Corporate Social Responsibility ( Csr ) - 1226 Words

Novartis’ Transparency Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) Introduction to Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) Consumers all over the world are pressuring companies to become more socially responsible. Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) is a measurement of a business’ impacts on society, both positive and negative. Pharmaceutical companies in particular are held to a high ethical standard by the public due to the nature of their product. Novartis, one of the largest healthcare and pharmaceutical companies in the world, aspires to be a model of ethics and philanthropy in the industry and sets a global standard of CSR for all businesses. This paper examines some of Novartis’ most recent CSR actions that contribute to the company’s sublime reputation, but also investigates lawsuits against Novartis and shortcomings with its transparency which the administration continually fails to address. Recent Innovations of Novartis In the last couple of years, Novartis has set aside more funds and efforts toward charitable healthcare. Their branches across the globe have developed entire departments to oversee the projects. These projects focus on providing affordable and innovative healthcare to low-income populations, both preventative and treatment-based. Health Education Capabilities Fund Novartis recently instituted a $1 million Health Education Capabilities Fund for projects that educate stakeholders and raise awareness of African health and diseases. New Generation ofShow MoreRelatedCorporate Social Responsibility And Csr1566 Words   |  7 PagesSocial responsibility or also called Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR)- is the firm’s engagement (voluntarily initiated) in and its compliance (legally mandated) to environmental, social, and governance issues (The Foundation, 2014). Also, is based on stakeholder’s needs being financially sustainable, and CSR can come from both corporate or not-to-profit organizations. CSR has seven categories; Leadership, vision and values; Marketplace activities; Workforce activities; Supply chain activities;Read MoreCorporate Social Responsibility ( Csr )1167 Words   |  5 PagesCorporate Social Responsibility Introduction Corporate social responsibility (CSR) is a concept which is also known as corporate citizenship, corporate conscience or in a simple way a responsible business. It is an integrated concept of self-regulatory business model for any organisation. Corporate Social Responsibility has been in practice for more than fifty years now, which has been adopted not only by domestic companies but also by transnational company with voluntary CSR initiativesRead MoreCorporate Social Responsibility : Csr1232 Words   |  5 PagesCorporate social responsibility has become a buzzword within the industry in the last few years. Following the financial market crash investors and stakeholders began looking at corporations to act more socially responsible. The meaning of social responsibility differs across regions. Western countries are the ones who are pushing for corporate social responsibility -thesis-- A broad overview at corporate social responsibility (CSR) looks to corporations to make a change in the society or the environmentRead MoreCsr : Corporate Social Responsibility1598 Words   |  7 Pages CSR stands for Corporate Social Responsibility. Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) is defined by many groups like, Tata steel, Coca Cola, Reliance, Videocon etc. Although they all stand for similar meanings connecting to taking responsibilities of the society as a business individual, its definition has been getting broader from a established point of view, corporate social responsibility is a type of business instruction included in a business demonstration. CSR policy functions as a self-regulatoryRead MoreCsr : Corporate Social Responsibility Essay1285 Words   |  6 PagesCSR stands for Corporate Social Responsibility and it is a concept with many definitions and practices and also a buzzword in the media. In general, corporate social responsibility is the policies and progra ms of business corporations which tend to benefit society while improving a corporation’s public image and profitability at the same time. The meaning of it is implemented in different countries and companies differently. Warren Buffet said that it takes 20 years to build a reputation and onlyRead MoreCorporate Social Responsibility ( Csr )863 Words   |  4 Pagestechnology in the last century. The term of Corporate Social Responsibility appears more often into public’s concerned and it has become a hot issue in recent years. This essay is going to discuss and provide an overview of corporate social responsibility (CSR) by debate some key issue in this area. 1.2 What is Corporate Social Responsibility? In 1953, Bowen’s Social Responsibility of the Businessman firstly discusses the idea of corporate social responsibility. He states the relationship between societyRead MoreCorporate Social Responsibility ( Csr )1314 Words   |  6 PagesSocial responsibility has become a primal interest to the humankind for the past two decades. In the earlier days, the firms and organizations concentrated only on the financial part of the business and ignored the ethical, social and moral sectors. But in the recent times, the businesses are getting a grip of the significance of the social, ecological and environmental effects on their success. This has resulted in the emerging interactions between organizations and social segments thus giving riseRead MoreCorporate Social Responsibility ( Csr )1173 Words   |  5 Pages Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) is highly important to Millennials. If a company is lacking a CSR plan, now it a good time to start one. Millennials are looking for ways in making a positive impact on the world and are expecting the same from companies. They are looking for companies that contribute to the betterment of communities and the environment. Millennials put great value in supporting such brands, companies and organizations that share these values. Companies without a CSR in placeRead MoreCorporate Social Responsibility : Csr979 Words   |  4 PagesThe notion of Corporate Social Responsibility is a phenomenon globally known for many years. In spite of the fact that CSR has been neglected for quite a long time, nowadays several authors deal with this issue, as revealed by the development of theories in recent years concerning the topic. In spite of the fact that there has been a huge growth of literature it is still impossible to simply define CSR. Many definitions trying to capture the concept of CSR exist, but their content varies (MattenRead MoreCorporate Social Responsibility ( Csr )1370 Words   |  6 Pagesmore attention on the concept of Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR). The core issue is the appropriate responsibility of business. In as much as firms ought to obey the law, but beyond complete compliance with environmental laws, the question is whether firms have extra social responsibilities to commit part of their resources to environmental preservation voluntarily. This memo provides an exploratory investigation of the link between corporate social responsibility and the benefits accruing to a

Teen Delinquency Is It A Conscious Choice Teens And Crime

Abstract What motivates teens to be delinquent? Is it a conscious choice? Teens and crime seem to be an unpredictable and ongoing problem. Teen crime rates rise and fall, but what is the cause of the increases and decreases in the rates? Experts are constantly doing studies and experiments to find patterns that hopefully explain it. If teen delinquency can be explained, then maybe it can be reduced through programs and other resources aimed at helping troubled teens and youth. Even with all the studies that have been done, experts still can’t quite explain the crime rates among teens. The problem may be that there isn’t a trend or pattern. Perhaps delinquent behavior is being looked at and researched incorrectly. My paper†¦show more content†¦However, this list of most influential factors can change and be added to, based on more recent and ongoing studies from experts (Siegel Welsh, 2013, p. 42). According to Seigel and Welsh (2013) â€Å"population makeup† influences the crime rates among teens (p. 42). Since a good portion of criminal activity is committed by teenage males, crime rates will rise when there are more teenage boys in the population. A higher percentage of teenage males in the population also decrease the availability of jobs and getting into college. These teenage boys will look for something to occupy their time or look for ways to make a quick buck. This could lead to the selling of drugs or other illegal and/or stolen goods. Joining a gang could also be a temptation as it brings the feeling of belonging to something and protection Another factor mentioned by Seigel et al’s (2013) research that seems to produce more crime among teens is gangs and guns. These factors were mentioned separately in the text, but I believe gangs and guns go hand in hand so therefore I mention them together. Where there are gangs, there is crime. There are approximately 24,000 gangs with over 800,000 members committing 80% of the crime in the United States (Siegel Welsh, 2013, p. 43). SHAPING TEEN CRIME TRENDS 4 Gang members are also more likely to be armed to protect themselves, their fellow

Business Model Canvas and AIESEC-Free-Samples-Myassignmenthelp

Questions: 1.Define BMC (Business Model Canvas) in general. 2.Introduce AIESEC and its history. Answers: 1.Business Model Canvas Business Model canvas is one of the many strategic management templates that are integrated into new business models or existing business models (Gallay and Rubin 2015). The following element considers the value proposition of the product, the infrastructure of the business, the finance invested in the business and most importantly the customers of the business. The following model can be segmented into a number of different parts namely; Customer Segments- A particular organization serves one or more consumer segments. Value Propositions- The main aim of value proposition is to solve the problems of the customer and satisfy their different needs (Dudin et al. 2015) Channels- Communication, sales channels and distribution are used as channels to deliver the different needs and choices of the customers of the organization Customer Relationships- A proper and efficient customer relationship are established by means of proper communication Revenue Streams- Revenue is generated by successfully solving the problems of the customers Key Resources- Key resources are the elements that are needed to deliver the value propositions of the customers that the particular organization serves (Gallay and Rubin 2015) Key Partnerships- The organization enters into different agreement to outsource some activities whereas some of the resources are acquired from within the enterprise itself Cost Structure- The elements present within the business model are the key determinants of the cost structure. 2.AIESEC AIESEC was formed in the year 1948 just after the Second World War (www.aiesec.in). The organization was formed as a result of the hard work of seven youths across seven different countries who dreamt of uniting the world with the exchange of cross cultural vows. They believed that change is a long term process and aimed to change one person at a given time through internships. The organization was able to establish itself in across 50 countries and deliver learning experiences to over 40,000 young youth. In the year 2010, the organization was able to achieve a staggering figure of 10,000 individual experiences across the world in just one year which was a record in itself. The main aim of the organization is to strive for peace that would help the human being (Zolnowski Wei and Bohmann 2014) References "AIESEC."AIESEC. N.p., 2017. Web. 18 Nov. 2017. Dudin, M.N., Kucuri, G.N., Fedorova, I.J.E., Dzusova, S.S. and Namitulina, A.Z., 2015. The innovative business model canvas in the system of effective budgeting. Gallay, R. and Rubin, J.L., 2015. The Marketing of Aiesec, A Non-Profit, Service Organization. InProceedings of the 1983 Academy of Marketing Science (AMS) Annual Conference(pp. 572-573). Springer International Publishing. Joyce, A. and Paquin, R.L., 2016. The triple layered business model canvas: A tool to design more sustainable business models.Journal of Cleaner Production,135, pp.1474-1486. Zolnowski, A., Wei, C. and Bohmann, T., 2014, January. Representing Service Business Models with the Service Business Model Canvas--The Case of a Mobile Payment Service in the Retail Industry. Insystem sciences (HICSS), 2014 47th Hawaii International Conference on(pp. 718-727). IEEE.

Racial Capitalism and Colonialism

Racial capitalism does more harm than good especially to the colored individuals. It does a great deal in hindering progress in the fight against racial discrimination. Social capital should be the way to go because it promotes the community as a whole. The oppressions brought by racial capitalism are responsible for the transformation of the culture of Africans in the Diaspora in their attempt to raise against it.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on Racial Capitalism and Colonialism specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More The white culture has also been greatly changed as it is forced to accept economic strategies that are not discriminative such as social capitalism thereby changing their culture significantly. Colonization gave birth to slavery and slavery is what brought about the Africans in the Diaspora. Africans had and still have their own unique culture. The mass movement of Africans from their homeland to work as slaves in their colonial master’s plantations is responsible for the cultural transfer that took place during the colonial era. Africans who moved in to the new lands took with them a rich African culture which they struggled to retain in the new land. It was not an easy task because they also found new culture in the countries they were taken. It proved unavoidable to borrow some new way of doing things and leading their everyday life in the new lands. Their colonial masters had their own unique culture as well which was equally affected by the presence of the Africans. A major contributing factor to the erosion of culture on both sides is probably the attempt to learn each other and the inevitable interactions that took place. There is even evidence of marriage between the two races thereby creating need for a compromised culture that accommodates both parties. As slavery was abolished in many parts of the world, the struggle for superiority between the blacks and the white s emerged. The transformation of the African culture rode on the bocks a wide platform of audience that was emerging in the 19th century. The audience developed as a result of social changes in theatre and music. Technological advancement in technology in the 19th century also played a great role in enabling the upcoming African black artist reach a wider audience through radio, TV and the print media. Ironically, the prolonged domination of racism and slavery and brought about the pinnacle of black culture which became very popular. This left many talented artists with no platforms of showcasing their expertise and instead they were left to entertain members of their own communities rather than being summoned by sovereigns to palaces to produce music and art aimed at praising great leaders (Clarke Deborah, 2006).Advertising Looking for essay on african american? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More What is most amazing is the fac t that the oppressions experienced by the Africans during slavery in the new lands did not hinder their culture from spreading but rather made it popular. Slavery and colonization deprived Africans of education and a consequently reduced number of elites in their midst. Their most talented artists were therefore left to sing and amuse their own kin men. As a corollary, throughout Africa and the Diaspora, the effort of individual musicians and the wide traditions of well-liked culture increase reputation over the festivity of aristocrats and sovereigns in privileged courts. These artists’ talents developed diversely in music, narratives and fashion because their audience was the local community rather than the nobles (Clarke Deborah, 2006). They were able to develop new skills of talking to the popular audience where they addressed the fundamental issues of life and death in the deep and hidden meanings in their songs. The black culture continued to gain root through the vari ous artistic presentations and the ability to embrace technology, improvisation and change. This thought is metaphorically seen in jazz music as it views improvisation as key. Creativeness and thought to fresh audiences or latest practices have shaped most genres in black admired culture. The surfacing of black artists who have become famous in influential cultures can also be seen to be a causative factor towards the altering of the western culture by the African culture. Prominent writers and philosophers have all written their work with a significant attempt to try and praise the African culture. Roland Hayes made sure that he included spirituals in his classical recitals thereby giving the African culture a significant lee way to reach a wide audience. The artists used words such as â€Å"giving back† to refer to recognizing and appreciating the black community. The hot fire of African campaigns against racism has done a significant job in melting the cold ice of cultural discrimination. However, there are other things to consider after the ice has melted.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on Racial Capitalism and Colonialism specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More A major one is prejudice that is majorly based on the skin color. While it is true that racial capitalism and colonialism did a great job in shaping the African culture for the Africans in the diaspora, the same has had a significant effect of transforming the western culture. Works Cited Clarke, Kamari M., Deborah A. Thomas. (2006.) Globalization and Race: Transformations in the Cultural Production of Blackness, Durham. New York Duke University Press. This essay on Racial Capitalism and Colonialism was written and submitted by user Westin T. to help you with your own studies. You are free to use it for research and reference purposes in order to write your own paper; however, you must cite it accordingly. You can donate your paper here.

Anthrax Virus essays

Anthrax Virus essays Anthrax is a horrible killer. Most that die are unknowing that they are even infected. The symptoms are black sores in the first instance, and abdominal cramp and vomiting and bleeding in the second. If the bacteria grows it will invade the blood stream and cause systemic disease. The inhaled spores are very fast acting. They travel very quickly to lymph nodes. Some of the cell stay in the lungs and cause fluids to build up. After its in the blood B. anthracis can expand because of their virulence factors. This affects the bodies immune defenses that are suppose to monitor the level of bacterial growth. The anthrax toxins also enter other cells and contribute to mortal illness. The toxins consist of three proteins: a protective antigen, edema factor, and lethal factor. These are harmless individually until they attach and enter cells. The way this happen is first the protective antigen binds to the cell where an enzyme trims off its outermost tip. Seven of those molecules form a ring that captures the two factors. Then the two factors attack the cells cytosol, and there they do their dirty work. They have now come up with ATR. It spans the cells membrane and protrudes from it. The protruding part has a receptor area, which are the attachment sites for particular proteins. The area is were the protective protein latches on or so scientist believe. Scientist would like to uncover the molecular interaction that enables protective antigen heptamers to move from the cell surface to inside the cell. I think that if they have come this far then its not long before they figure that out. The only anthrax vaccine approved for humans takes a different form. It consists of toxin molecules that have been treated to prevent them from making people ill. The way the do it is to grow a weaker strand and filter the bacteria cells from the culture and treating with formaldehyde to in ...

Common Examples of Illustration Essay Topics

Common Examples of Illustration Essay Topics Illustration Essay Topics An illustration essay brings out a platform to show out your ability in making something known, giving clarity like glowing a torch. Although you are tasked a title that appears quite easy, you are to make a clear picture, so your reader equips himself or herself with extensive understanding of how a something performs its work, the procedure of repairing something in case it stops functioning, how to elevate yourself to certain status, the process of making something better, and many more. It is not worth that the name illustrative essay originated from the fact that it makes one reading to comprehend in mind a concept as practically it is, for example, creating that mental picture of all that you put down on paper. This essay type mostly bases itself on giving examples as a way demonstrating the different thoughts and ideas available. Therefore, its usual for instructors to call this category of writing an exemplification essay, or in another term as descriptive essay. All of these terms are linked together through the fact that they try to illuminate a cohesive comprehension through clear, reachable explanations together with illustrations. Titles of Illustration Essays These titles constitute half the encounter of the assignment. Because the goal of the assignment is to determine how proficient you are when it comes to giving explanation and description, it can be of great help especially if you have a good title. A good topic is any title of interest you admire to explore it in depth. Usually, the first step of writing any tough assignment begins with doing research. Therefore, it will be easier and enjoyable for those who like researching and composing. Mostly this requires less comprehensive research to have the essay written. However, sometimes you might not have an option when it reaches to selected topics for you. In such an instance you need to expect the best. With this kind of selected titles, nobody knows, you might end up enjoying its writing. Title examples Explain the parts of a sincere apology. Illustrate the advantages and soreness of parenthood. Describe the community obligation of Describe why good health is the most important gift amongst others. Illustrate and explain the importance of one firmly tradition of Americans. Explain how one can be better in communication skills Explain how over the past 50 years there isnt much improvement in our society Describe the source of worry in an individuals death Explain examples of rituals that are out-dated and why they keep on existing In this modern age of the 21st century, describe some of the routines that have emerged Describe how early people discovered that the earth was not flat. Explain the significance of being with a guardian or parent with you Discuss the dangers to children who most times have been self- parented Discuss the reasons why pricey restaurants are mostly quiet. SIMPLE TITLES Discuss how to be neat and organized Using a mix, explain how to bake a good cake. Discuss how you can make a constructive argument with a person you care much about. Explain how you will select a dog or a cat for adoption at a shelter Discuss the complexity involved in loving a person as compared to a pet. Discuss the procedure in perfect birthday present selection for someone. Explain how to rate top in an interview Describe how more travels can expand world view. Explain the importance of attempting fresh things. Using U.S history or world, explain one valuable lesson that can be learned. Explain how to tell a good friend Discuss how one can be a good friend to another Describe the process through which skills can be improved through a hobby. Discuss how to make an excellent girlfriend/boyfriend. If hurt by someone, explain how to forgive him or her. Explain how to forget your past. In the case of emotional wound, explain how you will heal yourself. Discuss the mentors importance. Discuss the lessons that can be drawn from our fears. Discuss the value of having a friend from a different political divide. Explain how racism started in America Discuss the impact of modern slavery College Titles Discuss how to prepare yourself for life at the dorm mentally. Explain the advantages of being with a not- easy professor. Discuss how to stay well with your roommate. Explain proper eating manners in the dining room. Describe the methods of organizing yourself academically to achieve good results Explain the process you will use to choose a major, especially one that stands out Discuss how a useful summer internship can be gotten. Explain the essence of a student creating a budget, and strictly adhering to it. Discuss how to avoid acquiring the freshmen 15 while starting college. Explain how to maintain your good name when schooling outside your country. Discuss the different ways in which you can keep in touch with your friends in high school. Discuss, giving significance as well the different college ritual in your university. Discuss the various ways of making friendship while in university. Discuss how at your college, you will seek medical counseling. Explain how well known your college is and describe the course of its reputation as well. Discuss how toxic friends can be handled while at university. Discuss why rush hour paper writing to some students is preferably efficient while to others it is not. Discuss two main ways of maintaining safety by students while walking alone on campus. Discuss four ways of how college students can stays while partying in college. Sports titles Discuss why an athletic body person can make his or her career from this. Discuss how a team of football can get to Super Bowl. Discuss the major problems that will arise from a football career that is long term. Describe the reasons as to why athletics for females are lowly funded. Explain how sports can negatively impact on your body muscles. Explain how ones self-esteem can be increased using sports. Discuss the prioritization of sports in many schools compared to academics. Discuss doping, and explain why most athletes involve themselves in it and how it can be avoided. Explain the value of engaging children in sports at an early age. Describe life lessons that can be drawn from playing sports. Discuss how the offenses of Jerry were started. Explain how the offenses of Jeff were started. Discuss the barriers overcame by Serena Williams. Interesting Titles Discuss how to show someone who is lying. Describe tips of knowing that someone is crushing on you. Explain the state of mind of a sequential killer. Describe the addiction chemistry. Explain the link between maths and music Discuss how someone being too happy can cry. Discuss crime psychology Explain what puts morale to expensive weddings Describe the inspiration behind expensive and flashy vehicles. Discuss why people are superstitious to weird, uncommon theories. Explain why life after death could be real. Explain why life after death is unbelievable. Describe the self-centered reasons for people having children. Discuss how the outside world learns about you through your fashion. Discuss the importance of not judging someone from the way he or her clothes. Discuss how Silicon Valley belief is dangerous. Explain the creativeness and value of Silicon Valley belief is. Fun Titles Discuss how you can convince somebody that, anymore they are not annoyed about you. Discuss how you can persuade somebody in regards to a particular theory of conspiracy. Discuss the likelihood of alien existence. Discuss the unlikelihood of alien existence. Discuss the essence of ghost superstition. Describe the origin of Bigfoot. Explain the reasons why Bigfoot exists in different forms Describe the historical conception of Loch Ness Monster. Describe the best cheeseburger making process. Discuss the funniest activity you have done in your hometown. Explain how essential it is to have awkward friends. Describe the urban legend that is your favorite. Discuss the reasons why vegans insist telling people that they are vegans. Discuss how working out can become addictive to some people. Describe how junk food can make someone lose weight. Discuss what affects most diets and their problems. Discuss the reasons why the rate of divorce is high. Explain your understanding of monogamy and origin of this concept. Illustrations These are essential parts of your writing essay. These have to be included as essentially they help make illustrations on your behalf. They show up the point you want to deliver thereby making the readers understand you easily. After composing your essay, go through it to ensure that every aspect given out has an illustration that supports what you are talking about. Personal Experience: Apply lived experiences that you have gone through as an individual on earth to give an example to your point. These should be brought out with a lot of easiness and simplicity. It should not be hard to think of a sample to add to your point. Independent of the dullness in your life, you must have undergone an experience at least. Flashback: you must have seen so much on this planet in the current century. You must have seen different aspects of human actions in the society that you can get illustrations from. At some point in life when you need to recall something, visit public places like restaurants, movies rooms and malls and look within. Have a look at how people interact through talking, walking and even fighting. All these interactions will provide you with excellent illustrations. It will also inspire you to look at your topic from a different dimension. Access To: Once you need to reach out to mentor or an expert in the area for information, please do so immediately. To effect this perform an interview that is informal and notes the responses you get, so that you can make a reference to them in the process of writing your essay. Query them on any information about the title or what their opinion are concerning that title or subject. The Media: Luckily, we are living in an era where media has extensively expanded compared to early days. This gives you more choices of information ranging from news, interviews that are taped and even live talk shows. On top of these, also film and books exist. In writing your essay, make this an inspiration and always make a citation of the type of source you use.

Market Net as a New Approach to Providing Marketing Students with a Pl Essay

Market Net as a New Approach to Providing Marketing Students with a Place to Find All the Marketing Knowledge - Essay Example The report, in short, has provided for a clear set of ideas and options for Market Net to improve and increase the traffic to its website. MarketNet is a relatively new initiative to create a network of students and professionals related to the field of marketing and also to provide valuable resources and articles on marketing. This report analyses the target audience both in terms of demographics and psychographics, based on the users of the social network application, Facebook. Then the various strategies to drive traffic to MarketNet are discussed. As the budget is limited, the various cost-effective options and the best way to implement them are also presented. In order to add various articles and content to the site, the marketing resource websites are researched and the four websites that have been found to be potentially useful to MarketNet are listed along with the rationale behind the selection. Finally, a survey development process was undertaken to include within MarketNet , in order to monitor the performance of the website and a rationale for this is also presented. Marketing is a technique which requires being planned well to ensure that it reaches out to the right set of people, i.e., the target market (Dibb & Simkin, 1996). The target market is generally a set or group of people who have one or more common interests. In this case, the target audiences have one thing in common ‘Marketing’. The first most essential criteria for the target market are that they are Facebook users (Holzner, 2008). After which,  Market Net has a chance to reach out to a number of different groups of people. Prospective marketing students, this group will prove to be a beneficial for Market Net, as Facebook is now becoming a very important source of information for students of various courses. This group will consist of people between the age groups of 17 – 22. Market Net can prove to be a source of information for this group of people. Also, this will provide the students with a chance of getting in touch with other students, professionals, and even gain information to various articles that are available on the web to gain a better understanding if this is the correct choice for them.

Should Pornography be More Restricted by USA Laws Essay

Should Pornography be More Restricted by USA Laws - Essay Example Like it or not, however, the 1st Amendment was specifically written and designed to protect the rights of all people, not just one’s own in-group. The porn industry, via the 1st Amendment, has the right to produce their erotic materials so long as they follow the law. As long as no person depicted is an unwilling participant, as long as no one involved was harmed, the pornography itself is not illegal and the industry that produces it is not doing any harm. At the same time, individuals and organizations that are opposed to pornography also have the right to produce materials condemning pornography for whatever reasons. As long as those individuals and groups do not commit slander or libel in their efforts, they are also not doing anything wrong or causing harm. Neither the porn industry nor the anti-porn industry can take away the rights of the other group to produce their materials or express their preferences or beliefs. The standpoint of anti-porn groups, however, can some times come across as somewhat of a mystery. Erotic material has been prevalent throughout human history and is evidenced in a wide variety of ways. Take, for instance, ancient Venus statues. Many anthropologists theorize that the statues were seen as symbols of fertility in their culture. The statues are renowned for being testaments to the nurturing quality of women, supposedly in appreciation of their contribution to society as mothers and caretakers. A slightly less popular belief is that Venus statues were also used as masturbatory tools. Hunters and warriors who went on lengthy excursions would take the statues with them in order to have something attractive to look at while they took care of their more intimate needs. Other cultures are also noted for employing pornographic images for a variety of purposes. Bath houses in Pompei, for example, are reported as having grotesquely pornographic images covering the walls. The images are supposed to have been used for directions with in the bath houses. Where today we have locker A3, back then cultures relied more on immediately recognizable images. The fact that those images were typically pornographic in nature attests to the general attitude of acceptance of the human form—in all its gore and glory. In general, psychologists advise people to not fight their nature, but to merely control it when that nature would most likely cause problems within their society, either for themselves or for others. The principle of â€Å"nature says ‘go,’ culture says ‘stop’† is one that is widely accepted within the psychological community (Baumeister & Bushman, 2011). The idea, though, is that culture says â€Å"stop† when the action about to be taken is most likely going to be destructive to the wider culture in some way. For instance, when a person walks in on their spouse cheating on them, and their natural inclination is to beat the offenders to a pulp. That’s nature s aying â€Å"go.† Culture, however, says that if you indulge in your natural inclination to be violent, you will face consequences of fines, community service, or even jail time. That is culture’s way of saying â€Å"stop.† With pornography, there is no widespread empirical data suggesting that the existence of pornography is vastly damaging American

Depatment of Veterans Affairs Essay Example for Free

Depatment of Veterans Affairs Essay The Department of Veterans Affairs is continuing to have many problems with many of the services that they offer. The service that has been impacted the most is the healthcare division, others such as vocational rehabilitation and the Post 9/11 GI Bill are not providing the proper outlets and support that the veterans are in need of. In recent months the VA has had many accountability problems with regard to patients even dying from lack of services. When these problems first came to light the Federal government investigated some of the problems and there was no accountability for the people that were not doing their jobs. There were also bonuses being given out when people were not doing their jobs. There have been many policy’s put in place such as Department of Veterans Affairs Management Accountability Act of 2014. This should help many of the problems that the VA is having in the healthcare division alone. The largest problem that they are currently having is a large backlog of patients just awaiting to be seen, as well as being understaffed for the amount of staff needed for the large amount of veterans now being seen. Recently the secretary of the VA, Eric Shinseki, resigned from his position and the Deputy Secretary of Veterans Affairs, Sloan Gibson took his position for a short period until a new secretary could be chosen. The new Secretary of Veterans Affairs is Robert McDonald. He has proposed many different ways to help get veterans the benefits that they have been waiting for. The backlog is still over 750,000 veterans with almost one third of them still being from the backlog. Some of the more recent problems have been that the Department of Veterans Affairs has caught employees discarding, through burning and shredding, the files of some of the veterans that have applied for benefits. There are other plans being put into place, one by the President, and this is the Veterans Choice Card. This new program will allow veterans to visit other hospitals and doctors outside of the VA for treatment. The Veterans Affairs hospitals can only grow so much until they need help from outside sources to h elp take care of everyone that needs medical attention. There has been an Industry Day as the Veterans Affairs office has been calling it which is going to be for determining the costs for healthcare outside of the VA. The topics that will be covered in this are:Â  Department of Veterans Affairs Management Accountability Act of 2014 Backlog

Graduation Speech :: Graduation Speech, Commencement Address

What do you want to be when you grow up? The dreams of our youth often become the challenges of today and the challenges of today often become the blueprints of our future. Most of my childhood dreams centered around sports and they have been a big part of my life. When Teresa Wilson brought fastpitch softball to the University of Washington, my friends and I were the first to sign up for her initial summer skills camp. We all stood together, down below on the Chiefs softball field, shyly giggling and acting crazy. Teresa Wilson introduced her first UW team players and instantly Jennifer Kline became my hero and to play intercollegiate fastpitch was cemented in my heart as a dream. Kline worked with me as a catcher at the camp and she was so good, and so smart, and so patient, but most important she wasn't condescending or arrogant. She worked with me on blocking and framing and calling a game, never making me feel stupid or clumsy. The dream to play college softball expanding to coaching the game someday. I could really see how much a good coach or teacher could help a player or student. Sport teaches lessons that can translate on a larger scale to life. As an athlete I have learned the importance of teamwork. Any team is only as strong as its least prepared member. The very best player will never beat the best team. The concept of teamwork encourages members to give up the pursuit of individual glory for the success of the team. Individual statistics may bring personal pride but they rest in the shadow of the team's overall success. Sport nurtures our natural love of competition. Athletes are encouraged to practice hard, prepare both physically and mentally for the contest challenge, and then perform at their highest level. Most amateur athletes are also taught to accept victory with a certain degree of modesty and humility and to acknowledge defeat with graciousness and the added incentive to improve future performances. This is a particularly important life lesson to learn. Healthy and fair competition leads to better performances by all participants. Sport builds self esteem. The praise of coaches and the cheers of fans nurture feelings of self-worth and even criticism, when offered in a constructive way, can strengthen a players confidence in his own ability and his contributions to the team. Everyone enjoys hearing compliments but it is the criticisms that, when taken to heart, can improve the athlete and can bolster his self-esteem by supporting the belief that he brings value and effort to his sport.

Group Psychology Essay

Irwin Mansdorf in his article The Psychology Framework of Suicide Terrorism brings out another aspect of group psychology in an attempt to explain what has motivated various groups and their members to be involved in suicide bombing e disagrees with those portraying The Palestinians suicide bombers as desperate rot who are driven by their suicidal motives. He feels that individual psychopathology does not play any important role in this case. (Mansdart, I 2003) Group dynamics are responsible in reinforcing behavior within these people’s culture where those who carry out suicide bombing are seen as heroes where their faces are displayed in the open for every one to see and their immediate families are handsomely rewarded for their sons bravely and commitment to serve the community. The families are rewarded with great respect and financial considerations. (Bloom, M 2004) Suicide in the clinical sense may be directly related to personal psychological state at the time of committing the acts. In the case of suicide of suicide bombing, Irwin has observed that there is no close relationship with personal clinical psychopathology. He believes hat these people are drawn by the political and nationalistic aspects advocated by their groups. (Mansdart, I 2003) Kamikaze pilots used this tactic to attack American in the pacific during the Second World War. Several researches carried out have not pointed that the pilots were suicidal rather they are seen as people who were driven by a strong desire to fight for their country. They never at any time display any signs of abnormal behavior which could have led to suicide. The letters Kamikaze pilots wrote to their families show that they were calm and in a peaceful state before they carried out the misson. Their expectations beyond death served as the motivational factor for them to fight the enemy knowing that they have served the nation and they will be heavily be rewarded in the life after. (Mansdart, I 2003) A closer look at the Tamil tigers brings out the same picture; the group has been responsible for the most suicide bombing carried out by any organization in the world. Those who carry out these activities are fighters who have are well trained and fully dedicated to their cause. In all the cases the group chooses volunteers based on their record as fighters. Those who are involved in the suicide bombing are not described as victims of any psychological condition which can drive them to volunteer to participate in this activity but rather they are drawn by great dedication to serve their group and to a large extent liberate their people from the yokes of occupation. (Bloom, M 2004) In most cases of suicide bombing according to Irwin observation the purpose of mission is rarely due to desperation or hopelessness. The suicide bombers were focused drawing inspiration from nationalism and large the group identity. Irwin explains that group pressure and identity inspires a suicide bomber into action. They are manipulated ,brainwashed and made to believe that after carrying out the mission they will be honored as martyrs, their families will be recognizes and reward greatly. The recruits are never allowed to leave denying the m an opportunity to back down from the mission. (Mansdart, I 2003) Recruitment The number of organizations carrying out attacks has increased in the recent past. These organizations are found in almost all the corners of the world. This increase also means the number of recruits needed to carry out the suicide attacks is on the rise. According to the latest statistics more than forty countries in the world have experienced suicide bombing attacks since 1980s. It is estimated that there are sixty known groups which employ suicide bombing as a fighting technique. (Reuter, C 2004) Despite an increase in the number of organization employing this tactic, there have been no shortages of people of people who are willing to put their lives on the line for the sake of the organization or cause they believe in. There has been an upward surge in the number of suicide bombings in the recent past, this means that the number of people who are willing to die for what they believe in has also increased. (Kramer, M 1991) Recruits in suicide bombing are drawn from a variety of backgrounds. There has been a perception that people who are involved are usually psychopaths, insane or poor but this is not the case. Most of those who have been recruited are usually well educated, relatively rich. These are people who ready to sacrifice their lives for a cause and are more than willing to go to any length to kill themselves. In the recent past trends have been changing where even children have been involved in suicide bombings. As the Middle East conflict escalate militants groups in Palestine are actively involved in recruitment of young people. One of the groups Al aqsa-intifada has been actively involved in the recruitment of children as suicide bombers. Other groups which have been employing the same mode are the Popular Front for Liberation of Palestine, Fatah, Hamas and Islamic Jihad. Hamas are known to run kindergartens, where children are taught all the tactics and the need to sacrifice their souls for the sake of their people. These children in the kindergarten are made to believe that they are the holy martyrs in making. (Shay, S 2003) There are several factors that qualify one as a recruit for suicide bombing recruit. A number of organizations in the Middle East take into consideration ones religion. It has been noted that almost all the recruits who have participated in the Palestinians suicide bombings are staunch Muslims. Once a new recruit is taken in especially children they are taken in for an intensive training which involves reciting of the Koran. Therefore knowledge of Koran becomes very crucial in taking in the recruits. Criminal record also plays a significant role in the selection of those who are to take part in any given task as far as these groups are concerned. Those who have a clean criminal record are first considered for the task, this is because they attract little attention from the authorities therefore carrying out their mission successfully. (Reuter, C 2004) This is a policy that has been employed by the Hamas and the Hezbollah groups of the Middle East. (Noval, M 1999) Most of the organization rely on volunteers to carryout their missions, when the current Iranian president Mohmoud Ahamedinejad came into power he appealed to the youth from the Muslim countries to come forward and help in fighting Israel and United States. Most other terror groups appeal to their members to volunteer and get trained as suicide bombers . In the Palestine there are many youth who are willing to volunteer, these people may be driven by the promises made or purely to fulfill their religious obligation as spelt out in the recruiting organizations. Most of the suicide bombers are selected at an early age, educated and then set off to carry out their duty when they are just about in their twenties or in their late teenage years. Those who a re recruited are normally encouraged to cut themselves from the outside world as they are subjected to the intense training and recitations of the holy book to prepare them for the task ahead. Governments also sponsor some of the groups involved in the suicide bombings where those who participate are given monetary rewards. Iranian president is on the record urging his countrymen to come out and be trained for a fight with the western powers. Those who volunteered were promised compensation for the families and great honor once they have successively carried out the mission given. There have been considerable involvement of the Iranian government in the training of the terror outfits; a training center was opened when Ahamednijad came into power. This center which came to be known as the Lovers of Martyrdom Garrison has been involved in recruiting and training of suicide bombers who according to the Iranian president are to help in fighting the western powers who have occupied the Muslim territory. The volunteers’ suicide bombers have been equated to nuclear bombs owned by the United States and Israel and they are meant to cause wanton destruction against the enemy. Conclusion Suicide bombers are just as ordinary people, but there are forces within them which make them carry out their missions. These forces range from desparation, nationalistic ideals or religion. Debate on what makes a suicide bomber tick will continue for a long time as different people will see different motives for a given group of attackers. As far as those factors which breed terror remain with us suicide bombing will continue to be with us for a long time, attracting much attention from different scholars whose aim is to understand the factors behind these daring acts. References Radu, M (2004) Radical Islam and Suicide Bomber, Retrieved from http://www.fpri.org/

Development Of Radiographer Led Procedures Health And Social Care Essay

This scrutiny has been carried out on patients as a complete scrutiny. With the development of radiographer-led processs there is move towards giving a direct reply to put of the clinical indicants and inquiry and so orienting the scrutiny to suit this demand. The Ba sup can therefore moderately be split into a figure of ‘subexaminations ‘ when the clinical image has a definite way. Upper high Ba sup, this scrutiny is used for patients who have high dysphagia or definite oesophageal symptoms, or have rather frequently had a normal OGD but there are still have diagnostic that mean: rather frequently a motility upset may be cause. The technique is the patient is asked to stand erect in the AP place on the fluoroscopic tabular array and keep the cup of Ba in their manus, normally the left, as farther turning of the patient is normally to the left. The arm will so lie clear of the bole, without the patient holding to negociate its motion around the escalating screen passenger car. The patient is turned into a sidelong place in order to get down with everyday appraisal of possible aspiration, if this instance the scrutiny should be terminated instantly. They are asked to take a normal sized for them mouthful of the liquid and keep it in their oral cavity until asked to get down. This is to give the operator a opportunity to focus on on the country of involvement and optimise the collimation. If the radiographic equipment allows, a frame rate of 3 per second is suggested as an initial pick, modern digital equipment can let recording of the screened image. This frequently a radiation dosage decrease by leting retrospective and repeated survey of the patients get downing action without returning to the rescreen missed actions, and besides allows a more existent clip appraisal to take topographic point. The patient is so asked to get down and the exposure is initiated. Real clip recording is terminated when the Ba bolus passes beyond the screened image or po int of involvement. The AP position is the optimum for hypopharyngeal anatomy, it will be seen in individual and dual contrast images. This position can so be repeated at least one time more to guarantee there is consistence in the image, doing it easier to definitively place pathology. The patient is so turned into the sidelong place and the same process of taking a mouthful and get downing on petition is imaged. This position allows the posterior wall to be optimally viewed. The most common abnormalcies shown are relentless cricopharyngeal feelings or diverticulae, the most common diverticulum type being zenkers this occurs in the mid-hypopharynx and is more common in the older population. They are rather frequently termed hypopharyngeal pouches. The pouches can go rather big, frequently doing patients to be referred due to regurgitation of undigested nutrient some clip after they have eaten. They are besides frequently hard to endoscope as the range enters the pouch and can non b e passed farther. The Ba sup can therefore rather frequently be the most appropriate trial for corroborating the presence and extent of this pathology. Oesophageal webs are besides best seen on the sidelong projection, shown on the anterior wall, although they are best viewed with rapid imaging sequences, they have been noted in 1-5 % of diagnostic patients and 12-15 % of dysphagia patients. Barium sup and the reflux appraisal is patient for this type of survey frequently present with clinical symptoms of GOR. They frequently have a feeling of retrosternal uncomfortableness and no other symptoms. Although pH monitoring is an effectual manner of rating GOR, there is non every bit yet a gilded criterion test.the Ba survey can still be utile as an adjunct to other trials, as some GOR patients may hold little suspension hernias that are non seen on endoscopy. These patients frequently have mucosal alterations in the distal tierce of the gorge, so the sup is used to see the part closely and detect the fundus to look into for herniation. Technique for this testes is AP and sidelong projections can be taken of the gorge as antecedently described for the Ba sup. A more utile position of the distal tierce of the gorge is provided by the erect left posterior oblique, taken after the patients is asked to get down. The Ba bolus is imaged as a column and athletics movies taken to demo the distal tierce of the distal tierce of the gorge. This allows mucosal rings and peptic stenosiss to be shown good. As the column base on ballss and the mucous membrane relaxes, spor movies can be taken this frequently shown oesophagitis. The patient is the asked to take the effervescent granules either dry or assorted with a little sum of H2O if dry is excessively hard, or other effervescent assistance, followed by the citric acid. It is of import to affect on the patient that these will bring forth gas in the tummy and may give them the feeling that they need to burp, it is imperative the y do non yield to enticement and the best manner to avoid this is to state them to maintain swallowing. Advance account of this, giving grounds for its importance, will maximise conformity. The patient is so asked to get down another mouthful of Ba whilst in the LPO place and images can be taken of the lower gorge. This will give a dual contrast scrutiny of gorge, leting a good expression at mucosal item. To observe marks of a suspension hernia or GOR, the fluoroscopic sofa is so placed horizontally and the patient turned to their right to measure reflux. Sport images of the country are taken. The patient is so asked to revolve through 360 at their ain gait, this will guarantee coating of all facets of the stomachic mucous membrane ready for appraisal of the tummy. Whilst they are executing this motion it is best to test sporadically in instance any extra lower oesophageal pathology is noted so that a athletics image of the lower oesopagus and gastroesopahageal junction can be taken . On finishing this tactic, farther images of the tummy are taken at cardinal phases: foremost, the patient is asked to turn to their left ( LOP ) where a athletics images is taken. Second, turned back to supine ( AP ) . Third, turned to their right ( RPO ) . And the patient is returned to the vertical place, turned somewhat to their left and an erect ( LPO ) movie is taken to demo the distal orsophagus and the fundus of the tummy. To demo reflux really happening, the patient can be tilted caput downwards ( Trendelenburg place ) as this mimics stress reflux but, as this is an unreal place, it may hold limited bearing on the truth appraisal of the true extent of reflux. If reflux is demonstrated the freedom with which it occurs and the degree it attains should be note as this will be an assistance to the clinician in the appraisal of the patient. It is noted nevertheless, that reflux may merely happen in approximately a 3rd of diagnostic patient. Preparation of patient to all scrutin y upper piece of land is, the patien should hunger for least 6 hours before the scrutiny but 5 hours is considered equal by some. It is suggested that this should be the instance even if merely Ba sup is indicated, in instance positions of the tummy are found to be required, this avoids the patient holding to return for a 2nd scrutiny. All jewelry or artifacts illustration hearing AIDSs should be removed. Patient vesture should be removed and a patient gown should be worn. The patient should so be informed of the process they should have information with their assignment prior to go toing, so they can give their consent. Complication with instructions on the famishment period should be checked. ESOPHAGRAM PROCEDURE. Two common radiographic processs of the upper GI system affecting the disposal of contrast media are the esophagram, or Ba sup, buttocks it is sometimes referred to, and the upper GI series. Each of these processs is described in item, get downing the esophagram. An esophagram, or Ba sup is the common radiographic process or scrutiny of the pharnx and gorge, using a radiopaque contrast media may be used. The intent of an esophagram is to analyze radiographically the signifier and map of the get downing facets of the pharnx and gorge. No contraindications exist for esophagrams except possible sensitiveness to the contrast media used. The engineer should find whether the patient has a history of sensitiveness to barium sulphate or water-soluble contrast media. Because the gorge is empty most the clip, patient need no readying for an esophagram unless upper GI series is to follow. When combined with an upper GI, or if the primary interested is the lower gorge, readying for the UGI takes precedency. For an esophagram merely, all vesture and anything metallic between the oral cavity and the waist should be removed, and the patient should have on a infirmary gown. Before the fluoroscopic process a pertinent history should be taken and the scrutiny carefully explained to the patient. The first portion of an esophagram involves fluoroscopy with a positive-contrast medium. The scrutiny room should be clean, tidy, and appropriated stocked before the patient is escorted to the room. The appropriate sum and type of contrast medium should be ready. Esophagrams by and large use both thin and thick Ba. Extra points utile in the sensing of a radiolucent foreign organic structure are cotton balls soaked in thin Ba, Ba pills or gelatin capsules filled with BaSO, and marsmallows. After get downing any one of these three substances, the patient is asked to get down an extra thin Ba mixture. Because the esophagrams begins with the tabular array in the perpendicular place the footbo ard should be in topographic point and tested for security. Lead aprons, compaction paddle, and lead baseball mitts should be provided for the radiotherapist, ass good as lead aprons for all other forces in the room. Proper radiation protection methods must be observed at all times during fluoroscopy. Fluoroscopy with the room prepared and the patient ready, the patient and radiotherapist are introduced and the patients history and the ground for the test discussed. The fluoroscopic scrutiny normally begins with a general study of patients chest including bosom, lungs and stop, and the venters. During fluoroscopy, the technologist responsibilities in general are to follow the radiotherapist instructions, assist patient as needed, and hasten the process in any mode possible because the scrutiny in begun in the vertical or vertical place, a cup of thin Ba is placed in the patient left manus near to the left shoulder. The patient so is instructed to follow radiotherapist instructions r efering how much to imbibe and when. The radiotherapist observes the flow of Ba with the roentgenoscope. Swallowing of thin Ba is observed with the patient in assorted places. Similar place may be used while the patient swallows thick Ba. The usage of thick Ba allows better visual image of mucosal forms and any lesion within the gorge. The type of Ba mixture to be used, nevertheless, is determined by the radiotherapist. After the unsloped surveies, horizontal and Trendelenburg places with midst and thin Ba may follow. A patient is shown in place for an RAO projection with a cup of thin Ba. The throat and cervical gorges are normally studied fluoroscopically with athletics movie, whereas the chief part of the esophagus down to the tummy is surveies both with fluoroscopy and with postfluoroscopy overhead radiogram. Presentation of esophageal reflux is the diagnosing of possible esophageal reflux o regurgition of stomachic contents may happen during fluoroscopy or an esophagram. One or more of the undermentioned processs may be performed to observe esophageal reflux ; take a breathing exercising, H2O trial, compaction paddle technique and toe- touch manoeuvre.

Essays on Abortion

Essays on Abortion Essays on abortion should contain general medical information related to the abortion procedure. The essays on abortion should contain data about when an abortion is permissible and how it is performed. The essays on abortion should also contain data about what is abortion, what are the implications of abortion and at what stage abortion is harmful for the pregnant woman. Sometimes the unborn child is aborted when it is on its earlier stage so that the mother faces no problem in terms of her life saving and if abortion gets late and the mother reaches at a stage that is late, the abortion should not be done or it will be dangerous for the life of the mother. There are many risks involved in abortion such as loss of mother’s life, internal bleeding, and improper abortion outcomes and inappropriate after affects. All the essays on abortion discuss the issue of abortion but they are written keeping the view the type of essay of abortion.The argumentative essay on abortion or argu ment essay on abortion discusses the case of abortion in terms of arguments in which the outcomes, necessities and implications in terms of abortion are discussed. Essays on abortions are written for helping the common people to learn about abortion and its affects. Essay on abortion should be written with complete expertise as any incorrect information can affect an individual adversely. For writing persuasive essays on abortion, you should keep in mind that your essay on abortion should be organized. Essays on abortions should be informative so that they can be used for guidance purposes. An essay on abortions should work as a guiding document for those who wish to gain that information. To write an essay on abortion, the topic of the essay on abortion must be well researched so that you include only that information that is correct and accurate. In an abortion essay, you must highlight the issue for which you are going to write an essay on abortion. You must define what abortion is and proceed towards its commencement, the reasons for which it is necessary and the after affects of abortion. The custom essays on abortion should be informational but they must not contain irrelevant information. Whatever is present in custom essays on abortion should be according to the topic of the abortion essays. A persuasive essay on abortion is that which is well researched, which contains relevant information, which has a clearly defined introduction and conclusion and which contains the background information regarding abortion. Free essays on abortion can be obtained from various websites, which assist the writers of abortion essays. Remember the writing of an abortion essay is an exercise that should be done with utmost care and skill and after collection of much information. The list of the most popular essay topics on Abortion: 1. Abortion Wars: Why the Controversy? 2. Christian Perspective on Abortion 3. Effects Of Abortion 4. The Legal History of Abortion 5. Is Abortion Murder? 6. Abortion for and against arguments 7. Abortion in America 8. Teenage Abortion 9. Abortion should be encouraged. 10. Abortion. Another name for murder or a desperate necessity. 11. Abortion and Euthanasia 12. Why Abortion Should Be Outlawed? 13. Abortion in California 14. Why do some Christians oppose abortion? 15. Misleading Claims about Abortion 16. Types of Abortion 17. Should Abortion be Legalized? 18. The Abortion Predicament 19. Abortion = Genocide 20. Abortion: a matter of choice 21. Abortion: The value of life can not be questioned. 22. Abortion vs. Adoption 23. Presbyterian Church and Abortion 24. Abortion: Pros and Cons

Coming Down the Pike

Coming Down the Pike Coming Down the Pike Coming Down the Pike By Maeve Maddox LJ wrote: Can you tell me which is correct: coming down the pipe or coming down the pike? I have heard it both ways. The original expression is coming down the pike, but it may be going the way of our friend free rein. The word pike in this expression is a shortening of turnpike. Originally turnpike meant a toll booth, but came to mean the highway itself. My Southern grandmother would say things like That Bessie Dean would take up with the first man that came down the pike. The expression coming down the pike originated before the days of TV and the internet. In those days most new ideas came to town by way of the highway. Upon opening the morning newspaper, one might say Lets see whats new coming down the pike. Heres a quotation from an international website about economics: There is more bad news coming down the pike, news of such magnitude that no amount of ordinary manipulation is liable to conceal it.GlobalResearch.ca In Arkansas pike in the sense of road is still fairly common. In other regions, speakers unfamiliar with the term try to make sense of the expression coming down the pike by altering pike to pipe. For these speakers the metaphor is that of a substance moving through a pipe or a pipeline and not of someone walking along a highway. The coming down the pipe version can only be nurtured by such things as a blog advertising The Pipeline Show. The blog title is Coming Down the Pipe. Piker Also derived from the turnpike pike, the words pike and piker were nineteenth century West Coast terms of contempt for poor white migrants from the Southern statesrather like the word Okie in the twentieth century. An English dialect word piker with the meaning of vagrant, tramp gypsy existed as early as 1828. Vagrants wander the pike. The U.S. word with the similar meaning is thought to derive from the name of a county in Missouri. Presumably many poor people from Pike County moved to California to find a better life. As happens with ethnic slurs, the word piker took on more and more negative meanings. piker: 1. Originally: a cautious or timid gambler who makes only small bets; one who plays for small stakes. Hence: a person who takes no chances; a cowardly or stingy person; a shirker, a ‘small-timer’.   2. Finance. A small-scale speculator or investor.B. adj. (attrib.).  Mean, shirking, cowardly. When I was growing up I often heard my father and his brothers use the word piker in the sense of cheapskate or tightwad. Want to improve your English in five minutes a day? Get a subscription and start receiving our writing tips and exercises daily! Keep learning! Browse the Expressions category, check our popular posts, or choose a related post below:12 Types of LanguageList of Greek Words in the English Language40 Synonyms for Praise

CNC-CMM & Poisson Distribution Coursework Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

CNC-CMM & Poisson Distribution - Coursework Example (Spitz Steven Nadav, 1999) A whole set of comprehensive algorithms are used to generate program in the CNC or Computer Numerically Controlled machine so that that the CMM is completely automated and the dimensions obtained are exact after accounting all the tolerances. Source: www.mitutoyo.com, 2006, measuring surface profiles of cars The Inspection probing system Probes are usually classified as contact probes and non-contact probes. Contact probes generate dimensions by physically touching the work piece while non-contact probes do not require physical contact. (Spitz Steven Nadav, 1999) Hard probes are the most simple of probes; the accuracy of which depends on the skill of the operator. The probe is made to have contact with the component and the dimensions generated after compensating for probe diameter. These are used to measure distances between components and diameter and the angles at which bores are located in a work piece. (Genest David, 1999) Source: www.mitutoyo.com, 200 6, Inspection probing system Touch trigger probes remove the manual part of scanning. An LED is used to generate a signal when the probe touches the surface of the work piece. ... Genest David, 1999) Source:www.mitutoyo.com, 2006,Stresses & displacement of an I beam of rail track Analog scanning probes are used to map surfaces of crankshafts and turbine blades. These are capable of continuously scanning large surfaces and generate analog output in the forms of contours and images. Irregular and complex shapes can be measured using this probe. This has two systems namely the open loop system and closed loop system. The open loop system senses the change is surface profile and adjusts itself automatically to retain contact with the surface. The open loop system on the other hand is driven along a predefined profile that is already present in the data base. It then generates an output regarding the degree of deviation of the measured profile from the standard piece. (Genest David, 1999) The non contact probes are the most effective way of generating data since contact between the probe and the work piece is done away with thereby reducing measuring errors. These laser probes direct a laser beam on the surface of the work piece. Its position is measured using the triangulation technique onto the probe receptor. Source:www.mitutoyo.com, 2006, Comparing actual and true surfaces Vision probe is another non contact probe which are give quite accurate results of small 2-D parts at very fast pace. This generates a number of measuring points on the image taken which are then compared to a standard work piece product. This gives us an inference about the deviations of the product from the ideal one. (Genest David, 1999) Communication standards The Dimensional Measuring Interface Standard (DMIS) improves the interaction between the computer aided systems like CAD/ CAM and the CMM machine to increase the efficiency and accuracy of the manufacturing process.

Creating an Organizational Culture Article Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words - 1

Creating an Organizational Culture - Article Example Different experts have tried to explain its influence on an organization according to their experiences, theories, and their point of views. In this regard, we will try to define, discuss, and analyze different perspectives of an organizational culture, and will try to understand different steps that are carried out for its creation, amendment, and maintenance, in order to influence collective effort in an organization or institution. Different experts have given a lot of importance to the culture and cultural perspectives in an organization. According to an author, specific environment and conditions are coming up with the help of development of an organizational culture in an organization. Today, many complex issues and problems are confronted by organizational leaders, when the organizational achievement is attempted by them in a number of different environments, such as VUCA environments. In this regard, it has been suggested that it is very necessary and important to define and understand the term of organizational culture properly, which plays a vital role in the success of an organization, as well as, its leaders. Therefore, it has been notified that organizational culture is, and has become an important part and factor of an organization’s success. In this regard, different multinational companies, as well as, small industries are trying to implement the organizational culture in their sectors, in o rder to provide opportunities to their employees for a successful future and prosperity. In addition, the inability of understanding organizational culture was traced out to be the reason of problems and complex issues that are being confronted by the leaders and managers in different companies. Failure has been also been observed in different and various business and marketing strategies that oppose the organizational culture and seems to be inconsistent with it. Therefore, creation of new strategies and their implementation also requires

Fashion Culture Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2750 words

Fashion Culture - Essay Example The essay "Fashion Culture" states the culture of fashion. The society, in the modern times, is deeply influenced by fashion as they see in the popular media; represented by their favorite celebrities and icons. Fashion is often criticized for affecting the society in a negative manner through its portrayals of beauty. These portrayals of beauty compel the ordinary people to go to extreme measures in order to be labeled as beautiful and chic. As fashion influences society, it is also influenced by the society in which it resides. The fashion of Paris would be altogether different from the fashion of an Arab country. Thus fashion in a way is constricted by the dictates of the society. Individualist expressions also find a way into contemporary fashion and fashion becomes a mode of expression. The history of fashion in America is a testimony to this fact. However, it is difficult to understand the extent of the impact of fashion on the culture as culture is also impacted by fashion and this two-sided affect makes the situation difficult to evaluate. In this paper, we attempt to understand the role that fashion plays on culture and vice versa for the role that culture plays on fashion. Each is impacted by the other and this paper will attempt to generate a conclusion on the extent of the influence of both fashion and culture on each other. Fashion in America was predominately inspired by the British. It was the British who came into America in large numbers and brought their fashion with them. In the earliest days, American fashion was exactly like the British fashion with its gowns with mutton shaped sleeves and corsets that stressed on the hour glass figures of the women. Fashion, at that time, was inspired by the society’s ideal of beauty. During the 1920s, the ideal beauty was petite and feminine. For this reason, corsets were a necessary part of every woman’s wardrobe; also shoes where pointed and small, so as to give the impression of a delicat e being who could be compared to a bird. Fashion at that time was thus not about comfort but about looking beautiful and presentable (Boyer and Dubofsky, 137). The next change in fashion began with the industrial revolution. Industrial revolution was an era of mass production that led to an increase in consumerism and materialism. As products were produced in mass quantities, they cost cheaper and fashion was available to the common public. This was aided with the boom in cotton industry of America that allowed Americans local access to the crop. Thus these mass products were sold in retail shops throughout the country along with catalogues for consumers outside the reach of the retail shops. Fashion at this time was still dictated by the Europeans. Also the concepts regarding women was changing as women were getting liberated and moving out of the constraints of their corsets and moving towards adopted the brassiere (Frings, 30). Another change in fashion came with the civil war. A s social unrest in the country increased, individuals became more expressive with their sense of fashion. The blacks began to express their African origins while the Middle Class adopted the hippie fashion. T-shirts were adopted by the hippies as a means of protest and propaganda (English, 91)However, during the 1960s and

Uganda Pipeline Project Management

Uganda Pipeline Project Management International oil and gas management INTRODUCTION Energy is a key component of all economic activities in any country. It not only improves the quality of life but is fundamental for sustainable social and economic development in both the developed and developing countries. A secure adequate, affordable and reliable supply of energy is thus a necessary precondition for sustainable development[1]. Energy security is therefore a major concern of most governments and thus remains a top agenda. To ensure energy security, its mandatory to have a well balanced supply and demand[2]. Fossil fuel (Crude Oil) still remains the main energy source in most countries both in the developed and developing economies. High oil prices and supply disruptions therefore have significant negative impacts on all social and economic activities especially to countries that are net oil importers. Such countries are faced with the challenge of always having enough stock of oil or oil products to avoid any ultimate shocks due to supply disruptions or price ch anges. Like many developing countries, the main sources of energy in Kenya and Uganda are biomass and commercial energy sources. Biomass is used mainly in the rural areas and accounts for up to 80% of the overall energy mix in the region. Commercial energy sources on the other hand are used mainly in the urban areas. The figure below shows the energy sources consumption patterns in the region. Kenya and Uganda are heavily dependent on oil especially in the transport sector and partially for electricity generation and commercial purposes. The lack of a commercially viable substitute fuel remains the main reason behind the over dependence on oil in the transport sector. These two countries are net oil importers faced with the challenge of ensuring there is enough supply of oil products to meet the demand of the various sectors of the economy. This over reliance on imported oil has constantly exposed these two countries to externalities of market power by the powerful suppliers[4]. Kenya and Uganda import crude oil and finished products from the Gulf region through the Indian Ocean to Mombasa Port. There is a fully functional Oil refinery at Kenyas Mombasa Port where the imported crude is received, refined and later on pumped to the major towns through a petroleum pipeline in the country[5]. Uganda being a land locked country relies to a greater extent on Kenya (some of the i mports come through Dar es Salaam in Tanzania) for its oil import which is first refined at the Kenya Petroleum Refineries before being pumped through the Kenya Oil pipeline to the Eldoret fuel depot[6]. The products are then transported by road or rail from the depot to Uganda. This process has proved quite inefficient causing supply disruptions that finally impact all the socio economic sectors in Uganda negatively. This inefficiency made the two governments draw a game plan to ensure efficient transportation of petroleum products to Uganda. These developments facilitated the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding between the Government of Kenya and Uganda that led to the establishment of a Joint Coordinating Commission (JCC) in 1995[7]. The JCC was charged with the responsibility of coordinating a feasibility study for constructing an oil pipeline from the Eldoret Depot in Kenya, an extension of the already existing Kenya pipeline, to a terminal to be constructed in Kampala, U ganda. In 1998 a feasibility study funded by the European Investment Bank (EIB) was conducted by JCCs consultants, Penspen Limited of UK. The report by the consultants presented in May 1999 concluded that the project was feasible and viable[8]. JCC was later on given the mandate in 2000 to implement the project. However due to time lapse between the feasibility study and the decision to go ahead with the project implementation, taking the dynamic nature of the oil and gas industry in these two countries, a second feasibility study was conducted funded by the two governments[9]. The report from the consultant, like in the first study, concluded that the project was still viable and could be taken to the next phase. JCC therefore made a decision to proceed with the project implementation on Public Private Partnership with the two governments having a share of 24.5% each and 51% for the private investor[10] An invitation to Tender was floated inviting interested bidders internationally to bid for the execution of the project on BOOT basis for a period of 20 years. Tamoil East Africa Ltd (TEAL) won the bid in 2006 to finance and construct an 8 inch pipeline at a cost of US$78.2 million[11]. An agreement, The Heads of Agreement, between the two governments and TEAL was then signed in January 2007 to enable the investor to start the development phase of the project[12]. A number of developmental phase activities had to be completed before commencing the construction activities. These included the preparation of all the legal agreements affecting the Project, the pipeline Route Survey to determine the right of way, the Environmental Impact Assessment Study in compliance with the environmental laws in the two counties, updates of the Market Study and revised product demand forecast leading to optimum sizing of the pipeline and finally carrying out the Front End Engineering Design (FEED)[13]. The successful completion of the above phase was the main determinant of the project costs upon which the developer was expected to make a final investment decision to proceed with the construction phase of the project[14]. TEAL had finished all the tasks at the development phase by 2008 when large Oil discoveries were made in Uganda in commercial quantities[15]. This therefore meant the initial 8 inch pipeline design, having considered only one way flow from Kenya to Uganda, could only serve Uganda in the initial years before production begins and would be rendered inactive thereafter as the there will be need to transport oil from Uganda to the Neighboring countries and to the other international. With these new developments, JCC therefore considered a redesign of the pipeline to accommodate reverse pumping from either direction. This would satisfy Ugandas petroleum needs in the short run, importing fuel through Kenya, and finally in exporting its refined oil products to the other markets through the Kenyan Port of Mombasa. A new financial analysis of the project based on the redesigned pipeline diameter was therefore necessary to capture the new CAPEX and projected throughput as this would have an impact on the project cash flow when product will be pumped from Uganda side. TEAL through its consultant, Matt MacDonald UK, finished the new design earlier this year and came up with the new project cost as shown in Table 1 in Annex 1( the table also shows the cost breakdown of the initial design)[16]. TEAL also carried out additional economic analysis to come up with a new tariff based on the new developments. TEAL was therefore faced with the challenge of carrying out a more detailed financial and project analysis to justify the viability of the project to its shareholders and to present the same to JCC for review and approval. It is at this stage that I joined the company as an intern to assist the project team on various tasks but more specifically on the financial analysis of the project based on the new project developments and to analyze the effect of scope creep on the projects viability. This report aims at elaborating more on the tasks undertaken during the internship period. However the main task undertaken was working with the financial consultant of the company in carrying out the financial analysis of the project and finally discussing with the project team the impact of the changes in scope (scope creep) on project cost. A report of the analysis was presented to the project team with a summary of the model assumptions and results. The final investment decision was to be taken based on the findings and the results presented in the report[17]. This report gives a brief description of the project from inception to the status during the internship period in its first and second chapters. The third chapter focuses on the financial analysis carried in fulfillment of the allocated task. A brief of other tasks undertaken during the internship is given in the fourth chapter. The final chapter focuses on the conclusions and recommendations of the whole exercise highlighting the benefits of the internship both to the intern and the company. The conclusions details the key challenges of scope creep in effective project management. The report will be based on the information collected from the Project Information Memorandum (document available in TEALs project office), earlier study reports in the project office, skills gained from different modules taken up during my training at CEPMLP and various text books. CHAPTER 1 1. Overview of the Project The need for adequate and reliable supply of oil products to Uganda at affordable cost was the key driver of the Kenya Uganda Pipeline project. However this was also in line with the policies of the Kenyan government ensuring the country also benefits from the project. The key issues of the project are briefly mentioned in the following subsections. These include the main project drivers, the justification for the choice of having a public / private partnership, the economic policies in the two countries and the benefits of the project to the two countries. 1.1 Project Drivers A reliability, efficiency and cost effective means of transportation of oil products to Uganda was the main project driver as already mentioned. In addition to that, there was a need to have a safe and an environmentally acceptable means of transportation of the products in line with the environmental laws in both countries[18]. Various transportation options discussed in the following chapters were considered and the pipeline emerged as the most cost effective option that satisfies the requirements above for both the current and future oil demand. 1.2 Economic Policies of Kenya and Uganda in relation to the Project Both the GoK and GoU look forward to the successful completion of the pipeline project albeit their different economic policy drivers. Ugandas main policy behind the project is to ensure adequate, reliable and affordable supply of energy to the various sectors within its economy. On the other hand Kenyas main driver is the need to create more wealth and employment to its people. The economic policies of the two countries are highlighted below; Uganda Economic Policies The overall policy of the Ministry of Energy and Mineral Development Uganda is to â€Å"To ensure an adequate, reliable and affordable supply of quality petroleum products for all sectors of the economy at internationally competitive and fair prices within appropriate health, safety and environmental standards†[19]. The responsibilities of the MEMD Uganda include; Establishing the available energy resources within the country; Carrying out energy demand forecasting for the various sectors of the economy; To contribute to poverty eradication by increasing access to modern, affordable and reliable energy services to its people; Improving energy governance and administration; Stimulating economic development; Managing energy-related environmental impacts. Kenya Economic Policies Kenya has already established its petroleum pipeline network within the country managed by the Kenya Pipeline Corporation. Kenya economic policy supporting the project as mentioned above unlike in Uganda was based on the countrys Economic Recovery Strategy for Wealth and Employment Creation (ERSWEC) launched in 2003[20]. According to the laid down strategy, the state is expected to facilitate private sector growth and investment. The pipeline project will create a number of jobs from the construction phase through to operation. The KPC has also laid an additional pipeline to ensure there is sufficient product for export to Uganda and the neighboring countries[21]. This expansion leads to an increment in the Countries revenue hence satisfying the policy of wealth creation. On the other hand, one of the key objectives of the Kenya Ministry of Energy is to ensure petroleum products transported within the country and for export purposes is done in the most efficient way with minimal loss es while maintaining the countrys environmental and safety standard, a criteria satisfied by the project[22]. 1.3 Public/Private Partnership Public Private Partnership (PPP) is where a public service is provided through a partnership of the public sector with one or more private companies. The private sector in most cases assumes financial, technical and operational obligations. However accountability remains with the public sector for the provision of that public service. PPP therefore enables most governments to improve on the delivery of public services and proper management of public facilities by sharing the financial obligations with other private investors. The private investor on the other hand gains from the partnership by earning a return on capital employed. The procurement of public services is greatly improved on PPP ventures. However, long term political commitment is mandatory for the success of PPP. Most infrastructure projects are capital intensive but the involvement of the private sector has enabled most countries world over to implement such projects. Figure 1.1 below shows the number and value of priv ate participation in infrastructure projects by region between 1996 and 2006. From the figure it can be seen that other regions of the world have put up many infrastructure projects with private participation well ahead of Africa. Some of the projects implemented under public private partnership in the region include the Songa Processing plant in Tanzania, Maputo port in Zimbabwe and Skida Desalination Plant in Algeria[24]. Energy sector projects are usually capital intensive and the returns take a relatively longer time to be realised. Most developing countries face financial challenges and can only rely on donors or investors for the funding and implementation of projects of this nature. This is the main reason behind the choice of Public/ Private Partnership for the Kenya Uganda Petroleum Products Pipeline Project implementation. The JCC came up with a mechanism to partner with a private investor for the implementation of the pipeline project. The investors responsibility is to finance and operate the project on BOOT basis. The private investor on completion of the project will be expected to manage and operate the pipeline for a period of 20 years before finally transferring ownership and operations of the facility to the two governments. The two governments agreed to have a 49% equity shared equally between them leaving the investor with a 51% share[25]. This was aimed at facilitating the private investors growth for faster economic development in line with the economic policies in the two countries. TEAL therefore partnered with the two governments having come up with the most competitive bid for the financing, construction and operation of the proposed pipeline project. The financial plan of the project is discussed in chapter three of this report. The cost of using the facility will be borne by the users and not the tax payers. 1.4 Benefits of the Project Alternative options of transporting petroleum products to Uganda have been considered in the next chapter. These range from transportation by road tankers, rail wagons, marine ships or ferries and finally pipeline transport. A number of benefits of the pipeline project that were the key drivers have been outlined below[26]; Secure and environmentally acceptable means of transportation of Petroleum products to the Uganda market; Provision of secure and easy access to supply of petroleum products to the other neighboring countries to Uganda; Reduction of road maintenance costs and reduction in the number of road accidents i.e. decongesting the roads; With a reliable supply of petroleum products, the oil marketers in Uganda will be able to maintain low stocks and reduce their costs resulting in low cost passed on to the consumers; The overall reduction in transportation cost will also lead to a reduction in the final market prices of the oil products; The pipeline will lead to a reduction in illegal product movement across the Kenya-Uganda border and ultimately prevent product adulteration which is common when products are transported by road tankers and finally, The pipeline will lead to a reduction on HIV prevalence among truck driver a situation that has become a national pandemic in the two countries. CHAPTER 2 2. Market analysis A number of market studies have been done in line with the Kenya Uganda Petroleum Products Pipeline Project. The most recent study was done in 2007 by TEAL through their consultant, Nexant Limited. The main objective of the study was to carryout petroleum products demand analysis and forecasting. The study was a development of the earlier studies carried out in 1999 and 2001. With an optimistic commencement of works by end of this year (2008) , the consultant focused on the prevailing Market data and carried out a demand forecasting up until 2028 (End of BOOT period). There has been a considerable growth rate in the demand of white products in Uganda and the Neighboring countries. 2.1 Oil Transportation System in Kenya and Uganda As earlier mentioned, Kenya has an already functional oil products pipeline to the major cities operated by KPC. In addition to the pipeline, the country relies on rail and road transportation for distribution of the products to the remaining towns. Uganda on the other hand relies mainly on road transportation from Kenya and distribution within the country. 2.2 Market Opportunities for the Pipeline The main driver of the project was to ensure efficient distribution of petroleum products to Uganda. However there are a number of neighboring countries, relying on road transportation of their petroleum products supply through Uganda that would also benefit from the pipeline. These include Rwanda, Burundi, North Western Tanzania and Eastern Congo. The delays caused by long distance hauling add to the final fuel costs. The pipeline will therefore serve a bigger market beyond Uganda. With the new discoveries, depending on the quantities of crude discovered in Uganda, the pipeline will be used later on in transporting white Oil products from Uganda refineries to the Kenya Port of Mombasa for distribution to the wider international market[28]. 2.3 Competitors to the Pipeline Despite the benefits of the pipeline outlined, it is still subjected to stiff competition largely based on the final tariff charged to the shippers. This will ultimately affect the final cost of fuel passed on to the consumers. If the tariff charged for utilizing the pipeline is relatively high in comparison to the cost of using road or rail modes of transport (that are largely being used currently), then the oil marketers may not use up the facility instead they will maintain the current alternatives[29]. The three main competitors, road, rail and marine transport are discussed below. Road Transportation Uganda is currently relying heavily on road transportation, using oil tankers, for its oil imports through Kenya. There are two alternative routes to Uganda, through the Malaba border from Eldoret depot or Busia border from the Kisumu Depot. The shortest route to Uganda is however through the Eldoret Depot. In addition to the relatively shorter distance is its larger capacity, relative to the Kisumu Depot, to handle the extra transit oil products to Uganda. There have been massive delays in product delivery caused by road transportation of petroleum product. However there are a number of factors that have contributed to this delay the main factor being customs clearance for transit oil at the Kenya/ Uganda border where the trucks are expected to move in regulated convoys to avoid tax fraud. The other disadvantages of road transportation are the safety and environmental problems associated with spillage of products and road accidents. The high unit labor costs make road transport more expensive as compared to rail or pipeline over long distances. Despite the shortcomings of road transportation, it is still considered as the fastest way of transportation in relation to the other existing means in the absence of a pipeline. On the other hand it also provides employment to different groups at different levels, the drivers, mechanics etc. as compared to the other modes. Rail Transportation Uganda has two options of transporting oil products by rail. This can be through the Kenyan railway system managed by Rift Valley Railways Company or the Tanzanian railway system. There are three alternative routes by rail to Uganda, two from the Kenyan Side (direct routes from Mombasa and from Kisumu) and one from Dar-es-Salaam in Tanzania. The routes through Kisumu and Dar-es-Salaam involve lake ferries through Lake Victoria. The preferred route by rail is through the Mombasa route, this is about 100km longer than the Kisumu route, as it takes relatively shorter transit duration than the other routes[30]. The railway systems use roll on ferries for moving across the lake. Railway transportation has the advantage of low marginal costs for incremental freight traffic after the initial capital investment is fully paid up. The major concern on the railway system in the East African region is poor maintenance in addition to the operational problems. The networks are not well developed causing delays. It however has environmental and safety advantages over road transportation. Marine Transport Lake Victoria connects the three East African Countries. Uganda therefore has the option of using either route through Kenya or Tanzania. The routes are however a subsidiary to the railway systems through the ferries. The infrastructure is not well developed and the systems are not so actively used. The oil jetty in Kisumu on the Kenyan side has not been in use since mid nineties when the existing pipeline was commissioned. Plans are however underway in looking at the possibility of constructing a loading Jetty in Kisumu but no work or studies have been carried out so far to this effect. Mwanza port in Tanzania is partially in use, the oil exports currently utilize the existing ferries discussed above. Movement via inland waters is a low cost option due to low maintenance costs. The cost of putting up terminal facilities is relatively low compared to other modes of transport. The main disadvantage of marine transport is the inflexibility due to delivery times and environmental concerns due to oil spillage that can negatively affect the fishing industry. 2.4 Risk analysis of the market and other project risks Risk management involves using past occurrences to forecast future events. By extrapolating from the past occurrences, risk analyst can forecast the probability that a particular risk might occur or not[31]. A good understanding of the project phases is important in risk analysis and finally managing the identified risks. The Capital intensive nature of energy ventures calls for a detailed risk analysis before making the final investment decision. Risk analysis starts with risk identification followed by an assessment of the probability of occurrence of the risk and finally an evaluation of the cost estimates of each risk identified. Quantifying the risks enables the Project management team to make decisions on what measures to take to avoid the risks or mitigate and manage them. Adequate analysis of various risks was carried out at the development phase of the project. Changes cannot be fully avoided in such big projects. A good understanding of risk management principals can theref ore help the project team in managing the ever recurring changes. The benefits of risk analysis and risk management are summarized below; [32] A good clarification of project issues right from project inception to completion, A good support of decision making based on a detailed analysis, Continuous monitoring of project definition and specification, A good understanding of project risks hence finding various options of management at a relatively lower cost, The historical data can be used in future risk management procedures. There are a number of risks associated with the Kenya Uganda Petroleum Products Pipeline Project. These have been briefly discussed below based on the market studies that were carried out by the company consultants. Market Risk Analysis Market risks are risks that results from changes in the market environment. There are a number of external and internal forces at work that all firms need to address in order to remain competitive in any business environment. According to Michael Porter, there are five competitive forces in any market environment[33]. It is rare to find more than one petroleum products pipeline in the developing countries because of the capital expenditure involved. Most pipelines in the developing countries therefore enjoy natural monopoly and are hardly threatened by new entrants. From the discussion in the last section, the pipeline will offer the lowest oil products transportation tariff in comparison to the other modes of transportation in addition to the other benefits. It will therefore have a competitive advantage over the other competing modes of transportation. The customers (oil marketer) will therefore be forced â€Å"naturally† to use the pipeline in transporting their products to Uganda. The only threat left would therefore be oil products substitutes. Oil products are currently used mainly for electricity generation and in the transport sector, the largest consumer being the transport industry. The lack of a commercially viable substitute in the transportation sector leaves oil products as the only option. No market risks are therefore envisaged in the 20 year period that TEAL will operate the pipeline and the following years until the region develops any commercially viable substitute. There are however other project risks associated with the pipeline discussed in the following chapters. Other Project Risks Financing Risk Financial risks are risks associated with changes in the financial value of the portfolio. They are therefore risks that lead to reduction of the investments cash flow. Changes in the interest rates, stock market values etc are but some of the major causes of financial risks. The projects Request for Proposal specified a Debt Equity Ratio of 70:30 financing for the pipeline project. The equity contribution by all the parties is an indication of how much risk they are willing to take on the project. The initial bid by TEAL to finance the project was based on the return on investment from the CAPEX and OPEX assumed at the time of contract award. This has however changed significantly posing great risks to the investor. There have been a number of variations that have come up having significant cost impact on the CAPEX. Some of the variations that were not foreseen during project inception have negatively impacted the projects CAPEX leading to reductions in the project returns. A new fi nancial model has however been developed (discussed in the next chapter) to look at the viability of the project. The time delay in the commencement of construction works has also had an impact on the project revenues that were initially forecasted to start in 2008. Discussions are however underway between the JCC and TEAL on eliminating or sharing any loses that may accrue to the developer (TEAL) for the successful completion of the project. Technical Risk Technical risks in engineering projects are exposures to losses that occur mainly due to technological changes or design failures. In order to avoid any negative impact on the project during construction through to the operation phase due to technical failures, it is mandatory to do a thorough analysis of all the design parameters and ensure they are closely monitored and implemented during all the phases of the project. Its also important that provisions are made for any future technological changes during the design stage. Technical failures can also cause losses of revenue due to lack of operation of the facility constructed. It is therefore mandatory that stringent checks are made during design through to construction and finally during the commissioning of the facility and operation. TEAL have put in place all the necessary checks and ensured the design meet internationally accepted standards. The pipeline design was carried out by qualified consultants to TEAL and reviewed by d iscipline engineers in the project team[34]. To avoid any design incompatibility with the already existing pipeline on the Kenyan side, TEAL held several design review meetings with the KPC engineers. An agreement was signed between KPC and TEAL (Interconnection Agreement) to avoid any technical failures of the pipeline networks in the future[35]. Detailed manuals have been put in place for future maintenance and operation of the facility to further eliminate any technical risks. Political Risk Political risks are risks that occur due to changes in the political arena in a particular country. These are mainly changes in governance, policy, civil unrest etc and can have significant impacts on an investments returns. The risk increases where an investment involves two countries like in the case of Kenya Uganda Petroleum Products Pipeline Project because of the differences in governing systems and policies in socio-economic environments. The 2008 post election violence in Kenya had a significant effect on the economic activities in the whole Eastern Africa region. During this period, it was impossible to transport petroleum products to Uganda as the roads were impassable due to civil unrest causing serious impacts on Ugandas socio economic activities. Most investors always opt for taking a Political risk insurance to address this risk but the project team opted on forming a commission representing all the involved parties. The JCC was therefore formed to address political ris k issues in addition to the other tasks discussed in the report already. One of the responsibilities of JCC was therefore to address any potential difficulties that would result from political and national differences between the two countries. The JCC therefore put into place the Legal frameworks through which tendering for investors were managed. On completion of the construction works, a Joint Venture Company will take over the operations of the pipeline. The directors of the JVC will come from the two governments and TEAL. The ownership of the pipeline system is established through the Shareholders Agreement, and the Legal frameworks created by the Host Governments Agreements and the Intergovernmental Agreement[36]. It is however important to note that the two countries have a history of good relations but this should not be an indication of lack of any disagreements between the two governments in the future. The JVC will therefore be a neutral ground where all the pipeline oper ational issues will be discussed. CHAPTER 3 3. Finance Structure of the Pipeline The principal objective of any firms directors is to maximize the shareholders value by undertaking investments with positive returns. Shareholders of a firm can earn returns on their capital from taking up investment decisions themselves and investing in other ventures outside the firm but if they ge