Gst in Malaysia

Goods and Services Tax (GST) GST is a consumption tax based on the value-added concept. GST is imposed on goods and services at every production and distribution stage in the supply chain including importation of goods and services. The GST implementation is part of the government’s tax reform program to enhance the capability, effectiveness and transparency of tax administration and management. The Government has not determined the implementation date of GST in Malaysia. Presently, the Government is actively involved in providing awareness and knowledge on the concept and rules regarding GST implementation.If GST is implemented, the Government will provide ample time between 18 to 24 months for the businesses and industries to prepare themselves for the implementation of GST. At the moment, the government has not fixed the GST rate to be imposed in Malaysia. Nevertheless, the social and pricing impact studies conducted by the Ministry of Finance indicated that the suitable GS T rate is in the range of 4%. GST is a more comprehensive, effective, transparent, and business friendly tax system. GST can overcome the various weaknesses inherent in the present consumption tax system.The inherent weaknesses under the present tax system are the cascading tax, double tax and pyramiding tax, tax erosion and leakages through transfer pricing and other means. Besides that, GST is expected to increase tax compliance and is easier to administer in view of its self policing method. Besides that, the businesses are required only to submit simplified tax returns based on prescribed formats. All records and documents relating to the relevant transaction are required to be kept in the business premises for audit by the GST auditor.How does GST work? GST is charged and collected on all taxable goods and services produced in the country including imports. Only businesses registered under GST can charge and collect GST. GST collected on output must be remitted to the governmen t. However, businesses are allowed to claim the input tax credit through the following mechanism and method:- i. GST collected on output (output tax) is deducted against the GST paid on input (input tax). ii. If there is excess, the amount shall be remitted to the government within the stipulated period. ii. If there is deficit, businesses can claim for refund from the government. GST can only be collected by persons who are registered under GST and the tax shall be remitted to the government within the stipulated period. In principle, the GST is not a cost to business as the GST paid on the business inputs can be claimed as tax credit. As such, it is estimated that the cost of doing business will decrease by an amount of RM4. 3 billion inclusive of a saving of RM1. 4 billion by exporters on their business inputs.The reduction in the business costs will make the local products and services more competitive in the domestic and international markets. In addition, the GST is expected t o improve tax compliance and is easier to administer due to its self-policing feature. With GST, bureaucracy in the government’s delivery system will be significantly reduced. Based on a GST rate of 4%, it is expected that there will be a price reduction between 0. 08% to 2. 71% in respect of eight components of goods and services.With this price reduction, the rakyat will benefit from the cheaper goods and services such as clothing and footwear, basic food, communication, furnishings, hardware and maintenance, transport, housing, water, electricity, gas and fuel. The tax burden borne by the rakyat and consumers is expected to be lower compared with that under the present tax system. This is due to the reason that various basic needs such as rice, sugar, flour, cooking oil, vegetables, fish, meat, eggs, and essential services such as public transport, private education and health, residential properties and agricultural land are not subject to GST.What are the measures undert aken by the government to ensure a smooth GST implementation? The government will give the businesses ample time to be ready for GST implementation. GST awareness and education programmes will be conducted on an on-going basis until the GST is implemented. In its effort to disseminate GST information to the general public, the government has set up a Customs call centre which will be operational at Kelana Jaya, Selangor.In addition, various industry guides will be issued as guidance to the industries relating to the GST treatment and procedures pertaining to specific industries. The Customs Department will conduct visits to business premises to provide assistance and advisory services to ensure that businesses fully understand the GST rules and procedure. The government will also ensure that the GST computerization system is fully operational before the GST implementation. The test run for the pilot project relating to the early registration process will be conducted six months befo re the GST implementation date.

A Jury of Our Fears

In the abundance of crimes in today’s society, the people put their fate on the hands of a selected group of people, who are expected to give justice onto whatever crime has been committed.These groups of people can be considered the most crucial part of the criminal justice system of the nation: the decision-making body known as the jury. But lately, instead of bringing justice to the deserving ones, these juries have been feared to come up with faulty decisions and unreliable judgments.The criminal justice system has been put to question, all thanks to the incompetence of these juries who doesn’t pay much attention on their jobs. These juries are so confident that they can give the right decision by merely looking at the people in question, and not by thorough analysis and investigations.In Rothwax’s essay regarding these juries, he stated that â€Å"the rhetoric that idealizes the jury and the reality of its operation are in conflict.† This means that t he juries aren’t performing the way they are supposed to perform, and this jeopardizes the judiciary system of the nation. Initially, the definition of what a jury is should be properly established.According to Rothwax, a jury is 12-man team composed of able-bodied, fair-minded people who mediates between the government and the defendant or the accused individual. In their hands lies the power on how the case will be decided, and usually, what they decided on becomes the conclusion for the case.But lately, many lawyers and judges pointed out that these trials by jury are often decided out of randomness, and is somewhat far from what should be a highly-judicial practice of deciding on what will happen to the accused. Instead of deeply analyzing these cases, the jury often acquits those who are obviously guilty defendants because of irrelevant matters.They are also unable to reach a verdict in cases which seemed to be very overwhelming, thus proving their incompetence in what t hey do. Instead of arriving to well-thought of decisions, they often rely on hints or trends, like bodily gestures of the defendant, as well as their physical looks and age.One solution being suggested was on removing the decision making body which is the jury. But this is seen impossible because of the fact that the nation has relied on the jury system of bringing justice, that’s why Rothwax proposes several tweaks in the current judicial system of today. These may be a major change or a minor adjustment, but hopefully, these things could solve the current problems being faced by the judicial system today.One solution could be sharing the Jury duty. This does not limit the legitimate jury choices, since trials are often hindered because of jury who doesn’t show up in actual court hearings. With an increased number of choices, the faster the cases could be processed. This opens the possibility for having other people act as jury, like doctors, clergymen, professionals, and so much more.Handpicking a jury for the case shouldn’t also be allowed. This is because defendants who have a large chance of getting convicted can choose some gullible jurors who could cloud up the decision making for the case. In our nations system for selecting the jury, the task is often left with the defense side. This opens the possibility for having jurors which are poor evaluators of facts, thus jeopardizing the way the case will be decided.Another would be about abolishing the Unanimous verdict being given by the jury. This is to rule out the possibility of having the decision revoke just because of a single vote.The sense of voting about what will be the decision will be lost, as it will still be stopped by a stray vote, which could mean that the person who had another may have not properly review the case or evidences. Surely, there are reasons or instances that these jury takes into consideration about the decision. But with say a 11-1 vote, the single vote m ay be a negligible number in deciding.Foolish technicalities should also be removed when coming with the right decision by means of a jury. This could just hinder the proceedings of the case, or totally overturn the result of the case.This is because of the fact that some technicalities which are clearly irrelevant to the case could be used to delay the processing of a case, thus giving those guilty of their crimes plenty of times to hide possible evidences that could lead to solving the case. All over the country, some courts have shown signs that people sometimes turn to foolish technicalities to delay the proceedings of the case to think of a way for him not to get convicted.

Critical Annotated Bibliography Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Critical Annotated Bibliography - Essay Example The commission considered that case to the Criminal Justice Department in order to punish the departmental wrong doings in the case of twin tower collapse. The bad thing is that, the commission at last agreed to compromise and referred all the case to the DG for the Defense and Transportation Department who on departmental behalf can call any official to prosecute in the Criminal Justice System. The case of NORAD was also suspicious in providing correct information. In order to cover up the pressing pressure from different media entities, Pentagon worked in a separate report that was focused on to find if the information submitted to Commission was wrong or not. The different stockpersons from the Pentagon said the report is in the draft shape and will be shared soon. Jones, Steve E. â€Å"Why Indeed Did the WTC Buildings Completely Collapse?† 2006. Web. July 5, 2011. This report by the Dr. Steve E. Jones is a controlled-demolition hypothesis that says that collapse of the WTC was not possible by the impact of airplanes and fire caused but by controlled by the installed cutter-charges. The important fact is that there is, US government has never investigated on the matter. The work by Dr. Jones is a scientific hypothesis that can be tested scientifically. The core findings include that collapse of the twin towers were a deliberate effort by authorities by implanting cutter-charges. The WTC 7 building that was never hit by any plane was demolished on its footprints. The building was a steel frame building that is hard to prove that the building collapse without any planted demolition devices. This work was reviewed by many scientists of PhD level and by physicist. This work by Dr. Jones provided lot of scientific information that collapse was not natural due to airplanes. It portrays high level of challenge to the authorities that say that the work collapse was due to airplanes crash in between them. The fire, fuel burning was analyzed with its power and other material in the building was also analyzed and then it was compared with the power required to demolish the building and found that impact of airplanes is not enough to cause the collapse. The WTC 7 then provides evidence that there is nothing that hit it as an airplane then why it gone demolished. New York Times. CBS News. â€Å"Poll†. Web. July 5, 2011. This was a poll that was done through telephonic methodology that tells about the opinion of the people to know what they think Bush Administration is telling truth, hiding something or lying about the event of 9/11. The polls have 4 percent of margin of error and its results were showing trends on the response. The more people were thinking that administration was lying and hiding the true facts from the people. The polls were taken for 2002 and 2006. The response rate for telling truth was 21 percent in 2002 and 16 percent in 2006. The response rate for hiding something was 65 percent in 2002 and 53 percent in 2006. For mostly lying, the only 8 percent in 2002 but it raised to 28 percent in 2006. These statistics shows that there is a deliberate segment of population who believes that the story is based on lies and it cannot be taken as completely rationale for taking part in the military efforts all over the world. People are

Article analysis Term Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Article analysis - Term Paper Example Health care in America faces relevant pressing issues that need immediate attention. Statistics provided by the AFL-CIO (â€Å"What’s Wrong With America, par. 2) reveal that 47 million Americans are without health insurance. Hacker (â€Å"Health Care for America†, par. 2) averred that â€Å"health insecurity is not confined to one part of the population. It is experienced by all Americans: those without insurance as well as those who risk losing coverage; those who are impoverished as well as those with higher incomes who experience catastrophic costs; those who are sick or injured as well as those who are just one sickness or injury away from financial calamity†. The Obama administration planned to reinforce the universal health care system for (almost) all Americans regardless of age, income, policyholder, gender or race. Incorporated in this universal health care plan is a National Health Insurance Exchange which would oversee current private insurance policyholders. Issues emerged on concerns that covering the uninsured entails paying higher taxes to subsidize this cost. In line of the economic crisis, these reforms are evaluated in the light of current budget constraints, specifically on education and Medicare programs. Further, the Miller averred that congressional leaders continue to divulge opposing views regarding the changes that were to be implemented and how to implement them. The cause of the disagreement was basically on public option, â€Å"a government-run insurance scheme, and how to pay for the remainder of reform† (BBC News, 2010, par. 19) The Republicans consistently opposed Obama’s healthcare reform indicating that healthcare would be "more bureaucratic and expensive" (BBC News, 2010, par. 25). They â€Å"focused on reducing the cost of health care and included only modest increases in insurance coverage† (Miller, 2010, 1103). The Democrats, on the other hand, supported Obama’s bill requiring â€Å"most Americans to

Auditing and Assurance Services Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Auditing and Assurance Services - Essay Example The objective of the paper signifies the importance of the auditory system along with the reliance level that can be provided towards the audit process. This paper also intends to reflect on the pros and cons of the auditory as well as assurance services that need to be present in the financial statement of the organizations. The auditing process of an organization or a firm involves with the model of accountability, inspection of the monetary reports along with the financial demands for assessment of the auditory system. The audit process in this regards provide with the statements which significantly fulfill the gap of expectations between the user and the financial statements. The auditing process for the organization generally involves with the convenient regulation dealing with control tools of the system. Conducting an auditing and assurance program also assists an organization for the critical assessment of the financial statements with the proper evidence. In this context the application of tools as well as techniques examine the main revenue along with the cost activities of the firm. Management representation of the organization, identifying the errors as well as the weaknesses of the financial activities of the firm is also an important responsibility of the audit process for the organization. Therefore, documentation of the audit and assurance shall provide the management with valuable assistance in taking the initiatives according to the review of the financial statements that were prepared in the audit process of the organization. The assurance service of the auditing process further helps the auditors to keep the record of the evidence in the auditing process of the firm (Pearsoned, â€Å"An Introduction to Auditing and Assurance†). With regards to the pros and cons of the process in the auditing system, it can be said that it may help to forecast the future cost activities of the firm along with the

Employee Training and Development at Abbott Case Study

Employee Training and Development at Abbott - Case Study Example Abbott has received numerous local, national and international distinctions for its commitment to workplace excellence. Abbott has been named one of the best places to work in the world. It has received many awards for its unique performance and its concern and care for its workforce safety, growth and development and success and excellence. The present study covers some of the important areas in employee training and development that have made it a distinct company. Strategic training is directly linked with the business strategy of a company. It begins with identifying the business strategy. Then strategic training and development initiatives that support the strategy are selected and these are translated into concrete training and development activities. The final step involves identifying measures or metrics. These metrics are used to determine if training helped contribute to goals related to business strategy. (Noe. 2008) As Raymond Noe rightly points out, the company's mission, vision, values and goals help to determine the strategy. The mission is the company's reason for existing. The vision is the picture of what company does in the future and what it wants to achieve. Values are what the company stands for. SWOT analysis really helps a company to identify its strengths and weakness and an analysis of its operating environment to identify opportunities and threats. It studies closely the internal and external factors that affect its performance. This analysis goes a long way in formulating the business strategy. The company has to consider its competition. It will decide how the company will compete with others in the market. There are three main points to consider when planning the strategy for competing. They are: 1) where to compete 2) How to compete 3) With what will it compete Abbott has a clear business strategy with its clear mission and vision statements and thorough SWOT analysis.- Once the business strategy is clear then strategic training and development initiatives that support the Strategy are identified. Strategic training and development initiatives are learning-related actions that a company should take to help it achieve its business strategy. (Noe, 2008) These initiatives are based on the business environment, an understanding of the company's goals and resources and insight regarding potential training and development options. These provide the company a road map to guide specific training and development activities. One of the initiatives in strategic training is to diversifying the learning portfolio by using new technology, facilitating informal learning, and providing more personalized learning opportunities. Expanding who are trained is another major initiative in strategic training. It includes customers, suppliers and employees. It also aims at providing training for non-managerial employees. Accelerating the Pace of Employee learning is another major strategic training initiative. It helps in quickly identifying needs and providing a high-quality learning solution, reducing the time to develop training programs and

Convection, Conduction and Radiation Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Convection, Conduction and Radiation - Essay Example The energy transferred from one system to another is called the internal energy. Internal energy is, although not in all cases, is proportional to temperature. Essentially, the transfer of energy or heat starts from the system with the higher temperature to the system with the lower temperature. The higher the internal energy of the system, the higher is the temperature of the system. However, there are cases when there are no changes on the temperature of the system even though there was an increment on the internal energy of that system. Such case will be explained later as part of the examples of conduction. There are several ways on how to transfer energy or heat: thermal convection, thermal conduction and thermal radiation or simply called convection, conduction and radiation. These three modes of transfer of energy have different operations going on. This particular study aims to explain heat transfer via the three methods aforementioned. Keywords: conduction, convection, radia tion, internal energy, heat, system HEAT TRANSFERS: CONVECTION, CONDUCTION, AND RADIATION 3 Thermal Convection Thermal convection, also known as convection, is a transfer of heat from one object to another wherein the heat travels in motion through liquids. In Physics, fluids include liquid substances, gases, and some plastic solids. When the temperature of a liquid rises, the liquid becomes lighter or less dense; nevertheless, if the temperature of the liquid decreases, it becomes denser and it relatively falls down. In thermal convection, what happens is that when there is a massive motion by the liquids like gases or liquid substances, it tends to create a circular motion since a solid body, when heated, transfers the energy to the liquid. Convection takes place when the liquid that was heated becomes lighter and therefore rises. When it reaches the top of the circulation, the temperature of the liquid decreases, hence, making it denser which causes it to fall down. The cycle cre ates convection current. Further, free convection takes place when the movements of the fluids are caused to move by the buoyant forces as a result of varying densities brought about by the rapid changed in the temperature. Forced convection, on the other hand, takes place when the fluid gets in contact with the surface of the solid system using outside or external means. There are several examples that will help us clearly understand the principles behind thermal convection. If you happen to observe when you boil pasta or beans, the moment the water (liquid) reaches its boiling point, the beans or the pasta moves up and down and from side to side or it triggers the pasta or the beans to move in random directions. The explanation of this HEAT TRANSFERS: CONVECTION, CONDUCTION, AND RADIATION 4 particular scenario as what have been explained earlier is that, the moment the temperature of the liquid increases, it becomes less dense or lighter causing it to rise above the surface and wh en it reaches the top and it cools down, which means there is a relative decrease on the temperature, it becomes denser and therefore falls down which creates a cycle. The changes on the temperature and the density of the liquid are principal factors causing the rising and falling movement of the pasta and the beans. The portion where

Visual Rock Music Stars Research Proposal Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Visual Rock Music Stars - Research Proposal Example The information from the interview will be used alongside photographs of the group over the period to assess how the changes in belief may have affected the way in which they dress. An outline of the interview questions is given below. These will be posed to the group as a whole so that the opinions of all the band members may be taken into consideration. 1. Den Tandt, Christophe "From craft to corporate interfacing: Rock musicianship in the age of music television and computer-programmed music." Popular Music and Society 27, no. 2 (June 2004): 139-160. This article examines the changes which have occurred to the rock music genre in recent years. It is relevant to the research as it suggests what changes may have occurred in rock music bands as a result of music television. It is likely that music television will have affected the way in which many rock music bands choose to portray themselves. This article examines the ways in which the punk rock music industry changed after the Sex Pistols. The article is relevant to the research as it examines the ways in which political ideologies affected the way in which punk rock bands dressed and behaved. Although the research is not specifically about punk rock bands, the article is still relevant to explaining how political ideologies may affect the appearance of rock music bands in general. This article examines and define... 1 (Spring 2000): 85. This article examines the ways in which the punk rock music industry changed after the Sex Pistols. The article is relevant to the research as it examines the ways in which political ideologies affected the way in which punk rock bands dressed and behaved. Although the research is not specifically about punk rock bands, the article is still relevant to explaining how political ideologies may affect the appearance of rock music bands in general. 3. Hibbett, Ryan "What is Indie rock" Popular Music and Society 28, no. 1 (February 2005): 55-77. This article examines and defines the category Indie rock. It is relevant to the research as it examines the way in which Indie rock bands are societally differentiated and how appearance contributes to this. 4. Johnson, Fred "U2, Mythology and Mass-mediated Survival" Popular Music and Society 27, no. 1 (February 2004): 79-99. This article examines how the band U2 have successfully mass marketed themselves. This is relevant to the research as U2 is a rock music band which has been successful for many years and has a clear set of beliefs behind the band. These ideas are portrayed in the music clearly, and the article examines how they may also be presented through the image of the band. This demonstrates the ways in which ideology may be linked to appearance in rock music bands. 5. McCarthy, Kate "Not pretty girls: Sexuality, spirituality and gender construction in women's rock music." Journal of Popular Culture 39, no. 1 (February 2006): 69-94. The article examines the stereotype of the female rock star. This article is relevant to the research as it examines the ways in which ideologies and beliefs may be quashed in order to conform to

Investment Risk Management Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

Investment Risk Management - Research Paper Example These include the following: an assessment of the factors that contributed to the financial failure of the firm, a discussion and representation of mortgage backed securities and the risks associated with leveraging them to a particularly high degree, in evaluation of management’s role with respect to the collapse of Lehman Brothers, a discussion of the recent debt crisis within the Euro zone and the relevance that Lehman Brothers example provides for this particular scenario, and final evaluation of the role of federal government and seeking to regulate ultimately decrease the incidence of such collapses in the future. Naturally, each of the aforementioned sections will corresponds to a section that provides recommendations and potential solutions that could have otherwise ameliorated the factors involved (Kershaw & Moorhead, 2013). It is the ultimate hope of this particular author that such a level of discussion and analysis will be beneficial to the reader in seeking to gai n a further level of understanding concerning the case of Lehman Brothers and the corresponding importance that this has with respect to other firms in the current market. Firstly, as a function of assessing the factors that contributed to the financial failure of the firm, these are ultimately contingent upon the high exposure of certain types of investments that Lehman Brothers engaged with. Essentially, mortgage backed securities (MBS) were a mainstay of the financial backbone that Lehman Brothers relied upon as a function of funding its continuing operations and providing investment security to its clients (Steele, 2014). However, as a direct result of the fact that these mortgage-backed securities were inherently unstable and essentially directly linked to the solidity of the mortgage market, this represented a lack of diversification and placed investors in an extreme risk of losing sizable parts of

A Reading of My Papa’s Waltz Essay Example for Free

A Reading of My Papa’s Waltz Essay Theodore Roethke’s â€Å"My Papa’s Waltz† speaks of how a daughter is able to see past the defects of her father with such adoring calm and respect. The poem is playful and innocent, the choice of words child-like, and the rhyme measured at a pace of a child’s anxious breathing. Yet a sense of caution rings true throughout, right from the very first lines down to the end of the poem. There is the unmistakable obedient but anxious anticipation in the part of the child upon seeing his father coming home drunk again. Also, perhaps because of the regularity of her â€Å"waltz† with her father the speaker has committed the details to memory. Waltz as a metaphor for action in the poetry tallies with the words romp—a boisterous frolic; dizzy, slid, step, scraped, beat, time and cling to the shirt among others (Roethke). Literally, waltz is dancing to fast music. The steps are not measured, oftentimes wild but still remains rhythmic and moves to a tune. It is danced with both partners holding to each other for dear life—so to speak, lest one should be thrown off from the repetitive twirls. As it were, at first reading, the poem may admit of several interpretations, yet by giving color to every word that sense which will result from all of the parts taken together, along with death, battered, hard, dirt, whiskey and so on, there is enough that can be gathered to support the conclusion that the â€Å"waltz† as used in the poem, means the abuse of a daughter by a drunk father (Roethke). However, although the work may be largely read as a re-telling of an incident where a father beats his daughter, the way that Roethke plays with the words and imagery makes the work open to several readings: Ones that may not necessarily lean towards violence and abuse. It is easy to read the work with a different view altogether. Nevertheless, the freedom of interpretation is granted solely to the reader due to the multiple meanings that the words and imagery, used in the poetry, convey. At any rate, the use of waltz to describe the beating was a clever touch in that it subtly shows the young girl’s abject fear to a point where harsh and hostile words, from an otherwise meek and mild tone, would only lessen the claim that the beating is regular and harsh. The message is clear that because of the frequency and extent of violence, the young girl is rendered unable to speak ill of the father in this poem but instead is beaten to absolute dread and horror to which only forced obedience is her only weapon. Thus, it would seem that they have danced the â€Å"waltz† before and nothing that eventually happens in the poem is something new or is happening for the first time. The speaker’s recollection of the details is remarkable underscoring the fact that what happened is still fresh in her memory or so etched in her mind so deeply that missing out a fact is impossible. There is the possibility of repetition felt at the end since the speaker makes it a point to show that this shall not be the last time—whilst she clung (desperately) to her dad’s shirt. She knows that it she will have to â€Å"waltz† with her papa soon enough that she prostrates herself at the end of that violent episode, hoping against all hope that there shall no longer be any in the future (Roethske). In the same vein, the poem is addressed to the father, waxing poetry with a meek letter of demand for the beating to stop. The over-all tone and style is apologetic and wishful in manner and in part. It is a technique used to show the attempt of the girl to appeal to the father’s emotions without so much as being violent in the treatment if only not to anger her father in the process. Moreover, the use of the word â€Å"waltz† as an ironic imagery reveals the mental age of the speaker. Consequently, these are hints of the young girl’s age since her tenderness and impressionability as a child coincides with the average year that a girl normally dreams of becoming a princess who waltzes with her prince. Instead, in this instance, it is the young girl and her father—who reeks with alcohol; with the crammed kitchen space as their dance floor, the cluttering of falling pans as the resounding applause; and a helpless mother, whose â€Å"countenance could not unfrown itself† (Roethke), looking on.

Zeus Robotic Surgical System Information Technology Essay

Zeus Robotic Surgical System Information Technology Essay Robots are ubiquitous today. They are found in our cars, in our houses, in our industries inside buildings and to places we neglect to notice. We trust robots to do everyday chores for us either by knowing directly or indirectly. Robots are becoming part of our lives and we have all accepted it. Today technology has advanced so that it allows for innovative robotic systems to be inserted in the medical field. New materials, ideas and technological advancements bring robotics into medicine. Robotics in medicine entails many advantages and benefits for both the doctors and the patients. But there are also some limitations in robotic surgery that cause doubt and uncertainty to people. However, as it happens with every new technological development, people need time to become familiar with it, to accept it and finally trust it. So the question is if the world is ready to accept and trust robots in health and more specifically in surgery. There will be people who are pioneers and enjoy trying something new, people who are skeptical and need to know everything about it before agreeing and people who will be afraid no matter how much proof theyre given. There cannot be an abrupt transition from classical surgeries without robots to surgeries all aided with robots. Gradually, the surgeries aided with robots will increase as peoples experience and trust increases. IT Background History of robotics Most of us when we hear the word robot we think of science fiction movies showing robots of the future, performing outstanding tasks. In fact, most of these robots seen are now everyday reality making our lives more convenient. One definition that could be given to a robot is a reprogrammable multi-functional manipulator designed to move material, parts, tools, or specialized devices through variable programmed motions for the performance of a variety of tasks.  [1]   Robotics is the engineering science and technology of robots, their design, manufacturing, and applications. It is related to electronics, mechanics, and software. Robots could not be manufactured until the 1960s when transistors and integrated circuits were invented. Compact, reliable electronics and a growing computer industry added intellect to the power of already existing machines. In 1959, researchers demonstrated the possibility of robotic manufacturing when they disclosed a computer-controlled milling machine.  [2]   Unimate Robot picks up and puts down parts in General Electric Factory. http://a.abcnews.com/images/Technology/ht_2bunimate_080415_ssh.jpg The first digitally operated and programmable robot, the Unimate, was installed in 1961 to lift hot pieces of metal from a die casting machine and pile them.  [3]   Commercial and industrial robots are ubiquitous in performing jobs better, cheaper, more accurately and reliably than humans. They are also found in jobs that are too hazardous, dirty or tedious for humans.  [4]   Robotics in surgery  [5]   Robotics in medicine is a fairly new, yet advancing field. It is now introduced in medicine, in the field of surgery as it allows for exceptional control and precision of surgical devices in minimally invasive procedures. Robotic surgery has as its main goal to design robots that will be able to be used in performing closed-chest, beating-heart surgery in collaboration with the surgeons. Surgery using the Da Vinci robot http://www.phoenixville-hospital.com/specialties/robotic-surgery/Today numerous surgical robots have been adopted by many operating rooms all over the world. Surgical robots are not actually autonomous surgeons capable of performing assignments on their own, but a helping assistant of the surgeons. A number of commercial corporations have been founded in order to create surgical robotic systems. Computer Motion, Inc. developed the AESOP Endoscope Positioner: a voice-activated robotic system for endoscopic surgery. In January 1999, Intuitive launched the DaVinci Surgical System, which is classified as a master-slave surgical system as it uses true 3-D visualization. In 2001 Computer Motion, Inc built the SOCRATES Robotic Telecollaboration System as well. It includes integrated telecommunication equipment along with the robotic devices in order to provide remote surgical telecollaboration. Computer Motion merged with Intuitive Surgical, Inc., in June of 2003. They introduced the ZEUS Surgical System. Robotic Surgery Systems Robotic surgery systems are divided into three types: supervisory-controlled systems, shared-control systems and telesurgical systems. These systems differ in the sense that in each case there is a different degree of involvement of the surgeon. In some cases, the operation is carried out by the robotic system with a minimal intervention of the doctor. In other cases, the surgery is performed by the doctor with the help of the robotic system. Supervisory-controlled systems  [6]   Surgeon demonstrates a robotic surgery system at the Montefiore Institute for Minimally Invasive Surgery in New York City. http://science.howstuffworks.com/robotic-surgery2.htm Supervisory-controlled systems are the most automated systems of all. But they still need the guidance of the surgeon and an extensive preparation before the initiation of the surgery. The surgeon inputs information and programs the robotic system to follow certain instructions. However, once these robots have been programmed, and start operating there is no option for adjustments and thats why the surgeon must keep a close watch of the surgery in the need of intervention. As it is known, not all people have the same body structure and so it is not possible to have standard instructions for the robot to follow. This is done in three stages: planning, registration and navigation. In the planning stage, the surgeon captures images of the patients body. As soon as the surgeon has imaged the patient, he must determine the path that the robot will take to operate. The next stage is registration, in which the surgeon links the images obtained before with points on the patients body. In order for the surgery to be completed successfully, the points must be positioned precisely according to the patients body. The final stage is navigation, which is the actual surgery. In this stage the surgeon places the patient and the robot so as the movements of the robotic system to follow the programmed instructions. When all preparations are complete, the robot is activated and the surgery is carried out. Shared-control robotic systems  [7]   Shared-control robotic systems are a helping hand for the surgeons. The operation is carried out only by the surgeon who uses the robotic system manually in order to have greater efficiency. The robotic system monitors the surgeons actions during the operation and provides support and stability by active constraint.7 Active constraint is the process of labelling regions of the patients body with one of the four possibilities: safe, close, boundary and forbidden. Surgeons label safe regions the regions that are appropriate for the robot to be and to operate. For instance, a close region can be found in orthopaedic surgery in orthopaedic surgery, near the soft tissues. Many orthopaedic surgery tools can damage the soft tissue and so the robot limits the area that the surgery is safe to take place. This is done using haptic technology  [8]  , which is the science and physiology of the sense of touch. This means that as the surgeon approaches the boundary region he will start feeling a resistive force and as he proceeds to the forbidden region the force is getting larger and once he enters the forbidden region the robotic system stops operating immediately. But in order for the robotic system to know which are those regions, the surgeon must program it first as it is done with the supervisory controlled systems. Telesurgical systems  [9]   Telesurgery is a field of telemedicine that was developed in recent years and holds great interest. Today it can be seen as a two way transmission of picture and sound, allowing the communication between surgeons of little experience and surgeons of great experience to cooperate no matter the distance separating them. Also it is understood, this technology needs highly advanced software in order for the simulation to be feasible in the remote surgery room. For this purpose, systems of virtual reality are required that allow the surgeons that are in a different room or city or country to have an actual image of the operating room and of the procedure. Robots with camera will provide a better quality of the images as they will be in colour and enlarged. Da Vinci Surgical System  [10]   The Da Vinci Robot is probably one of the most well-known robotic surgery systems in the world. It is a robotic system that is used in minimally invasive surgery, which means that the robot makes a petite aperture in the patients body that brings many positive results. Da Vinci Surgical Robot http://womenshealthinstitute.net/di%20vinci.htm http://www.saintbarnabas.com/ services/robotics/specialties.html During the surgery, the surgeon sits in a console inside the operating room and handles the surgical tools of the robot. After the patient has been anaesthetized, three apertures are made on the patients body allowing the rods to enter. On the screen the surgeon observes the 3D image that the camera is transmitting through the patients body and which is handled by joysticks. The camera sees every movement of the robot and can be activated or deactivated any time from a button.  [11]  Every surgical arm is connected with a surgical tool and there is camera in the end of the main arm. One of the rods has a camera on it while the others have surgical tools able to cut, remove or stitch the tissues. The robotic system uses the same stitches and materials used in the traditional surgery. The surgeon can bend and rotate the arms like the human wrist guaranteeing increased percentage of success and important benefits much for the patient as for the surgeon. The Da Vinci robotic system includes a lenses system of three-dimensional view, which can make the surgical field as 15 times larger. Also, the camera allows the surgeon to go closer at the point of surgery than the human vision can and so the surgeon can perform the operation in a smaller scale than the conventional surgery allows. Zeus Robotic Surgical System  [12]   The robotic surgical system Zeus was the first system to be used in 1999 to perform the first full endoscopic robotic surgery bypass with a beating heart. It consists of three basic parts: An ergonomic control console the central control computer Robotic arms, which move with the movement of the surgeons hand. Zeus Robotic Surgical System http://joshuagough.blogspot.com/2007/07/surgical-robots-r2d2-to-rescue-visible.html The surgeon sits comfortably in the surgical seat and handles the tools that are placed inside the patient. After the surgeons movements have been digitalized they are filtered, thinned and transmitted to the computers control station, which transfers those movements through an electromechanical interface to the robotic arms and to the tools. In addition, Zeus robotic system enhances the optical field of the surgery by enlarging it and also with the help of AESOP robotic system the surgeons hands are free to handle the surgical tools. AESOP Robotic Surgical System  [13]   AESOP Robotic surgical system was developed by Computer Motion Inc. The period when it first came out, the surgeon could control the robotic arm remotely, manually or with a foot pedal but the most recent edition of AESOP 3000 is controlled with voice commands. AESOP Robotic surgical system http://www2.jpl.nasa.gov/technology/images_videos/iv_pages/27AESOP.html The robotic arm contains and moves a camera which is used in MIS surgeries for the observation of the surgical field. The camera is placed at the edge of the robotic arm and is inserted in the patients body through an aperture of about 2cm. The robotic system AESOP is the surgeons third arm. By using simple commands such as AESOP, move up or AESOP, move left, the surgeon tells the robot to move the camera as he wishes. Every surgeon records his voice and has a voice card that is inserted into the system whenever he operates, in order for the robot to identify the commands. Usually the system works well. The robot may sometimes not recognize the tone of the voice of the surgeon is different from the recorded voice. But there is a support system with which the surgeon can handle manually if something like this happens. SOCRATES Telecollaboration System  [14]   Socrates telecollaboration system was the first system to be approved (October 2001) for the new-founded category telesurgery robotic systems. It consists of advanced telecommunication equipment that is connected with medical devices and robotic systems. The system gives the surgeon who is at a remote location the opportunity to work with another surgeon who may be in an operating room across the globe. The system provides real time view of the surgery. In collaboration with Zeus robotic system, Socrates is the first fundamental step that marks the start of minimally invasive telesurgery. In 2001 Socrates robot along with Zeus robotic system performed the first translantic surgery. On September 7th, 2001 a group of surgeons in New York performed a cholecystectomy surgery on a patient located in France with the help of doctors that were there. The console and the robot were connected with fiber optic wires. This surgery was first tested on six pigs.That was the first complete telesurg ical process that was performed by surgeons 7000 away from their patient. The patient left the hospital 48 hours after the operation and returned to his social activities a week later. Advantages and Limitations  [15]   Advantages The advantages of robotic surgery are listed below: Tinniest incisions result in: Faster recovery Shorter hospital stay and reduced costs Less pain and fear Less blood loss Cosmetic benefit Reduced risk of infection or complications Less anesthesia required Better sterilization Robot immune to radiation and infections. No muscle tremor or fatigue. Elimination of need for personnel resulting in lower costs for the hospitals. Shorter return to everyday activities(1-2 weeks) Telesurgery: The ability to perform surgery from a different operating room. A 3D camera provides an enhanced view. Robots reach places that surgeons alone couldnt before. Can be designed for a wide range of scales. Surgeons dont get tired quickly as theyre seated and have less eye strain and they have the ability to control their natural flinching or nerves more effectively. Limitations However some of its disadvantages and concerns are: Robotic systems have highly complex software and it is very difficult to program and debug them. Costs including the robotic systems ($750.000-$1 million), the maintenance and the training of surgeons are considerably high. Since the need of personnel will be minimized, some surgeons will be left unemployed. Telesurgery is based by a large percentage on the transmission of information between two locations. The more the distance between the two locations the more the time delay is inserted. This increased the period between the action and the result and after a certain point this makes surgery impossible in real time. Synchronization during telesurgery is very critical and is not easy to attain. Telesurgery is highly dependent on the security and reliability of the network. Robotic Surgery in Greece  [16]   The first robotic navigation system used in a surgery procedure in Greece is the Vector Vision II system in Ygeia (see www.ygeia.gr) hospital in Athens. In February 2003 the robotic surgical system Aesop 1000 was used to perform the first laparoscopic operation in the General Hospital of Crete, Greece. Aesop 1000 is being improved in the labs of University of Crete and will be released as Aesop 2000 and Aesop 3000 and soon is expected to be used in more complex operations and surgeries. In addition, the school of medicine in the University of Athens offers advanced courses on robotic surgery. The course aims to teach basic robotic surgery skills such as instrument manipulation, camera control among others. This is done using the Da Vinci surgical system.  [17]   In November 8th,2006 the opening day of the Da Vinci robotic system took place in the Athens Medical Center Hospital. The president of the Hellenic Scientific Robotic Surgical Association Prof. K. Konstantinidis explained the fundamental principles of the Da Vinci robot to Greek ministers and the establishment of the Hellenic Scientific Society of Robotic Surgery. The first total hysterectomy in Greece was successfully carried out with the latest-generation Da Vinci Robotic Surgery System at the Diagnostic and Therapeutic Centre of Athens HYGEIA. the operation was broadcasted in real time during the daily conference held at the Hospital on Tuesday, July 1st 2008, titled Robotic Surgery in Gynaecology.  [18]   Survey analysis A survey was conducted during October and November 2009 in Athens about robotic surgery, in which 73 people answered (ages 14-50). The survey included a questionnaire and it was distributed by email. Robotic surgery in Greece is in its infancy so it is quite reasonable to see that 72% of the people asked knew nothing about robotic surgery. Social Concerns Safety Safety is the prime concern of patients and doctors. People today have trouble trusting robotic devices in general and in the case of their healthcare the issue of trust is intensified. First of all, there is always the possibility of errors happening as total safety is a fallacy. Robots are programmed by humans who in turn are not infallible and are prone to make mistakes. In the case of robotic surgery a fault could have serious health injuries or death. Thus, the probability of errors must be kept at a very low level and in the case of a malfunction the system must be programmed to shut down immediately. Afterwards, the surgeon will have to take over complete the operation manually. So, it is obvious that the presence of a human doctor is mandatory and critical. There are many things that can go wrong which experts must take under serious consideration. Some problems resulting in system failures can be flawed design of the system, malfunction of software and hardware  [19]  or misinterpretation and inadequate specification. In order to eliminate the possibility of errors, mechanics must undergo heavy testing and reasoning about infinite scenarios. Also surgeons must prepare the robotic system cautiously so as not to forget anything which can backfire. They also need to have contingency plans like converting the robotic surgery to open surgery.  [20]   The increased testing and reasoning is time-consuming and usually involves high costs. Even though safety is a big issue, 41% of the people asked would go through a robotic surgery. This can be considered a good percentage as 65% of the people asked believed that robotic surgery is safe and reliable. Reliability and knowledge Nowadays most people dont trust robots very easily. The reason for this is the lack of information and the fear that these robots/machines can harm them in a physical level or in a professional level. As it can be seen from the figure above 88% of the people asked have heard of robotic surgery but 56% of the people asked claimed to know very little about it. As it is stressed in a website about robotic surgery, and prostate cancer surgery in particular, most people worry about the side effects it could have on them such as sexual dysfunction and impotence.  [21]  Another concern was the fear of the robotic system and the probability of errors, but most people do a little research before resorting to robotic surgery. This way they minimize their worries and concerns. However, there still are people who despite the evidence dont trust robots with their health. Therefore, robotic surgery needs time to become known and trusted by the people. This percentage of 56% must be minimized and increase the percentage of knowledge. In the future, as robotic surgery will start being implemented into hospitals, there will be many surgeries done, successful or not, which will enhance robotic surgery by correcting the errors, the failures and any problem that may arise. This way, patients who had successful operations will spread the word and people will become more aware and acquainted with this new technological development. Elevating concerns, resolving problems Robotics in surgery is a great helping tool, which holds many benefits and advantages for the surgeons and the patients. However, since it is still at an early stage of development there are problems in need for resolutions. One great concern is the reliability and safety in delicate surgical procedures. We cannot deny that machines are made from humans, who are not infallible and thus tend to make mistakes. Whether the surgery is done by a plethora of surgeons or by a single surgeon and a robot there is definitely the possibility of error. As with every new technology, people need time to get familiar with it and to start trusting it. Thus robotic-aided surgery just needs time to advance and to become more well-known. People who go through robotic surgery procedures will spread the good news. The media will start making more coverage of the issue as they learn about more cases. As mentioned by many patients in the Da Vinci website, they were very pleased with the surgery and the recovery time which proved to be shorter than expected.  [22]   Furthermore, the training of surgeons may take a while but it does not compare having to do a 6-hour surgery above the patient, getting tired and stressed with a 4-hour surgery sitting in the robotic device some metres away from the patient. The surgeon will tire less and will finish the surgery in less time. As far as the costs are concerned, patients in the Da Vince website did not worry about the costs so much because they were dealings with their health. And most people will do anything for their well-being.  [23]   Future Robotic surgery has made quite a progress and development but it still has a long way to go. Many obstacles will be dealt with time and undoubtedly some new concerns may appear. Questions such as malpractice liability, credentialing, training requirements and license granting will have to be resolved in the future. Most people on the survey (49% to be exact) answered that robots could have negative implications on employment as robots will do most of the work that humans currently do and many of related jobs will be reduced. However, as mentioned in the advantages chapter, new fields are inserted into robotic surgery such as telemedicine, which shows that new needs for personnel emerge. Also it is quite interesting to note how the people asked are divided into three groups based on their answers concerning robotic surgeries in the future: There is a 64% of the people asked who have a positive outlook on robotic surgeries in the future and a 36% who are quite intimidated and afraid of this potential change. Part of this comes from the lack of information about robotic surgery and from the fact that it is still in an early stage. As far as robotic surgery is concerned, there is much to be done until it can reach its full potential. Even though, these robotic systems have enhanced dexterity significantly, they still need to advance the full potential in instrumentation or to integrate the full range of sensory input. Most people when hear about robotics, they think of automation. The possibility of automating some tasks is both exciting and controversial. Future systems might entail the ability for a surgeon to program the surgery and merely supervise as the robot performs most of the tasks. The possibilities for improvement and advancement are only limited by imagination and cost. Conclusion Robotic surgery may be at an early stage, but that does not mean that it has not demonstrated its potential and significance, particularly in areas previously inaccessible by traditional procedures. However, it still remains to be seen if robotic surgery will replace completely conventional instruments in less technically demanding procedures. Robotic technology will bring major changes in surgery by enhancing and expanding laparoscopic procedures, advancing surgical technology and thus bringing surgery into the digital age. Not to mention, it possesses the potential to expand surgical treatment beyond the limits of human ability. The benefits of robotic surgery outweigh the costs. Bibliography Online (World Wide Web) Sources Pearl Tesler, Universal Robots: The history and workings of robots, 10 October 2009 Wikipedia, Robotics,16 July 2009 History of robotic surgery, Overview of Major Surgical Robotic Systems and Companies,17 July 2009 William Harris, How Haptic Technology Works, 4 September 2009 http://electronics.howstuffworks.com/gadgets/other-gadgets/haptic-technology.htm Youtube, Robotic surgery demonstration, July 24, 2007, 7 September 2009 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0NZLpWrJGgk Youtube, Robotic Surgery, April 05, 2007,15 September 2009 Youtube, Robotic Heart Surgery, February 12, 2007, 19 September 2009 Youtube, Robotic Heart Surgery Allen Raczkowski, MD, February 03, 2009, 25 September 2009 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LezbxU5P1uc Robotic Surgery in Greece,22 April 2009,8 October 2009 http://roboticsurgery.gr Robotic Surgery, Simulation assisted training in Robotic Surgery,15 January 2010 Robotic Surgery ROBOTIC SURGERY IN TELEMEDICINE HYGEIA S.A.: The first total hysterectomy in Greece with the da Vinci  ® S Robotic System,1 July 2008,20 January 2010 http://www.kapetanakis-center.gr/www_eng/news/010708.pdf Robotic Surgery blog, Robotic reliability, 2 March 2007,17 January 2010 http://www.njurology.com/RoboticSurgeryBlog/robotic_surgery_basics/ Da Vinci Surgery, Patient Stories, 25 January 2010 http://www.davincistories.com/search-stories/search-stories-result.html?start=15condition=Prostate%20Cancer Works-research papers ΆÃƒÅ½Ã‚ ­Ãƒ Ã†â€™Ãƒ Ã¢â€š ¬ÃƒÅ½Ã‚ ¿ÃƒÅ½Ã‚ ¹ÃƒÅ½Ã‚ ½ÃƒÅ½Ã‚ ± ÃŽÃŽÂ ¹Ãƒ Ã†â€™ÃƒÅ½Ã‚ ¬Ãƒ Ã‚ ÃƒÅ½Ã‚ ¿ÃƒÅ½Ã‚ ³ÃƒÅ½Ã‚ »ÃƒÅ½Ã‚ ¿Ãƒ Ã¢â‚¬ ¦,ÃŽÂ ¡ÃƒÅ½Ã‚ ¿ÃƒÅ½Ã‚ ¼Ãƒ Ã¢â€š ¬ÃƒÅ½Ã‚ ¿Ãƒ Ã¢â‚¬Å¾ÃƒÅ½Ã‚ ¹ÃƒÅ½Ã‚ ºÃƒÅ½Ã‚ ¬ ÃŽÃŽÂ µÃƒÅ½Ã‚ ¹Ãƒ Ã‚ ÃƒÅ½Ã‚ ¿Ãƒ Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ãƒ Ã‚ ÃƒÅ½Ã‚ ³ÃƒÅ½Ã‚ ¹ÃƒÅ½Ã‚ ºÃƒÅ½Ã‚ ¬ ÃŽÂ £Ãƒ Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ãƒ Ã†â€™Ãƒ Ã¢â‚¬Å¾ÃƒÅ½Ã‚ ®ÃƒÅ½Ã‚ ¼ÃƒÅ½Ã‚ ±Ãƒ Ã¢â‚¬Å¾ÃƒÅ½Ã‚ ± (da Vinci, Ze ,Hermes). ÃŽÂ  Ãƒ Ã‚ ÃƒÅ½Ã‚ ¿ÃƒÅ½Ã‚ ²ÃƒÅ½Ã‚ »ÃƒÅ½Ã‚ ®ÃƒÅ½Ã‚ ¼ÃƒÅ½Ã‚ ±Ãƒ Ã¢â‚¬Å¾ÃƒÅ½Ã‚ ± ÃŽÂ ºÃƒÅ½Ã‚ ±ÃƒÅ½Ã‚ ¹ à Ã¢â€š ¬Ãƒ Ã‚ ÃƒÅ½Ã‚ ¿ÃƒÅ½Ã‚ ¿Ãƒ Ã¢â€š ¬Ãƒ Ã¢â‚¬Å¾ÃƒÅ½Ã‚ ¹ÃƒÅ½Ã‚ ºÃƒÅ½Ã‚ ­Ãƒ Ã¢â‚¬Å¡.( Despoina Xisaroglou ,Robotic Surgical Systems, Problems and perspectives (accessed July 23rd,2009) Caroline GL Cao Gary Rogers, Tufts University, Robotics in healthcare, (accessed June 12th ,2009) Sunitha M.V, Robotic surgery, seminar report, August 2008 (accessed July 10th, 2009) ÃŽâ€Å"ÃŽÂ ºÃƒÅ½Ã‚ ¹Ãƒ Ã‚ ÃƒÅ½Ã‚ ¹ÃƒÅ½Ã‚ ½ÃƒÅ½Ã‚ ·Ãƒ Ã¢â‚¬Å¡ ΑΠ¸ÃƒÅ½Ã‚ ±ÃƒÅ½Ã‚ ½ÃƒÅ½Ã‚ ¬Ãƒ Ã†â€™ÃƒÅ½Ã‚ ¹ÃƒÅ½Ã‚ ¿Ãƒ Ã¢â‚¬Å¡(Grinis Athanasios), ÃŽÂ ¡ÃƒÅ½Ã‚ ¿ÃƒÅ½Ã‚ ¼Ãƒ Ã¢â€š ¬ÃƒÅ½Ã‚ ¿Ãƒ Ã¢â‚¬Å¾ÃƒÅ½Ã‚ ¹ÃƒÅ½Ã‚ ºÃƒÅ½Ã‚ · à Ã¢â‚¬ ¡ÃƒÅ½Ã‚ µÃƒÅ½Ã‚ ¹Ãƒ Ã‚ ÃƒÅ½Ã‚ ¿Ãƒ Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ãƒ Ã‚ ÃƒÅ½Ã‚ ³ÃƒÅ½Ã‚ ¹ÃƒÅ½Ã‚ ºÃƒÅ½Ã‚ ® (robotic surgery) (accessed September 13th,2009)

Imagine You Are Boo Radley. Nathan Has Just Cemented Up The Knot Hole :: English Literature

Imagine You Are Boo Radley. Nathan Has Just Cemented Up The Knot Hole In The Tree. What Are Your Thoughts And Feelings? I feel as if my connection with the real world has been broken by my own father and now brother continues with this same lack of compassion. If it was not for them treating me this way, after one incident, I would not be here, and perhaps I would be leading a normal life away from my family. I am treated like a caged animal repeatedly put down by my own family saying how much of a disappointment I am. The children play outside as I would have liked to do. To be able to go outside and being allowed to live as a human would. They have a friend who visits them every summer. The act out scenes from various things they must make up. They walk to school like normal people, not like me. If it wasn't for all those unpleasant rumours people spread about me, brought upon by my family keeping me in the house like a monster, people would not have a fear of me. Most people haven't even seen me in the flesh so what would they know? For fifteen long years I have sat in the house with nothing to do no communication accept with my pitiful family. The children are like a new lease of life, the only people I see who even come up to the house. I was so happy when they were stood outside the house. Jem came up to the house. I was enthralled wondering why he was coming to call for me. I stood at the window amazed. Unfortunately he must have lost his nerve and ran away so I just peeked through the shutters to see what else they were up to. They stared back at me. For once I had communication with a normal person. My father died I was so upset but yet I felt free, that was of course until my brother arrived. He too keeps me in the house as often as he can showing no empathy for how I feel. I have sat and wondered for many years how I could change my image to make me look a lot more pleasant, but how am I to achieve this if I cannot venture outdoors. I knew Jem and his sister who he referred to as Scout. They were the only children who came within a hundred yards of the house, without running. A tree positioned just around the corner from our house seemed the perfect place to try and make contact

Ludwig Van Beethoven :: essays research papers

Ludwig van Beethoven, a German composer, generally considered one of the greatest composers in the Western tradition. Born in Bonn, Beethoven was reared in to the capricious discipline of his father, a singer in the court chapel. In1789, because of his father's alcoholism, the young Beethoven became a court musician in order to support his family. His early compositions under the tutelage of German composer Christian Gottlob Neefe, particularly the funeral on the death of Holy Roman Emperor Joseph || in1790, signaled an important talent, and it was planned that Beethoven study in Vienna, Australia, with Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart. Although Mozart's death in 1791 prevented this, Beethoven went to Vienna in 1792, and he became a pupil of an Australian composer named Joseph Haydn. In Vienna, Beethoven dazzled the aristocracy with his piano improvisations. Meanwhile, he entered into increasingly favorable arrangements with Viennese music publishers. In composition he steered a middle course between the stylistic extravagance of German composer Carl Phillip Emanuel Bach and what the public had perceived as the overrefinement of Mozart. The broadening market for published music, enabled Beethoven to succeed as a freelance composer, a path that Mozart, a decade earlier, had found full of frustration. In the first decade of the 19th century, Beethoven renounced the sectional, loosely constructed style of works such as the popular Septet op. 20, for strings and winds, and turned to a fresh expansion of the musical language bequeathed by Haydn and Mozart. Despite his exaggerated claim that he had never learned anything from Haydn, he had gone so far as to seek additional instruction from German composer, Johann Georg Albrechtsberger. Beethoven soon revealed his complete assimilation of the Viennese classical style in every major instrumental genre. The majority of the works for which he is most readily remembered for today, were composed during the decade bounded by the Symphony no. 3, a period known as his heroic decade. Beethoven's fame reached it's zenith during these years, but the steadily worsening hearing impairment that he had first noted in 1798 led to an increasing sense of social isolation. Gradually, Beethoven settled into a pattern of shifting residences, spending summers in the Viennese suburbs, and moving back to the city each autumn. In 1802 in his celebrated "Heiligenstadt Testament" a quasi-legal letter to his two brothers, he expressed his agony over his growing deafness. After 1805, accounts of Beethoven's eccentricities multiplied.

Civil War in Congo Essay example -- essays research papers fc

  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The recent Civil War in Congo has been a bloody flight, causing more then 3.3 million deaths in just 4 short years.1 Various rebel and ethnic groups have have been involved in the violence, fighting over Congo's rich natural resources or engaged in a bitter ethnic war. With so many opposing factions, it has made reaching a solution difficult. While a rough peace treaty has been established, sporadic fighting pops up in the country everyday. The people of Congo are being pushed farther into poverty and starvation can't handle the fighting for very much longer. I propose that the solution to the post-Civil War violence in Congo is to rid the country of all foreign nations and their problems, namely the Rwandans, and to get combatants inside of the country to hold a summit and find a peaceful and fair resolution to the problem, with a superpower like the United States acting as host and mediator. Once all quarrels are amended, the Congolese can start to focus on a ec onomic strategy for rebuilding the country.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚     Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Congo's Civil War began on November 2nd, 1998 when Laurent Kabila tried to drive out Rwandan militants who helped him overthrow Mobutu Sese Seko.2 Sese Seko came into power in 1966 when he led a rebellion to overthrow the government of Patrice Lumumbra. Sese Seko led to Africanizing of the country by requiring that all citizens drop their Christan names, and by renaming all the geographical locations with more African names.3 During the 1980's Sese Seko's government received support from the United States, in response to communism's rising popularity in Africa. Because of the misuse of the funds and wealth generated by natural resources, the rich got richer and the poor fell farther into poverty. Sese Seko abused Congo's natural resources and eventually helped lead the country into a state of economic ruin. In 1997 Sese Seko was overthrown by Laurent Kabila. When Kabila took over the country it was in terrible condition but he did nothing to try and improve the st ate of the nation. When he tried to expel the same Rwandan rebels that helped him come to power, he started a war that eventually led to his death. Many various ethnic and rebel groups inside of Congo who relied on the Rwandans for protection joined the uprising.4 Africans inside and around Congo chose s... ...  Ã‚  Ã‚  Farah, Global Insights. New York: Macmillan McGraw-Hill School Publishing Company, 1994. Endnotes 1 â€Å"Quick Guide: DR Congo,† BBC News. Updated Mar. 07 2005. BBC News, Accessed 06 March 2005, 2 â€Å"Congo Civil War,† GlobalSecurity.Org. Updated Feb. 11 2005. GlobalSecurity.org,   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Accessed 06 March 2005   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   3 â€Å"Mubutu Sese Seko,† Encyclopedia. Updated 2005. Infoplease, Accessed 06 March 2005, 4 â€Å"Congo Civil War,† GlobalSecurity.Org. Updated Feb. 11 2005. GlobalSecurity.org,   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Accessed 06 March 2005   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   5 Ibid 6 Ibid 7 Ibid 8 Ibid 9 Ibid 10 â€Å"NewsHour with Jim Lehrer† Conflict in Congo, PBS, October 22, 1998. Transcript. Accessed 06 March 2005 11 Garten, Jeffrey E, â€Å"Don't Just Throw Money At The World's Poor† BusinessWeek, March 7, 2005. 12.

Anz Introduction

Recommendation It is recommended that ANZ Bank’s management should reconsider customer value proposition, reputation and security risk as a consequence of ANZ Bank recent outsourcing strategy. This report discusses three main issues that ANZ Bank’s management may have to consider if it is to enhance strength and core competency. Customer value proposition Firstly, as ANZ Bank has stressed that ‘becomes a super regional bank’ is a core strategy objective (ANZ 2012), ANZ will have to consider the potential effect for customer value proposition as a result of recent outsourcing strategy.It has been pointed that the problem of losing managerial control that may arise from outsourcing (RBA tells bank to go slowly 2012). Weerakkody and Irani (2009) suggest that the loss of managerial control may negatively affect the quality of service which will lessen customer value proposition. Based on Porters’ five forces, ANZ Bank is involved in a situation of a high bargaining power of customers (loyalty) and the threat of substitution (Porter 1980). Reduced customer value proposition will enhance power of customers and threat of substitution (Porter 1980).Opponents may suggest that outsourcing will contribute to emphasising competitive advantage (Mcivor 2011). The competitive advantage of ANZ Bank is trade and supply chain (ANZ Trade & Supply chain – A Competitive Advantage 2009). Focusing on competitive advantage will enhance customer value proposition (Piggott 2012). It will assist ANZ Bank achieve its business objective. However, ANZ Bank outsourced 50 jobs include a head of human resources, credit officers and business analysts (Wade and Hawthorne 2012). Fail to package requirements and manage contract efficiently will often result in poor performance and raising cost (Scott 2008).If poor quality services are provided and ANZ Bank fail to control this, customer value proposition will be negatively affected. Therefore, the risk of r educed customer value proposition is a significant issue that ANZ Bank should consider. Reputation The second significant issues facing ANZ Bank will be the reduced reputation in light of ANZ Bank sends jobs overseas (Wade and Hawthorne 2012). According to utilitarianism, ANZ Bank’s manager should make decisions not only based on responsibilities to the company and shareholders but also employees and society (Hartman and DesJardins 2006).Staff reduction in domestic industry will negatively impact unemployment rate. The less society responsibility will influence reputation. Applying SWOT analysis to this case, weaken the internal strength of the worthy brand will put ANZ Bank in a less competitive position (Agarwal, Grassl and Pahl 2012). Critics of this issue may suggest that outsourcing is a method for cost saving. Based on deontology, ANZ Bank’s manager has to make decisions on the basis of responsibilities to the company and shareholders (Hartman and DesJardins 2006 ).Outsourcing is an effective way to execute responsibilities. ANZ Bank (2012) announced that customer focus is a strategy to drive competitive advantage. Indeed, outperformance of customer service will enhance reputation ANZ Bank much more significantly than outsourcing. However, Waters (2012) pointed out that offshoring may cause workforce problem which will threaten the reputation of ANZ Bank. If ANZ Bank fail to outperform competitors with customer service, the reduced brand image may lead ANZ Bank lose market share.Hence ANZ Bank will have to consider the potential problem of reputation. Security risk The third issue that ANZ bank should aware of is security risk which can strongly affect success of outsourcing (RBA tells bank to go slowly 2012). Nassimbeni, Sartor and Dus (2012) suggests that as the foreign organisation may have less protect in a cultural and legal environment, the security risk become more relevant. The security risk increases as sensible data are available f or providers, intermediaries and sub-contractors (Nassimbeni, Sartor and Dus 2012).The outsourcing industry which builds relationship with ANZ Bank can make profit through selling customer information to ANZ Bank’s competitors. Based on value chain, leak of customer information will reduce value of service (Needle 2010). Customers may switch to competitors. It can be argued that there is a contract which would protect data and customer information. The contract is legal protection tool to constrain operators (Nassimbeni, Sartor and Dus 2012). However, even if there is a contract, it does not guarantee everything will operate smoothly.The level of legal and judicial environment will affect the effectiveness of contract (Nassimbeni, Sartor and Dus 2012). For example, Vodafone has been suffered customer privacy leaks. It leads Vodafone faces penalties of up to $250,000 (Sydney Morning Herald 2011). Therefore, it is very important for ANZ Bank to consider security issue. Conclusi on Therefore it can be concluded that ANZ Bank should reconsider customer value proposition, reputation and security risk in response to the recent outsourcing strategy. Reference List Agarwal, R. , Grassl, W. and Pahl, G. 012, ‘Meta-SWOT: introducing a new strategic planning tool’, Journal of business strategy, vol. 33, no. 2, pp. 12-21, viewed 10 May 2012, Business Source Premier. ANZ, 2012, Our company: profile, Australia and New Zealand Banking Group Limited, Melbourne, viewed 6 May 2012, < http://www. anz. com/about-us/our-company/profile/>. ANZ Trade & Supply chain – A Competitive Advantage, 2009, Australia and New Zealand Banking Group Limited, Melbourne, viewed 6 May 2012,. Nassimbeni, G. Sartor, M. and Dus, D. 2012, ‘Security risk in service offshoring and outsourcing’, Industry management and data system, vol. 112, no. 3, pp. 405-440, viewed 10 May 2012, Business Source Premier. Needle, D. 2010, Business in context: an introduction to busin ess and its environment, 5thed. , Cengage Learning, Andover. Hartman, L. and DesJardins, J. 2006, Business ethics: decision making for personal integrity and social responsibility, McGraw Hill, Sydney. Mclvor, R. 2011, ‘Outsourcing done right’, Industrial Engineer, vol. 3, no. 1, pp. 30-35. Piggot, L. 2012, Introduction to business (BUSS1001), The University of Sydney, Sydney, 18 March, viewed 6 May 2012, < http://blackboard. econ. usyd. edu. au/ @@/81A8AC3019FFF9D178B10ACC0DBF3F0A/courses/1/BUSS1001_SEM1_2012/content/_559616_1/embedded/BUSS1001_Sem%201%2C%202012_Week%203%20Lecture. pdf> Porter, M. E. 1980, Competitive strategy: Techniques for analyzing industries and competitors, Free Press, New York. ‘RBA tells bank to go slowly’, 2012, Sydney Morning Herald, 29 March, viewed 6 May 2012, <

Functional Areas of Business Management Essay

Abstract A summary of the sales and marketing functional areas of an organization’s structure as an examination of the overall role and responsibility of the managers of each area. The sales manager’s primary goal is the development, implementation and evaluation of the strategic goals they desire to achieve with the sale organization to be able to meet the company’s overall goals. The marketing manager is responsible for indentifying of the market space with respect to the client, client’s needs and the ability of the product to meet the customer’s needs. Marketing managers are also critical for conducting and evaluating the results of a SWOT analysis for the company. This information is vital to the development of corporate goals of the organization. Functional Areas of Business Management There are a number of functional groups that make up an organization’s structure. Each of these business areas or internal organizations within the company provides a vital function or role to the overall success of the business. Some of these functional groups include; finance, human resources, marketing, operations, sales, customer service, research and development to list a few standard functional business groups. The two functional areas of business that will be reviewed and explored with respect to the manger’s roles and associated responsibilities are the sales and marketing functional areas or organizations of a company. There is a strong correlation to these functions within a business organization. Many organizations may separate these two functional groups and others may closely integrate these to ensure the overall goals are achieved through the cross functional interaction of these resources. â€Å"Sales management can be most easily defined as planning, implementing, and controlling personal contact programs designed to achieve the sales and fit objectives of the firm† (Gale, 2006,). As a sales manager the responsibility is instilled upon this person to be the leader of the sale team. As the leader you are responsible for the strategic planning and the overall process of setting the desired goals of the sales organization and it is a vital function of the sales manager. â€Å"Goal setting is usually based on a company’s overall sales objectives or targets† (Gale, 2007). These goals may be cascaded down from senior management in a large organization or be developed through the overall profit and growth that the company is trying to achieve. As the manager of the sales organization it will be important to examine the past history of the products you are selling as an initial assessment of the previous success. Once you have reviewed the revenue results you can compare these to the state of the economy and determine if these results were typical of the results that other competitor companies achieved in a similar market under these conditions. Also the manager will have to examine the resources that are available and determine if these resources are similar to that of the resulting period being evaluated. â€Å"The ability of the sales manager to set goals is strongly related to the desires to change past performance—by lifting all sales, high-margin sales, creating sales for new products, etc† (Gale, 2007). Implementing the strategic plans are the next key functions of the sales manager. Depending upon the overall size of the company, size of the territory to cover and the market to cover the sales department may be subdivided into regions. These regions would then have regional managers responsible for each region all working to achieve the overall sales goals and objectives developed within the organization. In developing the plans for implementing, the sales manager may have to answer questions such as â€Å"how should a sales force be structured? How large a sales force is needed† (Gale, 2006) etc. The sales manager will create strategies to be able to achieve the goals. The plans developed for implementation may also include such things as if training is required and if so then what training is required. They will also be concern with determining if there are requirements for new budgets or increases to old budgets to be able to implement the strategic plans and successfully execute the strategy. Marketing is the second functional area to be examined as a manager in the organizational structure. The overall function of the marketing department and the leaders of this organization can be viewed as the research group for determining the business needs of the client and indentifying the market place. (Moorman and Rust, 1999) â€Å"Define the marketing managers as the liaison between the customer and the product†. The marketing manager plays a vital role in understanding the client, understanding the marketing place the client represents and how the product best fits the overall needs of this market place. Once the marketing manager and the through the marketing team has identified the market space and the need for the product in it, they will then focus on creating a plan that best allows the company to successfully introduce or continue to succeed in selling the product in the identified market. The marketing manager will be responsible to set goals that will create a path for the identified product into the identified market and clients. The marketing manager will utilize the SWOT analysis to create the data that supports the need of a customer to buy and use a desired product. In the SWOT process the marketing manager will also typically identify if there is a market for a new product that the company may have interest in developing. This feedback will be relayed to the research and development organization to identify the economical impact of such a new design. This cost to develop the desired product will be evaluated against the potential revenue that can generate. With this information the company will typically decide if the investment will be made to develop the new product or if simply an old product can be modified to achieve the desired results to the client. Once a new product is developed or a current product is improved the marketing organization will determine the most beneficial way to introduce these changes to the desired client base. This method can vary from printed material in magazines, internet, client handouts or simply by the sale organization when directly dealing with the existing and new clients when they interact with them. There is significant correlation between the sale department and the marketing department in many industries today. Often it will be observed that the two roles of sales and marketing can be combined to a product marketing manager with sole responsibilities to a single product or product line. When the two functions are combined the manager will be responsible for the growth and success of the product. This manager will also be required to conduct the market research and develop the most successful path to market for the product. Whether the sales and marketing managers are reviewed individually or as a combined role they both play vital roles in the overall developing, implementing and evaluating of the companies goals. References Moorman, C., and Rust, R.T.(1999). â€Å"The role of marketing†, Journal of Marketing, Vol. 63, pp. 180-197 (special Issue) â€Å"Sales Management.† Encyclopedia of Management. Ed. Marilyn M. Helms. 5th ed. Detroit: Gale, 2006. 778-782. â€Å"Sales Management.† Encyclopedia of Small Business. 3rd ed. Vol. 2. Detroit: Gale, 2007. 993-996

Make a wish foundation Essay

There is an array of things that are assessed in starting a successful business. When viewing the success of Dale Northrup who decided to open the Percy Inn in Portland, Maine, after being a critic and editor for hotels and cruise ships all over the world, it becomes very apparent that a great deal of work goes into starting a successful business. A business owner must first determine the reasons in which they want to start a business. The owner must determine what entrepreneurial characteristics they possess that will promote the success of their business. Next, a niche and market must be determined. This paper will give details of how Dale Northrup, owner and manager of Percy Inn decided to open a successful business using his entrepreneurial skills and background in the travel and lodging market to create wealth, a sense of pride, and an attractive venture to investors. When Dale decided to open the Percy Inn, he had to consider several reasons to take the risk as an entrepreneur. Like many entrepreneurs, Dale probably thought the top advantages to starting Percy Inn was the flexibility, freedom, and better income along with pride of ownership, retention of control, and the retention of ownership. Dale Northrup traveled all over the world and wrote 23,000 hotel reviews for travel agent hotel guides in 70 countries (Percy, About the Inn), so he is truly an expert on the travel and lodge industry. Being given the opportunity to use his expertise in the industry and own the famous Percy Inn located in Portland, Maine, Dale has a huge sense of pride for his ownership and management. Dale also has other lodging options that include his cottage on the Southern Maine coast as well as chic condominiums overlooking Biscayne Bay in South Florida (Percy, Home of the Percy Inn). Dale is able to provide various levels of comfort to various markets of people in multiple locations with the use of his niche for travel and lodging and history of Portland. As Dale continues to manage these amazing inns in great locations, he assumes all the risk and is allowed to be very innovative in how he accommodates his traveling guests and tenants, which allows him the privilege to be independent and flexible as he faces many challenges. He also is able to retain control and profits to increase his financial success. Dale can have the satisfaction of owning a business that he is very proud of and keep the profits to himself minus his taxes and expenses, which is a great advantage of being an entrepreneur. Even with Dale’s expertise in travel and lodging and his success in his business at Percy Inn, he possesses several other entrepreneurial characteristics that are imperative to being an excellent business owner. According to the author Marce in Chapter 7 about Small Business and Entrepreneurship, a few characteristics of entrepreneurs include vision, self-reliance, energy, confidence, tolerance of uncertainty, and tolerance of failure ( Marce, pg 102). The characteristics that Dale Northrup seem to possess especially are vision, confidence, and self-reliance. Dale had several years of personal and professional experience in lodging, but it was his vision that enabled him to create an urban inn after he renovated a house from the year 1830 that was built in Maine, ten years after it became a state(Northrup). He was very confident in his expertise in travel and lodge and history of Portland in order to create an inn that would appeal to many people all while he pursued a great business venture that he was passionate about. He also took his business a step further by opening more inns in other locations besides the main inn in Portland, which shows that he is very confident that his vision will be to the satisfaction of many people all over the world. His ability to manage inns and maintain a vision that is selective and targets a certain type of market shows that he is very reliable. Dale is responsible for permits, staffing his inns, maintain his investor relations, and any liabilities that impact him personally and financially in dealing with the business operations. A good time for some families is a trip to Disney World, a cruise, weekend getaway, a tour of France , or even a trip to a local beach. No matter what a person or family enjoys there is something out there for them to take part in. Dale Northrup has an inn which is probably very appealing to a market that is fond of New England history and wants to enjoy the luxury of a home away from home whether it is for a day trip or extended stay. A market niche tends to be attractive to a certain segment of people and not have as many competitors. Dale definitely has a niche in the market because he has a great deal of experience and is also providing an inn that is different from many other because of the historical New England influence. The niche works in Dale’s favor and does not limit him because he caters to other markets  and taste by having other inns that are more appropriate to their locations and other people’s interest ( Marce, pg 106). If Dale is able to have three inns in different locations that are all very successful and able to use his expertise in the desires of people in lodging, he should not have any problems with being successful and able to target various markets even if he gains more competitors or ever feels that he wants to change his niche or target market. Changing his niche and vision to cater to more people could actually be of great benefit to him in the future, but probably is not necessary since he has something unique in its class already. Percy Inn is very impressive to investors and probably had an extensive business plan. Business plans usually cover everything from the vision of a business to the marketing to the financial analysis of the business. If Dale presented the business plan to me, as an investor I would be most interested in the potential customers, profitability, operating procedures, and financial data. If I would take the risk of investing in a business that I was not familiar with I would definitely be interested in the market of people that services would be provided to because that would be an indicator of how profitable the business would be. I would also need a clear understanding of operating procedures such as how would the inn be ran and operated in terms of personnel and tending to guests as well as how inns at other locations owned by Dale would be operated when he is not able to be on site. Last, but certainly not least, the financial data is very important. The financial data is important because it will reveal how much money is necessary to invest to start the business as well as how much is needed to maintain and operate the business over the tenure of the business. It is imperative that an investor is aware of what market the business they invest in will target and what financial future the business has to return the money invested and become profitable. Since Dale is the owner and manager of the inns, he is a sole proprietor of the business. Being a sole proprietor gives Dale the advantage of ease of formation, retaining profits and control, and pride of ownership. Because Dale is a sole proprietor he does not have to file as many forms or pay the fees associated with partnerships and corporations. Dale is in full control  of the business and therefore he manages everything and assumes all liability. Dale is able to benefit from all the profits of the business since he manages everything and assumes all risk and liability. If Dale ever considered switching to a partnership or corporation he would be able to limit some of his risk and duties, which could increase or decrease the income. If Dale was not the sole owner, he could limit his liabilities because if the company goes bankrupt, the stockholders would have personal asset protection. There would be permeance, allowing Dale’s business consider to thrive even if he withdraws or dies because the corporation could continue if stockholders want the business to continue. Switching to a corporation could also help ale to make more money since corporations and partnerships are usually larger than sole proprietorships because there are larger teams of people which allow more diversity amongst ideas to expand because they can use specialized management by hiring qualified people to help grow the company. (Marce,pg 89) In conclusion, Dale Northrup is a sole proprietor with a distinctive entrepreneurial profile. He has taken a risk to start a business with a vision of his own to target various people from all over to visit his inns in different locations. He is being recognized for his great inn and the service provided and is able to enjoy freedom, flexibility, and the retention of profits. I would recommend that Dale looks for ways to increase his market share since he has a unique business. If his market share increases, it could lead to more income and opportunities. Second, if the business continues to thrive and Dale wants to expand, he may want to at least expand to a partnership with someone who shares his similar vision to share responsibility with and continue the business in the case that he can no longer own and manage the business. Last, it would be in the best interest of Dale to maintain very accurate financial information to watch for trends and perform analysis comparable to other companies to look for ways to improve his business and win against competitors. Works Cited Kelly, Marce, and James McGowen. â€Å"Small Business and Entrepreneurship.† _BUSN 5_. Mason, OH: South-Western Cengage Learning, 2013. Pages 89-112 Print. Northrup, Dale. â€Å"Home of the Percy Inn.† _Home of the Percy Inn_. N.p., n.d. Web. 04 Feb. 2013.

Report On Aspects of Employment Covered by Law Essay

Britain has a deficit crisis, from which the only escape route, is economic growth. Growth needs to be encouraged in every way possible.   I’m now working in Health and Social Care, it’s my first job here in the UK.I find that here in Great Britain has loads of legislation designed to ensure that discrimination on certain grounds is unlawful, and also protect workers like me. This report will cover pieces of aspects of employment covered by legislation relevant to this area, outlining why legislation relating to employment exists and the list of sources of information and advice about employment responsibilities and rights: The Equality Act 2010 The Equality Act 2010 consolidates the previous nine pieces of equality legislation based on protected characteristics to create, for the first time in Great Britain, unified equality legislation. The nine protected characteristics are: age, disability, gender reassignment, marriage and civil partnership, pregnancy and maternity, race, religion or belief, sex and sexual orientation. Among other things, the Act simplifies or clarifies the definitions of direct discrimination (including association and perception), indirect discrimination, harassment and victimisation and extends positive equality duties to public authorities which must have due regard to the need to eliminate discrimination, advance equality of opportunity, and foster good relations between different groups. The definition of disability under the law has changed such that a person who ahs a â€Å"physical or mental impairment that has long-term adverse effect on their ability don’t have to show that their impa irment affects a particular capacity. The definition of gender reassignment has also been change-stating that this apply to â€Å" a person who is proposing to undergo, is undergoing or has undergone process to change their sex†. Sex Discrimination Act 1975 The Sexual Discrimination Act of 1975 was introduced to protect individuals from discrimination on the grounds of gender. Sexual Discrimination can take many forms. It is essential to understand that sexual discrimination is judged to be unwanted attention by the victim of the behaviour, not the perpetrator. Discrimination was set out in two forms: Direct Discrimination- simply stated that one person is treated less favourably than another based on gender. Indirect Discrimination –on the other is quit complex, this takes place if a requirement or condition is imposed, which has nothing to with gender but in practices. The Sex Discrimination Act also made it unlawful; to discriminate on the ground of marital status. Equal Pay Act 1970/1975 It simply states that Men and Women should receive equal pay for work of equal value. Human Rights Act 1998 The Human Right Act 1998 was introduced by Parliament and came into force in October 200. There are different article in this Act. Theses include: Article 2- everyone’s right to life shall be protected by law. Article 3- no one shall be subjected to degrading treatment. Article 5- everyone has the right to liberty and security of a person. Article 8-eeryone has the right to respect for his private and family life and his correspondence. Article 9- everyone has the right to freedom of thought, conscience and religion. Article 12- men and women of marriageable age have the right to marry and found a family. Article 14- the enjoyment of these rights and freedoms set forth in this Convention shall be secured without discrimination on any ground. Police and Criminal Evidence Act 1984 Establishes the rights of all people arrested by the police. Detainees have the right to legal advice and right to notify person who is likely interested in their welfaire. Civil Partnership Act 2004 This establishes the right of same sex couples to enter into a civil partnership. This is not marriage but is a relationship of equivalent seriousness and commitment. Health and Safety Health and safety is important to every work that we do. The legislation of health and safety is generally covered by statutory regulations. These legislations are: Health and Safety at Work Act 19 74 Employers have a duty to ensure the health and safety at work for all employees, provide and maintain equipment and system in safe condition and provide information, training and supervision relating to health and safety at work. Managers have the duty to maintain a safe working environment for all staff, ensuring that staffs follow policies, procedures and instructions. Give well information about hazard and safe working to new members of staff and also to report or record any accidents. Employees have duty to follow rules and regulation at work, ensure that they use materials in recommended procedures and not misuses anything provided for health ,safety and welfare. Food Safety Act 1990 This applies wherever food is supplied other than within a family situation. This Act is a wide ranging piece of legislation which strengthened and updated existing laws relevant to food and safety. Holidays Annual leave entitlements should be agreed when an employee starts work, details of holidays and holiday pay should be found in the employee’s written statement or contract of employment. Most workers are legally entitled to 5.6 weeks paid holiday per year (this is known as statutory entitlement). Part time worker are entitled to the same amount of holiday (pro rota) as full time colleagues. Employers can set the times when workers can take their leave – for example a Christmas shut down. If employment ends workers have the right to be paid for any leave due but not taken. There is no legal right to paid public holidays Equal pay Employers must give men and women equal treatment in the terms and conditions of their employment contract if they are employed to do: ‘like work’ – work that is the same or broadly similar  work rated as equivalent under a job evaluation study Work found to be of equal value in terms of effort, skill or decision making. Employees are also entitled to know how their pay is made up. For example, if there is a bonus system, everyone should know how to earn bonuses and how they are calculated. National Minimum Wage Most workers in the UK over school leaving age are entitled to be paid at least the NMW. The NMW rates are reviewed each year by the Low Pay commission. Most workers will be entitled to the National Minimum Wage (NMW). Normally the NMW rate changes in October each year. There are no exemptions according to the size of business. HM Revenue & Customs can take employers to court for not paying the NMW. II. Outlining why legislation relating to employment exist: Legislation relating to employment exists to stop exploitation of workers by their employers mainly to protect the rights of their employee’s and to make sure that they have everything they need such as: * Minimum wage * Safety standards * Holiday entitlement * Maternity leave * Redundancy payments * Discrimination laws * Maximum working hours * Age requirement All employees need to have all good things that protect them from unscrupulous bosses. III. Sources of information and advice about employment and rights: * Contract- All employees have an employment contract with their employer. A contract is an agreement that sets out an employee’s: employment conditions rights responsibilities duties These are called the ‘terms’ of the contract. * Handbook- An employee handbook, sometimes also known as an employee manual or staff handbook, is a book given to employees by an employer. Usually, the employee handbook contains information about company policies and procedures. * Policy documents – is a deliberate system of principles to guide decisions and achieve rational outcomes. A policy is a statement of intent, and is implemented as a procedure or protocol. Policies are generally adopted by the Board of or senior governance body within an organization whereas procedures or protocols would be developed and adopted by senior executive officers. * Terms and conditions -Terms and conditions of employment are the elements of a contract which help to define the relation between an employer  and an employee * Job description – A broad, general, and written statement of a specific job, based on the findings of a job analysis. It generally includes duties, purpose, responsibilities, scope, and working conditions of a job along with the job’s title, and the name or designation of the person to whom the employee reports. Job description usually forms the basis of job specification.