ensure that all the rules and regulations are followed in order to the safeguard the information. Failure to do so will attract serious penalties. There will be special training on the use and understanding of the new systems. As the patient information is accessed by many, the responsibility to protect that information becomes even greater. Hence, I will need to undergo training not just on how to use the new systems but also on the various aspects of the act itself. This will help to have a clear understanding of the act and hence act within the rules and regulations defined in the act. Also training is required in using the equipments that will be in place as a result of the HIPAA act (Iyer et al., 2006). It is also the responsibility of me and my colleagues to explain the provisions and the various aspects of the act to the patients. The complexities of the act must be clearly communicated to the patients so that they can make full use of it. Also a result of the act, there will be continuous monitoring and supervision of my work. I will be monitored to see if all the procedure laid out by the hospital is being followed or not. Also I must comply with the personnel and security management systems in the hospital. Osborne, H. (2002). In Other Words†¦How the New HIPAA Regulations Affect Healthcare Communication. Boston Globes On Call.[Online]. Available at:

English essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

English - Essay Example This indicates that the value on nutrition is very high, thus, influencing the trend of the consumer’s choice of diet (Hoyer & Macinnis, 2008). Humans have a tendency to pursue what is pleasurable for them and to avoid things that can be painful or upsetting (Mooij, 2004). This is the hedonistic nature of man that governs his behaviors and actions, and influences his decisions. This greatly influences that buying behavior of man, which when studied and analyzed can be helpful for understanding the trends that will be beneficial in creating new products or improving current products. This indicates that hedonism is influential in the choice of purchases of a consumer. This signifies that consumers tend to be attracted to those products that they consider pleasurable or beneficial for their wellbeing. It is then, important to consider giving the consumers what they need in fulfilling this value. Having the nutritional value of the food the restaurant serves implies value for the consumer’s needs. Whether the dish is nutritious or not, it allows the consumer to understand and to know what they eat, and the implications of what they are eating. With this, consumers feel that their needs and wants are served, and that their choices are important for the management of the restaurant. Giving out the nutritional value does not necessarily mean that the restaurant needs to indicate this in the menu. What is important is that there is nutritional value on the dishes within the restaurants that the customers will be able to notice. There is awareness that there is such information within their grasps and it will be their choice whether or not to check it. This will allow the restaurant to minimize loses, when the customer chooses not to order say a high-priced item which has more calories than usual but satisfies his craving for sweets because of the information

Fundamentals of finance Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Fundamentals of finance - Essay Example ITV broadcasting operates a group of channels which include ITV1 and also delivers content across a number of platforms like ITV player and itv.com. Its studios produce and sell formats and programmes both in UK and globally. WPP Plc operates a communications services group. The operations of the company encompass media, information and consultancy, public affairs, public relations, identity services, branding, investment management and advertising. WPP is a global leader in the marketing of communication services, and it comprises of public relation and public affairs companies, advertising companies and promotion and relationship marketing companies. The history of WPP dates back in 1985 when Martin Sorrel builds a worldwide marketing services company after a search on public entity. 2. Company strengths and weaknesses Analysis of the financial performance of each company WPP Plc Current ratio The current ratio for WPP Plc in 2011 was 0.94:1. Current ratio measures the ability of a firm to cater for its short term obligations using its short term assets. The current ratio is lower than 1, and this means that WPP Plc was not in a better financial position to cater for its obligations. Gearing ratios 1. Debt to equity ratio The debt to equity ratio for WPP Plc during the 2011 financial year was 2.67. This ratio is obtained by dividing total liabilities by shareholders equity and this ratio means that the total liabilities are more than the shareholders equity. This high ratio is an indication of how aggressive WPP plc has been when it comes to using debts to finance its growth. A lot of debt was used to finance the 2011 growth and this ahs led to increased operations and hence the company was able to generate increased earnings using this financing than it would have done without these finances. 2. Debt ratio The debt ratio for WPP plc in 2011 was 0.72. The debt ratio is less than 1, and this indicates that the company has less debts than assets or has more ass ets that the debts. As a result, the company faces fewer risks when it comes to debt loads. Profitability ratios 1. Profit margin Profit margin for WPP plc in the 2011 financial years was 9.14%. This ratio measures how much a company generates from each dollar of sales (Bull 2007). This means that the company keeps $0.914 of each dollar of revenue collected. The profit margin ratio for the company in 2011 was low which indicates a high risk that any decline in sales will erase or do way with the profit and lead to a net loss. 2. Return on assets WPP plc return on assets ratio for the 2011 financial year was 3.7%. The low ratio is an indicator of how inefficient the company was in managing its assets in order to generate income. In simple terms, the ratio shows how less profitable the company was relative to its total assets. 3. Return on equity The return on equity for WPP for the 2011 was 13.6%. This low percentage is an indication the company did not generate much profit from the shareholders funds invested in the company. Dividend payout ratio Dividend payout ratio for WPP plc was 33% during the 2011 financial year. The high dividend ratio for the company is an indication the earnings of the company highly support the payment of

Establish the terms of the contract between Yardly and BALIOL Case Study

Establish the terms of the contract between Yardly and BALIOL - Case Study Example It could be said that a fiduciary relationship is found where one party reasonably places his trust and reliance in another party to act in a loyal manner conducive to his best interests. However, useful though that definition could prove, Jill Martin may be being more realistic where she says that 'it may sometimes appear that the defendant may classified as a fiduciary, or not, in order to achieve the desired result.' As such the judiciary's approach to the fiduciary relationship might be best understood as an example of a purposive approach to the law where they have attempted to give effect to the spirit of the law as opposed to any strict definition. Under the rule in Keech v Sandford it is assumed that a fiduciary acts voluntarily and cannot charge for their time and trouble , but the law has long recognised that some fiduciary relationships require remuneration of some sort and it would be nave to suppose otherwise. In Robinson v Pett it was held that if a fiduciary could show a specific entitlement to remuneration they would receive it and similarly a fiduciary will receive any out of pocket expenses incurred doing business in their fiduciary capacity . If in a trust situation the beneficiaries are all sui juris and there is no possibility of undue influence they may agree to the trustee being paid. Under s29 of the Trustee Act 2000 a trust corporation is entitled to receive reasonable remuneration if there is nothing specifying otherwise, and a professional trustee who is neither the sole trustee, nor a corporation, may also receive such remuneration if all the other trustees consent in writing. The court also has an inheren t jurisdiction to order payment of fiduciaries if it feels that such payment is reasonable In most fiduciary relationships where remuneration is involved there will be an express clause, either in the trust instrument (which professional trustees can insert following the Trustee Act 2000), the articles by through which one party becomes a fiduciary, or in the contract of employment as in the case of a solicitor, thus circumventing the rule that a fiduciary may not make a profit. BY the rule of Equity, it clearly states that: "It is an inflexible rule of Equity that a person in a fiduciary position is not, unless expressly provided, entitled to make a profit; he is not allowed to put himself in a position where his interest and duty conflict." With Yardley's case, he violated the rule of Equity wich includes that trustee's have a duty not to make an unauthorised profit. However it is felt that the rigorous application of the rule can inflict considerable hardship, often in cases where it may seem somewhat unjust to do so. Unauthorized profit is defined as unlawful use of money or assets beyond the original agreed upon terms or purpose of the money or asset. It is necessary to investigate if Yardley purchased any properties or assets during the time of his departure from the company including the amounts of each asset or property. The basic rule that fiduciary is not allowed to make an unauthorised profit was established in the case of Yardley v BALIOL where there was a dispute over the company money entrusted to YArdley for wage management of the same company. In this case a trustee held the money on trust for a

CIS212 U3 Discussion Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

CIS212 U3 Discussion - Essay Example t RBAC has ease of management while DAC is complicated since each new user has to go through all the details the user needs access to and add them to the list. Authentication provides a way of identifying a user by having them enter a valid username and password before access is granted. If the identifications do not match, authentication fails hence permission is denied to access the information. Its purpose is to prevent unauthorized users to access information that they are not entitled to access. Certificates provide secure communications across untrusted of vulnerable networks. They are important in securing wireless local area networks. One of the advantages of using certificates is that it ensures that any data sent online is read by only the intended recipients. This is because for that data to reach the recipients, it might have to pass through multiple computers. It also improves customer’s trust. One of the disadvantages of using certificates is that it makes the connections to slow down. Getting certificates for a business can be expensive since the service providers have to pay for its maintenances; therefore it might b e viable for small scale

Individual Reflective Report Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words - 2

Individual Reflective Report - Essay Example My group identified the huge potential in this sector. We plan to establish a company which deals with selling game prepaid cards to Chinese players. Why the Chinese? This card, which is top up for Chinese internet games, helps Chinese players who are out of their home country to access a reliable payment method in order to access their favourite games just as if they were in China. The Chinese internet banking needs are cumbersome unlike payment methods such as VISA. Our prepaid card makes the whole process of accessing one’s favourite game so much easier when the player is in a foreign country. There are a number of other companies providing a payment method though not exactly the same as ours. We will compete with them due to our projected lower price. This lower price is as a result of operational efficiency and cost associated with a smaller workforce capable of multitasking in different departments. We plan to retain all our customers due to our honesty policy by which w e work for the best interest of our customers. The staff should have good knowledge of internet gaming and online transactions. The company should create a website to facilitate online payments and also set real world stores. There are more than enough suppliers who would be willing and ready to increase our penetration into the target Chinese market via internet. Process of Idea Initiation The process of idea initiation was quite interesting. Each and every member of my group had an idea to propose. Some of the ideas were quite interesting but were quickly objected due to the existence of highly effective competitors. Other ideas were ruled out due to varied reasons such as lack of enough information about how prospective the to-be proposed business would be and lack of originality. After intense discussion on which idea our group would embark on, the group did not come up with a final decision. We decided to dismiss the group and meet on a later date. Every member of the group was supposed to refine his or her idea before the next meeting. On the following meeting, all members showed up. Some dismissed their previously proposed ideas due to reasons such as lack of enough information, them being not practical and low success potential. The group was left to choose between three ideas. Members of the group discussed on the specifics of the ideas before voting for the best idea of them all. A clear majority of the group members agreed on the game prepaid cards as the most lucrative and potentially successful business idea. The occurrences of the process of idea initiation match content of literature. Brainstorming is one of the most common ways of coming up with new ideas. Pinson (2008, p. 21) advises that immediate decision on the best business idea should not be immediately made since brainstorming lacks the virtue of enough information. Group members should dig deeper into knowing facts and other relevant information of their proposed ideas before reaching a n agreement. Making a decision straight away after a brainstorming process may result to the dismissal of the idea due to poor project fundamentals later on after time and other resources have been invested in developing the business plan. Team Work I enjoyed the level of cooperation and the group’s synergy. Majority of the tasks assigned to group members were completed on time. This shows the dedication of individual in making the team work come out successful. Team members contributed in form of

Assess in what way you think Emmanuel Kant may claim to have overcome Essay

Assess in what way you think Emmanuel Kant may claim to have overcome David Humes skepticism - Essay Example Besides the circle of practical epistemological interests are closely adjoined with questions of gnosiology, or the theory of knowledge. In history of epistemology there are two main schools concerning what makes the main means of knowledge. Rationalism allocates this role to reason. The empiricism allocates this role to experience, feelings strengthened by tools. For rationalists a paradigm of knowledge is the mathematics and logic where the necessary truth is made by intuition or conclusion. For empiricists a paradigm of knowledge is natural science But for both directions of epistemology the central question is the question, whether we can trust that way of knowledge which they prefer. The skeptical arguments show, that we cannot accept everything simply, without checking. So, the answer to the skeptical call represents one of the ways of epistemological understanding. In the epistemological sense Hume was an empiricist for whom only two kinds of knowledge (science) existed. The first kind is based on the experience (finally on sensual perception), the second - on the rules of interrelation of concepts established on the agreement (according to empiricism interpretations, such knowledge is inherent for mathematics and logic). We cannot have any knowledge besides these two kinds. We not know the things which are not given to us in experience.This empiricistic epistemology leads to the results, important not only for theology and ethics, but also for the understanding of experimental sciences. From this point of view, in natural sciences there is no certain undoubtful kernel. Further we shall see that Kant paid much attention to this item and tried to deny it.

Six Flags Essay Example for Free

Six Flags Essay Amusement parks and theme parks are being the term of the entertainment attractions in over the World. The U. S is almost leading this large numbers of theme park by 322 $ million guests in 2003. According to the International Association of Amusement Parks and Attractions (IAAPA) the amusement park industry’s roots can be traced all the way back to medieval Europe when in approximately 1133 A. D, the monk Rahere, a former jester in the court of Henry I held the first trade fair (IAAPA). The idea of the amusement parks started in the United State sometimes in end of the 19th century by the electric trolley companies. Also, this idea came to create some events for people during the weekend, which it was the golden period of theme parks. In 1893, it was the first exposition which held in Chicago and it was the event which Ferris wheel as well as the Midway introduced to over the World (2002). Six Flags. Inc as known is the world’s largest regional theme park company based on the number of its properties; as well it is the 5th most well-liked in terms of attendance. Furthermore, Since the Walt Disney Company beings the first in amusement park operator in the U. S. Six Flags takes the second place with 20 million international visitors in the year. Whats more, Six Flags holds39 family oriented theme parks in the U. S, Canada, Mexico, and Europe. The company estimates that nearly two thirds of the American population that lives within 100 miles of one if its parks. According to IAAPA â€Å"the properties serve 35 of the 50 largest U. S. metropolitan areas. The company first target is the local markets as the only competitor, Disney land, are a focuses for visitors from the entire world. It also has exclusive rights to theme park usage of Warner Brothers 3  and DC Comics characters in most of North America, South America, and some Europe countries, with many parks featuring such characters, for example, Bugs Bunny, Daffy Duck, Tweety Bird, Yosemite Sam, Batman, and Superman (IAAPA. Sep 2009). The competition and marketing in amusement park industry have been growing up after began consolidate that occur a bigger established smaller parks and family operations. In addition, theme parks in U. S become high commodities and the gaining for theme park properties have been increasing to high record levels. They also have been supported by the government in U. S which was the biggest amount acquisition with U. S. $1. 9 billion that paid for the Six Flags Theme Parks Chain by Premier Parks. The Six Flags Company has been raking as the fifth largest amusement park regarding to the annual attendance in the world after Walt Disney, Merlin Entertainment Group in United Kingdom, Universal Studios, and Parques Reunidos in Spain. Also, Six Flagss properties become more available as the result of the consolidated of the U.S industry and it keeps announced every year unique properties to its parks which make operators work harder than before to attract and retain attendees. According to Six Flags Website in Aug 30, 2012 Six flags properties announced two ground-breaking thrill rides will debut at Six Flags over Georgia and Six Flags White water in 2013. For example, adding new rides, new shows, and new experiences. According to IAAPA amusement parks were not investing as heavily in magnificent roller coasters; instead in 2000, they were focusing more on family oriented rides and amenities like air-conditioned restrooms and better food. Also, Six flags usually every season surprises its visitors by great deals with lower price like free admission and free season parking to any Six flags theme parks. 4 The hot competition in theme parks business was one of the main reasons of the difficult time that the six flags company and amusement park industry had been facing during the past few years. For instance, in August of 2001, theme and amusement park operators were concerned with the drops in attendance in many parks. Also, the terrorist attack is another huge reason of dropping the market of the amusement park industry in the United State after the Sept, 2011. The bad weather condition in 2002 and the War in Iraq had affected the level of tourism to U. S especially the theme park sector. According to USA Today, 2002 10 percent of Americans rated amusement parks and sporting events as the most likely target for a terrorist attack, behind nuclear plants and large city downtowns, yet ahead of airports, national monuments, military installations, and bridges. The major competitor of Six Flags Company in U.S is the Walt Disney Company. It announced that the attendance in 2003 was almost 97 million and revenues of U. S. $6. 4 billion and most of visitors were from Walt Disney in Florida and Japan. Another competitor of Six flags is Universal Studios Recreation Group with 73 million visitors and revenues $ 4 billion in Orlando, Fl. Recovery strategies: In 2005, Six Flags made an important change in the top management by hiring Mark Shapiro the new chief executive officer, after that they change their focus and goals to become more careful about cleanness, kindness and with  family-friendly atmosphere. The management brings a trained staff and enforce of a code of conduct which made the park better than ever, with more customers satisfaction. Shapiro focused to drive to increase attendance through enhance broad-based marketing strategies and introduce standardized pricing in all parks, make marketing alliances and sponsorship with most popular consumer brands. Moreover, Much of Six Flags social marketing strategy relies on getting people to talk about events, such as the 45th anniversary celebration. According to Shapiro concluded, Every single day we will remain focused on bringing our guests an entertainment package that they cant experience anywhere else close to home: family rides, thrill rides, special events, concerts and shows, daily parades, fireworks, shopping, dining and games† (Six flags web, 2006). Overall, the main focus of Shapiro was to enhance and emphasize the benefits for existing resources and develop some of old strategies to raise the income and reach some of other goals.

The Higher Education Commission: Pakistan

The Higher Education Commission: Pakistan The higher education commission HEC Pakistan is formally the university grant commission and this grant commission manage all the issues regarding the education in Pakistan under the act of university grant commission 1974 previously the universities are recognized by this institution and all the rules and regulations which are followed by the universities are given by UGC. The UCG act 1974 was repealed and the new ordinance is came into place with the name of higher education commission ordinance 2002 and after that this institution is responsible for the higher education policy in Pakistan, quality of education (quality control), the main purpose of introducing this institution is to uplift the education sector and the inspiration is given to the universities so that they can improve the system. Another main task was the development of the education policy, and to bring the quality in teaching methodology through the workshops, seminar etc. Research and development is important for any institution thats why the spotlight is on R and D sector because it is possibly the key for the growth of any organization and this is the start point of the organization and if the problems are identified then it is easy for the subject matter exports to perform later on. For betterment and development in Pakistan the Higher Education Commission gives thousands of MS scholarships and also the doctoral scholarships as well each and every year. The planning and development by the HEC is important because this will forecast the challenges of future and strategies to cope with these challenges is needed in order to meet the international standards of the universities, so the initiative taken by the institution like HEC to give scholarships is right decision by government. Another main purpose of this institution is that to give strength to the infrastructure of the higher education in Pakistan. In this process the research is important which can provide better results and the work of HEC with other ministries in developing such a projects which help the education sector later on. The linkage of local and foreign universities ensure that the setup of these universities is learned and the changes were done in our system that is a major change in the process and that is helpful for the higher education. Another initiative of the introduction of university-industry relationship give more practicality, learning to the students and they can learn more from the industry tours that is another good step taken in regard of development. Impact of Indigenous scholarships on the growth and promotion of the higher education: Indigenous scholarships are given by the higher education commission of Pakistan in the supervision of government of Pakistan so that these scholarships encourage and motivate the students to participate and learn more during higher education. There are a certain policies and procedures or we say rules and regulations are designed by the government of Pakistan in collaboration with HEC to facilitate the students who are more delegated towards learning and have excellent academic record to follow the educational heights at higher level. They are also have an eye on the students who are concerned with studies but they do not have enough money to participate and study at higher level so government also provide need based scholarships to the students having weak backgrounds. Indigenous Scholarships of MS/PHD: The basic concept of giving these scholarships is to strengthen the faculties of universities locally and to improve the quality of education and delegation and more attention towards the research and development R and D sector is improved by the induction of the intelligent students. And if these highly qualified personnel perform their duties in best way in future the industrial sector will also improve. The recently announced scheme of 5000 indigenous scholarships of MS leading to PHD will improve the research culture in universities of Pakistan and the universities will improve and may adopt the international standards so that the students may get the international standard education locally and it is the milestone if done accordingly. This project is focused on diversified disciplines including the science and technology, social sciences and humanities and life sciences. More over HEC funded some universities to develop the research labs and it will encourage the researchers to participate frequently. So the thing is that the institution like HEC would have to put spot light on the new disciplines and encourage students to learn new subjects by providing benefit like indigenous scholarships because that would motivate the students and the introduction of new disciplines in Pakistan is more encouraging because the people are only familiar with few discipline. These indigenous scholarships will help in the socio-economic development of Pakistan because the local researchers will highlight the local problems and would work on them accordingly because the local researchers are more familiar with the cultural norms of Pakistan behaviors of local people. In this scheme HEC also provide the funds to upgrade the existing laboratories and equipments that are used in laboratories. The indigenous scholarships are encouraged because this will improve the standards of living at individual level, and more importantly the economy is affected in positive way. Another good factor is that the local researchers will know there country trends in terms of culture, society, norms and values, attitude and behavior, manners and customs etc so with keeping these things in mind one easily know that the local researchers can perform well in there country because of familiar factors and trends. HEC and the government of Pakistan were doing an anchor role in improving the educational standards. HEC provide 5000 at PHD level indigenous scholarships to enhance the level of intellectuals in Pakistan and increased decision making ability in different flied of studies and to improve the businesses in institutions public and private etc. The 300 scholars recently awarded PHD degrees were doing research to improve the socio-economic conditions of Pakistan and there research is valuable because of there contribution to the development. These PHDs belong to different fields like business management, agriculture, engineering and HEC is also introducing the new disciplines at the level of PHDs like total quality management. There publications are important for analyzing the issues at different level because this is necessary to fill the gap first in order to pick up the growth rate. This all will help to improve the situations in future and it also help to improve the infrastructure. In order to give these scholarship HEC develop a certain criteria and it includes: No D grade in previous degree. The person who already studying under any scholarship program of Pakistan cannot get the scholarship for MS. Candidates must have 16 years of education who are applying for the MS scholarships. Maximum age 40 for PHD scholarships. GAT test is necessary for both PhDs and candidates applying for MS. The candidate cannot change the course of study once he submits an application etc. Objective of providing the indigenous scholarships: The objective of providing these scholarships is to train the students for the future benefit of the universities because only the well-trained and qualified personnel facilitate the students and the learning of the students increase and improve. Thats why the qualified faculty is recognized as the key of success in learning institutions and another thing is that they change certain things which help to learn more. Another thing is that by investing in Human capital is important for any country because they change the scenario and work for improvement and development, the main theme of investing in personnel is to get the economic stability in terms of growth and these type of investment encourage the people from any race, ethnic group to became the quality worker of any organization, faculty member of university and serve the country and participate for economic growth. These indigenous scholarships encourage the talented youth to step-up and get qualifications in technical and non-technical fields and participate in nation building process later-on with there professional and technical knowledge. And providing these scholarships particularly to the students of MS/PHD will enhance the research culture and environment that is friendly for the research conduction when ever needed with flexibility and which will address the issues of entire sectors of Pakistan. This will also increase the strength of the industries of Pakistan and new idea creations, and ability to start the new venture is increased because of better knowledge and professional skills and for new ideas planning, development and then implementation, the entrepreneurial mind is also required for that. The number of PHDs in Pakistan increasing due to the better and improved policies and procedure of higher education and admirable work by HEC. And now the Pakistani universities can produce more PhDs in future than previous 10 years. One research shows the results that at present number of PhDs reach 8142. According to the statistics which are available, the number of PHDs were increased from 347 in 1947 to 676 in 2002 in agricultural sciences, and in biological sciences the figures increased from 586 to 1096 and from 14 to 123 in the field of business and management sciences, in engineering and technology from 21 to 262, and in physical sciences it increased from 709 to 1071 and in the field of social sciences it increased from 887 to 1080 in last 10 years. In the last decade the ratio of education particularly in higher education is increased as mentioned in the figures above, so we have to recognize that the institution like HEC of Pakistan is doing very well for the betterment of the education and since the creation from 2002 this institution doing great job and particularly in the field of business and management sciences, engineering and technology, agriculture science and the discipline of social science as well. HEC introduce various indigenous scholarships to strengthen the human resource of Pakistan and to create a critical mass of highly qualified human resource in different field of studies in Pakistan so these researchers will work on the issues important for Pakistan, one of the scholar says that these PhDs are real asset of Pakistan and they will help country to develop economically. It is to be mentioned that since 1947, a total of 3,281 PhDs were awarded. However, and from the time when the establishment of the HEC in 2002, over 4,850 PhDs have been awarded. Higher Education commission is also looking to award 10000 indigenous scholarships to the students as the need based scholarships to the deserving students from the different parts of Pakistan in 2012-2013. These scholarships are only given to the students who are very talented and have good academic background in terms of there marks and percentage and having financial crisis or constraints. So more over these students are enrolled in the public sector universities for higher education to ensure the equality criteria. Under this new scheme, the more importance is given to the students belonging to Balochistan, FATA, interior Sindh and southern Punjab to support higher education of maximum number of academically eligible needy students from the very poor part of the country. Indigenous scholarship purpose: Indigenous scholarships are the lifeblood of all scholarships. The main objective of the Indigenous Scholarship Scheme is to create a highly qualified faculty to our local universities in all fields. These researchers will improve the rank and potential of all public and private universities in Pakistan. The scholarships are aimed at creating a pool of specialized scientists and highly skilled professionals trained at MS leading to PhD level in areas which are critical to economic growth. The fields of study covered under these programs include Science and Technology, Social Sciences, Arts and Humanities and other selected departments of public universities of the country. The primary objective of these programs is to increase indigenous capacities in various fields of science and technology. Regular employees of public sector universities, colleges and RD organizations having two years of relevant work experience are eligible for this program. The scholars conduct research in various fields of science and technology and are supervised in their research by HEC approved professors The specific objective of the Indigenous Scholarship Scheme is to produce acute form of highly qualified human resources in all fields of studies trained at the advanced level in local universities. These locally qualified academics and researchers will increase the RD potential of public as well as private universities and it will also support the local industrial sector. . The impact of a scholarship has an effect felt far beyond the student helped. The students success, thanks to the scholarship, may inspire younger siblings or the students own children to pursue higher education after high school. The student will be able to make more money with a college education and be a better provider for his or her family. In addition, that student will touch thousands of lives through his or her career whether it is in health, education, business, research or some other field. When you provide a scholarship for a student, you do more than help them financially you impart a lesson of generosity and concern for others that they incorporate into their own lives. Our files are filled with letters from students describing the impact that their scholarships made on their lives, and their hopes that one day, they will be able to provide scholarships for future students just as their donors did for them. The purpose of the delay is to facilitate candidates from remote areas of the country. The scholarship will be given for the academic year 2012-13 in all areas of studies and disciplines on the quota basis in accordance with federal government quota policy permitted by the government of Pakistan. To boost the research facilities in these fields the Higher Education Commission has supported many Departments/Universities to establish research labs. This has taken fabulous change in research culture of the Pakistani Universities. HEC has preserved great stress on indigenous scholarship schemes because locally trained researchers work on local problems of great national implication. Their research, therefore, is expected to have direct significance to the growth and socio-economic development of Pakistan. In addition, this scheme also offers funds to the Universities for advancing their research facilities particularly small laboratory equipment, chemicals, IT equipment etc. which not only aids research of the HEC scholar but also serves as an strength for the department to start up to date research laboratories. The need-based scholarships are focused on providing opportunities for access to higher education especially to under privileged students belonging to remote and far flung areas of the country who despite possessing academic merit, are unable to finance their education. Under this new program, special emphasis is given to the students belonging to Baluchistan, FATA, interior Sindh and Southern Punjab to support higher education of maximum number of academically qualified needy students from the very poor segments of the country. These scholarships would be awarded through Financial Aid Offices at the universities in a transparent and well-defined mechanism. He also informed that HEC indigenous and foreign scholarships are being awarded as per federal government quota policy. He urged the participants of the workshop to disseminate this information and guide the prospective candidates from Sindh province in this regard. He also emphasized them to avail the benefit of various HEC initiatives. Speaking on the occasion, Prof. Dr. Parveen Shah extended thanks to HEC and NTS for selecting Shah Abdul Latif University Khairpur for organizing such a useful academic activity. In its endeavor to develop a class of Highly Qualified and professional Faculty in Pakistan, HEC has launched a series of scholarship programs. Through this series, HEC aims to provide the much needed impetus to the academia by offering indigenous as well as foreign PhD degrees to both faculty members and students. It is well cognizant of the need for customizing the existing scholar ship programs along with providing new opportunities for the pursuit of higher education at home and abroad. With an objective of reinforcing universally accepted principle of excellence in academia, HEC has designed the scholar ship series. Scholar ships are offered not only in reputable disciplines but also in the less recognized but crucial emerging fields. Several scholarship schemes comprising of indigenous as well as foreign scholarship/fellowships are currently being offered under the program. PhD scholars in all disciplines of strategic national significance are proceeding to various reputable foreign universities/institutions/ research centers by availing these schemes. Indigenous scholars now need to move beyond this collaborative process to those hard issues in research methodologies. The government of Pakistan has demonstrated a heightened sense of commitment to improving the effectiveness of education through its programmed of Education Sector Reforms that includes higher education, and this is further evidenced by the establishment of the task force. While universal literacy and primary education have been in the forefront of development priorities in the past, the pressing need to benefit from the new knowledge based economy has placed an unprecedented premium on higher education. Pakistans higher education system, encompassing all level above grade 12, is providing unable to provide the skills necessary, in the quantities necessary, to achieve the dual objectives of nation building and global competitiveness. Universities are the pillars of the higher education system. They must have autonomy from all extraneous influences in order to govern and manage their academic, administrative, financial functions. In particular, universities must have autonomy to develop their academic programmes, recruit, and select, train and educate their students. Education is a continuum process primary, secondary, higher secondary and tertiary levels. Its generic purposes are not discipline specifies. The support and accountability for educational functions, whether in the domains of knowledge concerning natural, biological, numerical and social sciences, and humanities, are the responsibilities of the ministry of education. HEC had paid special attention towards the promotion of higher education in the country. The main initiatives includes special scholarship scheme for the youth, implementation of the federal governments quota policy to award local and foreign scholarships. The number of the universities had been increased from two to seven including the establishment of the first women universities. It has launched the special projects for the development of the basic infrastructure in higher education institutions in the provinces. The scholarship provides financial support to enable mature-age indigenous students to complete nationally recognized tertiary qualifications and attain skills and knowledge that will enhance their communitys future economies and financial development. Scholarship are intended for indigenous who Face financial barriers that might otherwise restrict their option for gaining a tertiary qualification. The fund acknowledge that mature-age student often required to make great personal and financial sacrifices in order to complete qualification that will help advance their personal and career goals. The scholarship provides recipient s with financial assistance to relieve the financial burden of study, which may includes course fees, telecommunication cost, accommodation, transport and textbook. Students must have the support of their family and/or community. This will require emotional support and some contribution to financial support. The level of financial contribution is reviewed on an individual and highly confidential basis, with the expectation that families/communities will contribute according to their capacity. The Scholarship does not cover the provision of uniform, pocket money or other voluntary School activities. Families are expected to participate in School programs/information sessions, etc, as much as distance and travel permits and be supportive of their daughters education. Development of education sector of Pakistan in previous years: Education is important factor in development of an economy of any country, historically Pakistan is a poor country and poverty creates the alarming situations, so the policies and more importantly procedures are needed to cope that situation, because the factors like unemployment, low per capita income, less GDP and less quality education of the people is concerned factor and needs to be paid attention. On of the economic survey have the statistics which include the figures and these are the public sectors spending on the education in Pakistan are: Public sector sending as %GDP is 2.1 and the literacy rate is 57 %. This information includes the age from 10 and above, males 69% and females 45%. ( economic survey of Pakistan 2009-2010). Pakistan is also depending on the aid from the international sources. The higher education commission is also running a project which includes USAID. If we talk about the development of education sector the institution like HEC is doing a significant job in developing the human resource or human capital. In this regard the indigenous scholarships are open to every one who is working in the private sector and government sector and also the Pakistani students. HEC has award 1426 undergraduate scholarships and 6635 post graduate scholarships, from which 3765 MS scholarships and this indigenous scholarships program also produced more than 300 PHDs in Pakistan. (Economic survey of Pakistan 2009-2010). These human resources which are developed and produced by HEC are actively participating in the research and development of Pakistan and they are performing there duties significantly in different department and also in the public and private universities. These scholars also managing to improve the local university standards and infrastructure overall. In this regard HEC has given the post doctoral scholarships to the 503 university teachers which help the university and the new students later on. HEC also trained the 11021 faculty members and administrators of different universities during short and long term courses. But if we talk about the development of the institutions there is a boom or increase in the degree awarding institutions DAI and new universities. The PHDs are increased to 624 in 2009, the funding to higher education reached up to 44000 millions. HEC is also doing planning and development in order to increase the education in Pakistan for that HEC have a plan for the years 2010-2015 and onwards. This includes the post doctoral, doctoral, and MS leading to PHD these types of indigenous scholarships are encouraging and can help the economy. Funds for promotion of research culture are increased in the recent years up to 800 million in 2010-2011. (Economic survey of Pakistan 2011-2012). Foreign assistance for education sector: In 2008 and onwards the foreign assistance is increased for the development of Pakistan and students who are motivated for higher studies, this includes: USAID funded $2.14 million, project name strengthening teaching education in Pakistan (STEP). Funded by DFID Â £3.15 million, project name gender in education policy support project (GEPSP) These funds are actively donated by the UNICEF, usaid and also different private organizations are also working actively to train the teachers in this regards organizations like ed-links are funded by USAID and they are working to improve the teaching standards and methodology at primary and higher level. This costing $ 90million. The organizations like ITA, IRM UK-AID project are also working to improve the educational standards and they are conducted a lot of surveys in recent past which help to identify different issues in the regions of Pakistan. How the higher education system is improved in Pakistan and the recommended suggestions: The objective of better higher education system is only achieved if the overall system is organized or planned like the international standards requirements and to achieve that particular goal there is a need to work hard, thats why the institution like HEC is appreciated by the international forces who want the progress of education in any country. But the thing is that there are some forces that show resistance so that is the task for the policy makers to cope the overall situation and make that type of policy and procedure which can bring the change in the system and the ultimate objective is achieved of improvement for higher education. The universities are the main pillars of the higher education system, they must have the autonomy from the external influences in order to govern and manage there administrative, academic and financial functions. They must have that mush authoritative power to train there faculty or firstly (recruit) hire the potential faculty members who can deliver in the future and council the students in a proper way that can be acceptable and according to the international standards and requirement and which can also eliminate the requirement to study at abroad. The present system is weak because it is hesitant to delegate the powers and job enrichment processes which can motivate the faculty members in order to deliver in a right way. In this process each university must have the governing board which can make autonomous decisions for improvement. And if this type of governing broad perform there duties the overall performance o the institution is improved. Previously the institution named UGC is not up to the mark because of poor administration systems and less and also late funding to the universities, the system requires the institution which is ready to deliver and it is HEC and which is proved later on by the quality performance of the HEC and its planning, development and management in terms of the performance from 2002-2008 is phenomenal. If the funding from the international forces, government of Pakistan and HEC is given to the universities or DAI then there is a less burden on the students to pay the huge amount of fees and they can learn more easily with out any pressure and also the funding is utilized by giving students quality faculty then they can learn more and may deliver later on and represent the well known organizations and also serve public sector in better way and if the provincial governments also support this type of funding then there is a boost in the improvement in the quality. The thing is that a lot of intellectuals(scholars) were left Pakistan because of less salary and poor economic condition in the country so Pakistani government and public sector universities need more funding in order to retain that type of quality faulty members. The infrastructure is provided by the HEC by giving more indigenous scholarships to the students and motivate them to study in MS leading to PHD, and particularly the PHD scholarships and also they encourage the research culture in the universities, and also provide the labs for technical studies and access to digital library is phenomenal for the students to learn the international books and articles and journals from the Harvard business review and Jstore etc. The first thing which can be done in order to bring revolution in the educational sector, the government primary, middle, secondary and higher secondary education needs to be deliver more and some quality education which is lacking and the students when they come for the higher studies they suffer because of less knowledge, so in this regard government must have to put more emphasis on the early education in other words the improvement must start from the grass root level. The role of higher education is important for the developing country like Pakistan to survive in the global environment which is competitive and you can only survive if the higher education is given in a proper way, because it is a chain process one action is linked with another and if one thing is lacking or not done in a way it required then it can cost later on. By ranking the universities in terms of quality education institutions, it can motivate the students, faculty members and the internal policy makers to work hard for the improvement, and it is good to award the categories to the institutions according to there performance. This policy encourage the high performing universities and they can deliver more frequently because they want to retain there position and that is not less than challenge. By monitoring the private institutions as well is also participating in the improvement. The economic importance of higher education: Yes it is right that higher education is important for the economic growth of any country but it is also right that economic growth is more important for the developing countries and it is the fact that higher education can not only contribute to the economic development of the country, it also contribute in nation building process, giving more strength to the society, culture in terms of more civilized culture and the people became more conscious about the things and they may also have awareness more about upgrading there living standards etc. In this regard the World Bank and UNESCO provided the task force for developing countries including Pakistan to check analyze and put emphasis on the higher education system and living standards of the people and to work for the infrastructure of country. They also emphasis on the development of enlightened leaders, expansion of choices and this type of development also enhances the social mobility and it may be helpful for the talented people to come up and prove there potential in the areas of there choices. The ultimate theme of providing the indigenous scholarships to the students creates the capability to address the appropriate solutions to the local problems in the country. In this context the promotion of higher education is more important in order to get better future of the country, because this is the era of competition and those who want to compete must have that type of weapons to survive in the race of competition. The promotion is necessary because now the employees, intellectuals and technical people are seen as product by the organizations and candidates who want to get the job they have to market themselves. But the thing is that the individuals are only putted in the competition if they have the knowledge, skills and abilities, this process of KSA is only fulfilled if the students are gone through the process of the learning and more importantly if they get the highe

Main objectives and policy instruments of poverty reduction

Main objectives and policy instruments of poverty reduction While much of the western world benefits from decades of economic growth, it is hard to conceive that a large proportion of the population still struggles for survival as a result of extreme poverty and deprivation. To date, approximately 1 billion people still have an income of less than $1 per day (OECD, 2007). The question of what policies and strategies are most effective in achieving sustained poverty reduction is among one the most important and complex challenges that face policy makers involved in economic development. In light of this question, this paper will review the objectives and policy instruments associated with poverty reduction. Firstly, the paper will very briefly give an outline of the objectives of poverty reduction through considering the Millennium Development Goals. Secondly and of greater focus, the paper will consider the importance of economic growth as a policy instrument associated with poverty reduction. Policy Objectives Before it is possible to implement strategies and policy focussed at reducing poverty, it is firstly essential to set specific and measureable objectives targeting the areas in which poverty exists. Poverty by definition is complicated and must give consideration to a number of dimensions. The OECD (2001) defines poverty as the inability of people to meet economic, social, and other standards of well being. Poverty, therefore, can encapsulate deprivation in areas such as health, income, gender, education and politics. Objectives of poverty reduction must extend to include all dimensions in which individuals are deprived or debilitated. The most widely recognised objectives regarding poverty reduction are provided through the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs). On September 2000 the MDGs were adopted by 189 countries as a guideline for the objectives of poverty reduction to be achieved by 2015 (DFID, 2001). The MDGs outline 8 objectives central to the eradication of poverty (UNDP, 2010). These objectives are broken down into 21 different targets that are measured by 60 indicators (A full outline of the criteria to meet these objectives can be seen in Table 1): Eradicate Extreme Hunger and Poverty Achieve Universal Primary Education Promote Gender Equality and Empower Women Reduce Child Mortality Improve Maternal Health Combat HIV/AIDS, Malaria and other diseases Ensure Environmental Sustainability Develop a Global Partnership for Development The MDGs highlight that objectives of poverty reduction are not solely confined to improvements in income but also incorporate objectives of human development, sustainability, and equality. Broadly speaking, these objectives help to provide a global criterion for measuring progress in poverty reduction and provide a scale of measurement adaptable in all countries. It is important to note, however, that although the MDGs provide a framework for developing countries to use, poverty reduction strategies must be country specific taking into consideration the causes of poverty as well as the precedence of what objectives need be tackled (OECD, 2001). With these objectives of poverty reduction in mind, this raises the question of what instruments are best suited in achieving these objectives. As a comprehensive overview of all the main policy instruments associated with poverty reduction is well beyond the scope of this paper, the following section will concentrate on the importance of economic growth as a policy instrument associated with poverty reduction. Policy Instruments Economic Growth Historically, the main instrument associated with poverty reduction has been economic growth. Economic growth is associated with poverty reduction on a number of levels. Firstly, increases in GDP per capita are associated with improvements in human development. For example, increases in the average income of a country are associated with improvements in life expectancy, infant mortality, and primary school enrolment all key elements of the MDGs (Moser and Ichida, 2001). Secondly, economic growth helps to creates jobs which are essential to improving employment opportunities and raising incomes in the long-term (DFID, 2001). However, although economic growth is associated with improvements in income and human development, there still remains debate over the extent to which growth benefits the poorest individuals in society. In an attempt to understand the effect of economic growth on poverty, Dollar and Kraay (2002) examined the relationship between changes in the average GDP per capita income against the income of the lowest quintile of the population in 80 countries. Dollar and Kraay found than on average the income of the poorest quintile increased proportionately with increases in average GDP per capita. Dollar and Kraay concluded that the effects of economic growth benefit the poor as much as others in society. They suggested therefore that standard growth enhancing policies should be at the heart of poverty reduction strategies. The results from Dollar and Kraay emphasise the importance for countries to adopt frameworks that are conducive to growth as a means of poverty reduction. This is a view shared by Kruegar (2004) who highlights that economic growth is the principal route to lasting poverty reduction. Indeed, economic policies such as openness to trade, liberalisation and sound fiscal policy which are seen as conducive to economic growth are also associated with favourable poverty reduction (World Bank, 2000). Moreover, generally poverty reduction has been most substantial in those countries which have benefited from the most impressive rates of growth (AusAid, 2007). However, the results produced by Dollar and Kraay (2002) do not come without scrutiny. The findings illustrate that economic growth benefited the lowest quintile proportionately on average yet there are cases where economic growth does not always benefit the poorest individuals in society Botswana is perhaps an extreme example and likew ise at the other end of the scale, some countries have demonstrated that the poor have benefited substantially more than other groups during times of economic growth (World Bank, 1993). This raises a further question of why growth influences poverty reduction in some countries more than others. Pro-Poor Growth More recently, a greater focus is being placed on levels of inequality within a country as a determinant on the effect of economic growth on poverty reduction. The OECD (2001) suggests that only half the increases of those in poverty are a result of GDP growth whereas the other half comes from strategies that target the composition, distribution and sustainability of growth. Ravallion (1997) measured the effect of growth on poverty elasticity in countries with initial levels of low and high-income inequality. Ravallion found that economic growth reduced poverty in low income inequality countries almost twice as much as those in high income inequality countries. In other words, countries with high levels of inequality would need growth rates twice that of low inequality countries to match similar levels of poverty reduction. The findings by Ravallion highlight that policies targeting poverty reduction therefore must also consider the distributional aspect of growth. This places a grea ter emphasis on pro-poor growth. That is, growth that is combined with objectives of rapid and sustained poverty reduction (OECD, 2007). Pro-poor growth strategies must attempt to target the areas in which poverty and inequalities exist, and as mentioned this can occur in a number of dimensions. Typically, those in poverty have a lack of access to basic provisions and services, such as education and healthcare, and therefore inequalities are perpetuated due to a lack of opportunity. Pro-poor Policies must attempt to maximise the opportunities of the poor through utilising their skills and capabilities (DFID, 2003). This can be done through a number of channels, and the role of both the private and public sector are important. For example, in the private sector providing the poor with access to markets and credit is seen as essential for involving the poor in the economy and creating jobs (ODI, 2008). Recently microfinance schemes have been extremely beneficial in providing access to credit and vocational training for the poor. However, participation in markets is only conducive to pro-poor growth if there is appropria te regulation and policies which can protect the poor in the event of market failures (OECD, 2007). Pro-poor policies must attempt to promote macroeconomic stability within a country to ensure that the poor are not affected by market-shocks and rising inflation (DFID, 2003). Additionally, the distribution of government spending is seen as a key instrument in the promotion of pro-poor growth. In developing countries, government spending has been found to be largely inefficient in that it tends to be focussed disproportionately towards higher income groups at the expense of the poor (Wilhelm and Fiestas, 2005). Pro-poor government spending can increase the participation of the poorest individuals through efficient and fair fiscal policy increasing access to these basic services which in turn can reduce inequalities and promote economic growth. Indeed, countries which have a fairer distribution of government spending are more likely to have lower levels of inequality (Lopez, Thomas, and Wang, 2008). It is important to note that finding the appropriate balance between both policies that are good for poverty reduction and policies that are good for growth is extremely complicated and may required trade-offs. Pro-poor strategies such as redistribution through increased taxes may act to finance increased government expenditure in poor areas, however this may damage growth through reduced savings and investment which could consequently reduce the impact of poverty reduction in the long run (DFID, 2001). For instance, in the mid-part of Malaysias industrialisation, policies focussed on equity were seen as excessive and blamed for constricting economic growth (Hassan, 2004). Broad-Based Growth An essential factor of pro-poor growth is that it should be broad-based and target the areas where poverty is widespread. Three quarters of poverty exists in rural areas, yet policies targeting growth are predominantly focussed on the urban sector (Anriquez and Stamoulis, 2007). Indeed, widespread inequality is most substantial between rural and urban areas (Lopez, Thomas, and Wang, 2008). Recently, in the 2008 World Development Report titled Agriculture for Development, the World Bank (2008) highlighted that investment in agriculture is increasingly becoming an important engine for poverty reduction. Investment in rural infrastructure and small-scale enterprises and services has been found to be highly effective in increasing productivity and creating employment. For example, reductions in poverty have been most substantial in countries which experienced the most significant improvements in rural productivity. From 1971 to 1999 agricultural productivity per capita in East Asia, wher e poverty reduction was most rapid, increased by 45% compared to sub-Saharan Africa with an increase in productivity of only 4% (DFID, 2003). Moreover, growth in agriculture is more conducive to poverty reduction than any other sector (DFID, 2003). Indeed, the World Bank (2008) highlights the improvements in the MDGs of raising the income of all individuals above $1 has been primarily due to falling rural sector poverty whereas urban poverty has remained constant and had little effect. However, again, increases in agricultural productivity and growth are strongly influenced by levels of inequalities within the rural sector in particular levels of land inequality. Pro-poor policies which target poverty reduction through agricultural growth must also give consideration to the potential impact of redistribution strategies. Land reform policies have been cited as a particular strategy as a means of facilitating growth, reducing inequalities and ultimately poverty reduction (Hanmer, Healey and Naschold, 2000). Conclusion In conclusion, this paper has highlighted the importance of growth, and in particular pro-poor growth as an instrument associated with poverty reduction. Growth is inevitably a necessary condition of alleviating poverty through raising the incomes of individuals and through wider associations with improvements in human development. However, growth by itself is not always sufficient in achieving sustained poverty reduction and the effects of economic growth on the poor are inhibited by the level of inequality within a country. Of equal importance, therefore, is the structure of pro-poor growth. Governments must take an active role in poverty reduction strategies and reduce inequalities through increasing the opportunities of the poor to access basic provisions and services, and this in turn can facilitate both poverty reduction and economic growth. Moreover, it is important that pro-poor growth targets where poverty is abundant. An increasing emphasis is being placed on growth and dev elopment in the agricultural sector as a key driver of poverty reduction. Finally, it is important to mention that although this essay has emphasised the importance of growth, it has barely scratched the surface of the complexity of poverty reduction. Poverty is multidimensional and there are areas of poverty and human development which are barely affected by improvements in growth and therefore require policy instruments and strategies to target them directly e.g. gender inequality (Thomas, 2000). Furthermore, there is no one-size-fits-all answer to poverty reduction and each country must identify the causes of poverty and the independent strategies required to achieve sustained poverty reduction. Only then can the diverse objectives of the Millennium Development Goals be realistically achieved.

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Population Growth in Perspective Essay -- Argumentative Persuasive Pap

Population Growth in Perspective Introduction To anyone even remotely acquainted with the situation, the ever-expanding world population can easily be a cause of grave concern. Indeed, the simple realization that the total world population will most likely be doubling within the next century may seem to imply catastrophe. Considering the strain our current huge population puts on the world, is it not natural to presume that two times our number will spell disaster? While this is the view held by many prominent voices, there also is a less-noticed group of people who contend that the resiliency of the earth and the ingenuity of its people will keep the planet a decent place to live. In this paper, I attempt to critically examine various theories on the size of future population growth and consider what some of the possible results of this growth might be. In the end, I conclude that although there are significant development issues facing the world as a result of the expanding population, the world is probably not headed for ruin. Current Population Awareness The dramatic increases in world population over the last decades have not gone unnoticed. The media frequently covers issues related to population growth and control, making most people aware of at least some of the discussions surrounding world population. Many societal problems such as environmental destruction, the spread of virulent disease, and starvation are forecast as a result of the planet's increasing population. In fact, overpopulation is often perceived as the number one threat to the world because of its wide ranging effects. Here at Goshen, overpopulation is a popular topic for Senior Seminar papers. Virtually every year, at least one person i... ...93 Bailey, Ronald. Ed. The True State of the Planet. Free Press, New York. 1995 Brown, Lester and Kane, Hal. Full House. W.W. Norton and Company, New York. 1994 Cassen, Robert. Population and Development: Old Debates, New Conclusions. Transaction Publishers, New Brunswick. 1994 Cohen, Joel. How Many People Can the Earth Support?. W.W. Norton and Company, New York. 1995 Ehrlich, Paul. The Population Bomb. Ballantine Books, New York. 1968 Holland, 1993, as quoted in How Many People Can the Earth Support? Lutz, Wolfgang. The Future of World Population. Population Reference Bureau, June, 1994 Spengler, J.J., as quoted in Population: A Clash of Prophets, ed. Edward Pohlman. Mentor Books, New York, 1973 "That Population Explosion", TIME magazine, January 11, 1960 World-wide web site: Web 1: http://www.carnell.com.overpopulation.html

Positive Effects of Television Upon Children Essay -- Positive Effects

Positive Effects of Television Upon Children   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Without a doubt, television is the central and principal form of communication in many people’s lives. This form is most often exposed to a child who instantly becomes accustomed to its presence. Children are televisions largest audience, as Morris shows, â€Å"Children aged two to five look at the TV tube on an average of 28.4 hours a week; those between the ages of six and eleven average 23.6 hours a week†. Television has played an important role in many children’s lives and its viewing has been a favorite activity for many of them. The effects of television on children have been disputed. Some people have said that viewing time has a negative impact on children. Other people, however, feel that the early educational television productions for children help tehm learn.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  These important questions on the topic of children’s television viewing in its early beginnings continue to be debated in society. The creation of children’s television shows in the 1940s and 1950s offered children pure entertainment and very little smart education. According to Palmer, â€Å"there were a few shows that did teach children values and morals, but the true educational television shows for children did not appear until the late 1960s(28). Not only educational shows, but public television shows, dialogue, help in increasing a child’s vocabulary and in improving he/she speaking skills. Therefore, parents should encourage their children to watch more public television today because public television helps children to read.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Television supports reading, which in turn to improves language ability. Good programming improves reading and can increase thinking. The Himmelweit confirms, â€Å"Television in the long run encourages children to read books; a conclusion that can be reinforced by evidence from libraries, book clubs, and publishing companies† (Postman 33). Dr. Hemmelweit stresses this point; â€Å"Book reading comes into its own, not despite television but because of it†(33). Television has as both an entertainer and an educator for children. Neil Postman supports television for its valuable contribution to language development in children, saying, â€Å"Long before they have learned to read, or for that matter, even begun to master their language, children may accumulate, through television, a fund of knowledge that was simply inaccessib... ...ducational television programs finally came about. These shows succeeded in intellectually educating children while also entertaining them. They have positive affects on children of all races and social status. Those who viewed it gained more knowledge over those who did not. They offered educational and beneficial programming that helps in improving a child’s vocabulary and by encouraging their reading. These programs also taught children moral values. Because public television teaches children the basic knowledge and the valuable facts of life, parents should encourage their children to watch more public television. Works Cited Lesser, Gerald S. Children and Television. New York: Random House, 1974. Lystad, Mary. â€Å"20 Years on Sesame Street.† Children Today. 1989: 20-22 Moody, Kate. Growing up on Television. New York: Times Books, 1980. Morris, Norman S. Televisions Child. Boston: Little Brown, 1971. Palmer, Edward L. Children in the Cradle of Television. United States of America: D.C. Health, 1987. Postman, Neil. Television and the Teaching of English. New York: Appleton-Centery-Crofts, 1961. Schneider, Cy. Children’s Television. Chicago: NTC Business Books, 1987.

Osiris and Iris Creation Myth

GiGi Orphali 9-17-12 p. 7 Osiris and Isis Creation Myth Mythology opens up a hidden gate of information about the lives of ancient peoples. Through it, modern people have insight to the beliefs and culture of a civilization long since passed. No better example of this exists than the Egyptian tale of Osiris and Isis. According to this tale, when the world first started it was ruled by the benign god Osiris and his equally generous wife, the goddess Isis. Together they ruled the earth and through this time it was a utopia. Crops prospered, people spoke to each other in poetry, and there were no wars.It remained this way until Osiris was trapped by his wicked brother Seth, who then took full control of the world, exposing humanity to its first taste of heartache. Osiris was eventually freed and Seth dethroned, but when it came time to destroy Seth Isis didn’t have the heart. She let him live, and though he still exists he is now a lowly god with less power. This explains the Egy ptian belief of why there has to be good and evil in the world. It also explains that since Seth has less power than Osiris, good will always trump evil. The Egyptians were so rare in their day because of their positive outlook on death.While other civilizations around them looked on to death in a craven manner, Egyptians embraced the beauty of the afterlife and the riches to come. All this stemmed from the belief that Osiris, an oh-so-benevolent god, would make their afterlife paradise, as he had once done here on earth. Because the afterlife is ruled by a kind god, it also explains the way to get there. Egyptians believe that through morality and kindness, they will forever be joined with their princely god in paradise. Egyptian culture stressed love and loyalty between husband and wife and that is clearly expressed throughout this myth.The story of Osiris and Isis is punctuated with Isis’s undying devotion to her husband and her willingness to go above and beyond to find h im. Though Osiris is lost for many years on more than one occasion, Isis never stops searching for him. Even when he is sent to the afterlife, she follows. Readers can assume from the numerous examples of Isis’s loyalty that this was an important value to the ancient Egyptians. Through Isis modern people can see what the ideal Egyptian wife must have been. Osiris and Isis is a myth that has carried on through the ages, portraying an excellent well of information on what Egyptian culture was.Modern readers can see what the ideals and beliefs of a place (beliefs that are still followed today) which give a better understanding than any history book can. Ancient Egyptians held in high esteem what their gods taught and were quick to follow their example. Their conclusions on the afterlife, polytheistic pantheon and good vs. evil are all expressed in this myth. This myth offers us a glimpse into a long ago world, and is perhaps, along with the pyramids and ancient temples, one of t he greatest gifts the ancient Egyptians have given modern society.

Gender Issues in Sri Lanka Essay

Gender issues In general, when considering third world countries, most would say that they have some very similar characteristics. Third world countries are often thought of as places that are impoverished, have significantly high birthrates, are economically dependent on advanced countries, and have not evolved socially in regards to equal rights issues. Although many of these characteristics do apply to Sri Lanka, the latter has definitely evoked some discussion on the topic of gender issues in underdeveloped countries. Issues such as decision making in the household, educated women and their role in society, and attitudes towards women in employment will be discussed. As stated earlier, most would agree that from a distant perspective Sri Lanka would seem to be socially underdeveloped in regards to equal rights. One way that this misconception is debunked is by looking at the roles of male and female in the household. There are many variables to take into consideration when looking at roles of family members and who has the balance of power; for instance, if the wife is working or not could be considered at both ends of the scale. If she is working than her husband may feel that because she is making a financial contribution she has more of a right to make important economic decisions that may effect the family. On the other hand he may feel as though her being away from the children is a detriment to their upbringing, and in turn is placing a burden upon the family leaving the wife with few domestic decisions. Another variable that has to be considered is if the residence is with the husband’s family or if it is with the wife’s family. In this case one would assume that whichever house was being resided in would have the balance of the say towards family decisions. The last variable that will be considered is that of marital duration. Does a longer marriage necessarily mean that the financial and domestic decisions of the household will become split evenly between the husband and wife? The answers to these questions were the focus of a study conducted by Anju Malhotra and Mark Mather in 1992. The study showed that when the wives were working, regardless of whether or not they shared their wages or kept them, they had an increase say on financial matters. However, the domestic decisions were not nearly as great, especially if the wages earned by the wife were kept for herself (Malhotra et al. 1997: 620). When looking at the balance of power in regards to household arrangement, the study found that the wife had almost no say on financial matters when living at the husband’s parents house but did have some say on domestic issues. The opposite it true for when the family resided at the wife’s parents house. The wife typically had a significant say on financial and domestic matters with the latter outweighing the two (Malhotra et al. 1997: 620). As far as marital duration is concerned, it seems as though as the family grows together there is somewhat of a role reversal. The husband becomes more concerned with domestic matters and the wife takes some responsibility for the financial decisions (Malhotra et al. 1997:620). These findings led my research group to believe that the people of Sri Lanka are generally very similar to those of western societies in regards to household decisions. Education is not something we think about when speaking about developing countries, many assume that it is just not an option for underprivileged people. Although that is the unfortunate truth that effects many third world countries, it does seem that Sri Lanka is on its way to recovering itself. For many years the gender gap between male and female scholars needed to be decreased. In the early 1980’s the percentage of the total amount of people with university degrees that were women was barely above 40%. A more alarming fact might be that the percentage with post-graduate degrees was barely above 25% (Ahooja-Patel K. 1979: 217). The majority of women pursuing a degree usually did so in the fine arts category or the education and teacher training fields, many staying away from disciplines such as business or engineering. Although these numbers may seem staggering Sri Lanka has shown some promise in terms of social welfare. Programs are now in place to encourage female education and to decrease the inequalities women face today. In the early 1990’s the gender gap between literate males and females was only a 5% difference (Malhotra et al. 1997: 602). Many believe that the more westernized Sri Lanka becomes the more independent the thoughts and wills of women will expand, creating a country of little inequality. Women in the work force today in western society face many barriers; this is after years of trying to refine the social economic status of women. In Sri Lanka, because of its poor economy, employers may have actual complaints that may affect the profitability of their business. In general in Sri Lanka, men are usually preferred over women as employees. Some employers complain that because of the possibility of the need for time off to bear children that it may disrupt the flow of the work force. Many men could feel as though women were being treated with undeserved favoritism, which could cause conflict. Others feel that the financial burden of having to install proper facilities to accommodate women could create too much of a loss that they would not be able to overcome it. The topic of most discussions seems to revolve around the Maternity Amendment Act of 1978, which states that women workers are entitled to six weeks maternity leave with pay. It also states that they are allowed two nursing breaks of one hour each or two breaks of one half hour each when a day care center is available (Ahooja-Patel K. 1979: 219). Women cannot, under the law, be fired for any reason that stems from them being pregnant. An unfortunate fact that is slowly being eradicated is that many women are just not qualified for the jobs that are available in Sri Lanka. Because of the gender gap in education and training that has plagued Sri Lanka for years this trend will surely continue until the inequality has subsided. In many ways Sri Lanka has come very far in terms of gender equality when discussing kinship and education. However, women’s economic situation has shown to be less favourable. The people of Sri Lanka acknowledge that women have a place in the work force but financially cannot accommodate them. Until the economic growth of Sri Lanka can develop further, people will continue to have the ‘survival of the fittest’ kind of attitude, which will continue to alienate and repress the women or Sri Lanka.