IT Security System Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

IT Security System - Research Paper Example Fire and break-in alarm security system being the only available current on-site security/alarm system is a good foundation than having none. However, integration of multiple systems to alarm such as security video, for example, Closed-Circuit Television (CCTVs), and security voice communications would permit more efficient use of on-site security systems and manpower. It is vital to pinpoint that, the better the system integration, the better the company will be able to use its on-site security force (Thomas, 2011). The key to ensuring cost effectiveness incurred on the security system is often the elegant combination of simple technologies into a highly refined systems. For example, installing security cameras all over the boundaries of the company will have a centralized position where the control system is operated. Therefore, this will reduce the unnecessary cost incurred by employing incompetence manpower and ensure improved security system longevity. The opportunity cost can be used to improve other basic operations of the company (Thomas, 2011). Security systems are notoriously short lived as they are composed of numerous delicate components that either fail mechanically or are unable to upgrade as the system scales. Considering the importance of ensuring a constant security system, there is need to keep to –date the security information technology via activities such as regular maintenance and proper handling of the security gadgets such as CCTVs cameras due to their sophisticated nature and through away obsolete and non-compatible with newer technology components (Thomas, 2011). Acquiring external Information Technology security is capital intensive hence often is expensive and with every motive of reduced expenses and increased revenue, there is the need to invest on internal security for the company to reduce such costs. However, it will require specialized people to train

Solar pawered heat pump Literature review Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3000 words

Solar pawered heat pump - Literature review Example Within the heat pump, solar collectors replace the air source evaporator since they possess the ability of direct expansion3. Solar powered heat pumps utilize solar energy as their main energy source. The heat pump collects energy from the surrounding air and solar radiation; this ability allows the pump to function even when solar energy is not present. Glazing helps in the prevention of heat loss in some solar heat pumps but the cooler fitted in the pump allows it to operate at temperatures lower than the surrounding air thus it does not require glazing4. The Rankine refrigeration cycle is a core part of the solar powered heat pump, which increases its performance. It works with the solar collector, which is the evaporator, and the refrigeration component expands directly in the evaporator and absorbs the solar energy. Other solar powered heat pumps come as complete packages and do not need field assembly5. The heat pump is cost-effective and can achieve the maximum thermal capacity that is required to heat water. They are good alternatives to use either domestically or for industrial use. The sun generates two major forms of energy, which under specific conditions undergo transformation to produce solar power. The conversion of light to electricity uses a method known as photovoltaics. The other form of the sun’s energy, which is heat, undergoes conversion via the concentrated solar power. It mainly employs the use of lenses and concentrates a large beam of light to a small beam. It has a parabolic trough which concentrates the light to a working fluid, which after it heats up it produces heat6. A photovoltaic cell is the device that is responsible for converting sunlight into electricity. These cells generate direct current and are installed in modules then bound to an inverter to produce the frequency for AC. Solar power has passed through time after improvement and new discoveries from its

Womens Clothing Industry Report Essay Example for Free

Womens Clothing Industry Report Essay This industry includes establishments primarily engaged in the retail sale of a general line of womens ready-to-wear clothing. This category also includes establishments primarily engaged in the specialized retail sale of womens coats, suits, and dresses. Custom tailors primarily engaged in making womens clothing to individual order are classified in SIC 5699: Miscellaneous Apparel and Accessory Stores. Industry Snapshot In 2005, $36.7 billion was spent at stores devoted exclusively to womens apparel, a jump of more than $2 billion from 2004 and more than $4 billion from 2003. While the discounters, namely Target and Wal-Mart, were continuing to do well, the more upscale stores were seeing a new surge in spending. While consumer demand for luxury and high quality items was high, most of the purchases in this category were made for those items either from lower-priced brands or items on sale. In the mid-2000s, those employed by the industry were mostly working as sales associates, who are responsible for performing customer service and a variety of operational duties such as setting up displays and organizing stock. Store managers oversee sales, operations, and personnel functions. Merchandisers work with the apparel manufacturers to select apparel for the retailer and control merchandise expenses. According to the U.S. Census Bureau, womens clothing stores reported combined sales of $38.5 billion in 2008. As the economy continued to struggle sales fell 7.6 percent to $35.6 billion in 2009. As sales declined, Womens clothing stores were adapting to the downturn by focusing on recession-friendly prices, and opening up more discount outlets. In fact, there were 345 outlet stores slated to open in 2011, according to the November 2009 Retail Forward report. Organization and Structure The structure of the U.S. retail industry, including womens clothing stores, has changed significantly since the early 1990s, moving from a production-driven market to a consumer-driven market. Nontraditional retailers, such as discounters, off-priced stores, and factory outlets, fared well. Because of continuing competition from nontraditional retailers, department stores such as J.C. Penney and specialty stores such as The  Limited increased their focus on private labels. In the mid-1990s, consumers demanded more convenience and quicker service from growing no-store retailing, particularly in direct-mail order, television, and online shopping. An Internet shopping study by Ernst Young LLP reported that the number of retailers selling online tripled in 1998 to 39 percent. The online market was estimated to reach $13 billion in sales at the end of 1999. The relationship between larger retailers and suppliers significantly intensified because a growing number of retailers were taking on entrepreneurial roles traditionally performed by apparel producers. Larger retailers and direct-mail order companies were making decisions in areas such as product design, fabric selection and procurement, and apparel production, which in turn influenced production scheduling, pricing, and delivery dates. Background and Development Womens clothing stores were introduced in Europe in the late 1700sslightly later in the American coloniesat a time when productive capability, population, and prosperity allowed clothing production to move out of the house and into the factory, and clothes to move into retail stores. Around this time, seamstresses began opening shops offering custom-made hats, dresses, cloaks, or other garments. These garments of the latest fashion were for those who could afford to hire out the work of stitching. Trading posts in the frontier areas carried cloth and some ready-made apparel. The invention of the sewing machine, the rise of mass production, and the proliferation of retail stores by the late nineteenth century led people first to sample and later to rely on ready-made clothing for sale as a reliable means of obtaining fashionable clothing. In the 1890s, ready-to-wear clothing came into its own, and by the turn of the century ready-made womens wear was available in abundance in the Unit ed States. By the 1920s, it was considered more fashionable to buy clothing from a store than to make it at home. For many years, the department store and the downtown womens shop were the mainstays of womens wear retailing. Department stores offering a vast selection of goods and specialty stores catering to unique tastes dotted the urban landscape. For those with enough money, shopping became a social event. Along with the growth of womens clothing retailing came the increasing importance of fashion. The womens  apparel industry established a voice in government through the National Retail Federation (NRF), the trade group representing the entire spectrum of the nations retail industry. In the early and mid-1990s, the NRF lobbied the U.S. Congress on issues such as minimum wages and the proposed health care plan. The NRF was opposed to an increase in the minimum wage on the grounds that many retailers would have to close down operations or fire staff to meet expenses with a higher wage base. In 1994, Womens Wear Daily reported that the NRF opposed the Clinton administrations proposed univers al health coverage on the grounds that more than 700,000 jobs would have to be eliminated in all retailing. At that time only 35 percent of retail workers received health care benefits. The NRF supported a plan that emphasized offering health coverage but did not require employers to pay for that coverage and allowed for the creation of purchasing pools for group insurance. Heading into the twenty-first century, dedicated womens stores faced renewed competition from alternative retail venues offering specialty or general line womens apparel in addition to other product lines. Sporting goods retailers were devising new strategies to increase womens apparel business. In 1995, womens apparel ranged from 10 percent to 40 percent of store merchandise. Sporting goods retailers saw strong potential in the womens apparel market. Retailers increased floor space to accommodate womens products; set up womens departments; increased stock of best-selling brands; and held store events to draw more female customers. Department stores also responded to the increased demand for womens apparel and began rep ositioning themselves to win back the customers they had lost to more focused outlets like The Gap and The Limited. Such retailers as Bloomingdales and Dayton Hudson revamped the womens apparel collections. The large-sized womens clothing market grabbed the attention of clothing retailers in the mid-1990s with sales reaching $20 billion and claiming 24.7 percent of the market. The key factors that influenced these sales were an increase in fashions featuring younger silhouettes and the use of better fabrics. Lane Bryant, a division of The Limited Inc., brought in more fashionable clothes and worked to change the perception of large-size fashion. Our customer wants to wear the exact same fashion her skinny friends wear, noted Lane Bryants chief executive Jill Dean in a 1999 Wall Street Journal interview. One of the hottest growth areas in retailing  during the late 1990s was discounting. Clothing retailers saw an opportunity to bring fashionable clothes at reasonable prices to the masses. In 2002, Target was the countrys third-largest discounter and a $40 billion division of the Dayton Hudson Cor poration. Nearly 35 percent of Targets sales come from the clothing department. Old Navy, a division of The Gap, was launched in 1994 to compete with stores like Sears and Target with this concept in mind. As the United States initiated the war with Iraq in March of 2003, the U.S. economy remained soft and consumers remained cautious. As a result, the clothing industry reported sales numbers below those previously forecasted, down 6 to 7 percent rather than the anticipated 3 to 4 percent for the month. The retailers with the most successor least amount of declinewere those that offered moderate-priced, affordable sportswear that combined the right amount of fashion with value. By the end of 2003, the industry saw increased spending again, a trend that continued into 2004. Dresses, skirts, and tailored clothing all declined in overall sales and units sold, but increases were seen in lingerie, suits, swimwear, and knit shirts. Tops were hailed as the new accessory in 2005, and women were being bolder about choices in this division, while preferring more versatile, classic apparel items in other categories such as slacks. The so-called career/casual market was on the upswing, as women looked for clothing that could easily make the transition from work to leisure. While fashion was important in the mid-2000s, so was the desire to simplify. Although higher-end, upscale items were increasing in demand, women still looked for the bargain, leading to an increase in the affordable luxury category as well. While overall spending was up, the average price per item was down. Retailers also continued to target junior shoppers as a consistent source for revenues. Young consumers, who tend to have more disposable income than older shoppers, spend more money on clothing and are more conscious of fashion trends. In 2007, those junior shoppers were interested in buying dresses, as were most other women. According to a report by The NPD Group, revenues from sales of dresses increased 30.4 percent overall for the 12-month period ending in April 2007. For juniors, the jump was 53.3 percent, while the sales of misses dresses rose 33.1 percent and the sale of petite dresses 31.6 percent. During that 12-month period, sales of womens apparel in general increased 5.1 percent. Even with positive signs  in sales heading into the late 2000s, an uncertain economy had one of the stronger chains slimming down to improve profitability. Despite net sales that rose 2.3 percent in 2007 to approximately $2.4 billion, Ann Taylor Stores Corporation announced in January 2008 that it planned to close 117 stores from 2008 through 2010 as a restructuring of the business. Current Conditions Retailers are crafting marketing and merchandising campaigns around the new normal, making a bid for female shoppers still shell-shocked by the biggest economic downturn since The Great Depression. Consequently, consumer spending patterns have been changing and will likely continue to evolve. The average consumer was shifting to fewer purchases. One market research firm that follows the industry reported sales of womens clothing fell 2.8 percent in 2008 and 4.9 percent in 2009. Industry watchers dont see the downward trend changing anytime soon, especially since income levels were on the decline and the unemployment rate remained at high levels and apparel in general being a discretionary purchase was suffering because of the weak economy. In one survey conducted by ShopperScape by Ohio-based Retail Forward based on all age groups and income levels found over half of women shoppers will replace only their worn out clothing. Additionally, when it comes to buying clothing, shoes, and accessories the mentality was to trade down selecting the less expensive brands. Additionally, women shoppers were much more value oriented then in years past. The mentality to shop till you drop was now labeled frugal shopper seeking out the less expensive designer replicas. Some womens clothing stores underwent significant restructuring downsizing throughout the late 2000s. One industry leader, Ann Taylor Stores including their LOFT stores shed 60 stores in 2008, followed by another 42 stores in 2009 with about another 72 announced to close in 2010. Of the estimated 174 store closures, half would be Ann Taylor Stores and about half would be LOFT stores. Industry Leaders Some of the leaders in the womens clothing store retail industry in the United States were The Gap, Inc., Limited Brands, Inc., Charming Shoppes, Inc., Talbots, Inc., Ann Taylor Stores Corporation, and the Dress Barn, Inc. The Gap, founded in 1969 by Don and Doris Fisher in San Francisco, has  become an international specialty retailer offering mens, womens, and childrens casual clothing and accessories. The Gap operated thousands of stores in six countries, including The Gap, GapKids, Baby Gap, GapBody, Banana Republic, and Old Navy Clothing Co. The Gap has stores in the United States, Japan, the United Kingdom, Canada, France, and Germany. The company reported $15.9 billion in revenues for 2007. The Gap expanded quickly in the 1980s, purchasing the Banana Republic chain in 1983, launching GapKids, and BabyGap in 1986, and opening its first overseas store in London in 1987. By 1990 The Gap was one of the most successful apparel retailers and the second largest clothing brand in th e United States. One of the biggest successes for The Gap was the Old Navy division, launched in 1994. In less than three years, The Gap opened 282 Old Navy stores and hit sales of $1 billion. Gap Online was introduced in November 1997. Limited Brands, Inc., the top U.S. womens apparel retailer, was founded in 1963. Limited Brands, Inc. shed its Express and The Limited apparel chains to focus on its Victorias Secret and Bath Body Works stores. The company operated 2,900 specialty stores in North America in 2007. Sales for 2007 reached $10.7 billion. The leader in plus size apparel, Charming Shoppes, Inc., had Fashion Bug and Catherines Plus Size stores, and had acquired Lane Bryant from Limited Brands in 2001. The company reported 2007 sales of $3.1 billion. Talbots, Inc., with nearly 1,380 stores carrying traditional clothing and accessories, reported $2.2 billion in 2007 sales. Ann Taylor Stores, which catered to customers looking for upscale, classic clothing, reported 2007 sales of $2.4 billion. The Dress Barn catered to the professional woman on a budget. The company had $1.3 billion in 2007 sales. With 2,100 stores globally, The Gap reported revenues of $15.7 billion in 2008, falling to $14.1 billion in 2010 with 135,000 employees. Limited Brands, Inc. also saw their revenues decline fro $10.1 billion in 2008 to $8.6 billion in 2010 with 92,100 employees. From a reported $3 billion in sales for 2008, Charming Shoppes, Inc.s revenue plummeted to nearly $2.1 billion in 2010 with 27,000 employees. Talbots, Inc.s total number of stores fell from 1,380 in 2007 to 580 in 2010, as did its revenues from nearly $2.3 billion in 2008 to $1.2 billion in 2010 with 9,100 employees. Ann Taylor Stores reported revenues of $1.8 billion in 2010, well below the reported revenues of nearly $1.4 billion in 2008. The company employed  18,800 people. The Dress barn reported revenues of $982 million in 2010.

The Power Of Margaret Thatcher

The Power Of Margaret Thatcher The coming to power of Margaret Thatcher in March 1979 was in a context marked by the 1970s in England by crisis in economic, social, political and cultural. The crisis was economical with the 1973 oil crisis, the deindustrialisation, the negative growth in 1974-1975, the rise of unemployment, and the high level of inflation. The crisis is with the social movements of strikes that paralyzed the country, and mass unemployment. The crisis is political with the growing power of unions fighting for wage claims. Unions refuse limitation to 5% of the increase in base salaries that wants to impose the Callaghan government. Winter 1979, called Winter of Discontent, saw successive strikes increasingly unpopular which paralyzed the country. In this winter of Discontent, two out of three manufacturing companies were affected by strikes and stoppages. (Norman Gash, Madsen Pirie, 1989, p2). And finally, the cultural crisis is, in retrospect the success of the welfare state which does neither lead to growth nor full employment. We can not therefore underestimate the seriousness of the situation in Great Britain in the late 1970s. England was the British disease (Green, 2006, p55), through this study we will analyse how Margaret Thatcher and her administration drive the country with economic policy with the objective to break down the inflation and to enable Britain economy to recover balance growth. We will first explore whether it was a Thatcher Revolution? And in a second part we will see if this revolution was a success a miracle. Finally we analyze the statement. Margaret Thatcher won the elections in May 1979 and will be the first woman to rule England. Middle-class daughter of a grocer, she grew in an environment conducive to the Victorian values such as work, the emphasis on family, the sense of nationhood, and free enterprise. With these convictions, she adopted a policy and anti-interventionist philosophy (Green, 2006, p56) to rescue the British economys decline. It is in this context that the elections occur. Margaret Thatcher campaigned on the theme of British decline, socialism was for her as unmitigated evil, a perversion of human nature and a blight upon the land (Jenkis, 1989, p322) imposed by all-powerful unions, who have instilled in the population a culture of dependency. She undertakes to give priority to enterprise culture (Pugh, 1994, p20), free market, curb inflation and to curtail the role of the state (Pugh, 1994, p20). Thatcher decided to follow drastic measures (John Redwood, Madsen Pirie, 1989, P6). She easily wins the elections of May 1979: a vote clearly based on the discontent of the consensus state-employers-unions, became inoperative. She said in Perth during her campaign Today it is socialism which is in retreat and Conservativism which is advancing..'(Jenkins, 1989, p323) Margaret Thatcher created the political revolution has profoundly changed the political life, breaking with the values advocated by the Keynesian model: her primary objective was to fight against inflation before unemployment, she wanted the free market, she seeks to reduce trade union power, and reduce taxes to encourage growth. The Right Approach to the Economy is directly inspired by the partys program of 1970, and monetarist theories of Milton Friedman as the liberalism of Friedrich Hayek. For monetarist, price rises could be restrained by restricting the supply of money to the economy (Pugh, 1989, p303). She wanted to roll back the frontiers of the state (Jenkins, p369) and refocus on its natural function: to guarantee the currency, maintaining public order and National defense. The liberalization of the economy has performed under four themes: the affirmation of the primacy of the market, privatization of some public sector, reform of labour relations and tax reform. The assertion of the primacy of the market was made in 1979 by removing a certain number of controls over income, prices, dividends and wages. Inflation led to price controls, wage controls in order to combat rising public spending (Madsen Pirie, 1989, p12). The government has effectively abolished the incomes policy and price from Callaghan government. The decision made by Thatcher to curb inflation by monetary means was an excellent decision, the value of the British currency has risen and has helped to make the British economy more attractive to investors. (Madsen Pirie, 1989, p12). In mid 1980s, Lord Young was responsible for the deregulation unit and made good progress and results; however, the government was faced with the necessity to regulate the financial services industry, to regulate privatized telephone and gas companies to comply with the creation of an integrated European market (John Redwood, Madsen Pirie, 1989, P12). Deregulation enabled substantial improvement in cus tomer service with lower prices and better services in airline and bus industry. (John Redwood, Madsen Pirie, 1989, P13) Then there was the liberalization of capital movements began in July 1979 that accelerated the internationalization of the British economy and stimulated the activities of the City of London. Mergers, investment of foreign multinationals have thus been encouraged and Great Britain was the European country most open to Japanese investment since 10 years. After a trip to Japan in 1982, Mrs Thatcher did not hesitate to encourage Nissan to set up factories in Britain; it was realized the following year. The export of the British capital has enabled the UK to continue to invest heavily abroad (Leruez, 1991, p146), and assets of the UK exceed 100 billion pounds by the end of 1988. This liberalization of the economy was completed in October 1986 by the deregulation of activities in the City in London. Despite the competition of other capital markets, this revolution has allowed London to maintain its role as a leader and pioneer in the financial industry (Leruez, 1991, p146). Although the privatizations program the most unique success (Madsen Pirie, 1989, p10) is now considered as en essential reform of the Thatcher government, it should be noted that it was not given an importance in the election manifesto of 1979. This show the inherently adaptable character of the action of Mrs Thatcher (Leruez, 1991, p147), and became the centre piece of the Thatcher Revolution (Jenkins, 1989, p370). The economic justifications of denationalization are the following: decrease the influence of state and the political decision making on the economy, increased efficiency and innovation of companies, decentralizing economical decision and negotiations of wages and working conditions. Major privatizations (Britoil, British Telecom, British Gas) and most symbolic (Rolls Royce, privatization of water) (Leruez, 1991, p147) started between 1979-1983. The privatization process enabled success of major industries, British Airways became highly profitable and successful airline. (Madsen Pirie, 1989, p10). Even the British steel became in Europe the most productive and profitable. The Privatization of Jaguar was considered as a signal for a major change of attitudes in that company, with improvement of quality of product, with emphasis on training, cooperation from de workforce as shareholders (Madsen Pirie, 1989, p11). Between 1983 and 1987 under the second term of Mrs. Thatchers privatization program will bring more than 10 billion pounds, or 5 times more than the previous. Privatization enabled companies to decide by themselves concerning investments, strategies, and became synonymous with popular ownership (Jenkins, 1989, p370). In 1978-1979, thirteen out of the eighteen have been privatized (Madsen Pirie, 1989, P11). Harold McMillan denounced privatisation as selling the family silver.(should I give a comment for this, please help me) (Pugh, 1994, p317). In 1988, the public sector accounted for only 4% of employment and 7% of GDP. Its about the quarter of the public sector companies transferred to the private sector and 600,000 employees transferred from the public to private sector (Jenkins, 1989, p369). Thatcher encourages the liberalization of initiative; indeed, we observed the growth of entrepreneurship, more of one million opted to set up their own companies between 1979 and 1987. (Madsen Pirie, 1989, p15). As new opportunities have been allowed for people working in the deregulated sectors (public transport, air transport, catering) which adhere to the advantage of markets and competition. Private companies have realized the importance of quality, training and research and development. (Madsen Pirie, 1989, p15) In the mid 1980s, England experienced a significant rise in industrial and commercial activity with an increased number of investments. Indeed, the North Sea industrial and commercial companies have achieved a rate of 8% return during the 1970s, which reached 4% in 1981, and increased beyond 10% in 1987. (Madsen Pirie, 1989, p15) Politically, Thatcher government has achieved one of its objectives: the expansion of public shareholding. Shareholders were now outnumbering unionized in the adult population: 20% against 3% in 1979. In addition, three quarters of these new shareholders will own shares in newly privatized companies. (Leruez, 1991, p150). There was a revolution by the expansion of shareholding, one in five of the population become shareholders (Jenkins, 1989, p369). From 1979 to 1987, there was an increased from 7 to 20 per cent of the owning shares of the population (Jenkins, 1989, p370) On the other hand, the government decided to implement strategies such as the housing programme to encourage home ownership at the expense of council housing (Madsen Pirie, 1989, p8). The extension of ownership was a revolution, a million council tenants purchased their own homes (Jenkins, 1989, p369) Others reforms were on trade unions in order to regulate their actions. The 1980 law on labour relations merely limit the company closed shop, to prohibit sympathy strikes. The 1982 Act is much more restrictive, yet it limits the closed shop by requiring that it be approved by 80% of staff concerned and for 5 years only. But it has other limitations: while giving a strict definition of a conflict of legal work, it increases the penalties for illegal actions, authorized or even just tolerated by the union involved, with potential fines. The 1984 Act contains mains provisions: It stipulates that a referendum, secret ballots (Jenkins, 1989, p370) of members must be held before the strike, without a prior vote conflict becomes illegal. The law requires the election of union executive (Jenkins, 1989, p370) every 5 years. With the 1984 Act, we passed from the definition of the legal framework of trade union action to the control of the internal democracy of trade unions. In 1979, the Briti sh trade unionism was 13 700 000 members or 54.6% of the workforce (Leruez, 1991, p153). In 1988, union members were only just over 10 000 000, the unionization rate fell to 35%. The primary cause of the decline in unionization is the fall in industrial employment (coal, steel) between 1979 and 1986. The culture that encourages individualism and the poor public image of unions led to the decline of unions. In 1987 only one per cent of voters would consider trade union power to be the chief issue facing the country, when in May 1979, 73 per cent of people had believed to be so. (Jenkins, 1989, p369). The marginalised membership in Trade unions shows the revolution in the British beliefs, mentalities and is the most singular of her [Thatcher] achievements (Jenkins, 1989, p370) The Strikes launched against Thatcher or during Thatcher Administration have been failures (The steel strike in 1980, The strike of public service in 1981). The defeat of the miners in 1984 after a conflict during a year from March 1984 to March 1985 marked a turning point. It was a revolution, the government has managed to resist and endure for a year of strikes in the coalfields and put an end to Arthur Scargill actions. (Jenkins, 1989, p369) The other structural reform in the economy was the taxation. This reform is directly linked with the general objective of liberation of the individual initiative and to decrease the weight of government on individuals and on businesses. The VAT rate is replaced by a single rate of 15%. The corporate tax decreased from 50% to 35%, but employer contributions to the functioning of social security had greatly increased (under Labour was down). However, individual contributions to Social Security grew faster than the cost of living. The general effect of this global redistribution of taxes was an increase of the poorer part of the population poverty with the existence of inequalities in income and living conditions across regions. (Leruez, 1991, p157) Through these reforms, the government had a budget surplus of 3, 6 billon pounds in fiscal year 1987-1988 and 14 billion from 1988-1989 (including 6 billion pounds from privatizations) The Thatcher measures helped the British economy to perform: between 1979-1983, productivity was 2, 1%, above EEC and OECD performances. Between 1982 and 1988, Britain will record better results than the major OECD partners (Layard Nickell, 1989, p215). The brutal measures of 1979-1981 have allowed a dramatic improvement in the years 1982-1988, which shows the undoubted vitality of the economy. (Leruez, 1991, p159). This miracle some observers said that something surprising has happened to British productivity (Layard Nickell, 1989, p215). Thatcher actions in 1979, by doubling the VAT and suppression of the incomes policy had consequence on increase of the inflation in 1980. In 1979 inflation was 13, 2% and decreased to 5,6% in 1988, a decrease of 7,6 points. (Layard Nickell, 1989, p216). After 12 years of Thatcherism, we highlight structural problems in the British economy: For Jenkins (1989, p329), the greatest failure of the Thatcher Revolution has been in the application of market economics to the Welfare state. The priority of the government was to get rid of inflation before creating employment. (Madsen Pirie, 1989, p13) Unemployment double from 4,7% in 1979 to 8,5% in 1988 and concerned primary wage earners (Layard Nickell, 1989, p216). We thought that in 1986, unemployment fell but in reality it was a decrease of the number of people receiving benefits (Layard Nickell, 1989 p216). The Government created training programmes such as Manpower Services Commission (Madsen Pirie, 1989, p13) but it was a mismatch between skills demanded and skills held by the unemployment (Layard Nickell, 1989, p218). The inadequacy compounded by the socio-economic disparities between regions: Development disparities between north and south of England have increased since the rece ssion of 1979 to 1982. In January 1987 there were 1 740 800 unemployed in the North and 1 185 000 in the South. In January 1989, there were 1 878 000 unemployed in the whole country, 1 102 700 in the North. 94 per cent of the 1979-1986 job losses had been in the Midlands and the North (Jenkins, 1989, p330). Immobility of labour and the decline in manufacture explained theses regional disparities. (Jenkins, 1989, p330) The Two nations, The privileged and the People (Jenkins p372) as Disraeli described characterised the polarisation (Jenkins, 1989, p372) of the British population with the emergence of two entirely different socio-economic systems (Andrew Broadbent in New Society, 14 May 1986, quoted in Jenkins, 1989, p372). Inequality increased by inequality in pre-tax earning and even by the unequal distribution of the average direct tax rates. The number of families with children in poverty rose by 580,000 to 1,171,000 in 1986 (Church of England, Not just for the Poor, 1986, p46) Nigel Lawson characterised the economic growth improvement by 4% between 1883 and 1988 as economic miracle. The measures implemented have reduced inflation from 22% in 1980 to 7% in 1985 and a decrease of 3% in 1986. (Pugh, 1989, P306). However, deep-seated problems of the economy remained (Pugh, 1989, p304) with a high level of unemployment. (3,2 millions in 1985) (Pugh, 1989, p306). This economic miracle defined by Nigel Lawson was actually an economic mirage: The rise of the demand for consumer goods has been artificial, it rested on an inflated debt and spending on imports helped to unbalance trade deficits with more than  £15 billion from 1988 to 1989. (Pugh, 1989, p306). The Statement of Thatcher may be compared to important social marginalization of a significant proportion of the population that appears even in the unemployment statistics a disaster. It was a revolution; in that she broke sharply with the principles that guided economic policy in Britain since 1945 (Callaghan, Healey Government, Welfare State, Keynesianism policy). They [Ronald Reagan, Margaret Thatcher] were revolutionaries in their thinking and in their ability to inspire others to accept fundamental change (Martin Feldstein, Project Syndicate, 2009), and also because it was implemented as a routine set of ideas that were a world view. Peter Jenkins (1989) returns to his ascension, puts into context and shows how her policy in stark contrast with everything that has been done before. Margaret Thatcher was indeed a revolution, a political belief, a philosophy and style beyond the umpteenth administration, yet another government. There is a before and after Thatcher, was discovered here in what her legacy will be decisive for the British political landscape for years to come. For Martin Feldstein (2009), Margaret Thatcher brought such profound improvements that there is no going back. Regarding to the miracle, it must be taken to mean economic miracle, because in the 1970s, Britain was really the sick man of Europe. The growth, prosperity and productivity performance in England can be considered as a miracle. However, this revolution does not take advantage and do not concern the whole population. Jenkins used the word half revolution, because Britain remains divided into Two nations, but at the same time two ideals between the new Enterprise ideal and the Welfare ideal.(Jenkins,1989, p378) Thatcher modified the British economic governance (Green, 2006 p56), she neglected the human consequences of her economic policies. The reforms of Mrs Thatcher allowed her to fully address the globalization of the years 1980-1990.

Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS) Essay -- Crib Death SIDS

Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS) Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS) or "crib death" is an abrupt and inexplicable death of an apparently healthy infant. Most of the cases involve infants from ages 1-12 months, and the event occurs during the night. Various theories have been postulated from research results but without consistency of the etiology. Since the death is sudden, prior diagnostic criteria or patterns are not available for correlation, although some near-miss infants have been followed. A number of possibilities have been documented in current literature, to include beta-endorphin changes, abnormal temperature regulation, pineal abnormalities, carotid body irregularities, lead poisoning, elevated fetal hemoglobin, brainstem immaturity, and cerebral hypoperfusion. The following is an overview of these pathologies in their relation to Sudden Infant Death Syndrome. As with most physiological processes, several intermediate steps can lead to a certain event, thus making the mechanism more controlled. However, as more steps that are required, there arises a greater number of possible problems. SIDS is no exception. Most literature supports the view that victims of SIDS suffer a failure of the automatic control of respiration, producing periodic apnea and eventually death. Neural control of respiration involves three anatomical structures (Armstrong et al., 1982~. The first is the motor system, which contains the neurons which initiate and maintain respiration. These include the dorsal motor nucleus of the vague, the nucleus tractus solitarius, the nucleus ambiguous, the nucleus retro-ambiguous, the reticulo-spinal tracts in the anterior and lateral columns and the anterior horn cells of the cervical and thora... ...16:1122-1126, 1978. Koceard-Varo, G. The physiological role of the pineal gland as the masterswitch of life, turning on at birth breathing and geared to it the function of the autonomic nervous system. The cause of SIDS examined in this context. Medical Hypothesis, 34:122-126, 1991. Myer, E., Morris, D., et. al. Increased cerebrospinal fluid beta-endorphin immunoreactivity in infants with apnea and in siblings of victims of Sudden Infant Death Syndrome. J. Pedia., 111:660-666, 1987. Quattrochi, J., McBride, P., and Yates, A. Brainstem immaturity in Sudden Infant Death Syndrome: A quantitative rapid Golgi study of dendritic spines in 95 infants. Brain Research, 325:39-48, 1985. Takashima, S., Armstrong, D., Becker, L., et. al. Cerebral hypoperfusion in the Sudden Infant Death Syndrome? Brainstem gliosis and vasculature. Ann. Neurol., 4:257-262, 1978.

Copyrights in the Music Industry Essay -- Intellectual Property, Copyr

Is important for anyone who has created any intellectual property to protect it. In the music industry, in order for someone to protect their work, they must obtain a copyright. Music has been around before anyone could obtain a copyright and when the invention of the computer came along it made it easier for someone to steal another artist's intellectual property with the help of the internet. This paper will cover what events have taken a big role in copyright protection for artist, the consequences if someone was to break the rules of a copyright which is called copyright infringement, and how will a copyright hold in the future. Were copyrights enacted without the thought of life changing technology, and how can some music companies surpass copyright infringement and make a profit from the artist? Can a copyright really make that much of a difference in the world we know today? Intellectual Property and Copyrights Intellectual property is property resulting from intellectual, creative processes. A product that was created because of someone’s individual thought process. Examples includes books, designs, music, art work, and computer files. (Miller R. J., 2011, p. 114) In the music industry a copyright is an important tool for artist to use to protect themselves from infringers. A copyright is the exclusive right of an author or originator of a literary or artistic production to publish, print, or sell that production for a statutory period of time. A copyright has the same monopolistic nature as a patent or trademark, but it differs in that it applies exclusively to works of art, literature, and other works of authorship (including computer programs). (Miller R. J., 2011, p. 125) How can someone obtain a copyright? To ob... ...en the biggest hurdles the music industry has overcome. Thanks to iTunes and Google Music record labels and artist can reach almost anyone in the world with their music and know that their work won’t be infringed upon. In the next five years copyrights will still have the respect it has today. As technology moves along copyrights will be right behind it revising the rules and regulations to make sure that an artist intellectual property is safe and that the artist or label can receive compensatory damages for copyright infringement. Works Cited A&M Records, Inc. v. Napster Inc., 239 f.3d 1004 (U.S. Court of Appeals For The 9th Circuit 2 12, 2001). Copyright Law of the United States of America. (2013). Retrieved from Copyright United States Copyright Office. Miller, R. J. (2011). Business Law Today: Comprehensive. Mason: South-Western Cengage Learning.

The 7 Key Differences Between Business-to-Business

The 7 Key Differences Between business-to-business and consumer marketing by Robert W. Bly When asked if he could write an effective direct mail package on a complex electronic control system, a well-known direct response copywriter replied, â€Å"No problem. It doesn’t matter what the product is. You are selling to people. And people are pretty much the same. † He’s wrong. Yes, there are similarities. But there are also differences in selling to business and professional buyers vs. the general public. In fact, here are six key factors that set business-to-business marketing apart from consumer marketing: . The business buyer wants to buy. Most consumer advertising offers people products they might enjoy but don’t really need. How many subscription promotions, for example, sell publications that the reader truly could not live without? If we subscribe, we do so for pleasure – not because the information offered is essential to our day-to-day activit y. But in business-to-business marketing, the situation is different. The business buyer wants to buy. Indeed, all business enterprises must routinely buy products and services that help them stay profitable, competitive, and successful.The proof of his is the existence of the purchasing agent, whose sole function is to purchase things. 2. The business buyer is sophisticated. Business-to-business copy talks to a sophisticated audience. Your typical reader has a high interest in – and understanding of – your product (or at least of the problem it solves). Importantly, the reader usually knows more about the product and its use than you do. It would be folly, for example, to believe that a few days spent reading about mainframe computers will educate you to the level of your target prospect – a systems analyst with six or seven years experience. This realization makes business-to-business writers somewhat more humble than their consumer counterparts. ) The sophist ication of the reader requires the business-to-business copywriter to do a tremendous amount of research and digging into the market, the product, and its application. The business audience does not respond well to slogans or oversimplification. 3. The business buyer will read a lot of copy. The business buyer is an information-seeker, constantly on the lookout for information and advice that can help the buyer do the job better, increase profits, or advance his career. Our prospects are turned off by colorful, advertising-type sales brochures,† says the marketing manager of a company selling complex ‘systems’ software products to large IBM data centers. â€Å"They are hungry for information and respond better to letters and bulletins that explain, in fairly technical terms, what our product is and how it solves a particular data-center problem. † Don’t be afraid to write long copy in mailers, ads, and fulfillment brochures. Prospects will read your message – if it is interesting, important, and relevant to their needs.And don’t hesitate to use informational pieces as response hooks for ads and mailers. The offer of a free booklet, report, or technical guide can still pull well – despite the glut of reading matter clogging the prospect’s in-basket. 4. A multistep buying process. In consumer direct response, copywriters’ fees are geared toward producing the â€Å"package† – an elaborate mailing that does the bulk of the selling job for a publication, insurance policy, or other mail order product. But in business-to-business direct marketing, the concept of package or control is virtually non-existent.Why? Because the purchase of most business products is a multistep buying process. A vice president of manufacturing doesn’t clip a coupon and order a $35,000 machine by mail. First he asks for a brochure. Then a sales meeting. Then a demonstration. Then a 30-day trial. Then a proposal or contract. Thus, it is not a single piece of copy that wins the contract award. Rather, it takes a series of letters, brochures, presentations, ads, and mailers – combined with the efforts of salespeople – to turn a cold lead into a paying customer. 5. Multiple buying influences.You don’t usually consult with a team of experts when you want to buy a fast-food hamburger, a soda, bottle of shampoo, or a pair of shoes, do you? In most consumer selling situations, the purchase decision is made by an individual. But a business purchase is usually a team effort, with many players involved. For this reason, a business purchase is rarely an â€Å"impulse† buy. Many people influence the decision – from the purchasing agent and company president, to technical professionals and end-users. Each of these audiences has different concerns and criteria by which they judge you.To be successful, your copy must address the needs of all parties involved wit h the decision. In many cases, this requires separate mailings to many different people within an organization. 6. Business products are more complex. Most business products – and their applications – are more complex than consumer products. (For example, clients I now serve include a commercial bank, a manufacturer of elevator control systems, a data processing training firm, a database marketing company, a mailing list broker, a general contractor, and a semiconductor manufacturer. Business-to-business copy cannot be superficial. Clarity is essential. You cannot sell by â€Å"fooling† the prospect or hiding the identity of your product. Half the battle is explaining, quickly and simply, what your product is, what it does, and why the reader should be interested in it. â€Å"In high-tech direct mail, the key is to educate the prospect,† say Mark Toner, who manages the advertising program for Amano, a manufacturer of computerized time-clock systems. †Å"With a product like ours, most customers don’t even know of its existence. In short, in business-to-business marketing, the rules are different. In the months to come, we’ll explore ways to increase response and profits in this exciting and challenging marketplace. Business buyers are looking for personal benefits by Robert W. Bly In a column titled â€Å"The 7 Key Differences Between Business-To-Business And Consumer Marketing,† I described the six key factors that set business-to-business marketing apart from consumer marketing. They are: The business buyer wants to buy. The business buyer is sophisticated.The business buyer is an information seeker who will read a lot of copy. Business-to-business marketing involves a multistep buying process. The buying decision is frequently made by a committee and not by an individual. Business products are generally more complex than consumer products. Recently, I have formulated a seventh principle which I would like t o add to the list The business buyer buys for his company’s benefit – and his own. There are two parts to this principle. Let’s take them one at a time. The Business Buyer Buys For His Company’s BenefitThe business buyer must acquire products and services that benefit his company. This means the product or service saves the company time or money, makes money, improves productivity, increases efficiency or solves problems. Let’s say, for example, that you sell a telecommunications network and your primary advantage over the competition is that your system reduces monthly operating expenses by 50 percent. If a prospect is spending $40,000 a month for your competitor’s network, you can replace it and provide his company with the same level of service for only $20,000 a month.The company benefits because it saves $240,000 a year in communications costs – more than $1 million in a five-year period. Yet, despite this tremendous benefit, you find that prospects are not buying. They seem interested, and you get a lot of inquiries. But few sales are closed. Why? Because in addition to buying for his company’s benefit, the prospect also buys for himself. The Business Buyer Buys For His Own Benefit The second part of principle #7 is that, while the buyer is looking to do right by his company, he has an equal (if not greater) concern for his own well-being and selfish interests.Although the idea of saving $240,000 a year with your telecommunications system is appealing to your prospect, his thought process is as follows: â€Å"Right now I have an AT&T system. Your system sounds good but I don’t know you or your company. If I switch and something goes wrong, I will be blamed. I may even get fired. My boss will say, ‘You shouldn’t have gambled on an unproven product from an unknown vendor – why didn’t you stick with good ole reliable AT&T? ’ He will say this even though he appr oved my decision. So to be safe, I will stick with my current system†¦ ven though it costs my company an extra $240,000 a year. After all, I’d rather see them spend an extra $240,000 a year than me lose my $60,000-a-year-job! † This play-it-safe mentality is only natural, and it affects buying decisions daily in corporations throughout the country. Data processing professionals are fond of saying, â€Å"Nobody ever got fired for buying IBM. † Buying IBM ensures the prospect that no one can criticize his decision, even if brand X is the better choice from a business and technical point of view.A corporate pension fund manager, writing in Money magazine, noted that no money manager ever got fired for losing money invested in a blue-chip stock. A different example, but the principle remains the same. The Business Buyer Is For Himself Concern for making the safe, acceptable decision is a primary motivation of business buyers, but it is not the only reason why bu siness buyers choose products, services and suppliers that are not necessarily the best business solution to their company’s problem. Avoiding stress or hardship is a big concern among prospects.For example, a consultant might offer a new system for increasing productivity, but it means more paperwork for the shipping department†¦ and especially for the head of the shipping department. If he has anything to say about it, and thinks no one will criticize him for it, the head of shipping will, in this case, work to sway the committee against engaging the consultant or using his system†¦ even though the current procedures are not efficient. The department head, already overworked, wants to avoid something he perceives as a hassle and a headache, despite its contribution to the greater good of the organization.Fear of the unknown is also a powerful motivator. A middle manager, for example, might vote against acquiring desktop publishing and putting a terminal on every m anager’s desk because he himself has computer phobia. Even though he recognizes the benefit such technology can bring to his department, he wants to avoid the pain of learning something he perceives to be difficult and frightening. Again, personal benefit outweighs corporate benefit in this situation. Fear of loss is another powerful motivator. An advertising manager in a company that has handled its advertising in-house for the past decade may esist his president’s suggestion that they retain an outside advertising agency to handle the company’s rapidly expanding marketing campaign. Even if he respects the ad agency and believes they will do a good job, the ad manager may campaign against them, fearing that bringing in outside experts will diminish his own status within the company. In these and many other instances, the business buyer is for himself first; and his company, second. To be successful, your copy must not only promise the benefits the prospect desi res for his company; it should also speak to the prospect’s personal agenda, as well.