Global Warming And Climate Change - 900 Words

The Earth’s geography is always shift and changing its malleable form through various processes. Whether it is through Earths natural erosion process or a natural disaster such as an earthquake or a tsunami. Everyone knows about these type of disasters when they happen, but do they know why they happen or what causes them to happen? This can be better explained by what is called Climate Change. There are people today that actually do not believe in climate change. However, one can argue that something is truly happening to our planet as a whole. If you think global warming and climate change mean the same thing then you would be wrong. This is simply because global warming refers to the long-term trend of the warming of the planet. On the other hand, climate change â€Å"†¦encompasses global warming, but refers to the broader range of changes that are happening to our planet. These include rising sea levels, shrinking mountain glaciers, accelerating ice melt in Greenland, Antarctica and the Arctic, and shifts in flower/plant blooming times†¦Ã¢â‚¬  (Tenenbaum, 2016). The rising of sea levels, the shrinking of mountain glaciers, and the blooming times of plants are all consequences of the earth warming. The warming of the planet is caused by the burning of fossil fuels which releases carbon emissions into the air creating a greenhouse effect on literally a global scale. Within the political realm of things, â€Å"global warming and climate change are sometimes used interchangeably, butShow MoreRelatedGlobal Warmin g And Climate Change974 Words   |  4 Pagesabout global warming, whether it is true or false. Is there evidence to prove that global warming has impacted the climate due to the rise in the earth’s temperature? Climate change is a problem that is worldwide that should be reviewed. The rise in the earth’s temperature has caused some impact to the weather and climate changes to many places worldwide. This rise in temperature has the potential of causing drastic changes to the earth in many ways. It is time to view the global warming concernsRead MoreClimate Change Of Global Warming924 Words   |  4 Pages Figure 0.1 shows the different effects of global warming. Global warming is the warming of our planet at an extreme rate. The Earth’s climate has warmed by 7.8OC since 1880. (Quick facts about science, 2015). What causes global warming? The cause of global warming is the carbon dioxide. This acts like a blanket. Protecting the earth, and heating the earth. Sun rays would normally bounce around the earth, but with the blanket, the sun rays heat the blanket which heats the earth. (Petersen ScienceRead MoreGlobal Warming And Climate Change1398 Words   |  6 Pages Global warming and climate change have been frequent topics of discussion over the past several years. Although people tend to focus on the politics, it is important to look past the media aspects of it into the cold hard facts of what our Earth is currently experiencing, and what has caused it in the first place. The cause of climate change includes natural causes, but human causes are what is generating such a rapid global temperature change. It’s time that the ways in which humanity affectsRead MoreClimate Change And Global Warming1060 Words   |  5 PagesClimate change (Klaus) 1000 The terms â€Å"global warming†, â€Å"climate change† or â€Å"greenhouse effect† have become more than just parts of the popular lexicon as they rather are subject of public discussions, scientific research or political debates. Despite the popularity and the ubiquity of these terms, the public’s theoretical and conceptual understanding of them and their causal relations is often based on superficial knowledge and buzzwords or caricatures outlined and depicted in several popular mediaRead MoreClimate Change : Global Warming1194 Words   |  5 PagesDonya Curtis April 19, 2017 English 1001-rough draft Global Warming Global warming is one facet of the broader term climate change. It is the increase in the average temperature of the Earth s surface air and oceans from the mid 20th century and the projected continuation. The Global warming is primarily the consequence of building up greenhouse gasses in the atmosphere. Emission rates for most important anthropogenic greenhouse gas, CO2, have increased 120 fold in the past 140 years. WhileRead MoreClimate Change and Global Warming1074 Words   |  5 PagesClimate change and Global Warming are out of control. This means that, no matter what policies, processes or actions are implemented, the Earth as we know it will never be the same again. There is significant evidence to support this hypothesis. The dilemma becomes whether we can limit the damage and adapt to a new status quo or not. Rising sea levels and the damage caused by this phenomenon has irreversible impacts on coastlines worldwide. Damage to sensitive reef systems cannot be fixed. This alsoRead MoreClimate Change And Global Warming1022 Words   |  5 PagesWhat = Climate Change Who = Emma, Aoife, Julia, Rachael, Mariah and Cà ©line What is it? Climate Change is a change in the demographic distribution of weather patterns, and related change in oceans, land surfaces and ice sheets, happening over time scales of decades or longer. It’s the world’s greatest threat. Climate change is the change in temperature over a period of time. It involves the greenhouse effect and global warming. Where is it? It is an issue affecting everyone everywhere. ClimateRead MoreClimate Change And Global Warming1474 Words   |  6 Pagesphenomenon, known as â€Å"smog† became an often daily occurrence in big, urbanized cites across the globe. Also, Al Gore’s book, An Inconvenient Truth, popularized the issue of climate change and global warming as a result of the damage that the modern world has done to the atmosphere. He noted that people resist the facts about climate change due to the inconvenience of changing their lifestyles. But, uninhibited industrialization of several countries has led to intense modernization and revolution of theRead MoreClimate Change And Global Warming928 Words   |  4 PagesThis paper will discuss climate change and global warming on the economy. The paper also gives a description on climate change and global warming. As well as what it hold for future business owners. It will also discuss what the government is doing about climate change/global warming. Climate change is a long-term shift in the statistics of the weather (including its averages). For example, it could show up as a change in climate normal (expected average values for temperature and precipitation)Read MoreClimate Change And Global Warming1630 Words   |  7 PagesClimate Related Threats Global warming will lead to uncontrollable devastation such as famine, war, and economic instability. Climate change will accelerate the dislocation of hundreds of millions of people and the extinction of many species. The negative effects of climate change are obvious on every continent. Professor Le Quere, director of the Tyndall Centre for Climate Change Research at the University of East Anglia said, The human influence on climate change is clear. The atmosphere and

Buddhism In Other Countries Free Essays

Buddhism began about 2,500 years ago, when young prince Siddhartha Gautama tried to understand the causes of suffering in the world. Siddhartha was born in Lumbini, Nepal, about five hundred years before Jesus of Nazareth, the founder of Christianity, and twelve hundred years before Muhammad, the founder of Islam. He lived for eighty years sometime between 563 and 400 BC. We will write a custom essay sample on Buddhism In Other Countries or any similar topic only for you Order Now As Harvey writes, until he was twenty-nine years old, the prince lived a life of luxury in his palace within sight of the Himalayan mountains. Then, on several trips he made outside his palace, he saw for the first time people who suffered. Among them were an old man, a sick man, someone who had recently died, and a wandering monk. Following this sudden awakening to the suffering in the world, Siddhartha decided to leave his family and the safety of his palace to seek out the causes of suffering. He spent many years meditating, praying, and fasting. One day he became aware that people suffer when they want to hold on to material things. He realized that we should not become attached to possessions because nothing is permanent: eventually everything dies or becomes worn out. If we think anything will last forever, we are bound to suffer. The process of gaining Enlightenment took Gautama six years. At the age of thirty-five, Siddhartha Gautama, now the Buddha or Awakened One, began his lengthy teaching career of forty-five years. During this time he traversed Northern India with his band of disciples, discussing his teachings and practices freely with laypeople, religious leaders and officials of all kinds. He passed away at the age of eighty in 483 BCE. Schools of Buddhism The moment Siddhartha recognized the cause of suffering, he attained enlightenment, or the great awakening. From that point on, Siddhartha was known as the Buddha, the â€Å"enlightened one. † He spent the rest of his life teaching in India. As the teachings of the Buddha spread from India to other parts of Asia, two major schools of Buddhism developed: †¢ Theravada, the â€Å"Teaching of Elders† is a surviving school of the older branch of Buddhism and focuses to this day on preserving and perpetuating verbatim the original words of the historical Buddha. The Four Noble Truths, which were emphasized as the main teaching of the Buddha, are an aspect of self-benefit. Theravada extended in a southeastern direction and can be found today in Burma, Sri Lanka, Southeast Asia, Bangladesh and Indonesia. In Theravada Buddhism, the Buddha is considered a great teacher, and each individual is responsible for his or her own journey towards enlightenment †¢ Mahayana, the â€Å"Greater Vehicle† takes the broader approach to spread the teaching of the Buddha, following the heart or intention of the Buddha. The emphasis is on â€Å"upaya† or skilful means. Mahayana, traveled from India in a north easterly direction to China, Korea, and Japan. This tradition not only recognizes the Buddha as a godlike figure but also involves devotion to other enlightened being called bodhisattvas. In Mahayana Buddhism, we find different schools of Buddhism such as Zen, Pure Land, Nichiren etc. Each school has developed its unique teachings, but we always find a common basic foundation of Buddhist teachings, as the entire Buddhist sects are based upon the Buddhist sutras or scriptures, which reveal the world of Enlightenment. One important difference between the Mahayana and Theravada schools is in their understanding of the concept of the Bodhisattva. A Bodhisattva is an individual who foregoes enlightenment to help other beings. In the Theravada tradition, a Bodhisattva is considered a preliminary step to a Buddha, a point illustrated in the Jataka tales (tales of the Buddha’s prior births), many of which contain stories of individuals who sacrifice themselves for the benefit of others. In the Mahayana tradition, however, the Bodhisattva represents the highest ideal. A Bodhisattva is a person who has attained the highest enlightenment, which is expressed in service to other beings. According to the Mahayana tradition, a person who pursues his own individual enlightenment becomes trapped in an inferior kind of enlightenment like a prison. As they attempt to escape suffering in the world of illusion, they tend to take this world more seriously; they take this illusion as real. Followers of the Mahayana, who understand emptiness, learn to pursue enlightenment within the world of illusion. By doing this, they can experience emptiness directly. Less emphasis is placed on spiritual practice aimed at individual enlightenment and more on the expression of compassion in daily life. Enlightenment All schools of Buddhism believe that every living beings experiences repeated lives on earth and has the opportunity to improve its next birth by performing good deeds in a current life. They also teach that after death, a being can be reborn into another form, such as an animal or insect, and will continue to be reborn until enlightenment is achieved. Enlightenment brings the ultimate goal of nirvana, the final death, which marks release from the cycle of rebirth and suffering. Buddhists believe that by following the Middle Way, the Four Noble Truths, and the Eightfold Path, freedom from the endless cycle of rebirth is possible. Powers write about the central teachings of Buddhism which include: The Middle Way: You must reject extremes of either wanting everything or renouncing everything and seek the balance of the Middle Way. The Four Noble Truths: 1. Suffering – Existence is a realm of suffering, from birth to growing old, becoming sick and dying, all life is suffering. 2. The Source of Suffering – Suffering arises from desire, wanting selfish pleasures, continued life, power and material possessions all lead to suffering. 3. Stopping Suffering – One must completely stop wanting things in order to control desire. Only when no desire remains is enlightenment possible. 4. The Way to Stop Suffering – The only way to stop suffering and attain enlightenment is to follow the Eightfold Path. The Eightfold Path If a person follows these eight rules, the world will become a place where all people can live in harmony: 1. Right Understanding-It is only when one understands the four noble truths and follows the Eightfold path can one find true happiness 2. Right Aims – One should always love and help others and not cheat or want things that other people have 3. Right Speech – One should always tell the truth, and listen and communicate in order to understand others 4. Right Action – One should never kill, steal or be jealous of others. One should only perform good deeds for the sake of others benefits and not for ones own reward. 5. Right Work – One should only do work that will not harm other living creatures 6. Right Thinking – One should focus thoughts on positive in order to overcome difficulties. 7. Proper Awareness – One should never let ones’ body control the mind and should know when to say no. 8. Meditation – One should train one’s mind to concentrate and think deeply, to be inwardly attentive and reflective in order to find peace within ourselves. Buddhism in India As an independent spiritual tradition in India, Buddhism diverged from Hinduism (traditional Indian thought) in several major areas, though both aim at the common goal of emancipation. Consonant with Indian tradition, Buddha accepted the general world view and interpretation of existence current in the Upanishad tradition. He looked upon existence as a series of transmigrations or in Buddhist terms rebirths. Life is suffering within the confines of samsara. The law of cause and effect in the moral realm — karma — is the arbiter of destiny, and the ultimate goal is that of release into an ineffable and indefinable experience called Nirvana. Buddha accepted, with qualification, the Indian principle of meditation and concentration as the central means for breaking through the veil of delusion and gaining liberation. It is also clear that the development of Buddhism as a religious system depended on Indian reverence for the sage. This also led to the attempt to preserve his words, and the creation of a distinctive and independent religious tradition. After abandoning his life as a prince and reaching an understanding of the suffering in the world, the Buddha, or Enlightened One, spent the remaining forty years of his life teaching people about his Middle Way, that those who follow the middle path reject the extremes of luxury and poverty, and pursue a life of good intentions and actions. The rise of Buddhism is closely connected to the prevalent practices in the Brahamanical religion (Early Hinduism). As Weber writes the Brahamanical religion had become increasingly intolerant (of the lower classes) and exclusive (open only to Brahmins and the aristocracy). The emphasis on conducting rituals (with the help of priests) was gradually alienating the masses. Sanskrit was the prerogative of the Brahmins and the aristocracy. In such an environment, Buddha’s teaching offered an alternative to the mainstream religion. The majority of its early followers were the merchants and the Sudras (untouchables). Buddhism provided a path to reach God. The tenets and rules of Buddhism were very simple to understand, appealing to the mass population. Buddha also preached in the local language, Prakrit. The practice of conducting rituals was seen as superfluous to reaching salvation. Buddha set up monasteries known as Sanghas. In his life, Buddha travelled throughout the whole of northern India spreading his message and setting up monastic orders. Since these monastic orders had to beg for their living, they were generally located near settlements, often on hillsides, etc. Often the monasteries were located on trade routes frequented by merchant caravans. They offered shelter to the merchants, who in return made generous donations. After the Buddha’s death, his cremated remains were placed within mounds called stupas. These burial mounds eventually became the focus of Buddhist monasteries and attracted pilgrims from far and wide. In the earliest Buddhist art in India, the Buddha is not represented in human form. Instead, his presence is indicated by a footprint, an empty seat, a parasol, or another sign such as the stupa. Buddhism in China Buddhism entered China perhaps as early as the first century BCE through the first century CE. It was carried by monks and merchants who made their way along trade routes from India through Central Asia to China. The history of Buddhism in China is a complex story of how a foreign religion was imported and transformed into a Chinese system of beliefs. Though Buddhism reached China from India by the first century, it did not flourish until the political and economic upheavals of the Six Dynasties period (220–589). In those troubling times, Buddhism emphasis on personal salvation and rejection of worldly ties attracted believers from every walk of life. At other times, Buddhism prospered when an emperor chose it as his official religion, but its foreign origin led other rulers to persecute believers. Buddhism survived these periodic challenges and continues to flourish in China today. At first, Chinese Buddhist beliefs and temple art were quite similar to the ideas and images brought from India. These ideas traveled to China from India along the Silk Road and via a southern sea route. Many Indian Buddhist concepts were somewhat changed to better mesh with the existing Chinese traditions, such as Confucianism and Daoism. For example, unlike the Indian emphasis on personal salvation acquired by living a celibate life, Chinese Buddhists encouraged filial piety to complement the Chinese tradition of ancestor worship. Buddhist teachings flowed unsystematically into China from India. As a result, their diverse tendencies gave rise to a variety of schools and interpretations. The history of the formation of Buddhist schools divides into two periods. The initial period was known as the age of the â€Å"Six Schools and Seven Branches. † During the second stage, the encouragement and support of Buddhist scholarship by the Sui and T’ang emperors led to the formation of more distinct and well-defined systems of Buddhist teaching which had enduring significance. This age marks the zenith of Buddhist intellectual leadership, influencing Chinese culture deeply and reflecting the gradual assimilation of Buddhism to the Chinese mind. Buddhism in Japan By the time Buddhism arrived in Japan from Korea and China in the mid-sixth century, nearly a thousand years had passed since the Buddha lived on earth. The religion had grown, evolved, and spread throughout Asia, developing a rich diversity of imagery and beliefs. The Japanese continued this process of modifying Buddhism to fit their particular cultural preferences. Skilton write about the two main stages which marked the development of Buddhism in Japan. First, from the sixth through the twelfth century, the governing regime used Buddhism as part of a strategy to centralize control. Within one generation of its introduction into Japan, Buddhism became the official state religion. It took a few more centuries for the Buddhist belief system to permeate society and truly coexist with native Shinto beliefs. By the eighth century, the two religions existed in relative integrated harmony. At this initial stage, imagery used in both Buddhist painting and sculpture reflected the tastes of the social elite. The majestic and awe-inspiring images tended to focus on divine hierarchies, meditative paths to enlightenment, perceptions of afterlife and similar themes. The development of Japanese Buddhist culture and art was also greatly influenced by the Tang dynasty (618-907) China, which was in the midst of a golden age. The second major stage in the development of Japanese Buddhism occurred in the late twelfth century, when political control shifted from the imperial court to a rising warrior class. During this period of unrest, two major Buddhist movements gained prominence: popular forms of Buddhism adopted by ordinary people and Zen Buddhism (Chan, in Chinese), which had been imported from China When Buddhism reached Japan in the sixth century from Korea and China, its sophisticated philosophical message was difficult for most Japanese to understand. A small elite was then learning Chinese (Japan’s first written language) and some of them began to study Chinese Buddhist texts, as scholars and members of the clergy do in Japan down to the present. However, most Japanese were first attracted to Buddhist art, to Buddhist magic or to the possibility of closer ties with the advanced civilization of China, where Buddhism had already spread. Whatever the attraction, by the eighth century, when the Japanese established their first permanent capital in the city of Nara, the Japanese court had embraced Buddhism as well as Shinto. Buddhism became powerful in Japan because it met the needs of people on all levels of life. It transmitted major symbols of spiritual power in Indian tradition, while also teaching Chinese Confucian morality and aspects of religious Taoism, focusing on its utility in this life. It also stressed its importance for concerns of the afterlife, claiming that it cared for both affairs of this world and the other world. Conclusion As Buddhism spread from India to China and Japan it has changed and assumed new forms and dimensions. In China it has been transformed by Confucianism and Taoism and evolved further in Japan. Like other religions, the Buddhist tradition and its teachings evolved, adapted, and developed in different ways as they encountered and became at home with different cultures and countries in various times and places; thus, over the centuries, there arose numerous schools of Buddhist thought and traditions of practice, emphasizing different aspects of the teachings. Despite the incredible variation, all have the same goal of leading beings to enlightenment. References Weber, Edmund. â€Å"Buddhism: An Atheistic and Anti-Caste Religion? † Journal of Religious Culture. No. 50. (2001) Harvey, Peter. Introduction to Buddhism: Teachings, History Practice. (Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 1990. ) Powers, John. A Concise Encyclopedia of Buddhism. Oxford: Oneworld Publications, 2000. Skilton, Andrew. A Concise History of Buddhism. 2nd Edition. Birmingham, England: Windhorse Publications: 1997. How to cite Buddhism In Other Countries, Papers

Strategic management and strategic analysis

Question: Require to conduct a strategic analysis of both the internal and external environment relating to either one of the following companies or a company of your choice. Manchester United FC Ocean Park Ebay Amazon Dyson Victoria Beckham Warner Bros Answer: Introduction: The largest worldwide-based entertainment company is Warner Bros. It is one of the leaders in this industry of entertainment in terms of marketing, licensing, distribution and marketing. Inspite of working as a subsidiary of the company, Time Warner it has come out as the renowned brand all over the world (Andrews et al. 2012). This report will deal in strategic analysis of the macro and micro aspects of environment within the segment of television and film entertainment. An in-depth study is made on the opportunities and the strategies that are opted in this segment. Further, the report also helps in identifying the suitability, acceptability and feasibility of the strategies adopted and executed. The process of comprehending the growth of the company Warner Bros will help in examining of the issues and the benefits that are faced by it. Corporate Objective: The operational and the official goals help in formulating the objective of a company. The goals help explaining the mission and the vision of the organization. The following are the vision and mission for the company Warner Bros: Vision: The Company wants to have a perpetual growth in the long run by offering more diversified products through its distribution and production (Warnerbros.com 2016). Mission: The following are the statement of mission for the company Warner Bros Implementing marketing and sales strategy to enhance the long-term profit and applying the creative effort so that strong sales are generated. Build brand for the consumers with the help of the retailers To work with the partners , licensee and retailers under the umbrella Time Warner Company Build an exclusive portfolio without any opportunities and brands The strategy that has been incorporated and helped in guiding the company investing is one of the major brands that lead in innovation, content, allocation and operation expanding their global presence of the company Time Warner. External Analysis: PESTEL Analysis: In order to analyze the external aspect of a company a study is made on the macro environment, which is based on the political, economic, socio cultural, technological, environmental and legal factors. The report that is analyzed by the Board of Directors is on the facets of the environment, which would be taken up by the senior management for making vital decision (Hamilton and Webster, 2012). Political Factors: There are political regulations imposed on the industry of entertainment and films as the production can be almost million from the markets that are emerging. There is increasing pressure on the industry by the industrial tycoons providing the path for entertainment. This is affecting both production of films and television, as there is a wish to acquire more than it is essential (Cook, 2016). Economic Factors: The operation of the company Warner Bros is quite expensive with a deficit in the trade faced. The company is also facing a rise in the cost of advertising. The inflation in the United States was 1.5% in the year 2013 while it was 1.6% in the year 2014. This was indeed a favorable option for the company to spread its range of products to the masses (Dess 2012). Socio Cultural factors: There are changes in the values of United States and more customers are seen to be influenced by the internet. The consumers prefer more of buying movies online rather than going out for watching movies in multiplexes. Importance is given to the balance of work and life so entertainment provided by the company Warner Bros would help people to rejuvenate their leisure hours. The film industry has to face the attitude of the changing preferences of the customers and so needs to adjust the quality of the movies, selection of comic books and licensing (Coulter, 2013). Technological Factors: Due to constant innovation in the field of technology, the consumers are demanding for movies with 3D and 4D based technologies. The DVD format of the films has gathered immense craze and is seen to be more popular. The film industry has been booming with its innovative platforms for the consumption of entertainment products. IT is seen to be very important factor that is applicable for the production of films so it is incorporated in every stage. Environmental Factors: The Company Warner Bros needs to cater to the development of the environment. The problems related to global warming and importance of eco tourism is affecting the production and the workshops of the company. The products that are produced by them needs to be sustainable (Ginter, Duncan and Swayne 2013). Legal Factors: Warner Bros face some issues related to licensing with other organizations. This has resulted in slowing down of the production of the company. Regulators like MPAA and FCC charges high rates of subscription to the customers based in United States, which has led the customers to move away to other entertainment products. The company Warner Bros has to face the changes in the rules and regulation in the United States affecting the entertainment and film industry (Hill and Jones 2012). Porters 5 Forces: Threat from the new entrants: There are limited threats from the new entrants as there is a huge cost for entry in the industry of entertainment and films. Due to the development in technology, the competitors are now entering the industry and provide entertainment at a much lower cost (Hulleman and Marijs 2012). Bargaining power of the buyers: There is immense bargaining by the buyers, as there is no cost of switching for the customers of Warner Bros. Threat from the availability of substitutes: There are many substitutes available for the products of Warner Bros like video games. Many companies are providing online games through the social media. Bargaining power of the suppliers: There is presence of greater bargaining power of suppliers in the industry. The renowned actors can be termed as suppliers and human resources at the same point of time (Warnerbros.com, 2016) Rivalry among competitors: In the film-industry, there is increasing competition in the industry. The competitors are Walt Disney Studios, Fox Filmed Industries and Paramount Pictures Corporation (Hitt, Ireland and Hoskisson 2013). Internal Analysis: SWOT Analysis: Strengths Weakness Solid position of finances There are many franchises of the commodities Maximization of profit An accordance of Netflix and Warner Bros Excess dependence on the home market Issues related to government debt Changes in the pattern of consumer spending Tarnishing of the image of the company due to infringement in copyright of Cat Meme Opportunity Threats Maximization of profit to franchises through the introduction of installments Increasing digital distribution capabilities Increase in the revenue through marketing of the products in the integrated structure (The-numbers.com, 2016) The environment is constantly challenged by the fall in the sales if the DVDs due to the challenges and piracy Piracy in the film industry has led to severe loss for Warner Bros The popularity of the television programs declined The company Warner Bros has to incur higher operational in order to incorporate the challenges. Analysis of Business function: The business function of the company Warner Bros implies the internal functions of the company that helps in carrying out the objective of the company. The external functions also come inside the domain of business function. The external things are those which are supplied by the company to the outside agency. The following is the business function of the company. Figure 1: Business Function Hierarchy of Warner Bros (Source: Shimizu 2012) The following are the business process, which the company is considering for the expansion for marketing and production. The main goal of Warner Bros is to continuously lead in the industry of broadcasting. The company is trying to utilize the changes in technology and incorporating new business models for providing developed landscape for television and wireless and broadband services in wide area of broadcast (Johnson et al. 2014). The company Warner Bros to increase its profits has established franchises in many countries. The company is intensely working on cable and television production, which they think would double by the next two to three years (Shimizu 2012). Competitive Strategy: Target Market: The distribution and the marketing of the company Warner Bros are spread across almost 30 countries. There are different types of age group that the company caters. The company is a global leader in this market and clearly justifies the non-ending market. The spread of the company either is in terms of collaboration with some renowned company or multiplexes. The production of movies of Warner Bros ranges from 18 to 22 a year that helps is satisfying the needs of the customers (Kannan 2013). Porters Generic Strategy Framework: The competitive analysis of the company is done through the Porters Generic Strategy Framework. The purpose for this type of analysis is to evaluate the cost efficient and product differentiation strategies that the company applies to a section of the consumers (Lasserre, 2012). The company Warner Bros will try to choose the strategy that helps in profit maximization and providing superior quality at least possible prices (Rothaermel 2013). The following figure represents the Porters Generic Strategies of Warner Bros: Figure 2: Porters Generic Strategy Framework for Warner Bros (Source: Raimbault and Barr 2012) There is no certain strategy that is followed by the company Warner Bros, as they are more into diversifying its quality of the product and delivery (Raimbault and Barr 2012). The quality of the animated products, entertainment and films is well narrated by the famous actors in the industry, which make it more attractive. The companys diversification is achieved through delivery of entertainment and media supported by digitalization. The high originality of the series of Warner Bros like Big Bang Theory, Vampire Diaries, Two and Half Man and Mentalist turned the attention of the critics. Strategic Choice The choices of the strategies can be explained in detail through the Ansoff Growth Matrix. There are four alternatives of growth highlighted for the firm to grow. The figure below will help in discussing on the products and the market of Warner Bros. Figure 3: Strategic Choice adopted by Warner Bros (Source: Lynch 2012) Since Warner Bros is associated with the film industry, so the growth strategy is also different for the company. The company follows the market penetration policy and development of the product during the nascent stage of any type of entertainment show. The company had achieved immense success during the period 2012-2013 as it followed this strategy (Lynch 2012). The strategy has helped Warner Bros to get about 30 percentages from the television broadcast in the United States. There is a continuous growth and as per the yearly report of the company Warner Bros, the company has acquired almost 55 percentages of the share of Shed Media PLC of the United Kingdom. Shed Media is a major competitor of Warner Bros. The company at present is focusing on the diversification of its portfolio in terms of their products and services as already provided in the strategic framework of Porters (Pitt and Koufopoulos 2012). Evaluation of Strategy: The company Warner Bros strategic evaluation depends on the strategy choice taken as per the Ansoff Matrix. The focus of the strategy of Warner Bros is diversification and development of the products. This is not an easy task as there are some risks involved in the following procedure. The risk can be evaluated by the studio executives through the changes in the technology as per the dimension of acceptability, feasibility and suitability: Suitability: As per this factor, the company Warner Bros will not be able to stand by for long as there is a constant change in the environment and technology is witnessing changes, which is enhancing over time. Feasibility: The Company Warner Bros success can be fluctuating due to the different type of demand patterns. There are customers who feel and wish to experience new technology. With the use of new technology, the company can reduce its cost of production (Olivas-Lujan and Bondarouk, 2013). Acceptability: If the feasibility factor suffers then the automatically there will be an effect on the feasibility. The film industry is successful when there is eye catching content available for the customers. The decline in the demand for the products of the company will affect the future growth of the company. Recommendation: The following are the recommendations that the company Warner Bros can use to apply effective strategies: The company can look into financing their production in order to be successful. This strategy will help the company to overcome the short-term situation. The strategy of partnership when enacted would be making the investors hesitant. The demand can only be met through collaboration and its development. There is a tendency of communication conflicts and clash of ego in partnerships but a proper partnership will help the company to flourish There is a need to consider the decision of the movies as per the process of selection related to age, rating, demographic and international needs. There is a need for many more genres in the movies so that the audiences can be satisfied. A proper blend of the tragedy, romance and cover action is required in the movies of Warner Bros. The company Warner Bros has to face risk when operating in the global market. This is the reason why the company has to incur huge cost for its operation. The company should adopt cost effective strategies as this will help Warner Bros to earn higher rate of profit and reduce its expenses. Conclusion: In this report, a strategic discussion is undertaken for the company Warner Bros based on the mission, vision, internal analysis, external analysis and strategies implemented for its operation. The analysis done through the Ansoff Matrix specifies that the strategies formulated are applicable for the short run rather than in the long-term scenario. The recommendation that has been provided will help the company Warner Bros to grow in the long-term perspective. The problem that is faced by the company is the presence of a large number of competitors in the market, which is making it difficult to expand. The environment should be made much more skillful so that operations of the company reach all around the world and attract newer audiences for their products. The company Warner Bros should constantly incorporate innovation in their products, as this would help in creating dominance in the market. References Andrews, R., Boyne, D., Boyne, G., Law, J., Walker, P. and Walker, R. (2012).Strategic management and public service performance. Basingstoke, UK: Palgrave Macmillan. Cook, J. (2016).Sony Hackers Have Over 100 Terabytes Of Documents. Only Released 200 Gigabytes So Far. [online] Business Insider. Available at: https://uk.businessinsider.com/the-sony-hackers-still-have-a-massive-amount-of-data-that-hasnt-been-leaked-yet-2014-12?r=US [Accessed 20 Mar. 2016]. Coulter, M. (2013).Strategic management in action. Boston: Pearson. Dess, G. (2012).Strategic management. New York: McGraw-Hill/Irwin. Ginter, P., Duncan, W. and Swayne, L. (2013).Strategic management of health care organizations. San Francisco, CA: Jossey-Bass, Wiley. Hamilton, L. and Webster, P. (2012).The international business environment. Oxford: Oxford University Press. Hill, C. and Jones, G. (2012).Strategic management essentials. [Mason, Ohio]: South-Western. Hitt, M., Ireland, R. and Hoskisson, R. (2013).Strategic management. Mason, OH: South-Western Cengage Learning. Hulleman, W. and Marijs, A. (2012).Economics and business environment. Groningen [etc.]: Noordhoff. Johnson, G., Whittington, R., Scholes, K., Angwin, D. and Regner, P. (2014).Exploring Strategy. 10th ed. Pearson Education Private LImited. Kannan, V. (2013).Strategic management in the 21st century. Santa Barbara, Calif.: Praeger. Lasserre, P. (2012).Global strategic management. Houndmills, Basingstoke, Hampshire: Palgrave Macmillan. Lynch, R. (2012).Strategic management. Harlow, England: Pearson. Olivas-Lujan, M. and Bondarouk, T. (2013).Social media in strategic management. Bingley, UK: Emerald. Pitt, M. and Koufopoulos, D. (2012).Essentials of strategic management. London: SAGE. Raimbault, C. and Barr, A. (2012).Emerging risks. Farnham, Surrey: Gower. Rothaermel, F. (2013).Strategic management. New York: McGraw-Hill Irwin. Shimizu, K. (2012).The cores of strategic management. New York: Routledge. The-numbers.com. (2016).The Numbers - Movie Market Summary 1995 to 2016. [online] Available at: https://www.the-numbers.com/market/ [Accessed 20 Mar. 2016]. Warnerbros.com. (2016).WarnerBros.com. [online] Available at: https://www.warnerbros.com/ [Accessed 20 Mar. 2016].

Managing the change within GM Essay Example

Managing the change within GM Essay Managing the change within GM Name: Course: Date: We will write a custom essay sample on Managing the change within GM specifically for you for only $16.38 $13.9/page Order now We will write a custom essay sample on Managing the change within GM specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer We will write a custom essay sample on Managing the change within GM specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer Managing the change within GM Introduction General Motors is a multinational automotive corporation based in America. It is also the largest automaker in the world. The corporation has its headquarters in Detroit, Michigan. The company was established in 1908 as the holding company for Buick, which was based in Michigan. During the period of the 1920s, the sales of the company surpassed those of Ford to set the corporation as the largest manufacturer of automobiles. Most of the success of GM had been attributed to the management style. This style integrated concepts like planned obsolescence whereby a car’s style would be changed on a regular basis. In addition, they also used a tiered structure for pricing of different brands. This would be invaluable towards setting the brands to reach different niches in order to limit their competition. The rise of Japanese automakers in the 1980s threatened the dominance of GM. The boom of SUVs (Sports Utility Vehicle) countered this threat in the North American Market (Freeland, 2001: 98). However, after 2001 the sales began to decline. Toyota surpassed the organization in 2007 as the globes largest vehicle maker in terms of sales. GM was given loans from the Canadian and US governments in order to stay afloat. However, the organization was forced to file for Bankruptcy in mid 2009. The bankruptcy deal also entailed a requirement to discontinue or sell off several brands such as the Hummer brand. Accordingly, GM would focus on restructuring and continue with its business activities. The organization would focus on the four core brands in the United States; Buick, GMC, Cadillac and Chevrolet. The process of managing change can be challenging for any organization. Change management means the process of getting the corporate to accept the change, have an understanding of the elements of change and proper execution of the change. The benefits of this change include improvement in the organizational structure, good corporate relationships and saving on costs (Schermerhorn, et al., 2000: 102). GM has to make radical changes within the organization in order to deal with the crisis that has built over time. In addition, the process of change should be continuous in order to make the actual change effective (Burnes, 2009: 85). Forces for change The circumstances that bedeviled GM create the need for change. External forces Competition In 2008, GM sold close to 2.9 million cars in America ahead of Toyotas 2.2 million. GM still leads in the American Market. However, the market share has been on a steady decline from the 30 percent in 1999 a total of 5 million vehicles to 22 percent in the year 2008. Toyota has posed as a major competition for GM. Competition is a chief driving force for the acquisition of majority market share (Ball, 2010: 78). In comparison with competitors such as Toyota, GM vehicles were not as fuel-efficient. This caused losses to the organization because of the rise in fuel prices. This was to the advantage of Toyota leading to losses for GM. Toyotas demand for cars also increased over time to become higher than that of GM. This became the driving force towards change in GM (Hayes, 2010: 56). Financial crisis The global economic downturn affected leading companies including GM. The global financial crisis affected GMs financial standing. This in combination with other factors led the corporation to bankruptcy. Internal forces Financial constraints GM was ravaged by financial problems since 2006. The financial problems were primarily caused by poor financial policies. GM made limits to the $6 billion in car operating losses because of the $2.2 billion it had made to finance the vehicles. The organization therefore had liabilities that exceeded the assets. The condition worsened over time leading to a bankruptcy declaration in 2009. Poor financial policies can lead an organization to bankruptcy (Rugman, 2010: 96). These financial constraints therefore created the need for change. Management The management at GM had a lax mentality towards their competition. This is because they had established themselves as the market leaders. The culture within the system also caused a hindrance to modernized approaches towards change. Culture The culture at GM is described as one that is set in the traditional system since its inception in the 1900s. Culture refers to the enduring ideas, attitudes, behavior, traditions and attitudes that are shared by a large section of people to be transmitted from one generation to another. On the other hand, organizational culture can be described as an organization’s personality. Organizational culture offers guidance on the feelings and activities of employees. GM has an organization that is mainly centralized and bureaucratic. Therefore, the structure created the need to have top-down systems of control. They aimed at removing the unnecessary and redundant procedures. The corporate consolidated the purchasing offices from the initial 25 in the US to a single purchase office. Therefore, the organization became more bureaucratic. Organizations such as GM that have the centralized system make it compulsory for management to be composed of many people. The leadership style of man agement also plays a key role in the definition of the culture of the organization (Alvesson, 2002: 56). Cost GM spent more money on the production and manufacturing its cars. Compared to the main competitor Toyota, GM spent more money on manufacturing. Toyota built more vehicles at a lower cost. The company was manufacturing at a rate of 7 percent faster than GM. Therefore, Toyota would benefit from between $300 and $500 per car cost advantage. In 2005, Toyota operated at full capacity. Therefore, the company earned an average profit of $1488 per car I profit and GM lost $2300. Therefore, GM had increased costs leading to losses (Crumm, 2010: 56). Leadership GM had a vertical system of leadership. The high levels of management made key decisions on the requirements of the subordinates. Therefore, it was a one-way street. CEOs, top executives and CFOs, were in charge of key decisions from middle management to individual dealerships. The executives also made decisions on the desires of customers without their feedback. This management style also contributed to the failure (Griffin, 2011: 64). Changing the culture at GM Change management entails a holistic process of planning, consultations and effective implementation. The changes to be made at GM must be realistic, measurable and achievable. Responsibility for the process of change lies on the executives and management. They are tasked with the role of facilitating and enabling change within GM. The culture and systems at GM create the need for change. The rate of change within organizations such as GM is not constant (Senior Fleming, 2006: 78). The conditions at GM however require continuous change in order to reestablish the company as the global leader over its competitors. Change incorporates a three-step process that is sequential. Unfreezing of the forces of restraint that cause maintenance of the status quo Movement of the organization towards a new status Refreezing of the organization in order to consolidate the changes The process of change in GM One of the changes that can be implemented at GM is complete decentralization of the system. A decentralized system refers to a system whereby management places significant decision-making authority to local and frontline managers instead of reserving all authority in decision making at the top. This will reduce the constraints of the bureaucratic system at GM. In addition, GM had adopted this system in earlier years, and it proved to be a success. However, the change to a centralized system in the 1990s led to its downward trend. One of the major benefits of a decentralized structure is the high level of flexibility towards problem solving and quick and effective solutions. It also allows the requirements of consumers to be met. The failure of GM to manufacture products that saved on fuel cost during the increase in fuel prices was an indicator that the organization lacked contact with the consumers. However, because of the challenges of a decentralized system, the management must maintain open communication lines with management at the grass root level in order to keep focus on the common mission and vision of the organization (Robbins Coulter, 2005: 121). Decentralization for GM will be beneficial in order to spread responsibilities within the organization and increase the capabilities of leadership of the additional managerial ranks. The organization must also integrate innovation and technology within the system in order to achieve maximum results. Cost cutting GM has to formulate a strategy that will reduce the overall cost of production. The process of cost cutting requires an effective strategy. Strategy formulation should also consider all the factors that affect the financial aspect of the organization. The company also has to set targets towards cutting overall costs. However, the process of cutting cost should not affect the quality of output. GM has already undertaken some strategies to reduce costs such as the offloading of some of its Marques like the Hummer and Saturn. This has caused it to focus on the main products in the US. However, the overseas holdings of Daewoo and Opel are still maintained. These cost-cutting processes will help the organization to save on costs and reduce losses. Challenges affecting the change process at GM Management may want to maintain the status quo at the corporation. GM has maintained a long history of a decentralized approach of management. The top-down approach limits the mediums of effective communication between employees and management. In addition, the employees have maintained poor communication with their leaders because of this system. However, management may want to maintain the current conditions with the fear of losing power and authority. Therefore, changing the system to a decentralized one may prove difficult for the executives that are accustomed to the vertical style of management. In addition, the employees under this system may not be empowered toward using the decentralized system. This is because the management under a centralized system did not place enough trust in them. Therefore, for change to be successful, GM has to empower its workforce. The employees will therefore play an active role towards the implementation of the change program (Yuki, 2002: 62). Cost cutting measures may face numerous challenges particularly from the United Auto Workers (UAW) union. This prevents the organization from lowering the wages up to a certain level. The organization also has to keep plants in operation at minimal capacity. Lack of consultations and involvement of the employees might lead to poor choices and derail the process of change (Barger Kirby, 2006: 51). Change sustainability Sustaining change refers to the involvement of refreezing behavior at new levels as long as it benefits the organization. Sustaining change at GM will be essential towards reorganization and increasing profits. It is also crucial to recognize that not all the changes may work for the company. The main aspects of sustaining change include stickability and spreadability. Stickability refers to the extent to which the gains that are achieved in sections of the organization are maintained and built (Carnall, 2008: 54). Spreadability refers to the extent to which new processes and methods that lead to gains can be applied in other areas. It is therefore essential for GM to consider these aspects in the process of change. Management plays a crucial role towards ensuring that the advantages accrued from changes in cost and decentralization. Management can also reduce the restraining forces in order to achieve commitment and reduce restraint. In addition, the employees will increase their level of commitment. A strong implementation climate will also foster sustainability. Management can empower the members of staff to implement the changes (Storey, 2004: 83). Conclusion General Motors faces numerous challenges in efforts towards reestablishing its corporate image. The company has undertaken various processes towards changing its bureaucratic system and reducing costs. However, these processes have been relatively ineffective. The implementation of the above changes and management system will be beneficial towards redeeming the level of profitability of the organization. If GM maintains these momentums of change, the benefits will be accrued in the long-term. Management of this change will also affect the process of implementation and actualization of the changes. References Alvesson, M 2002, Understanding organizational culture, SAGE, London. Ball, D 2010, International business: the challenge of global competition, McGraw-Hill Irwin, Boston. Barger, N, Kirby, L 2006, The challenge of change in organizations: helping employees thrive in the new frontier, Davies-Black Publishing, Mountain View, Calif. Burnes, B 2009, Managing change a strategic approach to organisational dynamics, FT Prentice Hall, Harlow. Carnall, C 2008, Managing change in organizations, Financial Times Prentice Hall, Harlow. Crumm, T 2010, What is good for General Motors? solving America’s industrial conundrum, Algora Pub, New York. Freeland, R 2001, The struggle for control of the modern corporation: organizational change at General Motors, 1924-1970, Cambridge University Press, Cambridge. Ukgriffin, R 2011, Management, South-Western/Cengage Learning, Australia. Hayes, J 2010, The theory and practice of change management, Palgrave Macmillan, Basingstoke. Robbins, S Coulter, M 2005 Management, Pearson Prentice Hall Upper Saddle River, NJ. Rugman, A 2010, The Oxford handbook of international business, Oxford University Press, Oxford. Schermerhorn, J, Osborn, R, Hunt, J 2000, Organizational behavior, Wiley, New York. Senior, B, Fleming, J 2006, Organizational change, Prentice Hall/Financial Times, Harlow, England. Storey, J 2004, Leadership in organizations: current issues and key trend, Routledge, London. Yukl, G 2002, Leadership in organizations, Prentice Hall, Upper Saddle River, NJ.

20 Informative Essay Topics Topics on Strategic Marketing Management

20 Informative Essay Topics Topics on Strategic Marketing Management If you are tasked with writing an essay of your own, it can be difficult to figure out where to start. That is why you will find a set of twenty great informative essay topics below quite useful: Why Students in MBA Programs Do Not Learn Proper Execution of Plans How the Thought Process that Implementation is Less Intellectually Demanding and Fit for â€Å"Grunts† Results in Improper Handling of Even the Best Strategic Plans How Management Learns to Make Plans, But to Never Involve Themselves in Execution Why Ownership over Change Processes Is Vital for Proper Execution How Change is Impossible without Defined Actions and Strategy Execution from Management How Execution is the Responsibility of All Managers Why Execution is the Key to Successful Change How Fast Change Implementation Results in Poor Execution How Company Culture Can be Taken into Account When Executing Change Management Why Many Mergers and Acquisitions Fail Why Leadership is Not as Important as Learning to Execute How Company Policy Impacts Success or Failure of New Strategies and Changes within a Company How Company Culture Impacts Success or Failure of New Strategies and Changes within a Company How Organizational Structure Impacts Success or Failure of New Strategies and Changes within a Company How Company Controls Impacts Success or Failure of New Strategies and Changes within a Company How Incentives Impacts Success or Failure of New Strategies and Changes within a Company How Operating Procedures Impacts Success or Failure of New Strategies and Changes within a Company Why Actionable Steps are Necessary for Change and Strategy Implementation How to Implement Strategic Marketing Management for the IT Industry Maintaining Strategic Marketing Management for Manufacturing Besides selecting a topic, it is equally important to find supporting evidence which you can look for in out 10 facts on strategic marketing management. In addition, you should consult an article on informative essay writing. These topics are not only a great place for you to start learning more and picking a topic of your own, but below you will find a sample essay from the list above that can help you gain a better understanding of the writing process. Remember that this is only meant as a guide to help you while you work on your specific requirements. Informative Sample Essay on Maintaining Strategic Marketing Management for Manufacturing In order to maintain excellence in a manufacturing plant, companies need to be able to measure the performance of their maintenance program to capitalize upon these measurements in order to highlight which areas require improvement. This needs to be a continuous process of identifying those areas and subsequently implementing ideal solutions for the improvement in question. In a maintenance environment, all aspects of the maintenance department need to be benchmarked against what is considered to be â€Å"best practice†. In order to determine benchmarks and best practice, it is important to review key performance indicators. This allows for a standardization of maintenance management results to can be compared and benchmarked across the board. Maintenance systems can be structured in such a way that they not only meet with best practice but they measure maintenance accurately and ensure performance is efficient and effective. Modern benchmarking is a way to determine how best to maximize productivity within a company and simultaneously minimize costs. This functions as a continual search for best practice, and the regular adaptation of new practices that result in superior performance. This can only be achieved through the investigation of current practices of organizations in an effort to gain a competitive advantage. This new knowledge is something that can be applied to the company in order to achieve higher performance and to meet any gaps existing in current business performance. Not only will standardization of best practice and the implementation of computerized maintenance management systems help the plants to stay competitive, it will also enable the companies to optimize their resources. To meet these demands companies can implement a coherent maintenance management policy for best practice that results in improved performance and reduced operational costs. The most important factor in this best practice relates to the standardized implementation of new technology. The overall improvement to maintenance management can be achieved through the implementation of a standardized Computerized Maintenance Management System (CMMS) as part of the fundamental information resource used by the companies and the technology management staff. This system offers a variety of support-related information and can assist management in their decision making. The development of CMMS is essential for maintenance managers as it offers fast management solutions in tandem with the ability to predict future outcomes based on the historical performance data for the company in question. Maintenance optimization is greatly facilitated when companies implement a management strategy of best practic e in conjunction with the implementation of CMMS. Today this software is widely integrated in manufacturing plants around the world and when properly examined, can provide a means of improved maintenance inspections and services and improved administration. It is the objectives of CMMS to reduce downtime for the company by scheduling preventative maintenance, to improve maintenance costs for the company, and to store historical records of past performance of the companies used to plan and budget other maintenance in the future and to simultaneously generate maintenance reports. Some of the biggest problems that maintenance managers in this study faced can be rectified with the implementation of CMMS. The first problem encountered includes little or no support from management for the implementation of maintenance practices, but CMMS reports are able to highlight the reduced cost and levels of downtime that would be imperative to receiving the required support. The second biggest problem is inventory problems and the need to reduce the amount of spare parts the company has while also maintaining spare parts on hand. The implementation of CMMS would control spares by eliminated non-value adding activities within maintenance. When the maint enance department no longer conducts unnecessary maintenance, it is simpler to order spare parts and to schedule maintenance as necessary. References Anderson, Carol H, and Julian W Vincze.  Strategic Marketing Management. Boston: Houghton Mifflin, 2004. Print. Ansoff, H. Igor.  Strategic Management. New York: Wiley, 1979. Print. Birkinshaw, Julian M.  Strategic Management. Cheltenham, UK: Edward Elgar Pub., 2004. Print. Chernev, Alexander.  Strategic Marketing Management. [Chicago, Ill.]: Cerebellum Press, 2012. Print. Dess, Gregory G, and Alex Miller.  Strategic Management. New York: McGraw-Hill, 1993. Print. Hitt, Michael A, R. Duane Ireland, and Robert E Hoskisson.  Strategic Management. Cincinnati: South-Western College Pub., 1999. Print. Hrebiniak, Lawrence G.  Making Strategy Work. Upper Saddle River, N.J.: Wharton School. Pub., 2005. Print.

Many and Much

Many and Much Many and Much Many and Much By Maeve Maddox This post is in response to a reader’s email: Please I want to know the usage of many and much. Both words have more than one function in English, but a common challenge for ESL learners is how to use many and much with countable and uncountable nouns. Countable nouns have singular and plural forms. Countable nouns are so called because they can be counted as individual items. Many, in the sense of â€Å"a large and indefinite number,† is used with countable nouns: many cats many apples many books many countries many people Uncountable nouns are construed as singular. They are not used with a number. Much, in the sense of â€Å"a great amount of,† is used to qualify uncountable nouns: much coffee much rice much disagreement much wrangling much love The word much can also function as an adverb and as a pronoun: adverb Thank you very much. I am much indebted to you. Julie scored much higher on the exam than I did. pronoun Much of our success derives from teamwork. Though much is taken, much abides. He’s not much to look at. In the plural, many can be used as a pronoun in the sense of â€Å"many individuals†: He is only one candidate among many. Among their captives are many of our nation. Many are called, but few are chosen. Governed by the article the, many can be used as a noun to designate â€Å"the masses,† â€Å"the multitude,† â€Å"the general public,† or â€Å"the hoi polloi†: Until that happens, the  few  practice lawful plunder upon  the many. The needs of  the many  outweigh the needs of the few. Making the Economy Work for the Many, Not the Few Note: â€Å"The few,† in the sense of â€Å"a small, privileged elite† is often used as the opposite of â€Å"the many.† Related post: Hoi Polloi Want to improve your English in five minutes a day? Get a subscription and start receiving our writing tips and exercises daily! Keep learning! Browse the Vocabulary category, check our popular posts, or choose a related post below:Definitely use "the" or "a"Broadcast vs Broadcasted as Past FormRunning Errands and Doing Chores

Managing Diversity and Equal Opurtunity Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3000 words

Managing Diversity and Equal Opurtunity - Essay Example According to this theory, discrimination is categorised into realistic, social and consensual discrimination. Realistic competition refers to a type of discrimination is driven by self-interest, which a person or group of people intend to obtain things like food, shelter, customers or territory among others. This form of discrimination is perpetuated when one group, which is often advantaged favours its members to enable them receive or obtain more same resources as compared to the others (Blank and Citro, 2004, p. 57). Social competition on the other hand is a kind of discrimination driven by desire for self esteem. The intention of this discrimination is to achieve positive social status for members of one group or groups as compared to other disadvantaged groups. Finally, consensual discrimination refers to a kind of discrimination based on desire to be excellent or accurate. This type of discrimination reflects legitimate and stable hierarchy status of a specific group of people. Example of this form of discrimination is racism, where certain race feels more superior as compared to the others. It is worth noting that discrimination can be perpetrated anywhere by any person or group of persons. ... evident during hiring and firing, compensation, classification of employees or assignment, recalling, laying off, promotion, transfer, testing and recruitment of employees. It is also evident during utilization of company’s resources, apprenticeships and trainings, pay, fringe benefits, retirement plans or disability leave of employees. Discrimination behaviour or action is evident when bosses become harder on certain employees than others based on irrelevant characteristics such as gender, race, height, weight, sexual orientation, physical disability or age. This is unethical especially if one losses or suffer damage like not getting well deserved promotion or pay hike. Discrimination takes many forms and are based on what Cahn (2002) refer s to as irrelevant characteristics such as age, disability, genetics, religion, race/ colour, sex or nationality. Examples of different forms of discrimination are listed as follows. If a person decides to donate to help disadvantage membe rs of the society like helping the orphans, but decides to donate less to others out of racist attitude, the person acts discriminately even if he benefits the recipients. Excluding students from an educational institution, training program, loan, student group, opportunities or scholarships on the basis of age or colour is some form of discrimination. Excluding people from housing, contracting/leasing or obtaining a loan on the basis of sex or age is also discrimination (Lucas, 2009). Refusal to give (advance) credit or perpetuating unequal loan terms for people because they are people from a different religion or gender is also discrimination. In the past, the government of the day in countries like South Africa and Papua New Guinea develop policies of racial discrimination during the era of

Employee benefits Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Employee benefits - Assignment Example include, vacation and sick leave, health insurance, pension plans and proper remuneration according to the local standards on minimum wages and working duration. The organization executes annual health and safety day where health consultants and safety experts advise the employees and carry out health assessments on employees. Besides, the employees are informed on safety compliance and health as well as compliance to environmental protection. The blood pressure of employees is measured and fresh up massages. The company allows a maximum of 6 months of sick leave for its employees but with no pay. The company has a policy of not forcing its employees to work; the only remedy for this is to deduct salaries. The directors are paid compensation in terms of pension plans, stock option plan at market price among other related benefits. The employees are offered an employee Benefit Plan 401(k) as well as single employer plan, health insurance cover which is deductable from their basic pay (Finance Week 23). The health insurance for employees is compulsory for all permanent employees. The temporary or contract employees are required to organize for their own personal health insurance prior to signing their employment contracts. The executive employees have other benefits which tied onto performance but majorly linked to the stock options plans. The executive employees receive the highest compensation in the company depending on the extent of output of the organization and its investments. Richemont Swiss offers life insurance to its employees, which is optional and deductable from the basic pay of employees. This comes after an agreement with the employees from the deduction on their pay. Besides, the organization has other health benefits such as dental benefits, long term disability for the employees in line of duty, temporary disability benefits such as accident and sickness, death benefits which comprise of travel accidents with exclusion of life assurance. The

Government Legislation Essay Example for Free

Government Legislation Essay There are certain laws that companies must follow in order to stay in business. Legislation means simply law. There are 3 main laws that businesses need to follow, these are: 1. Health and Safety (1974) This is probably the most important bit of legislation that was passed relevant to a business. If a business does not coincide with the law about health, then potentially the customers could fall ill, or possibly die, leaving the company in ruins. Everything has to be put into it to maintain a high standard of hygiene etc Health also has to be maintained with the workers. 2. Discrimination Tahir Hussains example of discrimination is a very good one. He was unemployed and was well qualified. Hed applied for numerous jobs, but was not getting any offers for an interview. He was quite upset by this and so decided to test the system. He sent in two application forms to every business he originally sent applications in for, one with his own name, and the other one saying that it was from a white middle aged lady. What he found out was that the white lady received far more offers of an interview than he did. He launched 12 claims of race discrimination and won 4 of them, and partly won 5 more. 3. Employment Employees working under a contract of employment are protected against unfair dismissal.

Nuclear Tension Within North Korea and Iraq :: Korea Iraq Weapons Essays

Nuclear Tension Within North Korea and Iraq Introduction: In recent years the issue of nuclear armament has become a growing concern in world politics. The United States has taken on the self appointed role of world bully on this issue. Believing it self the sole country with the ability to keep nuclear weapons, while belligerently are striking out against other countries that pursue nuclear weapons, or are believed to have them in their possession. Using the events of 9-11 as its cause, the United States has launched a â€Å"War on Terrorism† in which it has bombed Afghanistan in hopes of â€Å"destroying† and â€Å"finding† the terrorists that attacked the United States. Following its strike against Afghanistan the United States turned its attentions to the dictator Saddam Hussein, and his alleged secret stockpile of weapons of mass destruction. Against the will of many other countries the United States invaded Iraq in hope of â€Å"sniffing† out the secret nuclear weapons. As the war was reaching it conclusion it became evident that the United States claims were wrong pertaining to Iraq’s supposed stockpile of illegal weapons. The United States has now invaded Iraq, torn apart its government and left a Viet-Nam type war raging with no real sense of conclusion, all based on a suspicion that Iraq was secretly holding weapons of mass destruction. North Korea near the end of 2003 declared that it has been secretly pursuing uranium enrichment to create nuclear weapons. They claim the reason for this illegal action is solely the fault of the United States, and that the pursuit is only for defense in the case of a United States attack. This paper will study the United States-North Korean relations over the past fifty years, and then analyze the ways in which the issue of nuclear armament is being dealt with. The end will briefly touch on a very similar situation that is arising in Iran, and the constant pressure the United States is putting to have Iran put in violation of the Non-Proliferation Treaty it entered into. History of US and North Korea Relations: The mutual mistrust and animosity between the United States and North Korea began in 1950 during the Korean War. On June, 25 1950 the Northern communists of Korea crossed the 38th parallel and attacked the southern part of Korea. North Korea was aided by Russia, who had supplied them with weapons and tanks.

Lululemon Athletica

Last week I read a story about yoga clothes-maker/fashion brand Lululemon and their fairly blatant disregard for any sort of overweight or plus-size consumers. In short, they admitted that selling to women who wear size 12 and smaller is an important business strategy for them, and that it's based on â€Å"design, capacity and operational perspective. † That video seems to only anger some customers more. One wrote in response, â€Å"On one hand you are bashing us for being fat and on the other hand bashing us for maybe trying to do something about it.Should my fat ass' squeeze nto a small size Just so I can say I own a pair†¦ no! † In a video, Chip Wilson, the founder of athletic label Lululemon has apologized for suggesting that women's fat thighs were to blame for a line of yoga pants being recalled for being too sheer lululemon has released the video statement below from CEO Chip Wilson. It's Just shy of a minute, and if you were expecting an apology, this isn't it. The message is confusing, and â€Å"I'm really sad for the repercussions of my actions† seems like an apology to lululemon employees, not the consumers.He closes with a cryptic request o â€Å"stay in the conversation. † What do you think? Are you buying it? So he ended up blaming the customer for the quality control problem within the company, and that's what enraged the customers So, the media spoke to lulu enthusiasts and the customers went right ahead and said we have no interest in buying lulu products any more. Lululemon doesn't have the obligation to manufacture yoga pants but blaming customers for their defective see through pants wasn't cool either. The rules: 1 . A second chance comes after one error, not several. 2. You don't turnNamaste into nasty unless you want a serious time out. 3. Never blame mommy's thighs for anything, ever. Just how bad things can get when you refuse to own up to mistakes and choose to blame and insult others instead. Wilson's eyes appear slightly moist, his voice shaking. He seems to be apologizing to his colleagues and appealing for calm, but fails to address any of his controversial comments specifically. The glitches cost the company millions of dollars, damaged its reputation and depressed its share price. The recall continues to weigh on the company's performance, resulting in late deliveries. Lululemon Athletica Last week I read a story about yoga clothes-maker/fashion brand Lululemon and their fairly blatant disregard for any sort of overweight or plus-size consumers. In short, they admitted that selling to women who wear size 12 and smaller is an important business strategy for them, and that it's based on â€Å"design, capacity and operational perspective. † That video seems to only anger some customers more. One wrote in response, â€Å"On one hand you are bashing us for being fat and on the other hand bashing us for maybe trying to do something about it.Should my fat ass' squeeze nto a small size Just so I can say I own a pair†¦ no! † In a video, Chip Wilson, the founder of athletic label Lululemon has apologized for suggesting that women's fat thighs were to blame for a line of yoga pants being recalled for being too sheer lululemon has released the video statement below from CEO Chip Wilson. It's Just shy of a minute, and if you were expecting an apology, this isn't it. The message is confusing, and â€Å"I'm really sad for the repercussions of my actions† seems like an apology to lululemon employees, not the consumers.He closes with a cryptic request o â€Å"stay in the conversation. † What do you think? Are you buying it? So he ended up blaming the customer for the quality control problem within the company, and that's what enraged the customers So, the media spoke to lulu enthusiasts and the customers went right ahead and said we have no interest in buying lulu products any more. Lululemon doesn't have the obligation to manufacture yoga pants but blaming customers for their defective see through pants wasn't cool either. The rules: 1 . A second chance comes after one error, not several. 2. You don't turnNamaste into nasty unless you want a serious time out. 3. Never blame mommy's thighs for anything, ever. Just how bad things can get when you refuse to own up to mistakes and choose to blame and insult others instead. Wilson's eyes appear slightly moist, his voice shaking. He seems to be apologizing to his colleagues and appealing for calm, but fails to address any of his controversial comments specifically. The glitches cost the company millions of dollars, damaged its reputation and depressed its share price. The recall continues to weigh on the company's performance, resulting in late deliveries.

Impact of Globalization on Management Education

IMPACT OF GLOBALIZATION ON MANAGEMENT EDUCATION – CURRICULUM TO CAREERS [pic] IMPACT OF GLOBALIZATION ON MANAGEMENT EDUCATION – CURRICULUM TO CAREERS Abstract The global techno –economic paradigm is changing at a pace that defies easy mapping. Emergence of global village and digital economy with internet connectivity is the order of the day. This results in fundamental changes in the way the business is organized and conducted in every functional area, globally and in India as well. On the domestic front, India’s economic growth, in recent years, has been impressive.This has been due to conscious move towards market based economy. The imperative question is how to sustain it and if possible, better it. Sustainability is possible by spurring innovation and creativity to move up the value chain. Indian business models need to be re oriented, incorporating the newer dimensions of risk and inclusive growth. Excellence is seen in few quarters and that is not en ough. Increasing complexity and consequent instability marks the emergent business environment that defies solution through traditional managerial tools.Further to have sustainability in business the role of manager is to be sensitized. But the current curriculum and pedagogies of management education needs a paradigm shift from transaction based approach to transformative approach. Knowledge ecology needs balancing with an integrated curriculum encompassing multiple skills. For equitable distribution and applied innovation we need to pick up transferable skills and reverse applied learning systems with top down approach.Hence there is a great need to be updated the curriculum to meet the changing needs of the components of globalization which should be incorporated into all areas of management like  basic courses, Core functional,   inter-functional courses,  Ã‚  integrated and value addition courses. The basic courses have to be rejuvenated so as to meet the dynamically chan ging global business trends. Core functional courses such as banking and insurance should be effectively managed to meet the global demand in banking sector.Inter-functional courses like mass communication and marketing embedded with finance are greatly evolving. Integrated and value addition courses  such as training on soft skills and value added skills like SAP, PEOPLESOFT etc to get job ready. Hence, the suggested framework will balance both theoretical knowledge and acquired skill which has been proven essential for the employability by the placement organization to meet the challenges of a globalized economy.

Dos and Donts of Writing a Law School Resume

Dos and Donts of Writing a Law School Resume Some schools require that applicants submit a law school resume, but even if not requested, you should most likely send one anyway. Why? Because a resume can give you an added chance to show the admissions officers that you’re prepared to come into their school and make a difference. Indeed, this short summary of your professional and personal qualifications can end up being a very important component of your file, so you want to dedicate some time to putting forth the best law school resume you can. What follows are some tips for preparing your law school resume, namely what you should and shouldn’t do. What You Should and Shouldnt Do 1. DO set aside a couple hours to sit down and think about all the things you’d like to include on your law school resume. Start by asking yourself these questions for information-gathering purposes. 2. DO organize your resume using the sections Education, Honors Awards, Employment, and Skills Achievements.   3. DO emphasize activities, hobbies, interests, or experiences that demonstrate personal drive, responsibility, determination, dedication, language proficiency, compassion, extensive travel (especially international), cultural experiences, and community involvement. 4. DO proofread your resume several times and ask someone you trust to do so as well. 5. DO worry about presentation. For example, if you’re putting periods at the ends of bullet points, make sure you do so for each and every one. For more tips on what you should be looking for besides spelling and grammar errors, see the Law School Resume Style Guide. 6. DON’T simply use a work resume that you’ve been using and updating for years. You need to gear your resume to law school admissions officers, who are looking for different things than potential employers are. 7. DON’T include â€Å"Objective† or â€Å"Summary of Qualifications† sections. These are great in work resumes, but they serve absolutely no purpose in a law school resume and only take up valuable space. 8. DON’T include activities from high school unless they are extremely significant, like winning a national debate competition or performing at a very high athletic level. 9. DON’T include activities you only did for a short time or a long list of insignificant summer jobs. You can sum up such things in just a sentence or so if you really want to include them. 10. DON’T go longer than two pages. For most law school applicants, one page is plenty, but if you’ve been out of school for a considerable amount of time or have an unusual number of significant life experiences, a second page is fine. Very few people should go to that third page, though.

Aristotle and Virtue Essay Example for Free

Aristotle and Virtue Essay Aristotle believes that we need virtue, both of thought and of character, to achieve that completeness leading to happiness. This is the function: activity in the soul in accord with virtue, where soul is defined as what is in us that carries out our characteristic activity. Aristotle is right in believing we need virtue. The end of Aristotle’s Nicomachean Ethics Book I introduces the idea that since happiness is â€Å"a certain sort of activity of the soul in accord with complete virtue, we must examine virtue,† because doing so will allow us to closer analyze and understand how to study happiness. He goes on to identify two areas: virtues of thought and virtues of character. I believe the philosopher is right when he thinks that a good life requires harnessing both kinds of virtues. Virtues of thought are simpler to identify, as they include excellence in problem solving skills, abstract and rational thought, mathematics and the like. Virtues of character, which are also called ‘moral virtues’, seem to be more complex and are also an integral part of the completeness that Aristotle said was necessary for a good life. Some examples of these virtues are generosity and patience. Virtues of character are definitely good for the possessor as Aristotle states in chapter 6, â€Å"having these feelings at the right times, about the right things, toward the right people, for the right end, and in the right way, is the intermediate and best condition, and this is the proper virtue. † Finding that mean or middle ground, that balance or yin and yang, is essential to establishing a completeness which ultimately lead to happiness. One problem may be actually the path to virtue. The idea of pleasure without pain is not realistic in the mortal world. Everything on this plane is relative. Take, for example, two dogs: Dog A lives on the street and has all of his life. He has to find himself food everyday in alleys and has to deal with the weather. This life is good to him because it is his world and he does not know any better. As far as Dog A is concerned, he is in ‘heaven’. Dog B lives in a mansion with air conditioning and gourmet steaks that are given to him on a regular basis. This is all Dog B knows and he is not aware of anything else out there better than this (even though it surely exists), so this dog is in heaven also. Imagine their own individual and relative differences if they were to switch places. Dog A would go to a mansion atmosphere and the comfort of his life would dramatically improve, while Dog B’s life would be hell all of a sudden. This relation of pleasure to pain and how it is all relative makes one take a step back and look at the bigger picture. Nelson, W. Philosophy 1305 Proteus Classics Readings. Thomson Custom Publishing, Mason. pgs 81-122. Aristotle and Virtue. (2016, Dec 13).

Project Management and How it Relates to Purchasing and Supply Research Paper

Project Management and How it Relates to Purchasing and Supply Management - Research Paper Example In this scenario, project management processes are required to perform these operations successfully. The basic purpose of this research is to analyze project management in the context of its use in procurement and supply management. Procurement and Project Management Procurement is the most important element of a business industry. It encompasses a wide variety of aspects of project management such as acquiring material, goods, equipment, and services from external firms. However, procurement does not include other internal departments inside an organization. In view of the fact that procurement is a domain for which a project manager will be responsible for providing information and input, in various and possibly a number of firms, hence it is believed to be an area that the project manager does not own. Though, the project managers generally are not authorized to take part into contracts in support of the business organization, as well as they are not responsible for controlling t he contracts once they are prepared or in process. However, it is still a most important area which an organization must need to have knowledge of. In this scenario, the project Management Institute (PMI)’s Project Management Body of Knowledge (PMBOKÂ ®) outlines six key processes that deal with certain Project Procurement Management knowledge areas (Mochal, 2007). Plan purchases and acquisitions: This process of project management is concerned with identifying and determining the resources that need to be acquired for a project and when a project needs them. This area of procurement comes directly under the control and authority of the project manager, for the reason that the top management and organization’s purchasing committee do not... This paper has presented a detailed analysis of the project management function in the context of its role in procurement and supply chain management. Project management is a set of well-organized and synchronized processes, and each process is connected with another however the basic purpose remains to achieve a common goal. The research has shown that both the project management and supply chain management are similar disciplines. The research has also shown that if both supply chain management and project management are combined effectively then it can improve the performance and efficiency of a firm. This paper has also discussed various aspects associated with procurement and purchasing. This paper has also presented recommendations on how to use project management to improve procurement and supply chain processes. In short, the survival of successful project management depends seriously on the proper execution of the supply chain process, for the reason that well-timed, accurat e, and well-organized delivery of materials, equipment, supplies and resources are critical to success of project management. In order to make the procurement process a success, there is a need for reliable aftercare and organizational record, which should be carried out by a variety of professionals from the legal and financial settlement of purchases. In addition, even a project is in progress, the performance of the suppliers should be constantly assessed and, where essential, alternatives should be adopted.

Analysis of We Googled You Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words - 2

Analysis of We Googled You - Assignment Example In the current case, the company has a prospective employee who has been brought up in China and therefore is aware of the business environment in the country. The individual has been proposed by one of the company’s trusted managers who have the responsibility of bringing on board employees who are qualified for the specific kind of job. The manager, Fred, finds Mimi, a young lady who is a daughter to one of his long-time friends, who is qualified for the job. She has enough education for the responsibilities that he is expected to handle, good recommendations from her employers and at present, and she is enthusiastic about helping the company achieve its objectives. When; however, the human resource manager in the company performs a search of the individual on google, an incident reported eight years before is revealed. She was once a leader of the protest group that was strongly against World Trade. It is an incident that the company would rather not be associated with. The issue arises because a person of her qualifications and experience is not easy to find, yet the report of eight years ago may be following her and the company. It is for the company to make a decision on whether to hire Mimi with her slightly tainted past and a probably bright present and future, which the company can also benefit from or to let her go. Hiring her would mean that the company hopes that her past does not affect her functions and that she will deliver quality services. Letting her go will mean that the company does not care about their current needs and her qualifications but looks out to hire spotless individuals. There are various alternatives that the company can take. First, the company may decide to proceed with the hiring and assume that they know nothing of the incident on google.  Ã‚  

Industry Placement Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Industry Placement - Essay Example The paper "Industry Placement" analyzes the structure of the international retail company "Toys R Us" and offers some suggestions how to make motivation, reporting, and organizational culture better. The values of the organization make up its culture. I have learned that the company values hard workers that represent the organization's promise of rapid, responsible and reliable service. Based on Fleishman’s interpretation of leadership in which I hold in high regard, modeling this to my staff is one of the best ways I can lead the team in the eyes of myself and Toys R Us. The idea I have of Toys R Us culture was communicated to me through a booklet informing me of what the organization was about, read on my own accord. For Toys R Us to ensure that organizational culture is well known and implemented into the work of management running a program over half a day would be recommended. Interpersonal value compatibility is necessary with the staff because motivation is most effective as an influential leader. It is here that one of many examples of the inter-relatedness of management concepts is displayed. Reward for work through remuneration is the standard return but it is motivation to get the best out of the employee. This can pose quite a challenge for a leader as different types of motivational methods would need to be used for different subordinates. Motivational issues can be found through a number of methods, one of these being reporting. Employee issues can also be found through reporting.

Wilson Disease Genetic Tests

Wilson Disease Genetic Tests Clinical Features in Patients with Wilson Disease Hepatic Asymptomatic hepatomegaly Isolated splenomegaly Persistently elevated serum aminotransferase activity (AST, ALT) Fatty liver, Acute hepatitis, Resembling autoimmune hepatitis Cirrhosis: compensated or decompensated Acute liver failure Neurological Movement disorders (tremor, involuntary movements) Drooling, dysarthria, Rigid dystonia Pseudobulbar palsy, Dysautonomia, Migraine headaches, Insomnia, Seizures Psychiatric Depression, Neurotic behaviours, Personality changes, Psychosis Other Systems Ocular: Kayser-Fleischer rings, sunflower cataracts Cutaneous: lunulae ceruleae  · Renal abnormalities: aminoaciduria and nephrolithiasis Skeletal abnormalities: premature osteoporosis and arthritis  · Cardiomyopathy, dysrhythmias  · Pancreatitis  · Hypoparathyroidism Menstrual irregularities; infertility, repeated miscarriages How is Wilson disease diagnosed? The diagnosis of Wilson disease is made by relatively simple tests. The tests can diagnose the disease in both symptomatic patients and people who show no signs of the disease. These tests can include: Opthalmalogic slit lamp examination for Kayser-Fleischer rings Serum ceruloplasmin test 24-hour urine copper test Liver biopsy for histology and histochemistry and copper quantification Genetic testing, haplotype analysis for siblings and mutation analysis. It is important to diagnose Wilson disease as early as possible, since severe liver damage can occur before there are any signs of the disease. Individuals with Wilson disease may falsely appear to be in excellent health. Treatment of Wilson disease Wilson disease is a very treatable condition. With proper therapy, disease progress can be halted and oftentimes symptoms can be improved. Treatment is aimed at removing excess accumulated copper and preventing its reaccumulation. Treatment for Wilson disease is a lifelong process. Patients may become progressively sicker from day to day, so immediate treatment can be critical. Treatment delays may cause irreversible damage. Chelation therapy drugs approved for treating Wilson disease include penicillamine (Cuprimine ® and Depen ®) and trientine (Syprine ® and Trientine Dihydrochloride) Both of these drugs act by chelation or binding of copper, causing its increased urinary excretion. Mettalothionein inducer drugs approved for treating Wilson disease are (Galzinâ„ ¢) in the U.S. and (Wilzin ®)in Europe.Zinc acts by blocking the absorption of copper in the intestinal tract. This action both depletes accumulated copper and prevents its reaccumulation. Zincs effectiveness has been shown by more than 30 years of considerable experience overseas. A major advantage of zinc therapy is its lack of side effects. Patients with severe hepatitis or liver failure may require liver transplant. Patients being investigated or treated for Wilson disease should be cared for by specialists in Wilson disease or by specialists in consultation with their primary physicians. Stopping treatment completely will result in death, sometimes as quickly as within three months. Decreasing dosage of medications also can result in unnecessary disease progression. How is Wilson disease inherited? Wilson disease is an autosomal recessive disease, which means it occurs equally in men and women. In order to inherit Wilson disease, both parents must carry one genetic mutation (abnormal alteration in the gene) that each parent passes to the affected child. At least one in 30,000 people of all known races and nationalities has the disease. Of the 23 different human chromosomes, the gene responsible for Wilson disease is located on chromosome 13. The gene is called ATP7B and it contains the genetic information necessary to make a copper transport protein that plays a key role in incorporating copper into ceruloplasmin and moving excess copper out of the liver. Mutations in the gene lead to an abnormal copper transporter that cannot move copper effectively or at all. More than 300 genes of the ATB7B have been identified thus far.This excess copper accumulates in the liver and other organs. Most patients have no family history of Wilson disease. People with only one abnormal gene are called carriers. Carriers (heterozygotes) may have mild, but medically insignificant, abnormalities of copper metabolism. Carriers do not become ill and should not be treated. Wilson disease patients (homozygotes) do become ill and must receive treatment lifelong or eventually they will develop severe lethal disease. One in 100 individuals in the general population carries one abnormal copy of the Wilson disease gene. Carriers have one normal and one abnormal gene. All (100%) children of those afflicted with Wilson disease receive at least one abnormal copy of the Wilson disease gene. One half (50%) of a carriers children receive at least one abnormal copy of the Wilson disease gene. A genetic counselor can provide a more detailed pedigree of specific family relationships. Family Screening All siblings and children of Wilson disease patients should be tested for Wilson disease. Other relatives who have had symptoms or laboratory tests that indicate liver or neurological disease also should be tested for Wilson disease. Biochemical Testing Children of patient: Begin at age 2 if asymptomatic, repeat once in 5 years unless reasontopursue further. Siblings of patient: Physical examination and brief history of any liver or neurological symptoms. Liver Function Tests: ALT, AST, Albumin, Bilirubin. Ceruloplasmin and Serum Copper. 24 hour urine copper Slit-lamp exam of the eyes for Kayser-Fleischer rings. If no K-F rings, abnormal liver functions tests, and low ceruloplasmin: liver bio Information about Molecular Genetic Testing All siblings and children of Wilson disease patients should be tested for Wilson disease. Other relatives who have had symptoms or laboratory tests that indicate liver or neurological disease also should be tested for Wilson disease. More than 300 different mutations of the ATP7B gene have been identified thus far. Testing Methods Available: Linkage analysis (Haplotype analysis) Molecular genetic testing to identify a set of closely linked segments of DNA (a marker or set of markers), comparing the markers of family members to those of an affected patient. Useful for: screening siblings of an identified patient Gene sequencing (mutation screening of the entire ATP7B gene) Analysis of the entire ATP7B gene to detect and identify disease causing mutations. An individual with confirmed Wilson disease needs to be tested first. If both mutations are identified, other family members can then be offered testing. Gene sequencing will identify both mutations in most but not all cases of Wilson disease. Useful for: confirmation of the diagnosis in suspected patients, family members to learn if they could be affected but do not yet have symptoms, to learn they are carriers, or to allow for prenatal testing for confirmed carriers. Analysis of a specific location in the ATP7B gene for a known particular mutation. Useful for: specific populations of patients where the common mutations are known; for screening siblings of patients with two identified mutations. Genetic testing is best coordinated through a genetic counselor who can carefully discuss the best method of testing to perform and the benefits, limitations, and implications of each method. Genetic testing is best coordinated though a genetic counselor who can carefully discuss the best method of testing to perform and the benefits, limitations, and implications of each method. Your physician should be able to direct you to a qualified genetic counselor and genetic testing facility. Definition: Kayser-Fleischer Ring: Clinical sign. Brownish-yellow ring visible around the corneo-scleral junction (limbus). Consists of copper deposits in Descemet’s membrane, extending into the trabecular meshwork. Sign of Wilson’s disease. Description and Location: Golden to greenish-brown annular deposition of copper located in the periphery (limbus) of the cornea (Descemet’s membrane). First appears as a superior crescent, then develops inferiorly and ultimately becomes circumferential. Usually requires a slit-lamp examination to detect rings in their early stage of formation. Prevalence: Approximately 95% of WD patients presenting with neurological signs will have a K-F ring. Whereas approximately 65% of WD patients presenting with hepatic signs will present with a ring. Copper chelation therapy may cause fading and even disappearance of the corneal copper over time.