The Business Cycle & Policy Response in France Coursework

The Business Cycle & Policy Response in France - Coursework Example In 2000, France growth was close to 3%, its unemployment fell twice, and when compared to Europe it was a 1.5-percentage decline for France versus 0.7-percentage in Europe. The introduction of the single currency marked the period of strong growth. From this, we conclude that, in the last twenty years, it is evident that the periods of falling unemployment always coincided with periods of strong economic growths (French Ministry of youth affairs, 2007:4). A fall in a country's GDP relates to contraction in the economy, when the country does not show any improvement in the GDP it may result in an economy recession. Reasons may be due to inflation, or massive unemployment in the country, a rise in the GDP conforms to an expansion, stability of a country s currency, a peak relates to a continuous rise in the country’s GDP (Trading Economics.com, 2005:4). All forces of supply and demand affect business cycle. The availability of capital does boost a healthy expansion a rise in the price of assets at this point leads to inflation, the stock market then rectifies this by creating fear and contraction(About.com, 2001:1). A rise in GDP signals an expansion in the business cycle whereas a fall in the GDP signals a contraction. Reports show that the GDP of France expanded 1.6%in the second quarter of 2011. Historically France annual GDP growth was1.9% its highest observed in 1988 at 4.9%, a record low was -3.90% in march 2009. Judging the country's  state  at this point of the cycle, it will be  right  to  say  France’s economy is in  contraction.  We look at France in 2009, where its GDP shrank by 1.2% in the first quarter, however, this  was counteracted  by a 3% in the third quarter, another  fall  was recorded  1.5% in the final quarter.  The  recession  observed when we experienced two quarters of negative growth. In 2008 president, Nicholas Sarkozy gave a speech in Toulon he thought that there was the need to rethink the  entire  world’s financial system in  connection  to the economic crisis that the world faced. The president stated that what France was facing at that time was an economic recession and that it was a long-term problem. According to the latest  data  the French economy contracted, a 0.3% in the 2nd quarter in the year 2008, from the  previous  data economists concluded that the two quarters recorded negative growths. These data raised fears of a further recession in the economy.  This recession resulted in the rise in unemployment and a  struggle  in households to try to beat the recession (France 24, 2008:1). We  further  look at the  fiscal  policy and how it functions in stabilizing the  economic  fluctuation. How this is a  solution  to the recession problem?  According to Weil,  fiscal  policy involves utilising of government

The impact of entrepreneurs on the economy Essay Example for Free

The impact of entrepreneurs on the economy Essay There are a lot of explanations and descriptions of entrepreneurship. Intellectuals and business experts, define entrepreneurship as only the uniting of thoughts, hard work, and modifications to the changing commerce market. It furthermore involves meeting market demands; mainly it portrays the key instructions of any trade innovation. Innovation is the key factor that administers the very formation of a small trade or entrepreneurship; it can be processes or it can be products. One instance of a process could be the formation of ideas in black and white, products can refer to everything that is produced that can be kept up for sale, whether it is a latest form of glue or even a service that offers; such as, housecleaning. On the other hand, innovations can as well be anything that brings in the discoveries of new products that transform the market or form a new market, a number of of these innovations might even restore existing innovations to become the favored process or product. When an individual wishes to become an entrepreneur they prefer to be an organizer, though, not everybody is suitable to be an entrepreneur and not everybody has the essential skills to carry out successfully. What Is An Entrepreneur? A person who is capable of generating an innovative idea and fulfilling the demands of the public with an ability to organize people and resources is called an entrepreneur. Entrepreneurs are never discouraged even if their idea is rejected by anyone but they work hard to make their ideas successful. Entrepreneurs have to face various hardships and challenges as well. Entrepreneurship Aids the Economy It is agreed by most of the economists that entrepreneurship adds vitality to the economy, either a developed or developing one. The reason why the economists support the existence of the entrepreneurs is that they not just create new businesses and make innovations using their creativity but they also create employment opportunities for people by employing them for their business. Mostly, it also increases competition due to which entrepreneurs opt for new things and also go for operational as well as technological advancements that further helps them to increase their productivity. Each year around 75% new jobs are added in the economy of United States every year due to the eruption of new small businesses and this actually symbolizes 99% of all US employers. Small business are mostly self-employed by people. Entrepreneurs not just provide jobs to the people but they are also a source of security and generate social welfare as well. Schramm, president and CEO of Ewing Marion Kauffman Foundation, said in February 2007, The foundation is devoted to fostering entrepreneurship†. Schramm is one of the globes’ foremost specialists in this field. Others have the same opinion that the benefits of small trades go further than income, Hector V. Baretto, manager of the U. S. Small Business Administration (SBA), makes clear, Small businesses widen the base of contribution in society, generate jobs, disperse economic power and provide persons a stake in the future. Entrepreneurs innovate and innovation is a vital element in economic growth. As Peter Drucker said, The entrepreneur mostly looks for change, reacts to it and utilizes it as an opportunity. Entrepreneurs are accountable for the profitable introduction of several new products and services and also for opening fresh markets. A look at current history demonstrates that entrepreneurs were compulsory to many of the most important innovations, ones that transformed how persons live and work. From the vehicle to the airplane to computers persons with ideas and strength of mind developed these marketable advances. Small companies as well are more probable than large firms to manufacture specialty products and services and tailor made items. As Schramm has recommended, entrepreneurs offer customers with services and products for needs they did not even realize they had. Innovations enhance the quality by multiply customers’ choices, they augment peoples lives in abundant ways making life simple, progressive communications, offering new varieties of entertainment and better health care. Small companies in the US, e. g. innovate far in excess of huge ones do, according to the Small Business Administration; small technology firms create almost thirteen times additional patents per worker than big firms. They signify one-third of all firms in control of fifteen or more patents. According to the 2006 Summary Results of the Global Entrepreneurship Monitor (GEM) project, In spite of of the point of development and company size, entrepreneurial performance remains a vital engine of innovation and expansion for the financial system, for individual firms as, by classification, it entails attention and readiness to take benefit of vacant opportunities. The GEM plan is a multi-country study of entrepreneurship and fiscal growth. Founded and supported by Babson College (USA) and the London Business School in 1999, the study incorporated forty two nations by 2006. Global and regional institutes, such as the United Nations and the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development, have the same opinion that entrepreneurs can play a critical role in mobilizing income and encouraging fiscal growth and socio-economic progress. This is mainly true in the emerging world, where flourishing small businesses are most important engines of job formation and poverty diminution. Role of entrepreneurship in conceptual economy Although the basic rules of entrepreneurship being used today are the same as they were used previously but the medium has radically changed, however the change has been for better and is probably the best time compared to the history for an individual to become an entrepreneur. The entrepreneurs today are defining logic for the purpose of making things to happen on an individual basis. Previously, when the entrepreneurs used to set up business, they needed huge sums of investment before they could proceed or to arrange management teams for work and to make the company operate after which they took many years to make profits but now things have drastically changed. In order to make my statements more clear, I would be giving some examples. A website titled â€Å"PlentyOfFish. om† is basically a free dating website and was founded by Markus Frind. The founder spends just two hours on the website each day and he manages his website but his earnings are $5-6 million per year from Google ads as around twelve million people view his page every year and the most interesting thing is that he is the only person operating his company. I would now quote another such example of Dave Lu, an entrepreneur who also earns in millions doing the same kind of work as Markus Frind. Dave is the founder of â€Å"Fanpop† where the fans of anything on Earth can share and interact with other people. One more thing that is synonymous between the two entrepreneurs is that they are operating their business using the least expensive tools that are instantly available to them. Connecting these entrepreneurs to the economy, I would say that conceptual economy enable the entrepreneurs to use both sides of their brain i. e. oth left as well as the right side as they are not just focusing on technical skills but on their creativity and conceptualization as well and most of the entrepreneurs are working independently. It is therefore essential for the entrepreneurs to lead in conceptual economy and go for new ventures. It was Microsoft that started Facebook that is now very successful social networking arena. Initially Facebook was popular just amongst the teenagers and the students of high school but now it is being used by people of every group. Not just it provides the opportunity of social networking but it is also beneficial for businessmen especially young entrepreneurs that can highly help boost the economy of any country. Therefore, this economic model of conceptual economy has a great impact on every aspect of the society and in the later years, the entrepreneurs would be the ones who would be the true beneficiaries but the ones who take initiatives.

Whistle Blowing

Whistle Blowing We live in a complicated society. Every decision that we make is based upon our health, safety, economic and human rights. At times the decisions made are by the corrupt, incompetent and lazy, which leads to the compromise of the ethical standards of our society. Accidents happen or corruption flourishes because of employees who know about the wrong doings but are afraid of losing their jobs. In the modern society, the importance of whistle blowing is increasingly being recognized as a measure to reduce corruption and avoid dangerous situations by encouraging the disclosure of unethical, illegal or prohibited activities performed by private institutions or the government. It also helps to improve the inter-organizational culture and helps improve internal management and efficiency. Definition Whistle blowing is a process by which a person claims an occurrence of wrongdoing in or by an organization. Usually the person belongs to the organization and is at a personal risk himself. The allegations made may be internal (to people within the organization e.g. colleagues, subordinates etc.) or external (to people outside the organization e.g. law enforcement agencies, media, regulators etc.). U.S academics Marcia P.Miceli and Janet P.Near set the academic standard for whistleblowing in 1982 as Disclosure of organizations members (former or current) disclosure of illegal, immoral or illegitimate practices under the control of their employees to persons or organizations that may be able to effect action. They have defined whistle blowing as a four step process: A triggering event occurs involving questionable, unethical or illegal activities, and this leads to an employee to consider blowing the whistle. The employee engages in decision making, assessing the activity and whether it involves wrong doing, gathering additional information, and discussing situation with others. The employee exercises voice by blowing the whistle; alternatively the employee could leave the organization, or remain silent out of loyalty or neglect. The organizational members react to, and possibly retaliate against the whistleblower. Common Reactions Around the globe, whistle blowers have been hailed as heroes or selfless martyrs for revealing fraud and corruption in organizations and preventing potential disasters. They may relate to the cover up harmful diseases like SARS in China to the revealing of theft of millions of dollars of public money in Kenya. However, in many cases whistleblowers face severe ramifications for their actions. They end up losing their jobs and being ostracized for their activities. Some may be charged with violation of employee contracts and the dangers might be physical at extreme. It is therefore probable that a lot of people refrain from blowing the whistle due to the fear of retaliation or damaging relationships at work or private life. Utility of Whistle blowing Information revealed by whistleblowers is usually highly critical for the society. In China, Dr Jiang Yanyong possibly saved a million lives by revealing the extent to which the SARS virus had spread even though he was ordered by the authorities not to. In the corporate world, Sherron Watkins of Enron blew the whistle over the financial problems of the company internally which eventually led to the exposure of the scam and the arrest of the top officials. Whistle blowing is also important for improving the internal efficiency of the organization since the employees are the first to know about the problems and early disclosure can lead to remedy of the problem sooner. A 2002 study by KPMG found that around 25 percent of problems reported in an company in Australia was by whistleblowers while the same statistic was 44 percent in Africa. The essence of whistleblowing lies in the fact that staff are able to by-pass the line of their superiors since at times that might be the area where the problem arises and hence they are able to go outside in case they believe that the whole organization is in an improper course. Effective whistleblowing is therefore a necessity for a healthy organizational culture, good governance. Successful whistle blowing is when concerns inside the organization could be raised with confidence, properly investigated and addressed when necessary. Barriers to whistle blowing 1. Fear of retaliation One of the largest barriers in todays organizations against whistle blowing is retaliation against the disclosure. Retaliation can vary from minor harassment in certain cases to the extremity of costing ones life. In a typical case, the employee who blows the whistle would be put under pressure to rescind his words and refrain from further disclosures. Some of the common practices of retaliation are : Marginalise the employee by taking away the job duties. Blacklist the employee so that he cant gain further employment. Conduct retaliatory investigations in order to divert attention from the matter and abuse the whistleblower. Question whistle blowers professional competence, honesty and mental health. Reassign the employee so that he/she is unable to do the job At times, retaliation becomes extreme as Satyendra Dubey was murdered after he revealed corruption on a road project. 2. Legal liability There are significant legal barriers to whistle blowing in several countries. At times there are no significant laws or acts for whistle blowing(e.g. India). These include the traditional laws to respect the employer, act in his best interests etc. There may also be secret laws in institutions to punish whistle blowers and deter further whistle blowing. a. Duty of loyalty and confidentiality Many countries in Asia have is the duty of loyalty and fidelity to the employer. This usually deters an employee from expressing personal opinion or revealing internal information. The Indian Law Reform Commission has recently recognized that while a public servant might be subject to the duty of confidentiality, it doesnt extend to remain silent regarding the corrupt activities of other public servants. The public interest is better served if maladministration and corruption are exposed. b. Secret Acts In most common wealth countries the state has criminal laws prohibiting the release of military and state laws by officials and outsiders. e.g. Pakistan Officials Secret Acts, 1923 makes illegal the disclosure of any information that has been entrusted to him by confidence by any person holding office or to which he has access due the position he holds. These laws thus generate a significant barrier to anti corruption efforts and genrally prohibit disclosure of information without permisiion. In Malaysia, the opposition leader Mohd Ezan Mohd Noor was prosecuted in 2000 under the OSA for releasing police reports of corruption by high level government officials. In London, a whistle blower who revealed that the London police force had released incorrect statements regarding the shooting of an innocent man was also arrested. These laws are also used in political cases. c. Libel In many countries, defamation and libel laws are used to deter the whistle blowers. Power figures and senior officials use their power to threaten the whistle blowers as they can use the court systems to their advantage. In Singapore, National Kidney Foundation suppressed the whistle blowers from revealing wastage of money on first class tickets, excessive salaries etc by using defamation laws and forced apologies. Finally when a major media company refused to bow down, the story was fully disclosed. d. Other Laws There also exists a possibility of criminal or civil charges under laws such as trade secrets or theft. In some countries companies also require that workers sign confidentiality clauses. In Australia, an American who doubted the safety of the new Airbus 380 is facing criminal and civil charges by his ex employer after going public with the potential design flaws. 3. Cultural Barriers There are at times significant cultural barriers to whistle blowers which see whistle blowers as dobbers, sneaks or narks. Some of this comes from the abuses to informants historically. In Nazi occupied regimes, the Soviet Union, Aparthied- era South Africa, informants and anonymous denunciations were often used for maintain power. The organization culture is also equally important. The disclosure of information to outsiders can feel like a betrayal and hence whistle blowers often feel social sanctions for their disclosures. At times, even though formal laws are absent, being shunned or being side lined in the organization can place certain amount of pressure on individuals. Whistleblowers Laws and Protection Initiatives All the countries do not have a legal protection act for the whistleblowers. Legal protection for whistleblowers mostly differs on the basis of the country, state in which malpractice occurred and also the subject matter of whistleblowing. The first law that protected whistle blowers was the US Lloyd-La Follette Act of 1912. It guaranteed the right of federal employees to furnish information to Congress. According to the Act, the causes that encourage the efficiency in the service are defined as the just causes. It goes on to say that the right of employees to furnish information to either House of Congress, or to a committee or Member thereof, may not be interfered with or denied. The U.S. Whistleblowers Protect Act of 1989 (amended in 1994) was established to protect public interest disclosures which were made by federal employees. For aiding whistleblowers in the investigation and to prevent retaliatory action against them, an Office of Special Counsel (OSC) was created. But it was not very successful because of a series of hostile judicial rulings which undercut the protection that was afforded by the Act. A similar or even stronger legislation has been passed by more than 40 states in respect of State employees. The U.S. Congress passed the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002 in the aftermath of the debacle of Enron and WorldCom which provided for granting sweeping legal protection for whistleblowers in publicly traded companies. Any retaliation against a corporate whistleblower can now lead to imprisonment for up to 10 years. The Department of Labour (DoL) must complete its adjudication of cases relating to whistleblowers within 180 days. If not then whistleblower has following options he may opt to remain with DoL or ask for ade novotrial in court. Following are the remedies reinstatement, damages for compensation, pay back with interest, fees for attorney, special damages and costs. The U.K.s Public Interest Disclosure Act of 1998 is a one of its kind piece of legislation in the sense that it provides protection to employees in the public, private and non-profit sectors, which includes those working outside the U.K. It provides a framework of legal protection for individuals who disclose information so as to expose malpractice and matters of similar concern. It protects whistleblowers from persecution and dismissal. Under the law, employment tribunals have power to `freeze a dismissal and make unlimited compensation awards. The U.K. example has been followed by South Africa to provide protection to employees of all organisations through its Protected Disclosures Act of 2000. Other countries like Australia, South Korea, Canada, Argentina, Slovakia, Russia, Mexico and Nigeria have enacted or are in the process to enact whistleblowers protection legislation (but only to government employees). United Nations Convention against Corruption (2005) The most significant international instrument on whistleblowing is the United Nations Convention Against Corruption. Work on the Convention began in December 2000 and the final version was approved by the General Assembly in October 2003. It was adopted in December 2005 after it was ratified by 30 countries. As of now, it has been signed by 140 countries and ratified by 47. Article 32 on the Protection of witness, experts and victims provides for protections of witnesses and experts and their relatives from retaliation including limits on disclosure of their identities. More fundamentally, Article 33 on Protection of reporting persons envisions countries adopting protections for reporting of corruption by any person. The UN Office on Drugs and Crimes Anti-Corruption Toolkit notes that Article 3 is advancement on previous agreements such as the 2000 Convention against Transnational Organized Crime which only protects witnesses and experts. The Toolkit extensively covers whistleblowing and recommends legal and administrative measures for reporting and protection including compensation, creation of ombudsman institutions to receive complaints, the creation of hotlines, and limits on libel and confidentiality agreements. To date, only a few of the countries that have ratified the treaty have adopted comprehensive whistleblower laws and another dozen have adopted limited provisions. UN Special Rapporteur on Freedom of Opinion and Expression The Un Special Rapporteur has also recognized that whistleblowing is an important aspect of freedom of expression. In 2000, Abid Hussain criticized the use of state security and other laws against individuals disclosing information in the public interest. In December 2004, UN Rapporteus Ambeyi Ligabo joined with the Special Representatives on freedom of expression and the media from the OAS and OSCE in a statement on free expression calling for national governments to adopt better protections Whistleblowers releasing information on violations of the law, on wrongdoing by public bodies, on a serious threat to health, safety or the environment, or on a breach of human rights or humanitarian law should be protected against legal, administrative or employed-related sanctions if they act in good faith. Protecting Whistleblowers in India There are no legislations in India to protect whistleblowers here. There have increasingly been the cases of corporate or political scams and which have cost taxpayers heavily including the banks and investors to the amount of thousands of crores of rupees. A Whistleblowers Protection Act is more important for India than it was for the U.S. and the U.K. It can be a strong tool for ensuring good governance in the country if worked in congruence with the Freedom of Information Act. At this moment we are in dire need of public interest groups like the ones on the lines of Government Accountability Project and the National Whistleblower Centre in the U.S., and the Public Concern At Work in the U.K. These will help in safeguarding the rights of whistleblowers rights and defend the employees against any retaliation. In the act of protecting whistleblowers, we are maybe unknowingly also protecting ourselves. In the case of legal protection also many employees might feel hesitant to, but the very existence of whistleblowers will discourage government and corporate wrongdoings to a considerable event. Based on the experiences of other countries the following set of general principles could usefully be the guidelines for the effective Indian legislation regarding the subject: With the consent of the State governments, Parliament should try and enact a single Act for all employees who work in any tier of government. This shall also include employees working in any organisation be it the private or voluntary sector. It shall also include employees of contractors, sub-contractors and agents of an organisation; former employees and overseas employees; applicants for employment, auditors and attorneys should also be covered. The Official Secrets Act should be outlawed. This will provide for a public interest defence. Also the `gagging clauses in severance or employment contracts should be nullified for public interest disclosures. It makes no sense to ask if the Acts protection should include members of such organizations as the armed forces, the police and the secret services. But it must be made sure of that the disclosures shall not harm operations or endanger the lives of the concerned personnel. Unless the Contempt of Courts Act is first amended to provide for a public interest defence, the judiciary shall remain outside its purview. The whistleblowers information about a malpractice must be substantially true, and consequently the whistleblower must act in the good faith and true spirit. In the case of the calls that are not legitimate or are anonymous the whistleblower should not be provided protection with. The period given to file a complaint must be such long so as to provide him sufficient time (say, 1 year). There should be a clear definition of what constitutes public interest disclosures. Following can be the disclosures to which protection can be provided illegal or criminal act(s), breach of regulatory law, miscarriage of justice, danger to public health or safety or property and any damage to environment, including attempts which are intended to cover up these malpractices. The Act must be constituted in such a way so as to encourage employees to first raise the matter within the organization and mandate organisations to establish proper mechanisms for this purpose. When it is not reasonable to raise the matter within the organization, or where attempts to solve the matter from within have been unsuccessful, employees who make an external disclosure in a specified way should also be protected. It remain a matter of debate that what should be the specified way. By general wisdom, apart from certain designated offices which may include SEBI, Pollution Control Boards, etc., public interest disclosures to such personalities as MPs and MLAs; employee unions; and reputed public interest groups must be protected. Disclosures made to the media may also be protected in some cases but in such a case the whistleblower must carry the burden of proof. The protection should include any and all forms of retaliation and the possible solutions could be on the same lines as in the Sarbanes-Oxley Act, including criminal liability for retaliation. To carry out timely adjudication of cases there should be a fast track mechanism similar to that of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act. Decisions have to be made on the points that whether the existing Administrative and other tribunals should be strengthened to do the job or new agencies should be created. Some Famous Cases of Whistleblowing Sherron Watkins, an accountant in Enron blew the whistle for the company. She raised suspicions of accounting improprieties to Enron Chairman, Kenneth Lay. She also warned about Jeffrey Skilling (Chief Executive Oficeer), Fastow (Chief Financial Officer) and other executives who were duping the company. The Chairman just asked an outside law firm, to investigate about it. Before Enron finally declared bankruptcy, Watkins once again informed the chairman that the financial partnerships set up by the huge Houston energy company would prove disastrous and potentially destroy Enron. Coleen Rowley, a special agent with FBI, initially served in the Omaha, Nebraska and Jackson, Mississippi Divisions. After the 2001 attacks, Rowley wrote a paper to FBI Director, Robert Mueller, explaining that the FBI HQ personnel in Washington DC had ignored the warnings given by Minneapolis, Minnesota Field Office. In May of 2002, Rowley brought some of the pre 9-11 lapses to light and testified to the Senate Judiciary Committee about some of the endemic problems faced by FBI and the intelligence community. As a result, the FBI cleared a new Office of Intelligence and expanded the FBI personnel. Frank Serpico is yet another whistleblower. He joined the New York Police Department (NYPD) as a Probationary Officer in the year 1959. In 1967, Frank made his first formal report about the widespread, systematic police corruption, but the police department failed to do anything about it. He gave a complaint to the police Commissioner and the Mayor, but they ignored him. Frustrated, Serpico exposed the NYPD wrongdoings in The New York Times in 1971. Later, he was shot in the face during a raid. None of his colleagues came to help him. Later, Frank was promoted to the rank of detective and was given a gold shield. In May 1972, Frank was awarded the NYPDs Medal of Honor for his honesty and bravery in fighting corruption. Serpico quit NYPD in 1972. Jeffrey Wignand, Vice-President for tobacco research and development at Brown Williamson became the whistleblower on Bg Tobacco, telling how the industry minimized tobaccos health and safety issues. In a 1995 CBS news interview, 60 minutes, he went on speaking about the companys knowledge of nicotines addictive properties, its reckless use of harmless additives, its quashing of research on safe cigarettes, and a variety of other abuses. He was the center witness in the US governments lawsuit against the tobacco industry, which eventually led to the $246bn federal tobacco settlement. Later, Wignand formed a non-profit organization to educate children about health issues and reduce the usage of tobacco among teenagers. Examples of Whistle blowing from India Satyendra Dubey Talk of whistle blowing in the Indian context and one of the first cases that comes to the mind is that of NHAI engineer Satyendra Dubey. Satyendra Dubey, was one of those rare young men who was completely and uncomplicatedly honest. An engineer from Indian Institute of Technology, Kanpur and working for National Highway Authority of India, Satyendra Dubey was supervising construction of the Prime Ministers dream project in the Koderma division in Jharkhand as a part of the Golden Quadrilateral project. In August 2003 he was transferred to Gaya. At Gaya, he exposed large-scale flouting of NHAI rules regarding sub-contracting and quality control. Meanwhile, faced with the possibility of high-level corruption within the NHAI, Dubey wrote directly to the Prime Minister, Atal Bihari Vajpayee, detailing the financial and contractual irregularities in the project. Despite a direct request that his identity be kept secret and despite the letters sensitive content, accusing some of Dubeys su periors, the letter along with bio-data was forwarded immediately to the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways. Dubey faced several threats following this. On November 27, 2003, Dubey was found shot dead in the suburb of A.P. Colony in Gaya while he was returning from a wedding from Varanasi. Satyendra Dubeys death sparked off widespread public protest and highlighted the need and urgency of a whistleblowing act. It exposed the high levels of unethical practices being practiced in the uppermost echelons of the ministries and the unholy nexus with the mafia. Shanmugam Manjunath Another glaring example of the apathy faced by the whistle blowers in India is that of the Indian Oil engineer Shanmugam Manjunath. Manjunath was a marketing manager for the Indian Oil Corporation (IOC) who was murdered for blewing the whistle on a scheme to sell impure gasoline. An MBA from Indian Institute of Management, Lucknow, Manjunath worked for IOC in Lucknow. While there, he had ordered two petrol pumps at Lakhimpur Kheri to be sealed for selling adulterated fuel for three months. On November 19, 2005, Manjunath was found dead in the backseat of his own car, his body riddled with at least six bullets. M N Vijaykumar M N Vijaykumar is an IAS officer in the southern state of Karnataka. He has a penchant for disciplining colleagues who supplement their modest salaries with bribes, kickbacks and garden-variety pilferage. He exposed serious corrupt practices at high levels. His wife, J N Jayashree, set up a website detailing her husbands efforts to fight corruption, and to safeguard her husbands life. Other Examples of Whistle blowing from Asia Yoichi Mizutani blew the whistle on a scam by Snow Brand Food Co. in 2002 while working as the president of a Japanese storage company named Nishinomiya Reizo. Snow had been mislabelling Australian beef as domestic beef so that it could benefit from the beef buy-back program of the government which was issued after an outbreak of bovine spongiform encephalopathy (mad cow disease) in Japan. Mizutanis reward was an order from the Construction Transport Ministry company to suspend operations a suspension that lasted 16 months during investigation of the scam. Nishinomiya was eventually cleared of participation in Snows scheme. Myron A. Mehlman was the former director of toxicology and manager of Mobil Oils Environmental Health and Science Laboratories. He claimed that Mobil incorrectly reported results of his toxicological testing of Mobil products to company officials and outside agencies. Mehlman held his position from 1978 until he was fired in 1989. He supervised about 100 employees in conducting tests and safety evaluations of Mobils petrochemical products, including gasoline. Mehlman had warned that the true benzene levels in gasoline and other Mobil products posed a serious hazard to the public health and environment and that they should be reduced and that Mobil products should be modified. After his firing, Mehlman successfully sued Mobil charging that the company systematically covered up environmental and human health problems. Sibel Deniz Edmonds is a Turkish-American. She had worked as a FBI translator and founder of the National Security Whistleblowers Coalition (NSWBC). In March, 2002, she had accused a colleague of covering up illicit activity involving foreign nationals and also alleged that there were serious acts of security breaches, cover-ups, and intentional blocking of intelligence which according to her were a danger to the United States security. Following this she was fired from her position as a specialist of language at the FBIs Washington Field Office. Since that time, court proceedings on her whistleblower claims have been blocked by the assertion of State Secrets Privilege. On March 29, 2006, she was awarded the PEN/Newmans Own First Amendment Award in recognition of her defense of free speech as it applies to the written word. Marlene Garcia-Esperat (August 29, 1959 March 24, 2005 in Tacurong City, Sultan Kudarat, Philippines) was a Filipina whistleblower and investigative journalist who wrote a weekly anti-graft column for local newspapers. As a result of her anti-corruption work, she was murdered in her own home. Her case is significant, as it is the first in the 56 murders of Filipino journalists since 1986 for which the people ultimately responsible were identified, in addition to the people directly involved. Esperat, as former employee of the Department of Agriculture in Central Mindanao (DA-12) and Midland Review, Tacurong City columnist, exposed the alleged Jocelyn Jocjoc Bolante fertilizer funds scam, in which President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo was implicated. Dr. Ramin Pourandarjani (9 June 1983 10 November 2009) was an Iranian physician who examined prisoners who were wounded or killed during the 2009 Iranian elections protests. He had reported on the state use of tortureon political prisoners. He died under suspicious circumstances on November 10, 2009, at the age of 26. Tehrans public prosecutor Abbas Dowlatabadi said Ramin Pourandarjani died of poisoning from a delivery salad laced with an overdose of blood pressure medication. The findings fueled opposition fears that he was killed because of what he knew. Pourandarjani had worked as a physician at the Kahrizak detention center. Iranian authorities earlier had claimed at various points that Pourandarjani had been injured in a car accident, committed suicide, or died of a heart attack in his sleep at the health center at the police headquarters in Tehran where he worked. The Future of Whistleblowing The following are some of the principles for whistleblowing legislation based on international best practice that should be considered when developing new legislation. The work of the OAS Working Group is also a valuable resource including the Model Law on whistleblowing developed a few years ago: Broad Coverage The law should have a broad coverage. It should apply to public and private sector employees and also those who may face retribution outside the employer-employee relationship such as consultants, former employees, temporary workers, students, benefit seekers, family members and others. It should also apply to national security cases. Protection against retribution The law should have a broad definition of retribution that covers all types of job sanctions, harassment, loss of status or benefits, and other detriments. Employees should be also to seek interim relief to return to the job while the case is pending or be allowed to seek transfers to other equivalent jobs within the organization if return to the existing one is not advisable due to possible retribution. Protection of free speech The law should recognize that there is a significant importance in free speech whistleblowing. Public interest and harm tests should be applied to each release of any information that could have been released under FOI cannot be sanctioned. Confidentiality The law should allow for whistleblowers to request that their identity should remain confidential as far as possible. However, the body should make the person aware of the problems with confidentiality and also make clear that the protection is not absolute. Waiver of liability Any act of public disclosure should be made immune for liability under other acts such as Official Secrets and libel/slander laws. An even more significant move would be to eliminate archaic Official Secrets Acts such as already has been done in New Zealand. Compensation Compensation should be broadly defined to cover all losses and place the person back at their previous situation. This should include any loss of earnings and further earnings. This loss should not be capped. There should also be provisions to pay for pain and suffering incurred because of the release and any retaliation. Rewards In some cases, whistleblowers should be rewarded for making disclosures that result in important recovery of funds or discoveries of wrongdoing. Qui Tam cases, such as have been used in the US, may be an appropriate mechanism for recoveries. Disclosure Procedures The law should set up reasonable procedures to encourage and facilitate internal procedures to disclosure wrongdoing. However, the procedures should be straightforward and easily allow for disclose outside organizations to higher bodies, legislators and the media in cases where it is likely that the internal procedure would be ineffective. There should be easy access to legal advice to facilitate disclosures and reduce misunderstandings. No sanctions for misguided or false reporting The law should not allow for criminal sanctions against whistle blowers who make false disclosures. The disclosure might have been made in good faith. In case of delibarate falsehood, normal sanctions such as a loss of job should be sufficient. Extensive training and publication The

Failures of Early American Higher Education :: essays research papers fc

The Failures of Early American Higher Education The intention of colleges in the United Stated during the 18th and 19th centuries was to create a system that would serve in loco parentis (in place of the parent). In the early years of American higher education, college professors sought to be disciplinarians, who played a parental role. However, the students at these institutions often behaved in a disruptive manner towards teachers, as well as fellow students. This unruly behavior can be directly linked to the economic background of the students attending these institutions, in addition to the philosophies set forth by the colleges. During this time period, colleges attracted mostly upper class men who showed little interest in their academic studies. They were individuals following generations of family members to the institution, and as a result of their connections possessed more authority at the school than the faculty. This issue began to change in the early 20th century, when colleges began admitting more economically diver se individuals. The economic background of the students, in addition to their reluctance to abide by the rules, led to violent and unruly behavior at these institutions.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Students who attended these institutions of higher education were typically born into a wealthy family, where the individuals already had made a name for themselves. They survived college, as disruptive students, because college was not a necessity for them to succeed in life. Referring to Harvard College, in his family’s newspaper, the New England Curant, in 1677, Benjamin Franklin wrote that it had become a â€Å"rich man’s school, a place that wealthy parents sent their sons to, where, for want of a suitable genius, they learn little more than to carry themselves handsomely, and enter a room genteely† (Lucas, p. 109). Prior to the American Revolution, higher education did not impact the majority of the people first hand. It is estimated that no more than one in every thousand colonists attended any college present before 1776 (Lucas, p. 109). This supports the idea that college was only available to those individuals who had enough money to attend college simply for the ability to move up the social ladder.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Many individuals went to college, not for the education, but to continue a tradition set forth by generations of family members. They did not take college seriously, for it was simply the next step, in order to follow through along the path that their family members had paved.

Challenges Facing International Hr

60 HR Predictions for 2008 By Floyd Kemske The top 10 predictions in Workplace Flexibility, Global Business, Work and Society, Workforce Development, Definition of Jobs, and Strategic Role of HR. Workplace Flexibility Collaborative cultures will be the workplace model. Creative employment contracts will support more time off, flexibility in hours and work location, technological job aids and more pay at risk with significant upside potential. Company intranets will become a major tool for communication, training and benefits administration; HR will play a leading role in developing this important tool. Intelligence through knowledge transfer capability will separate the best employees from the rest. Employees will have more and more choices about work arrangements, allowing them to meet their individual needs. Work hours scheduling will become less important as organizations focus on performance and results. Company facilities will become â€Å"virtual† through work-at-home, telecommuting and outsourcing. The workweek will be less structured—employees will still work 40-plus hours, but at varied times and places other than the office. Legislation will lead to greater portability of health, welfare and retirement benefits. Free-lance teams of generic problem solvers will market themselves as alternatives to permanent workers or individual temps. Global Business The role of corporate HR will change to that of creator of overall values and direction, and will be implemented by local HR departments in different countries. Technology, especially the Internet, will enable more businesses to enter the global marketplace. HR professionals will have advanced acumen in international business practices, international labor laws, multicultural sensitivities and multiple languages. HR professionals will need to be knowledgeable of ther cultures, languages and business practices to help their companies find and enter more markets. HR people will have to understand other cultures and help people work with, and transfer among, various cultures. Megaglobal business alliances will grow in number and scope, requiring great finesse on the part of the HR professional. There will be an explosive growth of companies doing b usiness across borders, and it will be the most significant change for the economy in modern times. Cultural understanding and sensitivity will become much more important for the HR professional of the future, whereas multiple language ability isn’t going o become a necessary competency. The continued emergence of a world marketplace will require development of an international workforce. Small teams of HR professionals will focus on providing performance improvement consulting services to a variety of locations around the world. Work and Society Family and life interests will play a more prevalent role in people’s lives and a greater factor in people’s choices about work—there will be more of a â€Å"work to live† than a â€Å"live to work† mentality. Employees will demand increases in workplace flexibility to pursue life interests. Dual-career couples will refuse to make the sacrifices equired today in their family lives and more people (n ot just women) will opt out of traditional careers. Families will return to the center of society; work will serve as a source of cultural connections and peripheral friendships. Workers will continue to struggle with their need for work/ life balance, and it will get worse. Integration of work with quality-of-life initiatives will create solutions to problems formerly seen as the responsibility of government. Community involvement and social responsibility will become part of an organization’s business vision. â€Å"Cocooning† will become more popular as workers look o their homes for refuge from the pressures of a more competitive workplace and depersonalized society. Just as defined-contribution plans have begun to take over from Social Security, companies will take on responsibility for elder care, long-term care and other social needs through cafeteria-style benefits programs. Those people who refuse or are unable to adapt to new technologies will find theyâ€℠¢re working harder and accomplishing less. Workforce Development Lifelong learning will be a requirement. The focus of training/learning activities will be on performance improvement and not just on skill uilding. Employees with varied skills and competencies will be valued more highly than those with a depth of expertise in a single area. Problem solving and decision making will become a required curriculum with practical work problems as the training medium. Training will be delivered â€Å"just in time,† wherever people need it, using a variety of technologies. Companies will demand constant personal growth, and employees will respond positively to higher expectations. It will not be possible to survive in the workplace without basic computer skills. People who can learn new skills/competencies quickly ill be highly valued in a faster changing world. Team projects and special assignments will be a major factor in personal development. As the computer-savvy generation is mo re assimilated into the workforce, employees will become much more productive in complex tasks and less dependent on other people and departments. Definition of Jobs Organizations won’t pay for the value of the job but for the value of the person. Versatility will be the key factor in determining employee value with strategic thinking, leadership, problem solving, technology and people skills close behind. Compensation systems will be linked to business utcomes. All jobs will require higher levels of computer skills. Positions will be organized in teams focused on a task, not organized around a hierarchy. Positions will be defined by the competencies needed to be performed. Employees will be more independent, moving from project to project within their organizations. Many jobs will be redesigned to be much broader in scope, especially in management positions, resulting in leaner head counts. Employees will be increasingly measured by how much value they contribute to the busi ness, not by whether they fulfilled predetermined objectives. Work will be more challenging, and jobs will become increasingly complex. Strategic Role of HR Successful HR departments will focus on organizational performance. HR’s value will be to have the right people ready at the right time: recruiting leaders to join the company’s mix of talent and keeping the â€Å"bench† full of enabled, competent workers. The focus of the HR function will be human capital development and organizational productivity; HR may be renamed to reflect this. HR will evolve from strategic business partnership to strategic business leadership (driving change and results, not just monitoring them). A key HR role in the future will be multidisciplinary consulting around individual, team, business unit and corporate performance. Managers will grow to depend more and more on HR professionals as they realize that good people management can be the strategic advantage in the next decade. Leading change will become HR’s greatest contribution to the corporation. More and more businesses will use HR as a strategic partner. HR will have a â€Å"seat at the table† as part of the top management team and report directly to the CEO in most companies. A key HR role will be managing increasingly scarce human and intellectual capital

Weather Phobia Signs and Symptoms

Weather Phobia Signs and Symptoms Do you jump at every flash of lightning and rumble of thunder?  Or monitor the TV whenever theres a severe weather threat near your home or workplace? If you do, its very possible you have a weather phobia- a marked fear of or anxiety about a specific weather type or event.   Weather phobias are included in the natural environment family of phobias- fears triggered by objects or situations found in nature.   Why Am I Afraid?   Phobias are sometimes described as irrational fears, but they dont always develop out of nowhere. If youve ever experienced a natural disaster such as a hurricane, tornado, or  wildfire- even if you didnt suffer any physical injury or trauma- its possible that the unexpected, sudden, or overwhelming nature of the event could have taken an emotional toll on you.    You Might Have a Weather Phobia If... If you feel any of the following in certain weather situations, you may suffer, to some degree, from a weather phobia:   Anxiety and panic (heart palpitations, shortness of breath, sweating, and nausea)A desire to be around others when unfavorable weather is forecast or occurringAn inability to sleep or eat during sever weatherHelplessness when certain weather is occurringYou change your schedule so that you can  plan  around ill weatherYou obsessively monitor the TV, weather forecasts, or your weather radio One in 10 Americans Are Afraid of Weather   While you might feel ashamed to be afraid of something like weather, which most other people consider to be routine, please know that youre not alone. According to the American Psychiatric Association, approximately 9-12% of Americans have natural environment phobias, of which 3% of that number are afraid of storms. Whats more, some meteorologists can trace their interest in learning about weather back to a fear of weather. Let this encourage you that your weather phobias can be overcome! Coping with Weather Fears When your weather fear strikes, you may feel helpless. But there are a number of things you can do, both before and during attacks, to help manage anxiety and stress. Learn how weather works. If youre afraid of something, the last thing you may want to do is willingly subject yourself to it. But sometimes, fear of something is rooted in a lack of knowledge of it. If you understand the reality of how weather works, you can better differentiate between threats that are real and those that are perceived in your mind. Read weather books, visit science museum exhibits, and learn about weather basics from your favorite weather company and links. (Your presence here on About  Weather means youre already off to a good start!) Practice weather safety. Having an emergency plan in place may help put your mind at ease should bad weather actually strike. It can also make you feel like you have more control of the situation, and are not just a passive victim. Relax. While its easier said than done, relaxing is one of your best defenses. To help keep calm, try engaging in activities that keep your mind occupied and off of the weather happening outside your do or. Practice a favorite hobby or start up a conversation with friends or family. Meditation, prayer, music, and aromatherapy are other good options. (Lavender, chamomile, bergamot, and almond are scents frequently used to ease anxiety.) To find out more, including what the most common weather phobias experienced among Americans are, read Afraid of the Atmosphere. Sources: Jill S. M. Coleman,  Kaylee D. Newby,  Karen D. Multon, and  Cynthia L. Taylor.  Weathering the Storm: Revisiting Severe-Weather Phobia.  Bulletin of the American Meteorological Society (2014).

Powell Speaks the Truth essays

Powell Speaks the Truth essays On Wednesday, February 05, 2003 U.S. Secretary of State Colin Powell presented evidence against Iraq conserving Recorded conversations, satellite images, also drawings and diagrams said to illustrate Iraq mobile biological labs. One intercept, Powell talked about was between a colonel and brigadier general of Iraq's elite Republican Guard. This recording discuss hiding a vehicle before UN inspectors arrived to search a site. Powell said it indicated the Iraq officials knew inspectors were coming and what they would be looking for. In the U.S. translation, one official is heard to say, "We have this modified vehicle. What do we say if one of them sees it?" The other official says, "I'll come to see you in the morning. I'm worried. You all have something left." The other official then says, "We evacuated everything. We don't have anything left." Powell called the recordings "part and parcel of a policy of evasion and deception that goes back 12 years." Powell also showed satellite photos that indicated the presence of "active chemical munitions bunkers" that had been disguised. Those were followed with photos he said illustrated the facilities had been "sanitized" before UN inspectors arrived. Al-Saadi said inspectors had the same satellite imagery and performed tests to detect evidence of weapons and found nothing. Iraq President Saddam Hussein is hiding mobile biological weapons laboratories from inspectors in violation of Security Council. Which hopes to convince a world audience next week of the existence of the secret facilities as proof of Iraqs obstinacy. In conclusion the United States of America is in pursuit of war. Colin Powell is irritated with Sadism Husseins and his regime do all they possible can to ensure that the inspectors succeed in finding absolutely nothing. There is not much time before this hits home. ...

Free Essays on How Would You Describe A Leader And Leadership

A significant part of effective leadership is the close connection between the leader and the follower, which often determines the success of the leader’s mission. Unfortunately, this leader-follower relationship cannot be created according to some simple formula. Young leaders of today face special challenges as they try to communicate and interact with their followers and potential followers. By exploring global perspectives, human diversity, and ethics, young leaders can take yet another step forward in their development and preparation for twenty-first century leadership. Globalization has many implications for leadership today and in the future. Global perspectives are being spread to the farthest points in the world and to the most isolated people. People of different cultures come to the United States daily to live, travel, or engage in business. Leaders must respond to this challenge of globalization so they can effectively reach out to as many people as possible. Opening themselves to the world’s changes allows leaders to compare and contrast their culture with the arts, language, beliefs, customs, philosophies, and ways of living of other people. By observing and questioning another culture, leaders can understand the origin of an individual’s viewpoints and become more sensitive to the cultural needs of that individual. By continually exposing themselves to other cultures, young leaders can thoroughly develop this global perspective and devote themselves to making connections with the entire world. On a more individual level, openness to human diversity plays a role in adjusting to the changes of the future. People are discovering that even within cultures, individuals come from diverse backgrounds, have different personalities, and prefer different ways of life. Young leaders can build a stronger relationship with their followers as they enhance their own appreciation for human diversity. As people become more dive... Free Essays on How Would You Describe A Leader And Leadership Free Essays on How Would You Describe A Leader And Leadership A significant part of effective leadership is the close connection between the leader and the follower, which often determines the success of the leader’s mission. Unfortunately, this leader-follower relationship cannot be created according to some simple formula. Young leaders of today face special challenges as they try to communicate and interact with their followers and potential followers. By exploring global perspectives, human diversity, and ethics, young leaders can take yet another step forward in their development and preparation for twenty-first century leadership. Globalization has many implications for leadership today and in the future. Global perspectives are being spread to the farthest points in the world and to the most isolated people. People of different cultures come to the United States daily to live, travel, or engage in business. Leaders must respond to this challenge of globalization so they can effectively reach out to as many people as possible. Opening themselves to the world’s changes allows leaders to compare and contrast their culture with the arts, language, beliefs, customs, philosophies, and ways of living of other people. By observing and questioning another culture, leaders can understand the origin of an individual’s viewpoints and become more sensitive to the cultural needs of that individual. By continually exposing themselves to other cultures, young leaders can thoroughly develop this global perspective and devote themselves to making connections with the entire world. On a more individual level, openness to human diversity plays a role in adjusting to the changes of the future. People are discovering that even within cultures, individuals come from diverse backgrounds, have different personalities, and prefer different ways of life. Young leaders can build a stronger relationship with their followers as they enhance their own appreciation for human diversity. As people become more dive...

Why does the trade union movement, overall, in Australia, support the Essay

Why does the trade union movement, overall, in Australia, support the Labor Party - Essay Example Explaining the reasons behind the dwindling trade union membership, the paper scrutinises changes in the labour market composition, differences in the unionisation rate of certain groups of workers, along with the effects of conservative legislation, anti-union employer activity, relationships with federal government, etc. Finally, the paper details the trade union responses to membership decline, accessing whether those responses have been a success story. Introduction Ellem and Franks (2008), and Griffin (2002) write that trade unionism in Australasia (Australia and New Zealand) has not unexpectedly been shaped by their members’ prior trade union experience in Britain, given the numerous British migrants who had brought with them the values of their mother country; with the first formal unions having emerged amongst the most skilled employees, such as the Amalgamated Society of Engineers established as overseas branches of the ‘parent’ union in Great Britain (Sh eridan, 1975, as cited in Griffin, 2002). It’s also noteworthy that the first unions had been town-based; having experienced rapid growth during the roaring twenties and the post-war decade, as well as being on the wane during the Great Depression and the ‘swinging’ sixties, the trade unions flourished in Australia over most of the twentieth century – with at least two out of every five workers being members of a union. The then trade unions’ status and power are considered to have been derived from the centralised conciliation and arbitration system first introduced in 1904 with the Conciliation and Arbitration Act (Svensen, Small, Griffin, n.d.). Due to the significant benefits promised, and consequently delivered by the new industrial relations system, like employer’s recognition, legally enforceable minimum wages, working conditions, etc., the Australian trade unions enjoyed remarkable ease in achieving their goals, following a descending hierarchy of arbitral, political, and industrial strategies, in contrast to other countries. Thus, in many cases, Australian unions are considered to have won their battles on bureaucratic battleground, rather than on the industrial one, to a degree that made some commentators to argue whether the title ‘union’ is being used correctly with regard to them (Howard, 1977, as cited in Svensen, Small, Griffin, n.d.). It should be mentioned that the then Commonwealth Court of Conciliation and Arbitration, nowadays the Australian Industrial Relations Commission (AIRC), has adopted the traditional horizontal occupational structure of trade unionism as the basis for its own segmentation (Griffin, 2002). Starting with about 200 unions in 1901 with over 97Â  000 members which represented 6.1 per cent of the working force, the number of unions significantly jumped, following the 1904 legislation – 573 in 1911, with more than 360Â  000 members representing about 28 per cen t of the total number of employees. The post-World War One rationalisation had reduced that number to less than 400, followed by a slow decrease within the next decades – to finally drop below 300 until 1989. Overall, trade unionism in Australia until 1990 is characterised by three main features as follows: a skewed distribution of membership, multi-unionism at both industry and enterprise levels, and well-developed inter-union structures at national and state’s level but not at the enterprise one (Griffin, 2002). In other words, in 1990, 57 per cent of all unions (170 out

Law abstracts Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3000 words

Law abstracts - Essay Example The resulting document was described on its face as a bill of lading and consisted of three documents. The form was partially consistent with a traditional bill of lading, but was essentially a straight bill of lading. In an action for damages for the printing equipment, the plaintiff sought to rely on the Hague/Visy Rules. Outcome: In the hearing of first instance, an arbitral panel ruled that since the agreement for shipment was concluded by virtue of a straight bill of lading, the Hague Visby Rules were inapplicable. This decision was upheld the Commercial Court upon appeal. The Commercial Court ruled that the straight bill of lading was not within the parameters of Article 1(b) of the Hague/Visby Rules. The Court of Appeal reversed the Commercial Courts ruling and the defendant appealed to the House of Lords. In a unanimous decision, the House of Lords confirmed the decision of the Court of Appeal. The House of Lords ruled that, at the time of drafting and implementing the Hague/ Visby Rules, straight bills of lading were in widespread use among carriers and consignees. Had the drafters of the Hague/Visby Rules intended to exclude the Rules applicability to straight bills of lading, it would have specifically said so. ... In this regard, a straight bill of lading was covered by the Rules if it was either a bill of lading or some other document of title revealing the rights and duties of the parties. Commentary on the Case: Schmitz argues that the straight bill of lading is usually rejected as a formal bill of lading because it is usually non-transferrable. However, the House of Lords ruling in the Rafaela demonstrates the need for flexibility as technological advancements have changed the character and form of traditional bills of lading and it is now necessary to analyse content as opposed to form to determine whether or not a document can be regarded as a bill of lading or a similar document of title.1 Dockray also argues that the Raefela also cleared up â€Å"longstanding doubts† that a straight bill of lading was a bill of lading under the Hague/Visby Rules.2 The meaning of Seaworthiness pursuant to Article 3(1) Hague/Visby Rules Actis Co. Ltd. v Sanko Steamship Co. Ltd. (The Aquacharm) [19 82] 1 WLR 119. Plaintiff: Actis Co. Ltd. Defendant: Sanko Steamship Co. Ltd. (The Aquacharm) Facts: In 1971, the defendant deployed the Sanko on a time charter to transport a shipment of coal to Japan from the US. The charterers required that the ship be loaded to the draught which was permitted by the Panama Canal Company. The ship’s master permitted 43,000 tonnes of coal but failed to take into account the fact that the ship’s bow had a tendency to lean when passing out of salt water into fresh water during its journey through the Panama Canal while transporting the coal. As a result, the plaintiff’s cargo was delivered later than the time stipulated for delivery. Therefore the plaintiff sought damages for expenses

Emile Durkheim Theories Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Emile Durkheim Theories - Essay Example His contribution in literature was also immense and is valued up to date (Cuff and Francis 2004, p. 40). One of the main concerns of Durkheim was how the society was formed and how it operated. He observed the formation of the society and the maintenance of social order. He was concerned with the integrity and coherence of the modern society. In this case Durkheim recognized how the society was being transformed by the changes that were taking place in the social life of the people. Durkheim looked closely the shared religious and ethnic background that was changing the life of the society. According to Durkheim, the social changes that were taking place due to religion and ethnic changes could not be ignored in the definition of a normal society. These factors determined how the society was formed and how it operated. To understand the nature of the society and the changes that were taking place, Durkheim constructed as social science model (Giddens 2001, p. 69). Along with Herbert Spence, they developed the first scientific model that could be used to analyze and explain social phenomena. This model which was based on the social facts could be used to explain the existence and quality of different parts that makes up the society. This was explained well by making reference to the different functions of the social facts in maintaining the quotidian and therefore they can be assured as the precursors to functionalism (Durkheim 1938, p. 301). Although Durkheim showed that the society was made up of different parts, he also explained that these parts doest not entirely constitute the whole society. The society was more than these parts and their interrelationship. According to Durkheim, the society has a complex arrangement that is held together by a social fabric (Lukes 1982, p. 60). Durkheim pointed out that while you needed facts in studying science, you do not even know the facts that are relevant to you not until you create the science. This means that we have to use imagination in order to create science that could be used to study the society even before you find out that the science we have created is really imperfect. Therefore Durkheim explained his understanding of the society in view of social fact. He explained social facts as the phenomena which exist in and of themselves although they are not bound to action of individual members of the society. Therefore social facts were different from the action of the individuals. They had a greater objective than the sum total of actions of individuals that compose the society. (Ritzer 2004, p. 21) Unlike his contemporaries like Ferdinand Tonnies or Marx Weber who were considered to have made contribution to the study of the society, Durkheim did not focus on what motivates the action of the individuals in the society but he rather focused on the social facts. His studies were not based on the methodological individualism but focused on the social facts that influence the life of individuals in the society although they are very different from the actions of the individuals. According to Durkheim social facts are made up of different ways of acting and feeling which are not tied to the individual persons. These ways possesses power of coercion which they impose upon individual member

Financial Statement Analysis Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Financial Statement Analysis - Research Paper Example It provides awareness to the investors in that guide them in making important investment decisions. The analysis of the firm will reveal its financial background, operating efficiency, liquidity position, and profitability, going concern, and capital structure and gearing position. Industry analysis facilitates the understanding of the operating environment, identification of external threats and opportunities for investment, analysis of trends within the industry and the general performance of the industry. The Yum! Brands Inc. is a fast food restaurant incorporated in 1927. The company establishes, operates, franchises and licenses a global system of restaurants, which make, pack and sell a menu of priced food commodities. The company has three powerful brands, TACO Bell, KFC and Pizza Hut, which has continuously sustained its profitability over the years. Over the years, the company has reported increase in turnover, profits and returns to shareholders. The earnings per share of the company has an upwards trend for the past eight years with the exception of 2013 when the earnings dropped significantly (Morningstar Inc., 2014). The company’s growth is driven by its powerful brands, superior marketing strategies, breakthrough innovations and competing values, and venturing into new markets (Yum! Brands Inc., 2014). The restaurant business in the U.S is highly competitive with major multinational companies such as Yum! Brands, Starbucks, McDonald’s, Wendy’s, and Chipotle. Personal income, demographics and consumer tastes and preferences drive demand in this industry. Individual entities in the industry have varied profitability levels. Whereas the quick-service restaurants rely on high-volume turnover and efficient operations, the full-service restaurants rely on effective marketing and high-margin items. This industry is experiencing an upward growth trend in sales, profitability and shareholders returns over the years

Expert and pedagogical content knowledge Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2750 words

Expert and pedagogical content knowledge - Essay Example One may gather this kind of knowledge through a training specific to that field through the assimilation of intense theoretical and practical assessment and methods. Pedagogical content knowledge was described by Shulman (1987a) as the combination of content and pedagogy into the comprehension of how certain topics, issues, or problems are structured, characterized and modified to the varied concerns and abilities of learners for instruction. This is the knowledge on how to teach the subject matter to beginners. Example of pedagogical content knowledge is the information on organizational framework that may serve as effective aid for individuals who want to learn the basics of organizational psychology. Basically, both expert and pedagogical knowledge is important in teaching. Without expert knowledge, the instructor would not have a strong foundation and would have low credibility for teaching a specific field. If he doesn't have the knowledge to teach the subject matter then, it would not also be effective. There had been a shift on the focus of learning from the teacher to the student (Angelo, 1997). Another distinction made was that teacher-centered mode of instruction is more content-driven while learner-centered instruction is learning process-driven (Cuseo, n.d.). Santrock (2003) came up with the principles of learner-centered instruction. One of his principles was goals of learning. He explains that goal setting helps student learning. This is in connection to motivation which can come from external factors such as the teachers and the environment and could also come from the person himself with his realization of important matters. Both of these will lead to the formation of a goal. When I was in the fourth grade, I was beginning to be aware of some of my classmates' academic excellence. I just thought of striving to make it to the honors list in order to know the feeling of being there. That was also when I got my first set of encyclopedia. I studied everyday reading every page of the encyclopedia. I was determined to perfect my tests and was actively participating in class. I became recognized in class and gained attention from my teachers. This started my participation in other extra-curricular activities. I got what I wanted and made it to the honors list. I became a consistent honor student until high school. That became my foundation and the experience itself acts as my present motivation. Using technology in the educational environment Classroom instruction has become easier and more efficient with the advent of technology. Present modes of teaching have utilized technology for audio and visual enhancement. For the visual aspect, instructors have used over-head projectors in the past and at present power point presentations are the most commonly used. Studies show that verbal instruction coupled with visual presentation yields more positive learning results as compared to receiving verbal instructions alone. This mode of presentation enables the instructor to prepare for the lecture in advance. This can also increase attention rates of students because of clear and organized lectures. These presentations can also be transferred, printed and uploaded to the internet so that the information can be

Weekly Reflection Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Weekly Reflection - Essay Example The rights of the suspected criminal are guaranteed by the 4th, 5th and 6th amendments of the constitution of the United States (Miller, 2011). Substantive law originates from the legislative statues and the common legal system. On the other hand, civil law is recognized as the branch of common law which deals with the relations between institutions and individuals. This law entails certain rules, which are used by various jurisdictions in order to determine the sentence for a criminal offense in regard to the relationship between an institution and an individual. According to various scholars, these regulations are designed in order to ensure justice in the courts of law (Miller, 2011). Civil law can be distinguished from substantive law. In fact, civil law defines the procedure which allows the action of the law. Lastly, there are civil rights, which are closely interrelated to the civil law. Some of these rights include the right to life, justice and education among others (Miller,

Financial Statement Analysis Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Financial Statement Analysis - Research Paper Example It provides awareness to the investors in that guide them in making important investment decisions. The analysis of the firm will reveal its financial background, operating efficiency, liquidity position, and profitability, going concern, and capital structure and gearing position. Industry analysis facilitates the understanding of the operating environment, identification of external threats and opportunities for investment, analysis of trends within the industry and the general performance of the industry. The Yum! Brands Inc. is a fast food restaurant incorporated in 1927. The company establishes, operates, franchises and licenses a global system of restaurants, which make, pack and sell a menu of priced food commodities. The company has three powerful brands, TACO Bell, KFC and Pizza Hut, which has continuously sustained its profitability over the years. Over the years, the company has reported increase in turnover, profits and returns to shareholders. The earnings per share of the company has an upwards trend for the past eight years with the exception of 2013 when the earnings dropped significantly (Morningstar Inc., 2014). The company’s growth is driven by its powerful brands, superior marketing strategies, breakthrough innovations and competing values, and venturing into new markets (Yum! Brands Inc., 2014). The restaurant business in the U.S is highly competitive with major multinational companies such as Yum! Brands, Starbucks, McDonald’s, Wendy’s, and Chipotle. Personal income, demographics and consumer tastes and preferences drive demand in this industry. Individual entities in the industry have varied profitability levels. Whereas the quick-service restaurants rely on high-volume turnover and efficient operations, the full-service restaurants rely on effective marketing and high-margin items. This industry is experiencing an upward growth trend in sales, profitability and shareholders returns over the years

Weekly Reflection Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Weekly Reflection - Essay Example The rights of the suspected criminal are guaranteed by the 4th, 5th and 6th amendments of the constitution of the United States (Miller, 2011). Substantive law originates from the legislative statues and the common legal system. On the other hand, civil law is recognized as the branch of common law which deals with the relations between institutions and individuals. This law entails certain rules, which are used by various jurisdictions in order to determine the sentence for a criminal offense in regard to the relationship between an institution and an individual. According to various scholars, these regulations are designed in order to ensure justice in the courts of law (Miller, 2011). Civil law can be distinguished from substantive law. In fact, civil law defines the procedure which allows the action of the law. Lastly, there are civil rights, which are closely interrelated to the civil law. Some of these rights include the right to life, justice and education among others (Miller,

Lloyd Newson and Intertextuality Essay Example for Free

Lloyd Newson and Intertextuality Essay 1986 saw the formation of the physical theatre company known as DV8 Physical Theatre which since its inception until present day has been led by Lloyd Newson (www. dv8. co. uk) . Based in the United Kingdom this company has produced a lot of pieces which have toured internationally and have received awards , they also add to their achievements four award-winning films for television (www. dv8. co. uk) . In this essay I will discuss the intertextuality that can be seen in Dv8 original film The Dead Dreams of Monochrome Men conceived and directed by Lloyd Newson and how Newson approached the piece . Intertextuality can be defined as â€Å"the complex interrelationship between a text and other texts taken as basic to the creation or interpretation of the text†(Wall, 2007:97). Or the ways in which the components of a performance text get meaning on the basis of their relationship with other texts(Jordan , 1992: 257). I this case this will be the way in which the piece makes reference to other material other than what the director and performers thoughts are about Nilsen. Dead Dreams of Monochrome Men is loosely based on Brian Master’s book Killing for Company which is the story of Dennis Nilsen a serial killer who lured his victims (all young men ) back to his homes in Cricklewood and Muswell Hill and killed them by chopping their bodies into little pieces and stuffing them down the drain (http://www. ailymail. co. uk). Newson liked to challenge his audience by taking risks in his pieces not only physical risks but risks in his approach and within the piece itself draw form real life -the sociological and psychological- â€Å" for many dance companies it seem risk just means nothing is risked in terms of content and approach† ( Lloyd :www. dv8. co. uk) . Newson stresses that as a company they only work on pieces that are motivated and driven by how the central idea affects them, they talk about their own personal experiences before they start to rehearse and set actual choreography, the process of coming up with the final piece is a collaborative process â€Å"by sharing the process the final work become collaborative and the performers get credited accordingly† (www. dv8. co. uk) . The film also draws into homosexuality, at the time homosexuality was still something that people didn’t talk about widely it was all done behind closed doors . In Dead Dreams of Monochrome Men Newson â€Å"explores the interwoven notions of loneliness, desire and trust† (www. dv8. co. uk) . As mentioned earlier at the time of the film homosexuality was seen as somewhat â€Å"taboo† Newson draws on societies views and explores if what led Nilsen to his disturbing actions could have been the mere fact that there were already so many negative views place on homosexuality he was lonely in need of company -killing for company- â€Å"societal homophobia often results in tragic consequences† (www. dv8. co. uk) . The film is in black and white this in itself could be seen as an intertext , a photographer by the name of Robert Mapplethorpe famous for his photo called Man in Polyester Suit all his pictures are in black and white most of his work could be described as homoerotic, so this can be seen as intertext from the start the films exploration of homosexuality . Dead Dreams of Monochrome Men starts off at a bar or club just like where Dennis would have picked his victim at this point of the film there is pop music (popular gay culture ) playing , the music used as an intertext , movement at this time is not to the music but influenced by the music . The body language of the performer is that of a hunter seeking its prey (victim) . Then as the piece progresses the music moves from pop to a more slower tonal sound . This is when the piece moves to a more â€Å"intimate† space – into Dennis’s home-. Looking at the design and setting throughout the piece we can see that there are many deep intertexts , the use of the sculptures being one , sculptures of nude men almost as an objectification of men as if to say this is how men should look like . The costumes the white underwear not something you would have people where as their full costume on stage , and the dull colored shirts and pants worn by the other characters . There are a few scenes don in the bathroom where we see visible pipes relating to the drains where Dennis’s victims body parts were found , this could be an intertext to point out that the body parts in the drain were the reason that Dennis was caught so have the pipes visible in that way shows his one mistake that lead to his arrest. Also Newson uses the bathroom which is a secret place where some of the action takes place this also draws to the gay culture -secretive â€Å"behind closed doors†- . In the film most of the action is not actual â€Å"dance† its all realism it’s realistic everyday moves and gestures â€Å"realist dance can be said to communicate to audiences ,to attempt to reveal the truths of our world†(Wall, 2007:91). In the bathroom scenes there is no dancing there is an exploration of weight and gestures no choreographed movement , the two men also exchange underwear this switching of something personal represents ntimacy (sexual acts) between them . The piece has a strong intertext to the womb in the bathtub the man lies in a fetal position there is also water and at some point he is immersed in it just like in the womb . The bathtub also being where Dennis drowned his victims or mutilated them . The picture of the man in fetal position in the water can be seen as both the beginning (fetus in womb) and the end (drowned by Dennis). Going back to the spacial design we see that besides the visible pipes the roof is not closed off -no ceiling- you can see the planks , when the performer is up on the roof and moving along the planks in an almost sneaky way this draws to secrecy again it also brings some Notre dame themes of people in the rafters sneaking around , bringing us back to the secrecy . Some have argued that in Dead Dreams of Monochrome Men Lloyd Newson portrays homosexuality in a bad way -as dirty and promiscuous- , they say that with this single film he has undone all the hard work done by gay activist in the past to have homosexuality accepted by society. In conclusion Dead Dreams of Monochrome Men is a powerful film digging deep into the action of a serial killer , playing on the intertextual meanings that we as the audience leave with questions about sometimes as viewers we consciously recognize where the style and ways of using style come from and at other times the origin just provides an unconsciously sensed undercurrent (Bazerman, 2001:1). Dead Dreams of Monochrome Men also shows that physical theatre is capable of taking on complex issues without simplifying the subject (www. dv8. co. uk).

Dabur India Limited A Indian Consumer Goods Company Marketing Essay

Dabur India Limited A Indian Consumer Goods Company Marketing Essay Introduction: Dabur India Limited is a leading Indian consumer goods company with interests in Hair Care, Oral Care, Health Care, Skin Care, Home Care and Foods. From its humble beginnings in the by lanes of Calcutta way back in 1884 as an Ayurvedic medicines company, Dabur India Ltd has come a long way today to become a leading consumer products manufacturer in India. The founder, Dr.S.K.Burman, was a practicing allopathic doctor. At that time Malaria, Cholera and Plague were the common diseases. He was a physician who brought Ayurvedic medicines to the masses of Bengal. Initially established as a proprietary firm for the manufacture of chemicals and ayurvedic drugs it was later on 19th November 1930 incorporated as private limited company. Late Shri C.L.Burman, son of late Dr S.K. Burman and his son late Shri P.C.Burman in the name of Dr S.K.Burman Pvt.Ltd. to expand the operations by setting up production facilities at Garia and Narendrapur, West Bengal and Daburgram, Bihar. Dabur (Dr.S.K.Burman) Pvt. Ltd. was merged with Vidogum and Chemicals Ltd. w.e.f. 1st July1985 and the amalgamated company was renamed DABUR INDIA LIMITED. For the past 125 years, they have been dedicated to providing nature-based solutions for a healthy and holistic lifestyle. Through their comprehensive range of products, they cater to all consumers, in all age groups, across all social boundaries. And this legacy has helped them develop a bond of trust with the customers. VISION Dedicated to the health and well being of every house hold. Dabur is a company with a set of established business values, which direct its functioning as well as all its operations. The guiding forces for Dabur are the words of its founder, Dr.S. K. Burman, what is that life worth that cannot give comfort to others. The Company offers its customers, the products to suit their needs and give them good values for money. The company is committed to follow the ethical practices in doing business. At Dabur, nature acts as not only the source of raw materials but also an inspiration and the company is committed to product the ecological balance. Journey so far 1884 The Birth of Dabur 1972 The company shifts base to Delhi from Kolkata 1986 Registered as Public Limited Company 1994 Listed on the Bombay Stock Exchange 1998 Professional team inducted to run the company 2000 Crosses Rs. 1000 Crore Turnover 2003 Pharmaceutical Business de-merged to focus on core FMCG 2004 Profit exceeds Rs. 100 Crore 2005 Acquire Balsara strengthening Oral care provided entry into Homecare segment 2006 Dabur figures in Top 10 Great Places to Work 2007 Dabur ranked among Asias best under a Billion enterprises by Forbes 2008 Acquired Fem Care Pharma entering the mainstream Skin care segment 2009 Strong growth momentum continued in spite of general economic downturn. Also Dabur Red Toothpaste becomes Daburs 9th Billion Rupee brand. 2010 Touched US$4 billion market cap. Overseas acquisition, Hobi Group, Turkey to strengthen presence in MENA and adjacent regions. Dabur At-a-Glance: Dabur India Limited has marked its presence with significant achievements and today commands a market leadership status. Their story of success is based on dedication to nature, corporate and process hygiene, dynamic leadership and commitment to their partners and stakeholders. Leading consumer goods company in India with a turnover of Rs. 3417 Crore (FY10) 3  major strategic business units (SBU) Consumer Care Division (CCD), Consumer Health Division (CHD) and International Business Division (IBD) 3  Subsidiary Group companies Dabur International,  Fem Care Pharma and newu  and  8 step down subsidiaries: Dabur Nepal Pvt Ltd (Nepal), Dabur Egypt Ltd (Egypt), Asian Consumer Care (Bangladesh), Asian Consumer Care (Pakistan), African Consumer Care (Nigeria), Naturelle LLC (Ras Al Khaimah-UAE), Weikfield International (UAE) and Jaquline Inc. (USA). 17 ultra-modern manufacturing units spread around the globe Products marketed in over 60 countries Wide and deep market penetration with  50 CF agents, more than 5000 distributors and over 2.8 million retail outlets all over India Dabur India Ltds manufacturing activities spanning various consumer products categories are carried out in 17 factories spread across India and abroad. Dabur has 11 manufacturing facilities in India, out of which two main units are at Baddi (Himachal Pradesh) and Pantnagar (Uttaranchal). Daburs Business Structure: Note: Percentage share in revenue based on FY10 Financials ; Femcare included in Consumer Care Division Consumer Care Division (CCD): Consumer Care Division (CCD) adresses consumer needs across the entire FMCG spectrum through four distinct business portfolios of Personal Care, Health Care, Home Care  Ã‚  Foods. Master brands: Dabur Ayurvedic healthcare products Vatika Premium hair care Hajmola   Tasty digestives Rà ©al Fruit juices beverages Fem Fairness bleaches skin care products 9 Billion-Rupee brands: Dabur Amla, Dabur Chyawanprash, Vatika, Rà ©al, Dabur Red Toothpaste, Dabur Lal Dant Manjan, Babool, Hajmola and Dabur Honey Strategic positioning of Honey as food product, leading to market leadership (over 75%) in branded honey market   Dabur Chyawanprash the largest selling Ayurvedic medicine with over 65% market share. Vatika  Shampoo has been the fastest selling shampoo brand in India for three years in a row Hajmola tablets in command with 60% market share of digestive tablets category. About 2.5 crore Hajmola tablets are consumed in India every day Leader in herbal digestives with 90% market share Category-wise Share of CCD : Brand Overview: Consumer Care Categories: Hair Care: Hair Oil Shampoo Source: Value share-ACN June, 09 Value Share-ACN Mar, 10 Oral Care: Value Share-ACN March, 2010 Health Supplements: Value Share-ACN March, 2010 Foods: Company Est. Mar, 2010 for Fruit Juice category Skin Care: *Company estimates; Includes Fem skin care portfolio Digestives: Value Share-ACN March, 2010 Home Care: Value Share-ACN Mar,2010 for Aerosols category Consumer Health Division (CHD) Consumer Health Division (CHD) offers a range of  classical Ayurvedic medicines  and Ayurvedic OTC products that deliver the age-old benefits of Ayurveda in modern ready-to-use formats. Daburs Consumer Healthcare business is the Companys oldest business, and today has a growing portfolio of OTC products to address a variety of problems ranging from Womens Health to Baby Care and  Cough Cold to Rejuvenation. Has more than 300 products sold through prescriptions as well as over the counter Major categories in traditional formulations include: Asav Arishtas Ras Rasayanas Churnas Medicated Oils Proprietary Ayurvedic medicines developed by Dabur include: Nature Care Isabgol Madhuvaani Trifgol Division also works for promotion of Ayurveda through organised community of traditional practitioners and developing fresh batches of students   The Consumer Health Division, CHD witnessed a growth of 10.2% during the quarter led by ethical portfolio which grew by 14.5%. In OTC, Pudin Hara grew by 12.8%. The Pudin Hara portfolio has been extended by launching Pudin Hara Lemon Fizz in the acidity segment. International Business Division (IBD) International Business Division (IBD) caters to the health and personal care needs of customers across different international markets, spanning the Middle East, North West Africa, European Union and the US  with its brands Dabur Vatika   Growing at a CAGR of 33% in the last 6 years and contributes to about 20% of total sales Leveraging the Natural preference among local consumers to increase share in perosnal care categories Focus markets: GCC Egypt Nigeria Bangladesh Nepal US High level of localization of manufacturing and sales marketing World wise division of Dabur Daburs International business: The Companys key markets for international business are the Middle East, Africa, UK and South Asian geographies, with manufacturing plants located across regions. The Company also has a private label business in USA and UK, along with Guar gum exports, which takes place from its Indian plants. The Companys International Business Division recorded an impressive sales growth of 26.3% from Rs.477.0 crore in 2008-09 to Rs.602.5 crore in 2009-10, contributing to 18% of overall consolidated sales. The operating margins of the business improved significantly during the year reflecting the strength of the brands even though the external conditions were tough and the environment was plagued by recessionary trends, currency depreciations and demand contraction. Robust sales growth in international markets was possible due to: Strong Brand portfolio positioned on herbal and natural platform Aggressive new product launches and brand extensions Geographical expansion into new markets Strong Sales and Distribution network Strong manufacturing backbone and expansion of own manufacturing in key geographies Localised and efficient supply chain. Product Portfolio: The company has built strong and robust brand architecture with two mega brands for international business across all geographies Dabur and Vatika and most of its offerings are under either of these two brands. Dabur Amla: Dabur Amla franchise achieved a growth of 38% along with all the extensions. Basis Nielsen Retail Audit in KSA, Dabur Amla Hair Oil with a market share of 34.2% is the biggest brand in the hair oil segment. Dabur Amla Gold has market share of 6.8% while Dabur Amla Jasmine is at 5.1%. The Amla franchise has now been extended to the Hair Cream Category with the launch of Dabur Amla Hair Cream. It has become the fastest growing brand in the Hair Cream segment notching up sales of more than INR 13 Crore in first year of launch. Vatika: There has been a robust growth of 36% in the Vatika franchise which includes Vatika Enriched Hair Oil, Coconut Hair Oil, Hair Creams and Hamam Zaith. Vatika brand is now worth Rs.185 Cr built from a negligible base over the last four years in the Arab belt. There was a successful re- launch of Shampoos and Conditioners, launch of one more variant in Hamam Zaith and re-launch of Vatika Coconut Hair Oil. Light hair oil range of Vatika Hair oils registered 51% growth in MENA. Vatika Hair Cream is now an INR 64 Cr brand in MENA. Vatika Hair Cream gained 370 bps in market share and becoming 12.7% of the market in volume terms. It grew by 44% in volume terms over LY in a category that has remained flat. Vatika Hair Cream is now the no. 2 player in Modern Trade with a 15.6% volume mkt share despite aggressive competition from established brands. Vatika DermoViva a new sub- brand launched for the Personal Wash and Skin Care segment had its first launch in the Bar Soap category and has managed to create consumer equity in a category dominated by strong MNC players. FEM: The FEM brand was strengthened in the overseas markets through ATL and BTL inputs which saw the brand grow by 100% in just nine months of operation since the takeover. Daburs International Market: The key contributing markets/ regions to the International Business growth have been GCC, Egypt, Nigeria, Algeria, Morocco, Libya, Yemen, Syria and South Africa. GCC, the biggest market in the IBD and despite being a mature market, has registered a strong growth of 42% over last year fuelled by innovations and new product launches in the Hair Care, Personal Wash and Oral Care segments. Dabur Egypt Limited has witnessed another fantastic performance with 30% growth in sales. African Consumer Care, Nigeria has grown by 17% over last year in terms of local currency , aided by strong growth of Dabur Herbal Toothpaste and Dabur Herbal Gel in the Oral Care category. Asian Consumer Care, Pakistan has grown by 26% in revenue with Hajmola and Dabur Amla becoming the two strong brands for the region. Dabur International`s UK Branch has witnessed a 23% growth over previous year which has been the highest growth rate for this region in the last 8 years. Markets of North Africa, Levant and Yemen have witnessed an impressive performance with 49% growth over previous year. Asian Consumer Care, Bangladesh, registered a growth of 47% during the fiscal 2009-10. The growth has been led by increased distribution penetration and focussed brand approach. Dabur Nepal Pvt Limited which makes fruit juices and also caters to local consumer market in Nepal recorded impressive growth of 26% in its sales to the domestic market of Nepal. Dabur recently has bought Turkey-based personal care company Hobi Kozmetik Group in a deal at Rs. $ 69 million. The company, in a move to increase its presence across Middle East and North African region, has made the acquisition. Hobi Kozmetik is a market leader in the hair gel category with 35% market share. Companys products sold under Hobby and New Era brands in 35 countries. The transaction is expected to be completed by Q3 of FY11. Dabur, which is the biggest FMCG in India with large market capitalization, has huge investment and expansion plans as the company aims to expand its foreign sales. Exports from India: The company also exports guargum and private label oral care products from India. During the year 2009-10 the company recorded Guargum exports to the tune of Rs.43.3 crore as compared to Rs.48.3 crore in the previous year. The sales were lower due to poor global demand and recessionary environment. Exports to USA recorded impressive growth with sales increasing to Rs.38.4 Cr in 2009- 10 versus Rs.27.6 in 2008-09 reflecting a growth of 39% despite the recessionary environment in developed markets. The US sales comprise Private Label and Ethnic business. Key markets in USA and Europe contributed to the growth. Innovative product developments in Oral care private label- such as Pro-age, Sensitive and Herbal toothpastes were launched. Ethnic Sales in USA and Canada also performed well recording 80% growth albeit on a low base. Various new products were successfully launched in the market and penetration of mainstay Dabur products like Hair Oils and Chyawanprash into Canadian mainstream retail chains such as Walmart was achieved. Competitor Analysis: Category Daburs Share Main Competitors Fruit Juice 58% Real and Active Tropicanna Fruit Drinks (coolers) 1% Coolers Frooti And Maaza Hair oil Coconut base 6.4% Vatika HLL Shampoo Vatika 7.1% HLL and PG Hair care (overall) 27% HLL, PG and Himalaya Chyawanprash 64% Himani, Zhandu and Himalaya Honey 40% Himani, Hamdard and local Players Digestives 37% Paras and local players Competition: Market Cap. (Rs. cr.) Sales Turnover Net Profit Total Assets HUL 60,897.63 17,725.33 2,202.03 2,583.52 Dabur India 18,851.77 2,874.60 433.15 859.35 Godrej Consumer 12,917.72 1,267.88 248.12 839.87 Colgate 11,244.57 1,770.82 290.22 330.70 Godrej Ind 7,770.69 880.97 19.33 1,570.31 Marico 7,641.54 2,030.85 235.02 948.58 PG 7,169.93 904.46 179.76 440.02 Emami 6,891.49 1,006.86 165.40 878.42 Gillette India 5,953.64 852.48 137.10 490.89 Jyothy Labs 2,440.33 579.87 80.05 399.10 Source: moneycontrol.com BCG Analysis: Internation business division which promises high growth potential in Egypt, Nigeria, Pakistan, Banladesh, Nepal, US needs more investment. Price penetration is a key strategy for Cash Cows like Health supplements, Digestives and Home care. Dabur has adopted a strategy of premium pricing for its Dog category like Baby care. Vision 2010 The following are the principal features of the 2010 strategic plan:- Doubling of the sales figure from 2006 The new plan will focus on expansion, acquisition and innovation. Although Daburs international business has done well growing by almost 33% from Rs.602.5 crore in 2009-10, plans are to increase it by leaps and bounds. Growth will be achieved through international business, homecare, healthcare and foods. Southern markets will remain as a focus area to increase its revenue share to 15 per cent. After smoothly sailing through its previous plans, this vision seems possible. However, if Dabur could be more aggressive in its approach, it can achieve unprecedented results. To conclude, there are few recommendations which are as follows. Recommendations: Entering rural market: Dabur should target more towards the rural market and tier 2 and tier 3 cities. These markets have traditionally been loyal to Daburs ayurvedic range of personal products. Tapping the rising global demand of herbal and Ayurvedic products: New trends in the global market for the rising demand of herbal/ ayurvedic products are seen. This is the right time when Dabur should re launch itself as a key international player in the global arena. Targeting premium segment: In the domestic market, there is a huge scope for Dabur to launch niche/luxury segment products catering to specific target groups. Development of new markets for Products Services: New areas of growth are opened up for Dabur with the expansion into the new markets of Cambodia, Philippines, Belarus, Gambia and Bolivia. The sales and distribution structure should be strengthened in the key markets of Yemen, Syria, Kuwait, Malaysia and Tanzania. It can be done by appointing new distributors in CIS, Mozambique, Guinea and Rwanda etc Entering US Market: The Company is also trying to enter into the US Market where it is attempting to build a full fledged distribution channel. It will also be useful to mention that some of its products like Chyawanprash are selling in the US via indirect channels. But this task is going to be a herculean one since US laws are tough and the preferences of consumers also vary greatly than that of markets which are usually catered to by Dabur. Targeting South Africa: In Africa the company should look at countries like South Africa where it currently is not present. It already has a personal care plant in Egypt and a toothpaste plant in Nigeria. Dabur can do well in these markets because the profile and preferences of these consumers are very much like India. Focusing on Export: The focus should be to continue expanding the companys presence across geographies and to exploit the opportunities that exist in existing and potential segments. The company should continue to invest in brand building, manufacturing and human capital in order to maintain and improve the existing robust growth path.