Analysis Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3000 words

Analysis - Essay Example However, King Alfonso’s most important request was that Portuguese merchants stop making Congo a transit for slaves. He requested that they do not accept free men being traded as slaves. King Alfonso always made reference to God’s service in his letters. However, he also reiterated his problem of losing control over his people. In his first letter, he wrote, â€Å"vassals†¦.beginning to claim their independence.† This was due to the fact that his people were beginning to see how good free life is as they see from the lives of the Portuguese merchants. Also, this could be attributed to the fact that they were now able to obtain goods that were previously forbidden from them. King Alfonso believes that his kingdom is an extension of Portugal and that they must be given the same attention by the Portuguese King as he would give to his native land. Furthermore, Alfonso’s letters demonstrate the dependence of his kingdom on Portugal which may be seen as the same reason why he never requested that slave trade be ended or that Portugal vacate his kingdom immediately. Lastly, King Alfonso knows that without the Portuguese and the practice of Christianity his reign will be in jeopardy. Christopher Columbus’ journal serves as a window into his travels. It reflects his views regarding the places he visits and the people he meets. For instance, his journal relates his experience upon meeting the people of the new world. He described these people as people with very well-formed and handsome bodies, short coarse hair similar to the tail of a horse, and people that wear various colors of paint in different places on their face and body. He also noted their distinct complexion which was neither black nor white. Most importantly, Columbus described them as being â€Å"poor in everything.† He probably attributed such to the fact that they willingly accepted even the littlest of items that were given to them. He noted that what they were giving

Hybrid cars Essay Example for Free

Hybrid cars Essay Industrialization has contributed to high-energy consumption across the world. The developed countries consume the larger share due to more industries that operate there. The release of pollutant substances into the atmosphere has led to global warming whose dangerous effects are already being felt today. The motor industry, being one of the largest pollutants, has been seeking new technologies that would lead to less pollution. The amounts of carbon dioxide by the motor industry are large enough for the industry to get concerned. In the early days, most cars were solely powered by fuel combustion engines alone. Such vehicles did not have much power as the new hybrid engines of nowadays. The fuel engines also produced large quantities of harmful gases. With the current debate on environmental issues, car manufacturers have resulted to developing more energy efficient vehicles that will produce equal or more power as earlier engines but with less harmful effects. The idea of developing hybrid car engines was borne from the successful introduction of hybrid powertrains. These hybrid powertrains were found more fuel efficient and this triggered car manufacturers to adopting the technology to the car industry (Haan et al, 2006). Hybrid cars are those cars whose engines use more than one power sources. Much criticism as well as commendation of these hybrid cars has been witnessed. The main issues of contention are the fuel efficiency of the hybrid vehicles over other engine cars and the effect of the hybrid cars on the economy. Some authors have argued that as much as hybrid vehicles lead to fuel efficiency, there are counter effects that negate any gains made. Studies have been done to quantify these factors to authenticate the allegations and interesting findings have come up. () In a study by Haan and others, they aimed at assessing the extent to which hybrid cars had changed people’s choice of buying cars. It had been argued that the introduction of hybrid cars led to people abandoning the fuel efficient vehicles they used earlier in favour of hybrid cars. The study was an assessment of the various ways that policy makers in different countries intended to address issues of pollution by cars. Several measures had been proposed and they centered on reducing the demand for cars, reducing energy consumption per vehicle per distance in kilometers and reduction of carbon emissions (Haan, 1082). Hybrid cars were considered energy efficient and that fewer pollutants were released (http://www. activehybrid. com). It was, however, generally argued that the hybrid cars had other counter effects. The study by Haan sought to quantify this. This suggests that there was an argument that hybrid cars, for some reason, were bought as additional cars thus increasing the number of cars owned by a household. Governments aim at reducing number of cars per household and hybrid cars worked against this principle. Following this argument, there was a general view that the lesser taxes charged on hybrid cars had led to the influx of the cars into the markets. (http://www. activehybrid. com/). The results of the study indicate that hybrid cars indeed reduce emissions. If a government is to effectively reduce the amount of emissions from the motor industry, hybrid cars have to be adopted. Policy should, therefore, allow more hybrid cars and to encourage this, tax reductions on hybrid cars should be sustained. The study further identified that hybrid cars do not increase the number of cars per household. The increment that was recorded was due to other factors unassociated with hybrid cars themselves. The findings of this study quell fears that hybrid cars have an overall effect that harm the economy (http://www. activehybrid. com/Why-Hybrids-are-the-Vehicles-of-Choice-these-days. html). Authors expressed that it was insufficient to evaluate a vehicle’s pollution level without considering other factors involved in the vehicle’s life cycle. Authors expressed a need of focusing not only on the output emission levels of the final product but also on the processes involved in developing these cars. Economic factors had to be considered to justify the efficiency of any type of car engine including hybrid. The cost aspect also had to be checked, to assess the economic viability of the car engines, the prices of having batteries was analyzed, fuel costs also, and driving range (Granovskii, 1186). Granovskii and others carried out a study to assess the environmental factors. The study sought to quantity the amounts of greenhouse gases related by each of the types of engines considered. The various other pollutants emitted in the manufacture and repair of batteries were also analyzed. The results of this study show that in comparison with the electric car, hybrid car was superior in car emission produced. More pollutants were released. The prices of electric cars were less than those of hybrid cars. There results suggest that if electric power would be generated and conserved in the car engines, the gains from such an electric engine would be more than that from hybrid cars. However, the study found that no car engine was superior to all other on all fronts. On every aspect the different cars engines should advantages over others. The hydrogen engine, though, did not have any advantage over other engine types except that it had least pollution. The study further indicated that when natural gases are used for generation of electricity in an engine, the hybrid is better than other engine types (Anderson). Manufacturers had further developed intelligent technology that enabled cars to sense their environments and adjust their fuel consumption levels. The developers of this technology strongly believed that this technology was the most fuel efficient that should be adopted to replace the hybrid cars. The new technology engine was proposed as fuel saving and less pollutant than all other engine types. A review of literature in a study done by Manzie and others reveal that hybrid cars had high initial costs that dispelled many customers from buying them. Hybrid engines had been found to be more fuel efficient in trains and this technology was extended to the cars. The study by Manzie focused on identifying any benefits realized from the use of hybrid and communication technologies in fuel economy. A situation model was used in evaluation of the fuel economy of combining these two technologies. The study was carried out in Australia. The hybrid model used in this consisted of the hybrid electric vehicle. The speed of the vehicle was evaluated when the technologies are combined. Several control procedures were put to ensure the result are not skewed to any side (http://www. hybrid-vehicles. net/). The results of the study indicate that there were significant improvements in fuel economizing. Less fuel was consumed by the hybrid vehicles. Telematics, which combine intelligent capabilities in a car, were found to be cost effective and fuel efficient. The results also indicate that there may be challenges in adopting the new telematics technology because it affects overtaking between intelligent and unintelligent cars. The study indicated that hybrid systems alone consumed less fuel. A combination of hybrid and telematics technology to create an intelligent hybrid car led to more improvements in fuel consumption. There are benefits that are associated with the hybrid cars. Studies have shown that these cars consume less fuel, release fewer pollutants and have more power. Today the hybrid model car engines are being improved their capabilities. Hybrid cars are environmental friend. These cars are also cheap enabling people to acquire vehicles fast and save money to do other important things. The hybrid cars have now found their way into United States military operations (Mehney). It is evident from the above analysis that hybrid vehicles consume less energy than combustion engines. The evidence is not only in theory but has been supported by empirical evidence. The several control measures applied in each study ensure that the results are a true representation of the actual situation. Hybrid cars have all evidently been found to release fewer pollutants into the atmosphere. In fact, this is the technology that every country serious on reducing pollution should emphasize on. The criticism of the hybrid cars has not presented empirical evidence to authenticate allegations. Most of these allegations are generalizations. It seems that the hybrid technology poses a threat to some manufacturers and that is why they resist it. The technology, however, has revealed its evidence and we can go by it. Manufacturers need to focus on building energy efficient cars such as the hybrid ones. Works Cited Granovskii, Mikhail. , Dincer, Ibrahim and Marc A. Rosen. â€Å"Economic and environmental comparison of conventional, hybrid, electric and hydrogen fuel cell vehicles† Journal of Power Sources. Volume 159, 2, (2006): 1186-1193. Haan, Peter. , Peters, Anja and Scholz W. Roland. †The Automobile Industry Sustainability† Journal of Cleaner Production. Volume 15, 11-12, (2006): 1076-1084. â€Å"Hybrid cars are an excellent choice! † 2007 Hybrid Cars Blog 15 August 2007 http://www. activehybrid. com/ â€Å"Hybrid Vehicles† 2005, 15 August 2007 http://www. hybrid-vehicles. net/ . Manzie, Chris. , Watson, Harry and Halgamuge, Saman. â€Å"Fuel economy improvements for urban driving: Hybrid vs. intelligent vehicles† Transportation Research Part C: Emerging Technologies Volume 15, Issue 1, 2007: 1-16. Mehney, Paul. â€Å"Public Affairs Officer Army Unveils First Hybrid-Electric Propulsion System for New Combat Vehicles,† Aug 15, 2007. US Army. 15 August 2007 http://www. army. mil/-newsreleases/2007/08/15/4424-army-unveils-first-hybrid-electric-propulsion-system-for-new-combat-vehicles/. Anderson, Tony. â€Å"Proven Ways to Increase Your Gas Mileage†, July 1, 2007, 15 august 2007 http://www. gasmileagemanual. com/? gclid=CO3UhKPF940CFQWIlAodGRsjMA. â€Å"Why Hybrids Are The Vehicles Of Choice These Days. † 15 August 2007, http://www. activehybrid. com/Why-Hybrids-are-the-Vehicles-of-Choice-these-days. html.

Abercrombie and Fitch Analysis

Abercrombie and Fitch Analysis 1. Introduction The following report explores the company Abercrombie Fitch within its US and UK market. Key external factors have been explored such as PEST, SWOT, TOWS and the companies competitors, as well as Porters Generic strategies and Ansoff Matrix. SMART Objectives have then been formulated considering all of the above factors and then a Strategic Plan, Implementation Measurement of each SMART Objective has been created. 1.2 Company Background Abercrombie and Fitch were founded in 1892 by David T Abercrombie and offered prestigious sporting and outdoor clothing for males and females. Today the company is an upmarket US fashion retailer striving to offer their consumers casual luxury to the 18-22 year old market segment. The company has over 300 stores in the US and is also situated in the UK, Japan, Canada and Italy. They also have ongoing plans to expand into other foreign markets such as Asia in the near future. Abercrombie Fitch have three subsidiary sister companies consisting of: Abercrombie: very similar to the main brand but for children aged 7-14 Hollister Co: for teenagers 14-18 offering lower priced products to Abercrombie Fitch but very similar in style Gilly Hicks: offering lounge wear, underwear and a body care range for people aged 18+. Abercrombie Fitch also had a subsidiary company called Ruehl No.925 which offered clothing products to the 25+ age segment, however the store closed at the beginning of 2010 as it did not take off. 2. External Analysis- PEST Factors Table 1: PEST 2.1 Political/Legal Import Duty: As Abercrombie Fitch manufacture their products within the USA and Asia, products that are imported into the UK accrue an import duty. Import duty is calculated on the type of goods, their value and the country of origin. (Business Link 2010) If the product is made up of 20% or more of parts from other countries then this has to be stated to the countries customs as this may affect the price of the import duty. Labelling: As Abercrombie Fitchs products are imported from the US to the UK the company needs to ensure that all their clothing products meet the UK labelling requirements stated in the Textile Products (Indication of Fibre Content) Regulations 1986, to ensure that they are in accordance with the law. Employment law: The UK has very strict employment laws against discrimination. Abercrombie Fitch were recently faced with a law suit in June 2009 when an employee was allegedly told that her prosthetic limb was not in accordance with the companies look policy. The employee aimed to sue the company for  £20,000 for discrimination against her disability. It is important for Abercrombie Fitch and their employees to be aware of UK legislations as high profile law suits could affect their image leading to bad publicity. 2.2 Economic The Recession: Although some reports may state that the recent recession may be drawing to an end, Abercrombie Fitchs latest Fiscal-fourth quarter earnings (Talley 2010) paint a different picture as they fell 31% (Talley 2010) due to the continuing decline in their sales. This is due to the company not being prepared to reduce their prices during the recession, forcing their customers to look for cheaper competitors (see Competitor Audit for detailed list of competitors). UK Pricing: Abercrombie Fitch are constantly striving to maintain and promote the prestige image they have successfully created in the US in the UK. However when the UK flagship store in London opened in 2007 the company was criticised for over pricing, as the products cost double those offered in the US stores. This could have had a major impact on the companys success in the UK. However, so far they have found that their consumers have had strong brand loyalty to them and have been willing to pay the price for the products. Although as mentioned above, the companys earnings have been affected by the recession. 2.3 Socio-Cultural Sexual Imagery: Over the years Abercrombie Fitch have been attacked about their sexually explicit advertising within their advertising campaigns and quarterly catalogue. It is against many different religions values and beliefs for example the Muslim religion to show sexual or naked imagery within advertisements. Therefore Abercrombie Fitch need to be aware of the different values and beliefs different communities and religions have in order not to offend anyone. Market research should be undertaken as to what the best form of advertising is for any new campaigns and to determine what type of imagery should be used. However in many westernised countries, shock advertising works well and this is what they use. The company strives to be different and stand out in any which way they can. Ageing Population: With increasing life expectancy and an aging population prominent across the world, it is unwise for Abercrombie Fitch to continue into their future just focusing on consumers aged 18-22. With the recent failure of their high end brand Ruehl No.925 which focused on consumers aged 25-35 a strategy to re-brand and reinvent Ruehl may be a wise decision for the company. 2.4 Technological Internet online purchasing: With the ever increasing popularity of the internet and consumer online purchasing, it has meant that Abercrombie Fitch have been able to advertise their products to consumers via their website and also allowing the consumer to purchase products, if they wish to, around the world. Online advertisement is an excellent way to catch a younger target audiences attention. Improvement of Transport: Transport has changed dramatically over the past 50years. Roads have improved and with many more flights take off each day from large airports, companies are seeing quicker delivery times for products that are sent by sea, road and air. This is good news for Abercrombie Fitch as their products are reaching consumers quicker. As the companys products spend a lot of time in transport, some of the manufactured goods are imported from Asia then dispatched around the world to their many stores. 3. External Analysis- Competitor Audit As Abercrombie Fitch are situated in many different global markets the following competitor audit will focus on Abercrombie Fitchs main competitors in the UK and the US. 3.1 US Competitors: 3.1.1 American Eagle Outfitters American Eagle Outfitters is Abercrombie Fitchs main competitor in the US. Like Abercrombie Fitch they target 18-22 year olds, offering young fashionable products to their consumers. They have a larger range of products than Abercrombie Fitch but are not seen to be as prestigious. Unlike Abercrombie Fitch, some consumers find the American Eagles shopping experience much more pleasant, as the music is quieter and there is more lighting. The company recently opened a store in the UK in London. 3.1.2 Aeropostele Aeropostele is cheaper than Abercrombie Fitch, however it is still seen as one of their main competitors as they target the same market segment. Like American Eagle they have a large range of clothing products and accessories for the male and female markey which Abercrombie Fitch do not offer. 3.2 UK Competitors: 3.2.1 Jack Wills Like Abercrombie Fitch Jack Wills target segment is 18-22 year olds. The company call themselves the University Outfitters and often situate their stores in University towns. Although Jack Wills call themselves this name under 18s are also found to be keen Jack Wills wearers. However the company do not have a strong market share in the UK as they are seen to offer, like Abercrombie Fitch specialised clothing. 3.2.2 Urban Outfitters Urban Outfitters offer branded clothing to a unique market. Unlike Abercrombie Fitch they offer edgy, different styled fashion products to their competitor, targeting the same age segment. Urban Outfitters is a very popular US company and is very up and coming in the UK in London. 3.2.3 Hollister Although Hollister is a sister company to Abercrombie Fitch, there seems to have been some inter-company competitiveness in the UK. Abercrombie Fitch have only one store in the UK situated in London whereas Hollister have ten stores situated around the country. Although in the US Hollister targets 14-18 year olds, many older people in the UK have been wearing the brand due to accessibility of the store, as travelling to London to purchase Abercrombie Fitch clothing is not an option for some people they choose to wear the next best thing which is clothing from Abercrombie Fitchs sister company Hollister. 4. SWOT Analysis 4.1 Strengths Strong portfolio of brands other than the main Abercrombie Fitch brand appealing to consumers aged 9- 24 Annual Abercrombie Fitch Challenge which raises money for charities and organisations, raising their profile Sponsor of the Elite Racing Team In 2007 offered $75,000 scholarships to the National Society of High School Scholars Expansion plans in Canada, Europe and Asia The ability to capture 18-22 year olds attention and condition them into wanting the brands products In 2007 the company had a 2.3% market share of the US clothing retail market which put them at 3rd largest market share. In 2008 Abercrombie Fitch started modifying and upgrading their information systems 4.2 Weaknesses Money being lost to counterfeit products Company portrays a sexual image, this is not acceptable in some countries and societies Look Policy often seen to be too strict by employees With the recent closure of Ruehl No.925 there is no longer an Abercrombie store that appeals to consumers aged 25+ Expensive prices in the UK compared to US Many law suits have been seen due to Discrimination Many of the loyal customers feel that too many people are now wearing the brand and it is starting to lose its prestigious image The recent upgrading and modification on information systems within the business is a long process and could affect day to day running of the business 4.3 Opportunities Celebrity endorsements Increase brand awareness New range of products for pre 9 year olds Reinvent Ruehl No.925 and recapture the 25+ market segment Increase market share Increase sales outside of the two main selling seasons of August and November/December Completely new product launch Female jewellery Recapture prestigious image with new range Larger sizes Male and female watches Introduce real looking models (models sized UK 12+) as it is not how the clothes look on the individual, it is how they make the individual feel In store music album available to purchase Change shopping experience to include, more lighting, quieter music, clothes more readily available Completely rebrand company image from casual to smart wear e.g. suits Expansion into Eastern Europe 4.4 Threats Threat of substitution due to high prices Import taxes may rise Piracy in foreign waters, potential threat of loss of stock Economical/political change in countries in which Abercrombie Fitch operate Law suits against company for example acts of discrimination Exchange rates could affect companies profitability Change in fashion trends The availability and price of raw materials could affect the cost of manufacturing Due to global warming unforeseeable weather changes could affect consumer preference on products 5. SWOT to TOWS Table 3: SWOT to TOWS Internal elements External elements Organisational Strengths Organisational Weaknesses Strategic Options Environmental Opportunities (and risks) Strengths into opportunities: Strong portfolio of brands other than the main Abercrombie Fitch brand appealing to consumers aged 9-24. Therefore Abercrombie Fitch have the brand power to be able to introduce other product ranges into the existing markets Annual Abercrombie Fitch Challenge which raises money for charities and organisations. The Annual challenge could be made bigger, therefore raising more money for charities. The Annual event could even be brought into other countries in which the company are present to raise money for their charities Sponsor of the Elite Racing Team, this is not widely known that they sponsor the team. Therefore awareness could be increased thus enhancing brand awareness of the company In 2007 offered $75,000 scholarships to the National Society of High School Scholars. Scholarships could also be offered in other countries in which the company are present in to similar schools Expansion plans in Canada, Europe and Asia means that profits are to increase as well as brand awareness The ability to capture 18-22 year olds attention and condition them into wanting the brands products. Abercrombie Fitch have the ability to condition their customers into needing their products, therefore if a limited edition range of products were to be realised, consumer would respond to this well In 2007 the company had a 2.3% market share of the US clothing retail market, thus making them the 3rd largest market share in the US. Having the 3rd largest market share in the US gives the company the opportunity to strive to have the second largest or even beat the Gap and have the largest market share. Abercrombie Fitch should also look to increase their UK market share as currently they are not seen to be strong competition to UK brands In 2008 Abercrombie Fitch started modifying and upgrading their information systems. This therefore means that the company will soon have stronger information systems thus meaning smoother and easier running of the company Weakness into opportunities: Money being lost to counterfeit products. Abercrombie need to ensure that all products have copyright and anyone who counterfeits their products have a law suit brought upon them Company portrays a sexual image, this is not acceptable in some countries and societies, therefore Abercrombie could look towards toning down the sexual imagery within countries and societies that find this offensive Look Policy often seen to be too strict by employees. The company should therefore hold in store meetings to gather information as to what the employees find strict about the policy, then this should be raised in the Annual conference With the recent closure of Ruehl No.925 there is no longer an Abercrombie store that appeals to consumers aged 25+. Therefore information by the means of market research should be gathered from consumers as why they felt the brand failed. As well as information from store staff and stakeholders. The company could then formulate strategies to rebrand Ruehl No.925 thus penetrating the 25+ age market once again Expensive prices in the UK compared to US. Consumers are currently prepared to pay the higher prices that are at present in the UK, if the situation changes then the company should investigate the price of importing the clothes into the UK against the price they are charging and the profit that is being made. If profit is high then the company could look towards lowering their UK prices Many law suits have been seen due to discrimination. Increased awareness should be made about discrimination within the work place and more minority groups should also be introduced into the company. Many of the loyal customers feel that too many people are now wearing the brand and it is starting to lose its prestigious image. Therefore a new prestigious range could be introduced to encourage said consumers back to the brand Environmental Threats Strengths used to minimise threats: Threat of substitution due to high prices. However one of Abercrombie Fitchs strengths is that they have the ability to catch their target audiences attention and make the consumers feel they need the products Import taxes may rise. However the company are constantly expanding therefore profits should rise thus meaning if import taxes should rise it should not affect the company substantially Change in fashion trends. As Abercrombie Fitch have a strong market share within the US, it would be wise to assume that they have an excellent team of fashion forecasters that would be able to foresee this potential threat. This strength can also be used for the threat of, due to global warming unforeseeable weather changes could affect consumer preference of products Strategies to deal with weaknesses and threats: Competitive pricing should be brought in to reduce the threat of substitution due to high prices Import taxes may rise. As mentioned in the previous box, if import taxes do rise then the company should be okay as they are continuing to expand thus increasing profits, which overall should even out the rise of import tax if it should occur Law suits against company. Abercrombie Fitch need to ensure that the company is always running professionally to ensure that further law suits do not arise Exchange rates could affect companys profitability. The company need to be constantly aware of exchange rates and understand that stock being sold in an unstable political and economical market could lose value The availability and price of raw materials could affect the cost of manufacturing. Therefore Abercrombie Fitch need to ensure they are obtaining their raw materials at the best price available 6. Porters Generic Strategies Diagram 1: Abercrombie Fitch and Porters Generic Strategies Abercrombie Fitch now Focus Abercrombie Fitch for the future Middle of the Road Differentiation Cost Leadership Porter (1980) identified four types of generic strategies for a company to be competitively successful. The four strategies consisted of Cost Leadership, Focus, Differentiation and Middle of the Road. Abercrombie Fitch are currently using the generic strategy of Focus as they have a small range of clothing products focused on a specific market segment of 18-22 year olds. For the future the company should aim to move not entirely away from focus but slightly towards Differentiation, thus enhancing their products durability and perception 7. Ansoff Matrix Table 4: Abercrombie Fitch Ansoff Matrix Current Products New Products Current Market Male and Female : clothing swimwear belts rubber flip flops leather flip flops Female: classic scarves handbags signature totes signature scents, 8, Classic, 41 (perfume) and Wakely Male: boxer shorts underwear necklaces bracelets signature scents, Fierce, 41 (cologne) and Colden Womens jewellery Male and Female watches Music C.D of in store music A range of male and female winter shoes Bags for males Pyjamas New Market Expansion into foreign market for example Eastern Europe Abercrombie Fitch catalogue in which products can be ordered similar to Next Directory or Littlewoods catalogue Products available in large department stores within the UK for example John Lewis, House of Frasier, Selfridges and Harrods. A range of smart male and female clothing products Hair care products Abercrombie Fitch bottled water Surf boards Male and female clothing for age group 25+ Larger sizes 8. SMART Objectives Abercrombie Fitchs SMART objectives run over the limited period from 2010-2013. In the world of Beauty and Fashion 3-6months would be considered a shot term objective. 12-25 months a medium objective and 36+ months a long term objective. This is a very different time frame to other types of businesses, as fashion and beauty trends move very quickly, usually with the seasons. Therefore companies such as Abercrombie Fitch need to be thinking quickly about fashion changes. The following SMART objectives are listed in hierarchy, with the first objective being the objective that Abercrombie Fitch should definitely consider proceeding with if they had to choose one. Given the present economic climate, it may be in Abercrombie Fitchs best interest to wait until the end of the recession is completely in sight before producing any new products as bringing out a new product is a high risk. SMART Objective Target Segment Risk 1) Introduce a range of womens jewellery complementary to the companies style of casual luxury, consisting of 15 pieces by 1st November 2010 Women aged 18-22, educated, with reasonably comfortable income Medium Risk 2) Launch a new prestigious clothing range to re-capture higher end income consumers by 1st may 2011 Men and Women aged 18-22, educated, with high income Low Risk 3) Trail introduction of larger UK womens sizes 12-16 for clothing products in London flagship store by 1st March 2013 Women aged 18-22, educated, with reasonably comfortable income, that could not shop at the store before due to the size Large actually being the equivalent to a UK 10 High Risk If objective 3 is successful then 4) Trial introduction of integration of 2 real models within advertisements and in store staff within London flagship store by 12th June 2013 Men and Women aged 18-22, educated, with reasonably comfortable income. The advertisements and new models will aim to attract real size women in the UK sizes 12-16 High Risk 9. Strategic Plan, Implementation Measurement of SMART Objectives 9.1 SMART Objective 1 SMART Objective Porters Strategy Market Segment/ Ansoff 1) Introduce a range of womens jewellery complimentary to the companys style of casual luxury, consisting of 15 pieces by 1st November 2010 Between Focus and Differentiation Women aged 18-22, educated, with reasonably comfortable income. New Product/Current Market Product The jewellery will be in the companies style of casual luxury, items such as beaded bracelets, necklaces and earrings will be designed in accordance with market research results and offered to consumers in store and online Price Market Skimming Strategy high price offered and only gradually lowered Place Products will be available in all Abercrombie Fitch Flag ship stores around the world and on website. If successful will be brought into all other stores Promotion Direct Marketing- television adverts, magazine advertisements, in store advertisement. Celebrity endorsement Physical Evidence The Abercrombie Fitch logo of the Moose will remain present Process Products will be sent from the manufactures to Head office then distributed to the Flag Ship stores around the world People Abercrombie Fitch already make male jewellery, therefore a female specialist will be employed and work alongside the male specialist in order to create male and female jewellery products that work in harmony Measurement Small targets should be set in order to ensure the successful completion of the Objective. As the objective is short term, monthly meetings should also take place to ensure targets are being met. 9.2 SMART Objective 2 SMART Objective Porters Strategy Market Segment/ Ansoff 2) Launch a new prestigious male and female clothing range to re-capture higher end income consumers by 1st may 2011 Focus Men and Women aged 18-22, educated, with high income New Product/ New Market Product A range of male and female clothes aimed at recapturing the wealthier consumers offering them a prestigious brand once again. Once market research has be undertaken then this will determine the types of clothing products needed. Price Pricing to reflect product differentiation- price will be higher than the standard brands products Place Products will first be launched in the flag ship stores around the world and then brought into all other stores if found to be successful Promotion Direct Marketing- television advertisements, magazine advertisements, in store advertisement. Celebrity endorsement Physical Evidence The Abercrombie Fitch logo of the Moose will remain present Process Products will be sent from the manufactures to Head office then distributed to the Flag Ship stores around the world People Ruehl No.925 employees will be interviewed and asked why they feel the brand failed. Constructive criticism will be taken away and applied to making the new prestigious range successful. A person with strong knowledge of prestige brands and turn around strategies would be useful Measurement Once market research has been undertaken a target should be set as to when the first designs will be available for viewing. Then more targets set as to when the collection will be finished. Monthly meetings should be undertaken to ensure that targets are being met and to run through any problems that may arise that could affect the objective being met on time. 9.3 SMART Objective 3 SMART Objective Porters Strategy Market Segment/ Ansoff 3) Trail introduction of larger UK womens sizes 12-16 for clothing products in London flagship store by 1st March 2013 Between Focus and Differentiation Women aged 18-22, educated, with reasonably comfortable income, that could not shop at the store before due to the size Large actually being the equivalent to a UK 10 New Product/ New Market Product As well as the usual 0-10 UK womens clothing sizes being produced the company will also introduce sizes 12-16. These sizes are the most common female sizes in the UK and should be greatly accepted Price Market Skimming- high price offered and only gradually lowered Place The new sizes will be introduced into the UKs London flagship store. If found to be successful then new objectives will be set for the introduction of the sizes across the world Promotion Small in store advertisements within UK London flag ship store Physical Evidence The Abercrombie Fitch logo of the Moose will remain present Process Products will be manufactured then distributed straight to UK flag ship store in order to cut out the middle man (The US head office) Products will have to be checked in order to ensure that they are 100% before retailing People Someone with strong knowledge on female sizing in the UK Measurement Targets set and meeting undertaken to ensure that procedures are running smoothly to meeting the objective. In the first year 4 meetings will take place and then one every month in the years to follow until the object end date 9.4 SMART Objective 4 SMART Objective Porters Strategy Market Segment/ Ansoff 4) Trial introduction of integration of 2 real models within advertisements and in store staff within London flagship store by 12th June 2013 Between Focus and Differentiation Men and Women aged 18-22, educated, with reasonably comfortable income. The advertisements and new models will aim to attract real size women in the UK sizes 12-16 New Product/ New Market Product Introduction of real size models sizes 12+ within companies Marketing/Advertising campaigns and in store staff Price Price will be based on price of advertising campaign and cost of new in store staff Place Advertisements with real size models will be trialled in the UKs London flagship store. Real size models will also be hired alongside the skinny in store staff Promotion Large advertisements including real size models within direct marketing such as, magazines, television advertisements, internet and in store. As well as London buses Physical Evidence The Abercrombie Fitch logo of the Moose will remain present Process real size models casted for advertisement and for in store staff People Someone who can sympathise with the fact that clothes should not be about what you look like in them, but how you feel in them. And understand that not everyone is a size 0 model. Bring realism to the company Measurement Small targets should be set in order to ensure the successful completion of the Objective. As the objective is long term, 4 meetings will take place in the 1st year and then monthly meetings will take place in the second and thrid year to ensure targets are being met. 10. Conclusion In conclusion after considering Abercrombie Fitchs external environment as well as Porters Generic strategies and Ansoff Matrix, four SMART Objectives have been formulated and a Strategic Plan, Implementation Measurement of each SMART Objective has also been created. If Abercrombie Fitch should decide to implement any of the SMART Objectives suggested in the near future, then the current external environment should be examined as different situations may have arisen.

Abortion :: essays research papers

As of right now, abortion is legal in all nine months of the pregnancy for any reason. This controversial issue is a question of how important the value of life is. The turning point came in 1973 when the Supreme Court's decision in Roe vs. Wade saying, that women have the right to murder an innocent child only up to 24 weeks . This false perception is fueled part by groups supporting abortion rights and it is then uncritically unaccepted by the media. The fact is that the current law allows a woman to get an abortion for any reason she deems necessary.It seems ironic that a people can get so emotional when it comes to animal rights, yet see no wrong in ripping a developed baby from the protection of the mother. It is not the child's fault that he or she was conceived. Some people argue that the developing is not technically a child yet because it cannot live on its own. Most of the procedures in murdering the growing child can be painful to the baby and be harmful to the mother. So how can we as a nation make sure criminals are executed painlessly and let children be murdered by extremely painful measures. At 18 days after conception, a baby's heart is already beating, and at 6 weeks, brain waves can be measured. At 8 weeks, the stomach, liver, and kidneys are functioning, and the fingerprints have formed. At 9 weeks, the baby can feel pain . Here are some methods of early abortion:Vacuum Curettage: powerful suction tube inserted through the cervix and into the womb. The unborn child is torn apart by the force of the suction; the fetal body parts and placenta are sucked into a jar. Possible complications include infection, cervical laceration and uterine perforation. Mifepristone: also known as RU-486, the chemical causes an abortion by interfering with the function of the placenta, starving the unborn child to death. Prostaglandins are then administered to expel the fetus. This method of abortion takes place over the span of several days; the average woman using it bleeds heavily for more than nine days, but some women have bled for over four weeks. Mifepristone is just beginning to be used in the US. Long-term health risks are not yet known. Methotrexate: though not approved by the FDA for this use, a methotrexate injection kills the unborn child by interfering with the growth process (cell division).

OCR Psychology Assignment Essay

The article â€Å"Fashion company’s shock tactics in the fight against size zero† appeared on the Daily Mail’s Website on Tuesday, September 25th 2007.  1. Assumptions  The first psychological assumption is that the use of shock tactics by way of an image portraying a naked anorexic woman will â€Å"jolt the fashion industry into action over the problem of anorexia†. The article suggests that the use of strong fear appeal will be enough to provoke behavioural change and an awareness of the illness. A fear appeal is a technique used to persuade an audience into behaving in a particular way by arousing a fear of the consequences of not following the message given. The effect of fear appeals was studied by Janis and Feshback (1953). The second psychological assumption is that â€Å"the fashion industry and the obsession with stick-thin size zero models† is to blame for the increase in cases of anorexia. The article therefore suggests that people outside of the fashion industry perhaps idolise models who appear to be rewarded with fame and fortune for being stick-thin. It assumes people imitate these models’ behaviour in the hope of being like them. Research into vicarious learning was conducted by Bandura (1965) who consequently formed the social learning theory.  The third psychological assumption relates to the billboard designers’ decision to use a picture of a female anorexic and presumes that the majority, if not all, of anorexic sufferers are female. A study that explored the prevalence of anorexia among males and females was performed by Kjels et al (2003). 2. Evidence  Evidence opposing the first assumption was conducted by Janis and Feshback (1953), who studied the motivational effect of fear arousal in health promotion communication. The entire freshman class of a Connecticut high school was divided into 4 groups, 3 of which were given 15-minute lectures on tooth decay and oral hygiene, while the fourth acted as the control group. Each lecture had a different strength of fear appeal, and results showed that although strong fear resulted in greater immediate anxiety, the minimal fear group showed the largest changes in behaviour. The minimal fear group showed 36% behaviour change, whereas strong fear only showed 8%. This therefore opposes the view of the article that the image of the naked anorexic woman will cause the fashion industry to take action against the illness and, although it will have some effect, a minimal fear approach would be most successful. Evidence that supports the second assumption was provided by Albert Bandura (1965). Bandura showed three groups of children tapes of a man being aggressive towards a doll. The first group saw the man being rewarded for his actions, the second saw him being punished and the third were not shown any consequences. The children were then placed in a room with a similar doll and observed. Results of the study showed that children were significantly more likely to imitate aggressive behaviour when they had observed the model being rewarded. Bandura labelled this imitation â€Å"vicarious leaning.† This forms part of the social learning theory suggesting that behaviour is learnt through observation and imitation. This supports the second assumption as people observing models within the fashion industry witness them being rewarded for being thin with fame and fortune, and subsequently imitate their behaviour in order to gain the same rewards. They try to be as thin as the models by starving themselves and consequently become anorexic, as the article would suggest. The evidence that challenges the third assumption is given by Kjelsà ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½s et al. They studied 1026 female and 934 male adolescents using DSM-IV and DSM-III-R criteria to establish the prevalence of eating disorders in both genders. Each participant was asked to complete a questionnaire, and results showed that while 17.9% of female participants had suffered anorexia at some point in their lifetime, 6.5% of males had also. The study concludes that although prevalence of anorexia nervosa is higher in females, males are also susceptible to the illness. The image of the female anorexic on the billboard therefore does little to raise awareness of the illness among men and perpetuates the stereotype that eating disorders are a female disease. 3. Applications  In relation to the first assumption, Janis and Feshback would argue that instead of using shock tactics a more effective way of bringing about a change within the industry would be to provide people with information on the disease, and preventative measures. Leaflets and posters containing this information could be distributed to people within the industry itself, and perhaps to the public in order to provide awareness to the majority. This may however have little effect, as there is no guarantee that the information would be listened to by an industry out to gain profit. Bandura’s theory and study suggests that people learn anorexic behaviour from seeing underweight models in the media. Therefore, in relation to the second assumption, the number of anorexic cases could be decreased by ensuring that no model within the fashion industry is below certain measurements; for example, by preventing the use of size zero models. If people are exposed to healthier-looking models, people may develop healthier eating habits. This however assumes that size 0 models are ill, and could be perceived as discrimination against healthy individuals. There may be resistance against this motion from the fashion industry and models themselves. In relation to the third assumption, Kjelsà ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½s et al’s study suggests that males are also susceptible to anorexia. Therefore people need to be made aware of this to increase the perceived susceptibility, especially in males. Health promotion could include information on male anorexia, and contain pictures of male sufferers who are willing to share their stories. If awareness of anorexia in males is raised and the stereotype of it being a typically female disease scrapped, then the number of males who seek help will increase. However if males do not perceive themselves susceptible they are unlikely to choose to read the health promotion in the first place as they believe it to be a female disease.

The Matrix, Plato and Descartes Essay Example

The Matrix, Plato and Descartes Essay Example The Matrix, Plato and Descartes Paper The Matrix, Plato and Descartes Paper The Matrix. There is a super computer that controls the reality of all humans. Neo, a character in the movie, realizes that the Matrix is not real. Morpheme helps him to come to this realization that his life was not real, that a super computer was programming his thoughts, and experiences. All the humans were In this huge machine with their brains connected to a bunch of wires, and their thoughts were being Inputted by the computer. In Plats Allegory of the Cave, there is a similar situation. In his description of the prisoners of the cave, the prisoners ere chained down, and only able to look a wall. There was a fire behind them and shadows from other walking by were played out on the wall for the prisoners to see. They believed the shadows to be real. When one of the prisoners were released, they perceived the real world in actuality, and the shadows they perceived to be real were not. Like in The Matrix, they believed only what they perceived. In Descanters Meditation I of the Things of Which May Doubt, he says he will doubt everything he believes unless he Is absolutely certain of the truth of the belief. He believes that our knees can deceive us on many levels. Descanters also says when we dream we can never be sure what Is real and what Is a dream. The salutary of Descanters with The Matrix and Allegory of the Cave Is the evil demon theory. He believes that he Is being deceived by an evil demon of all senses and knowledge (Foreman Dew, 2012). That the evil demon is allowing us to perceive what he wants us to perceive. How do we know the world we are experiencing is real? All we know has been taught to us by our senses and perception on how we sense these things. I believe by ouch, sight, smell, and all these things are real to me. I believe in our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. That Jesus died on the cross for our sins. This is the real world to me. I have faith in our Lord that what we are experiencing is real and not some dream or alternate reality. At the end of the Allegory of the Cave, Socrates explained that most men would want to escape the cave and see reality as It really Is. In The Matrix; however, In his betrayal of Morpheme, Cipher implies that it is better to live in the artificial world of the Matrix. Cipher believed that ignorance is bliss. For me, I would like to know what reality really is. Ignorance is bliss can be a nice thing, but something always happens to make you doubt what is really going on. When that happened you truly believe that you have been deceived and everything you thought to be true is not. Most of our knowledge is based on sense experience, and they are not always accurate. How can we be truly certain of our beliefs? Personally, I know about the senses not being accurate. I am legally blind, and hard of hearing. Much of my world is not truly how It Is perceived. I rely on what my family and friends tell me. What makes me certain of my beliefs Is my faith In our Lord. A few years ago, I might have questioned everything based on my senses not being accurate. How do I know that I am truly seeing or hearing whats in front of me. My faith in the Lord has leaded me through everything. References Foreman, Mark Dew, Jar. J. (2012) How Certain Can We Be? In, How Do You Know? A Short Introduction to the Issues of Epistemology. (p. 58). Downers Grove, IL: Intermarries Press. Wackiest, Andy, and Lana Wackiest. The Matrix. Directed by Andy Wackiest and Lana Wackiest. Los Angels: Warner Brow. Pictures, 1999.

Anti-Gravity Water Science Magic Trick

Anti-Gravity Water Science Magic Trick Amaze your friends with this simple science magic trick that turns ordinary water into anti-gravity water. Materials for the Water Trick Water glass with a round rim (wine glass or typical water glass)T-shirtWater Basically, all you need is water, a glass, and a cloth. A t-shirt is easy to find. Other excellent choices for the fabric would be a handkerchief, square of silk, or mens dress shirt. Choose a fabric with a tight weave or knit. Perform the Anti-Gravity Water Trick Place the cloth over the glass.Use your hand to push a depression into the fabric. This is so you can more easily fill the glass and also helps wet the material.Fill the glass about three-quarters full of water.Pull the fabric tightly over the glass.You have two choices here. You can quickly flip the glass, using a hand to hold the fabric tight. Alternatively, you can put one hand over the top of the glass, while using the other to hold the material tight and slowly invert the glass. Pull the hand over the glass away.The water doesnt pour out! How It Works Water has a high surface tension. In this trick, the water molecules absorbed into the fabric hold onto other water molecules inside the water glass. Even though there are gaps in the fabric, the attraction between water molecules overcomes the force of gravity trying to pull the water down. What do you think would happen if you lowered the surface tension of the water by using a glass that had a residue of detergent on it? What if you tried the trick with another liquid? Chances are good the surface tension of the water would be lowered enough that youd get wet! Another fun trick that works on the same principle is Magic Colored Milk.

Television and Obesity essays

Television and Obesity essays Technology and Television: Child Obesity The children of today are becoming more obese, for the fact that they are obtaining laziness. They are spending more time in front of the television then they are getting their daily exercise. Their growing bodies need exercise to lose baby fat before it gets to be a serious problem. The growth of technology has formed a major impact on the obesity of todays children. This technology has substituted normal childhood play exercises with computer games that take less physical effort. Because of technology in today's society the problem with child obesity has become tremendously intensified. First, what is child obesity? The term child obesity means a child is a person between birth and puberty and obese is extremely fat: corpulent(The American Heritage Dictionary 265,856). This disease is caused due to a lack of exercise and over-eating by a child. Child obesity can cause many medical problems for a child that suffers from such a disease. Obesty is a widespread disease that is growing incredibly worse as technology increases. Furthermore, it is obvious that the lack of exercise has a major part to do with child obesity; scientists blame the television for a substitute to outdoor sports. Kids are spending more time watch television than they are doing physical activities. The findings strongly support the notion that the most important lifestyle factor in childhood obesity is television watching(Monmaney). The television brings the childs imagination to life, giving them entertainment to do without the running and exercising of outdoor sports. The more television a child watches the more obese the child will get. Next, the problem is getting so out of hand that the government is going to have to start getting involved. Satcher and Shirley Watkins, the undersecretary of agriculture for food, nutrition and consumer services said that, "'TV increases obesity, stifle...

The Science Fiction about Robotic Mission Essay

The Science Fiction about Robotic Mission - Essay Example In particular, the sun has been studied to explore sun’s features link the black-holes that space exploration has revealed as fascinating blacks spots to which no information exists and it is believed that even information cannot escape from them (Gao, Sun & Jing, 2014). As such, a journey to the exploration of the sun and its obits also has some profound effects on the environment since the space activities pass through important or crucial transitional areas above the atmosphere including the ozone layer whose interference has the potential of jeopardising the entire environmental characteristics of the earth’s atmosphere (Lilenstern & Bornarel, 2005). Therefore, this science-fiction story explores the journey to the sun to explore black holes and as such discusses some of the effects of such events on the earth’s environment. The solar system is a collection of many stars orbited by planets, but the most prominent feature is the sun as undoubtedly the largest object within the solar system. The visible layer of the Sun is the photosphere, with the temperatures as high as 6,000 degrees Celsius (Lilenstern & Bornarel, 2005). The solar energy is created within the sun’s core where the conditions favor nuclear reaction. At the sun’s core, the nuclear reaction causes the fusion of hydrogen nuclei thus forming helium nucleus or an alpha particle.

The financial issues behind Christopher Columbus's journey to america Term Paper

The financial issues behind Christopher Columbus's journey to america - Term Paper Example As was the prevailing story of European competition and balance of power politics, the nations that held on tentatively to their nation’s respective crowns were abjectly paranoid about any one of their neighboring states/competitors gaining an advantage. Likewise, each of the nations of Europe hoped to garner a larger share of the ongoing trade with Asia which served to generate such wealth. Had it not been for the fact that a very small possibility existed that Columbus’ plan might succeed coupled with the extreme riches that were related, it is doubtful that any of the European monarchs would have even considered funding such a fanciful mission. In this way, a type of competitive advantage paranoia gripped the Queen of Spain as she and her advisors recommended that even though the trip was one of great uncertainty with regards to the percentage chance it held for success, the gamble may indeed pay off. Prior to approaching the Queen of Spain, Columbus had been on a ti reless quest to obtain funding for this endeavor. Columbus first approached King John II of Portugal in the hopes that the Portuguese would choose to fund the mission. Rather than making a decision on the evidence that Columbus gave to the King, the king turned over the information to his trusted advisors and counselors and had them perform what we might today call a risk assessment of the possible rewards of such an endeavor as compared to its overall costs and risks. King John’s Portuguese advisors soon returned to him with their determination. The advisors noted that the proposal was indeed a risky one; however, they did not turn it down based on this point alone. The reason the advisors/counselors suggested that the trip should not be funded was due to the fact that they considered Columbus’ own calculations with respect to the actual distance that Asia was from the coast of Europe to be fundamentally flawed. Columbus himself noted to the King that he believed Asia was a mere 2,400 miles from the Portuguese mainland.1 As such, by the calculations of the cartographers and contemporaries of Columbus the actual number was far greater. The answer of â€Å"no† from the advisors and counselors of European monarchs would come to be an expected result for Christopher Columbus on his sojourn through the monarchical courts of Europe around the end of the 1480s. Somewhat disheartened by the rejection of the Portuguese, Columbus next turned to the English court in the hopes that they might fund his expedition. It is interesting to note here that Columbus did not necessarily target those wealthiest nations in all of Europe in a quest to fund his exploration; instead, he targeted those that had a long history of sea-faring and navigation. Perhaps in this way, Columbus made it difficult on himself to obtain funding as those advisors of kings and queens oftentimes would deny Columbus’ request based on the fact that he was providing incomplete a nd/or faulty information regarding the total perceived distance in which he would locate the continent of Asia. Eventually, Columbus plied his request with the Spanish court of Queen Isabella her husband Ferdinand. Upon presenting his request to the Spanish court, the response was initially much the same that he had received at various other European courts up until that time. Queen Isabella referred the matter to her advisors/counselors and said that a decision would be initiated and based upon

Global Marketing Final Project on Pantaloons LTD - India's largest Term Paper

Global Marketing Final Project on Pantaloons LTD - India's largest fashion retailer - Term Paper Example Pantaloon also sells products of more than 50 private labels such as of big bazaar or food bazaar. Pantaloon has a vertically integrated management structure and the manufacturing expertise is more focused on supply the latest fashion to the market in the shortest possible time. The manifesto of the company is to explore the untapped market and form new rules to create fresh opportunities. It is always kept in mind that the customers get what they want to have and also assist them how and where to get their desired product. Pantaloons has always spotted the future trends and accordingly offered products or services to the customers. The company's vision and mission is to serve its customers and stakeholders by leading them towards a wonderful future (â€Å"Overview†). 2. Screening and Evaluation of the Potential International Market Pantaloon is one of the key players in the Indian retail market. The company has a well establish retail chain and a well planned distribution cha nnel around the country. This is moment when the company can think about global expansion. This study would analyze the retail environment conditions of three African countries, namely Ghana, Kenya and Angola for preparing an expansion plan for Pantaloons, in Africa. The initial focus would be on the launching the food section of Pantaloon called Food Bazaar. For this it is very important to do proper screening and evaluate the potentials of the Food Bazaar in retail market of these countries to identify the most suitable market. The screening and evaluation of the markets can be done by analyzing and monitor the international market. a. International Market Intelligence Overview The retail sector in Kenya has shown... Pantaloon is one of the key players in the Indian retail market. The company has a well establish retail chain and a well planned distribution channel around the country. This is moment when the company can think about global expansion. This study would analyze the retail environment conditions of three African countries, namely Ghana, Kenya and Angola for preparing an expansion plan for Pantaloons, in Africa. The initial focus would be on the launching the food section of Pantaloon called Food Bazaar. For this it is very important to do proper screening and evaluate the potentials of the Food Bazaar in retail market of these countries to identify the most suitable market. The screening and evaluation of the markets can be done by analyzing and monitor the international market. The retail sector in Kenya has shown positive progress since the last few years. In 2011, the growth in the wholesale and the retail sector has being about 7.3 percent, which was more than the manufacturing, a griculture, transportation or communication sector. The revenue generated by the retail sector was about 18.5 percent. Though the retail sector is developing in Kenya, yet they require some set of retail development guidelines or policies to sustain this growth. The retail market in Kenya is becoming overcrowded with new retail chains.

Prevention of infection in IVC Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Prevention of infection in IVC - Essay Example These intravascular catheters usually terminate at or near the heart, or in one of the great vessels including vena cava among others (Cdc.gov, 2010). This paper looks into prevention of infection in Inferior Vena Cava (IVC). Before inserting catheters, the inserter and their assistant(s) should observe strict proper hand hygiene by washing hands either with alcohol-based hand rub or with conventional antiseptic-containing soap. They should also take maximal barrier precautions – use mask, head cover, sterile gloves and sterile gown. They should also drape the patient with the full body drape and maintain a sterile environment during the insertion. The inserter should perform a back-and-forth friction scrub on the site skin using chlorhexidine skin preparation, and then ensure that the solution dries utterly before attempting central line insertion. The drying time varies with the site of insertion. If possible, use antimicrobial-impregnated catheters. After initial insertion, they should apply occlusive sterile dressing per policy. Unless in emergencies, they should not perform any fluids/medications administration through the line prior to verifying the catheter tip placement. Most importantly, one should never connect previously used administration sets and fluids to central venous access lines (WHO, 2005).

Transtheoretical Model of Behavioral Change of Substance Abuse Research Paper

Transtheoretical Model of Behavioral Change of Substance Abuse - Research Paper Example Individuals engaged in this need help since engaging in substance abuse is absolutely based on one’s will. Using the Transtheoretical model a person’s willingness to accept change in behavior can be measured and efforts can be made to move the person through all the stages of change and help adopt a new behavior. The principles of this theory can be applied, to help a person progress through each of the stages and finally discard the habit of substance abuse thereby leading a healthier life. The rate at which substance abuse has grown in the recent years is of major concern. According to the National survey of Drug use and health (2013),23.9 million Americans of age 12 and above used illicit drugs such as cocaine, marijuana, heroin etc while 23% of Americans were binge alcohol drinkers and almost 69.5 million Americas used tobacco (NSDUH,2013). However, the numbers are expected to grow rapidly judging by the current trends. Taking too much of drugs or alcohol has detrimental impacts on the person’s health especially on the brain. Scientific studies have shown that prolonged usage of substances such as drugs stimulates the brain leading to addiction and becomes a relapsing brain disorder (Lashner, 1997, p45). The condition of drug abuse poses a threat not only to the user’s health but also to that of others. Risks such as violence, child abuse, criminal activities, car accidents, teenage pregnancy, STD’s, suicide are associated to the condition (Wagn er, 2001, 115). The problem of substance abuse is associated with certain alterations or modifications in ones behavior. In most people depression in life, lack of decision making ability, lack of judgment, anxiety over certain issues, over dependence on drugs, peer pressure, lack of self confidence, physical dependence, personal problems are the major behaviors that leads to substance abuse. Changes in certain behaviors would promote a

Service Project for Diabetes Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Service Project for Diabetes - Essay Example (CDC's Diabetes Program). Diabetes normally strikes persons above forty when the body system begins to slow down and physical activities decrease. A careless, sedentary lifestyle further aggravates the risks and complications arising out of this ailment. Lack of control and medication adversely affects the eyes, kidneys, heart, the nervous system and blood vessels. Diabetes can also be hereditary. The best way to prevent or control the disease is through a regimen of regular physical activities, diet and maintenance of normal blood sugar level and medical care. For type-2 diabetes, there are chances to delay or even prevent the development of the disease through modest lifestyle, regular routine of physical exercise and improved nutrition. (Nancy Jane Heilman, p.9). Economically backward and illiterate groups such as aborigines and tribes are more vulnerable to the ravages of the disease, since there is little to serve as inducements to incorporate changes to control and treat diabetes for healthier standard of living. The target Hispanic group in the South Valley District urgently need counseling and care in organized, time-bound manner so that they not only get access to medical care but also the opportunity to suitably modify their lifestyle necessary in controlling the disease. This is easier said than done among communities strongly rooted in age-old, traditional way of living However, it is very important to educate the community to alter their life style. A consistent schedule intertwining diet, physical activities and check up, daily follow up and feedback is bound to produce results. Initially, all activities must be geared to building relationship and winning the confidence of the community and learning their way of life. The cost factor The annual cost of treatment per patient works out to approximately US$3500 in tribal areas. Since the community is backward and poor, the cost must be borne by the health department through government and other donor grants. (The Provincial Diabetes Plan, p.8). Create awareness The purpose of the project is to reach diabetic patients within the Hispanic community and provide them with medical care and instructions on dietary intake and physical activities that help sustain a healthy lifestyle. It is critically important to educate them about the risk factors in the absence or avoidance of dietary controls and medical support. Further, inform them about the modifiable and non-modifiable aspects of diabetes, that is, certain factors like eating habits, stress, smoking and consumption of alcohol are modifiable, but hereditary, family history, gender and age are non-modifiable. To begin with, shortlist the names and other data of individuals displaying symptoms of diabetes from medical records available with primary health care centers and other health care agencies. Educating the community about diabetes is just as important as educating the individual patient. Besides, there are others who may not be diabetic but benefit from timely intervention to prevent the disease. Hospitals, dispensaries and other health care units' involvement is mandatory in order to successfully organize a 12-weeks'

Prevention of infection in IVC Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Prevention of infection in IVC - Essay Example These intravascular catheters usually terminate at or near the heart, or in one of the great vessels including vena cava among others (Cdc.gov, 2010). This paper looks into prevention of infection in Inferior Vena Cava (IVC). Before inserting catheters, the inserter and their assistant(s) should observe strict proper hand hygiene by washing hands either with alcohol-based hand rub or with conventional antiseptic-containing soap. They should also take maximal barrier precautions – use mask, head cover, sterile gloves and sterile gown. They should also drape the patient with the full body drape and maintain a sterile environment during the insertion. The inserter should perform a back-and-forth friction scrub on the site skin using chlorhexidine skin preparation, and then ensure that the solution dries utterly before attempting central line insertion. The drying time varies with the site of insertion. If possible, use antimicrobial-impregnated catheters. After initial insertion, they should apply occlusive sterile dressing per policy. Unless in emergencies, they should not perform any fluids/medications administration through the line prior to verifying the catheter tip placement. Most importantly, one should never connect previously used administration sets and fluids to central venous access lines (WHO, 2005).

Service Project for Diabetes Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Service Project for Diabetes - Essay Example (CDC's Diabetes Program). Diabetes normally strikes persons above forty when the body system begins to slow down and physical activities decrease. A careless, sedentary lifestyle further aggravates the risks and complications arising out of this ailment. Lack of control and medication adversely affects the eyes, kidneys, heart, the nervous system and blood vessels. Diabetes can also be hereditary. The best way to prevent or control the disease is through a regimen of regular physical activities, diet and maintenance of normal blood sugar level and medical care. For type-2 diabetes, there are chances to delay or even prevent the development of the disease through modest lifestyle, regular routine of physical exercise and improved nutrition. (Nancy Jane Heilman, p.9). Economically backward and illiterate groups such as aborigines and tribes are more vulnerable to the ravages of the disease, since there is little to serve as inducements to incorporate changes to control and treat diabetes for healthier standard of living. The target Hispanic group in the South Valley District urgently need counseling and care in organized, time-bound manner so that they not only get access to medical care but also the opportunity to suitably modify their lifestyle necessary in controlling the disease. This is easier said than done among communities strongly rooted in age-old, traditional way of living However, it is very important to educate the community to alter their life style. A consistent schedule intertwining diet, physical activities and check up, daily follow up and feedback is bound to produce results. Initially, all activities must be geared to building relationship and winning the confidence of the community and learning their way of life. The cost factor The annual cost of treatment per patient works out to approximately US$3500 in tribal areas. Since the community is backward and poor, the cost must be borne by the health department through government and other donor grants. (The Provincial Diabetes Plan, p.8). Create awareness The purpose of the project is to reach diabetic patients within the Hispanic community and provide them with medical care and instructions on dietary intake and physical activities that help sustain a healthy lifestyle. It is critically important to educate them about the risk factors in the absence or avoidance of dietary controls and medical support. Further, inform them about the modifiable and non-modifiable aspects of diabetes, that is, certain factors like eating habits, stress, smoking and consumption of alcohol are modifiable, but hereditary, family history, gender and age are non-modifiable. To begin with, shortlist the names and other data of individuals displaying symptoms of diabetes from medical records available with primary health care centers and other health care agencies. Educating the community about diabetes is just as important as educating the individual patient. Besides, there are others who may not be diabetic but benefit from timely intervention to prevent the disease. Hospitals, dispensaries and other health care units' involvement is mandatory in order to successfully organize a 12-weeks'

Health and Social Care Act Essay Example for Free

Health and Social Care Act Essay Legislation: Health and Social Care Act; the Medicines Act and The Misuse of Drugs Act. Guidelines could include the Nursing Midwifery Guidelines for the management of medicine administration registered nurses have to abide by this set of guidelines and for paid carers, the General Social Care Councils Code of Conduct will have something which could relate to medication. Policy for example consider the Governments drive to ensure people with dementia are not over medicated so their policy is currently designed to push the professionals responsible for prescribing to bear in mind the effect of drugs on frail elderly people and to consider alternative treatments such as activities and therapies. Other examples of policy might be the Government’s drive to limit the prescribing of antibiotics to reduce the incidence of resistant strains of bacteria. Protocols a protocol is a procedure and you could outline your companys procedure (protocol) for disposing of controlled drugs or medication in general. 2- Know about common types of medication and their use. Antibiotics- The most common side effects of antibiotics affect the digestive system. These occur in around 1 in 10 people. Side effects of antibiotics that affect the digestive system include: being sick feeling sick diarrhea bloating and indigestion abdominal pain loss of appetite Ibuprofen- Ibuprofen can cause a number of side effects. For this reason, take lowest possible dose of ibuprofen for the shortest possible time needed to control your symptoms. Common side effects of ibuprofen include: nausea (feeling sick) vomiting (being sick) diarrhoea (passing loose, watery stools) indigestion (dyspepsia) abdominal (tummy) pain Antihistamine- Common side effects of first-generation antihistamines include: drowsiness impaired thinking dry mouth dizziness constipation blurred vision an inability to fully empty the bladder (urinary retention) Drugs like insulin (blood has to be taken from a pinprick so that glucose can be measured before the insulin can be given); warfarin to thin the blood again blood levels must be checked regularly; digoxin to slow and steady the heart (pulse should be checked prior to administration and advice taken if the pulse dips below 60 beats per minute) Common adverse reactions might be diarrhoea (some antibiotics for example); skin rashes; nausea through to serious adverse reactions such as anaphylactic shock (facial swelling, blistering of the skin, wheezing and hives) leading to total system collapse and (if not treated with adrenalin) death. The different routes of medication administration are orally, injection/intravenous, creams, and liquids. 3- Understand procedure and techniques for the administration of medication. The required information from prescriptions and medication administration charts are medication name, the name of the person the mediation is prescribed for, dosage, freq uency/PRN and medication strength. 4- Prepare for the administration of medication. Standard precautions for infection control would be hand washing, ppe for  example gloves and aprons etc. In a structured health care setting, medication would be administered to the patient or resident or client by a nurse, such as an RN or LPN whoever was assigned to be the med nurse. In other facilities, medication is administered by persons with med certs (certification training to administer meds). Its a very specific, precise duty. Meds are secured in locked rooms, areas, and carts. No one is allowed access except the med nurse or scheduled med cert. (person). Meds have to be administered in the correct dosage, which can only be according to a doctors prescription. Dosage cannot be altered unless a doctor alters or updates the Rx. The person administering the meds must observe the person they administer them to and ensure that they took them. Pocketing meds (in the cheek), or refusing meds are handled according to the persons meds and orders. Sometimes it is marked as declined / refused meds. Sometimes, it is documented that they did not swallow it initially and had to be encourag ed, etc. or whatever happened according to the facilities guidelines. Meds are always, and must be, administered and documented accurately when they are administered (contemporaneously). Meds are prescribed to be given sometimes at certain intervals. If the med is a few minutes late, no one is to assume that it was already administered, and skip it. Likewise, if it is offered a little early and that is appropriate according to the order, the med, or the patient request, etc. and it is not documented correctly and contemporaneously, and a second dose is administered, assuming it is on time, and assuming falsely that it was not recently administered (upon request or whatever the circumstances were), then the patient would have been given an incorrect dosage, more than they were prescribed. You know that with some meds, that could be very a very serious overdose, sometimes terminal. They do try to put many checks and balances in place to prevent as much human error as possible, but it can happen. The consequences are usually pretty severe. A med cert would automatically lose their med certification, and they would be disciplined up to, and including, termination. With a licensed nurse, Im not as sure of the procedure, but Im fairly certain it would definitely include reporting the med error or  abuse, suspension without pay, an internal (or perhaps external) investigation, and disciplinary actions up to and including termination. Also, unauthorized access and theft of prescription medications whether by the assigned med nurse, or an outside party, would automatically involve criminal charges. And of course, criminal charges are always a possibility in the other two scenarios I presented above for med certs and nurses, depending on the laws, the circumstances, and the outcome of the investigations. Like I said, very serious consequences. And it’s not like someone could just take a med and it could go unnoticed. med admin documentation is reviewed / audited at least daily, if not more often, and if someone was suspected of confiscating meds, such as narcotics, the building, in some agencies would go into lock-down and staff could / wo uld be subjected to a search.

Significance of Security Testing

Significance of Security Testing Premalatha Sampath Abstract Software security testing is an essential means which helps to assure that the software is trustworthy and secure. It is an idea which has been brought from engineering software to check whether it keeps on working properly under malicious outbreaks. Software security testing process is lengthy, complex and costly. It is because several types of bugs are escaped in testing on a routine basis. The application might perform some additional, unspecified task in the process while effectively behaving as indicated by the requirements. Thus, to build secure software as well as meet budget and time constraints it is essential to emphasis testing effort in areas that have a larger number of security vulnerabilities. Therefore, vulnerabilities are classified and various taxonomies have been created by computer security researchers. Along with the taxonomies, there are also various methods and techniques which helps to test the commonly appearing test issues in software. These techniques gener ally include generic tools, fuzzing, checklists of unpredictable depth and quality, vulnerability scanners, hacking or hiring hackers etc. This study focuses on the introduction, importance, vulnerabilities, approaches and methods of security testing. Articles related to these components were chosen. They were then evaluated on the basis of security testing approaches. Furthermore, the study explores the flaws and vulnerabilities of security testing and figures out the importance of security testing. Moreover, the research also highlights various methods and techniques of security testing. In the end, compiling all the articles research questions like what is the importance of security testing and what are the approaches to security testing are answered. Introduction Security is one of the many aspects of software quality. Software turns out to be more complicated, with the wide utilization of computer which likewise increase software security problems. Software security is the ability of software to provide required function when it is attacked as defined by the authors (Tian-yang, Yin-sheng You-yuan, 2010). There are few common types of security testing such as vulnerability assessments, penetration tests, runtime testing and code review. New vulnerabilities are being discovered with the coming of internet age. They are existing because of many reasons: poor development practices, ignoring security policies during design, incorrect configurations, improper initialization, inadequate testing due to deadlines imposed by financial and marketing needs etc. (Preuveneers, Berbers Bhatti, 2008). The significance of security in the life cycle from network security, to system security and application security is currently recognized by the companies and organizations asa coordinated end-to-end procedure stated by (Felderer, Bà ¼chler, Johns, Brucker, Breu Pretschner, 2016). Therefore, in systems to discover which types of vulnerabilities are dominant, security vulnerabilities are categorized so as to focus the type of testing that would be needed to find them. On the basis of these classifications, various taxonomies are developed by computer security researchers. According to the author (AL-Ghamdi, 2013), at the requirements level security should be explicit and must cover both overt functional security and emergent individualities. One great approach to cover that is using abuse cases which portrays the systems behaviors under attack. Two strategies that must be incorporated by security testing are : testing security functionality using standard functional testing techniques and risk based security testing based on attack patterns and threat models. There are normally two categories of vulnerabilities: bugs at the execution level and flaws at the design level (Tondel, Jaatun Meland, 2008). The research done in this article evaluates the security testing approaches and the methods in order to detect the flaws and vulnerabilities of security in the software. All this approaches and methods of security testing will help to make the software more secure, flawless and bug-free. Thus, the goal of this study is to find out the significance of security testing in todays fastest growing internet age and to introduce developers with an esteemed importance of systems security. The literature review is divided into 4 sections. The first section gives the overview of security testing. The next sections answer the research questions like what is the importance of security testing and what are the various approaches to security testing. Literature Review Importance of Security Testing In contrast with simple software testing process, providing security to a system is exceptionally unpredictable. This is because simple software testing only shows the presence of errors but fails to show the absence of certain types of errors which is ultimately achieved by security testing. As per the author (Khatri, 2014), there are two essential things which should be checked by the system: First, validity of implemented security measures. Second, systems behavior when it is attacked by attackers. The loopholes or vulnerabilities in system may cause failure of security functions of system eventually leading to great losses to organization. So, it is extremely fundamental to incorporate testing approaches for data protection. Security Vulnerabilities There are certain types of errors which are termed as security vulnerabilities, flaws or exploits. The authors (Tian-yang, Yin-sheng You-yuan, 2010) states that there are certain flaws present in system design, implementation, operation, management which are referred as vulnerabilities. As per (Tà ¼rpe, 2008), in order to target testing it is important to understand the roots of vulnerabilities and these vulnerabilities vary from system to system. These exploits are broadly categorized on their similarities by (Preuveneers, Berbers Bhatti, 2008) as follows: Environment variables: Information that does not change across executions of a program is encapsulated by such variables. Buffer Overflows: A memory stack is overflowed which leads the program to execute the data after the last address in the stack, generally an attacker gets the full control of the system when an executable program builds a root or command line shell. Operational Misuse: Operating a system in a non-secure mode. Data as Instructions or Script Injections: due to improper input checking, scripting languages include information with executable code which is then executed by the system. Default Settings: If default software settings require user intervention to secure them they may encounter a risk. Programmer Backdoors: The developers of the software leave the unauthorized access paths for easy access. Numeric Overflows:Giving a lesser or greater value than estimated. Race Conditions:Sending a string of data before another is executed. Network Exposures: It is assumed that when messages are sent to a server adequately, clients will check that. Information Exposure: Sensitive information is exposed to unauthorized users which can be used to compromise data or systems. Possible Attacks According to the authors (Preuveneers, Berbers Bhatti, 2008), (Felderer, Bà ¼chler, Johns, Brucker, Breu Pretschner, 2016) and (AL-Ghamdi, 2013), secure software should achieve security requirements such as reliability, resiliency, and recoverability. Then they describe various possible attacks such as: Information Disclosure Attacks: To disclose sensitive or useful data, applications can often be forced. Attacks in this class include directory indexing attacks, path traversal attacks and determination of whether the application resources are allocated from a conventional and accessible location. System Dependency Attacks: By observing the environment of use of the targeted application, vital system resources can be recognized. Attacks of this type include LDAP injection, OS commanding, SQL injection, SSI injection, format strings, large strings, command injection, escape characters, and special/problematic character sets. Authentication/Authorization Attacks: These attacks includes both dictionary attacks and common account/password strings and credentials, exploiting key materials in memory and at component boundaries , insufficient and poorly implemented protection and recovery of passwords. Logic/Implementation (business model) Attacks: For an attacker, the hardest attacks to apply are often the most gainful. These include checking for faulty process validation, broadcast temporary files for sensitive information, attempts to mall-treatment internal functionality to uncover secrets and cause insecure behavior and testing the applications ability to be remote-controlled. Approaches to Security Testing According to the author (Khatri, 2014), approach to security testing involves determining who should do it and what activities they should undertake. Who: This is because there are two approaches which security testing implicates 1) Functional security testing and 2) Risk-based security testing. Risk-based security testing gets challenging for traditional staff to perform because it is more for expertise and experience people. How: There are several testing methods however the issue with each method is the lack of it because most of organizations devote very little time in understanding the non-functional security risks instead it concentrates on features. The two approaches functional and risk-based are defined by the authors (Tà ¸ndel, Jaatun Jensen, 2008) as follows: Functional security testing: On the basis of requirements, this technique will determine whether security mechanisms, such as cryptography settings and access control are executed and configured or not. Adversarial security testing: This technique is based on risk-based security testing and determines whether the software contains vulnerabilities by pretending an attackers approach. Methods and Techniques of Security Testing by (Tian-yang, Yin-sheng You-yuan, 2010), (AL-Ghamdi, 2013) and (Felderer, Bà ¼chler, Johns, Brucker, Breu Pretschner, 2016). Formal security testing To build a mathematical model of the software and to provide software form specification supported by some formal specification language is the basic idea of formal method. Model-based security testing A model by the behavior and structure of software is constructed by model-based testing and then from this test model, test cases are derived. Fault injection based security testing This testing emphasizes on the interaction points of application and environment, including user input, file system, network interface, and environment variable. Fuzzy testing To discover security vulnerability which gets more and more attention, fuzzy testing is effective. To test program, it would inject random data and evaluate whether it can run normally under the clutter input. Vulnerability scanning testing To find software security risks, vulnerability testing is used which includes testing space scanning and known defects scanning. Property based testing By using program slicing technology, this method will extract the code relative to specific property and find infringement of the code against security property specification. White box-based security testing One of common white-box based testing method is static analysis which is great at finding security bug, such as buffer overflow. It includes main features like deducing, data flow analysis and constraint analysis. Risk-based security testing To find high-risk security vulnerabilities as early as possible, risk-based security testing combines the risk analysis, security testing with software development lifecycle. Discussion There are some type of security vulnerabilities which are more serious or are more common than others, therefore classification and rankings of vulnerabilities can be utilized to focus testing. Today, attacks such as Cross-Site Scripting and SQL injection are very common and new vulnerabilities are still being discovered. Basically, security testing can be divided into security vulnerability testing and security functional testing. To ensure whether software security functions are implemented correctly and consistent with security requirements, security functional testing is used. Whereas to discover security vulnerabilities as an attacker, security vulnerability testing is used. Risk-based security testing is useful when a complex system requires numerous tests for adequate coverage in limited time. Recommendation To build a secure system, security testing is used however it has been overlooked for a long time. Protection and security have been given prime significance in todays world, therefore in programming applications, it is highly recommended to look forward for information and operations security which demands critical consideration but it is rather ignored. There is still nothing like 100% security. The old way of doing things and traditional methods must change and new methods should be applied in practice if one wants to ship secure code with confidence. Conclusion The literature review was done taking 8 articles addressing the topic Significance of Security Testing. This report analyses the definition, classification, importance and approaches to software security testing. Classification of vulnerabilities and flaws were identified and what could be the reason behind occurrence of these vulnerabilities were discussed. The study also highlighted the various approaches like the functional and risk-based security testing and various methods in detail to tackle the flaws and errors detected in the system. These methods and techniques helps the system in various aspects like to advance the capability to produce protected and safe software, more cost-effective management of vulnerabilities and measure progress. Though, these approaches and classification makes software secure to a major extent but still security testing has a long way to go. References AL-Ghamdi, A. S. A. M. (2013, April). A Survey on Software Security Testing Techniques. Felderer, M., Bà ¼chler, M., Johns, M., Brucker, A. D., Breu, R., Pretschner, A. (2016). Chapter One-Security Testing: A Survey. Advances in Computers, 101, 1-51. Khatri, M. (2014). Motivation For Security Testing. Journal of Global Research in Computer Science, 5(6), 26-32. Preuveneers, D., Berbers, Y., Bhatti, G. (2008, December). Best practices for software security: An overview. In Multitopic Conference, 2008. INMIC 2008. IEEE International (pp. 169-173). IEEE. Tian-yang, G., Yin-Sheng, S., You-yuan, F. (2010). Research on software security testing. World Academy of science, engineering and Technology, 70, 647-651. Tà ¸ndel, I. A., Jaatun, M. G., Jensen, J. (2008, April). Learning from software security testing. In Software Testing Verification and Validation Workshop, 2008. ICSTW08. IEEE International Conference on (pp. 286-294). IEEE. Tondel, I. A., Jaatun, M. G., Meland, P. H. (2008). Security requirements for the rest of us: A survey. IEEE software, 25(1). Tà ¼rpe, S. (2008, April). Security testing: Turning practice into theory. In Software Testing Verification and Validation Workshop, 2008. ICSTW08. IEEE International Conference on (pp. 294-302). IEEE. Appendix A Articles Concepts Requirements for Security Testing Vulnerabilities (Exploits, bugs, flaws) Possible Attacks on Software Approaches Techniques or Methods Functional Risk-based Best Practices for Software Security: An Overview (Preuveneers, Berbers Bhatti, 2008) à ¯Ã‚ Ã‚  à ¯Ã‚ Ã‚  à ¯Ã‚ Ã‚  à ¯Ã‚ Ã‚  Motivation For Security Testing (Khatri, 2014) à ¯Ã‚ Ã‚  à ¯Ã‚ Ã‚  à ¯Ã‚ Ã‚  Security Testing: A Survey (Felderer, Bà ¼chler, Johns, Brucker, Breu Pretschner, 2016) à ¯Ã‚ Ã‚  à ¯Ã‚ Ã‚  à ¯Ã‚ Ã‚  A Survey on Software Security Testing Techniques (AL-Ghamdi, 2013) à ¯Ã‚ Ã‚  à ¯Ã‚ Ã‚  à ¯Ã‚ Ã‚  à ¯Ã‚ Ã‚  Security Requirements for the Rest of Us: A Survey (Tondel, Jaatun Meland, 2008) à ¯Ã‚ Ã‚  à ¯Ã‚ Ã‚  Research on software security testing (Tian-yang, Yin-Sheng You-yuan, 2010) à ¯Ã‚ Ã‚  à ¯Ã‚ Ã‚  Learning from software security testing (Tà ¸ndel, Jaatun Jensen, 2008) à ¯Ã‚ Ã‚  à ¯Ã‚ Ã‚  Security testing: Turning practice into theory (Tà ¼rpe, 2008) à ¯Ã‚ Ã‚  à ¯Ã‚ Ã‚  Figure 1: Concept Matrix of the study of Significance of Security Testing

UKs Economy in Europe Essay -- Economics Economy England United Essay

UK's Economy in Europe When one talks about a strong economy, a few key economic indicators will get mentioned; inflation, unemployment and economic growth. These are considered the three main macroeconomic indicators of any economy. To define a strong economy in the simplest form you must have a low rate of inflation, low unemployment and steady economic growth. During this essay there will be comparisons between other European countries (e.g. France, Germany, Luxemburg, Belgium, Spain, Italy) and these economic indictors mentioned as well as others. We will start to look at inflation rates. "The British economy has slowed over the past 12 months, but remains among the strongest in the developed world, a report has said" (BBC News Online). Last month the Underlying rate of inflation in the UK remained unchanged at 2.3%, which is below the governments target rate of 2.5%, this is good for the economy. The headline rate of inflation, which includes mortgage interest payments, fell last month by 0.4% to 1.7%. These figures show the rate at which prices are increasing. When we compare the UK's annual inflation figure of 1.2% to that of Germany and France (-0.6% in October), which is around the 2% mark, it seems that our rate is quite low and therefore good for our economy. The Eurozone inflation is expected to be 2.1%; this is measured by the Monetary Union Index of Consumer Prices (MUICP). By looking at this we can see that this figure is very close to the UK's inflation rate. On the whole inflation in the UK is at a lower rate than that of its European neighbours, which is an indicator of a strong economy. When we look at unemployment in the UK we can see that it is around 900,000 or 2.3%. This is the lowest it has been since the 1970's and is at a lower percentage rate than Japan and the USA. Germany who has recently announced that they have just entered a recession has a very high rate of unemployment at around 8.0% and France, Finland and Spain even higher. The UK, Netherlands and Luxemburg are amongst the lowest unemployment rates in Europe. "Unemployment is up again in France and Germany, in a sign that the eurozone's two biggest economies are still in the grip of a downturn" (BBC News Online). France and Germany have the largest economies in Europe and recent figures show that unemployment increased by 15,000 a... ...ong performance is reflected by such indicators as solid growth and forecasts for next year predicting an annual growth of 2.75% - 3.75%. Inflation currently at 2.3% is lower than forecasted which is a strong indicator for a strong economy. Our unemployment is at the lowest it has been since the 1970's and lower than that of the two biggest economies in the world at present at 2.3% or around 900,000. Interest rates are remaining unchanged at 4%, which is low, and the reason for the British economy having a firm housing market. The UK's main economic problem is the manufacturing output. It could be argued that this sector of the economy is in recession after figures of negative growth in the last two quarters. As a result of this the UK is suffering from an all time high trade deficit, which is also due to the high value of the pound. But overall the UK economy is in a good state taking into advantage the global economic slowdown which is going on around it. References: www.bbc.co.uk Sources:  · www.bbc.co.uk  · www.bized.ac.uk  · www.europa.eu.int  · www.ukonline.gov.uk  · The Daily Mail Newspaper  · The Business Environment - Brooks/Weatherston