Frankenstein: Social Construct Essay

Although written in the 19th century, Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein has many themes that are still relevant today. Frankenstein, though it was sparked as a simple nightmare, is depicted as a social commentary. The rules of society remain the same, despite the two hundred year difference in time. The norms were being changed over time, yet they remained to those who decided to reject the social changes. Those people are rejected from society, and hold immense hatred because of the said rejection, and that hatred morphs their person. As this happens in the novel, Frankenstein turns into the monster everyone claimed him to be. With rejection, bitterness is sure to ensue, especially as human nature makes humans very sociable creatures. Shelley makes other social remarks concerning human nature, religion vs. science, and creation that are still holding strong through the years and remain true today. As previously mentioned, the townspeople treated Adam (the name the Frankenstein monster gave himself) in such a way because he had resembled a nightmare-riddled monster, and thought they could treat him as such because his looks justified it. He looked like a monster, therefore he did not have a soul. It is something classified as dogma or a social belief: people will accept as such without a second thought. As this is human nature, one will only act a certain way towards another from their personal appearance, in example: If the person looks weak, they will be treated as such. In another example, if a young man comes across feminine in the very least way, he is branded as a homosexual and is treated as such. People do not try to expand their minds and accept others, this being one of the major distinguishing and disgusting part of. With a society that has a mixture of everything and anything, saying that something is not exactly â€Å"normal† is just a distortion, as not one person could truly know what â€Å"normal† would be like in a society. But not only is the monster in Frankenstein judged for his looks, he is also judged for coarse manner of speech and his generally unrefined character. He manages to dwell in extreme natural temperatures, and exists on a different diet. Being superior to the average human in every way except appearance, Adam is a super human. On human standards, the Adam is not attractive or even acceptable, he is considered to be deformed and is outcasted. As is correct in the given time period, the monster is persecuted on how he looks and is constantly hunted down or harassed. Appearance is one of the fastest ways to see a societal difference, be it skin colour or hair colour. Social exclusions do not just limit themselves to being based on appearance only, though. Not only was human nature depicted in Frankenstein, but creation was as well. Victor is depicted as a god-like figure to Frankenstein, as the man is his creator and appreciates him as such. Also, Frankenstein feels that he has been abandoned and turns resentful and ruthless. Victor, being his creator/parental figure and rejected him so readily, gave Adam the motives, the want to cause pain to people because he could. This is a comment on how some feel abandoned by their godlike figures or parents in one way or another. By being surrounded by a strong disapproving society, who believes that whatever God created should be marveled at in wonder and not poked, prodded, or measured in any way, It is believed that everything their God created is perfect in every way, regardless of mishap or disfiguration. Judging by the definition of creation, and the fact that Frankenstein did not have the same creator as normal society, Frankenstein is different, and obviously then ostracised. But creation is not just limited to bringing a new life into the world, but something composers, artists and writers do as well. Creation is truly a burden to carry, or can be the thought that inspires one to pursue creation. It is almost like an illness that cannot be corrected or cured. Creation is a beautiful sickness, and yet a destructive one at the same time. This sickness is the same sickness that had created breathtaking symphonies by Bach and Beethoven, and also was the same sickness that lead Anne Sexton and Kurt Cobain to their early deaths. This sickness is born again as the monster; he is also infected by it. Victor worked madly to complete his creation, the monster, only to realize what he wanted did not turn out as he planned it. He tortured the monster and the monster fled, where the monster could do the same to others as his creator did to him. It is the same concept of a parent teaching their offspring, or of a God passing down beliefs to his followers. In Frankenstein, Victor had lost his faith. With that loss of faith in religion, he pursued the science aspect, and was then despised and then rejected for it. With the large variety religion has, Victor chose to abandon them all and push for the more probable aspect of things. He pursued to push nature to its limit in a way that is frowned upon by most religious followers, although science deems that to be okay. Religion and science have always been up against one another, both sides determined to prove that they are correct. Religion has many branches, with Christianity being one very significant aspect. Christians tell the world that God is the one who had created the earth and everything that lives there, although Science tells us that it was the Big Bang which created the earth. This is a huge battle between science and religion. Christians also say that God created man and from that the population today was created. However, science will argue that it is evolution that sparked the creation of man, and that everything was once something simpler before, and it grew smarter and stronger and became what it is today. Both religion and science disagree with one another. While religion is based on of faith and has no proof aside of text and interpretation, science is based on proof of theories solely. Although the two have differences that are never going to be resolved within the next century, they can manage to cooperate with each others’ difficulties. But there are also major instances where a resolution would not be exactly what is needed. Science has proven that there is, in fact, a gene that homosexuals have that make them homosexual, and are indeed born with it. Religion, Christianity in particular, believe that it is a disease and can simply be forgiven once the said â€Å"victim† has pleaded for forgiveness and can be â€Å"cured†. Religion seeks justification and science seeks answers. With religion’s ideology and need for uniform social understanding, people will blindly act without seeking to understand the whole situation. With pure â€Å"seeking of truth† people will not stop to wonder if it is a good or bad situation, and if it is something that needs to be sought out. People who are purely scientific will ignore what is not present in the evidence, no matter how obvious it may appear. They will ignore things that they cannot observe to be â€Å"true†. People who base their lives on what they â€Å"know† or have been told do not seek to understand precisely why is it how it is, and potentially stray from their path of righteousness, despite being faced with evidence that discredits their belief. The perfect compromise between the two based on the evidence is that one must both follow their own heart, their own intuition and what one has been taught, yet one also must seek new truths and be willing to adapt. Frankenstein is a novel holds a plethora of themes of human nature; the moral and immoral, creation, and religion versus science. These three major themes then are still major to today, and are constantly being used as examples in modern society and psychological affairs. This is why Frankenstein is such a timeless piece and can always relate to the current times. As a classic, is distinguishes a certain period in time where these things were relevant, and sent a shock throughout society, something that we now appreciate and use when teaching. Creation is a valued as a sickness that plagues a man’s mind with either beauty or destruction, the same sickness that had plagued Victor’s mind while creating Adam. Human nature pushed Adam to harm others and fear for his own life countless times. Religion versus science is a never ending battle between the two, even to this day. The classic novel, Frankenstein, has many themes that are absolutely timeless and still relevant today, which is what makes it so valuable, and allows others to learn from it and understand the social psychology behind the story and how it still applies to the times now.

Communicate in a business environment Essay

1.1 – The purpose of communication can be given by any means, it could be talking, email, text message, phone call, meeting as a group and notes. But all of these are done for the same reason to resolve a problem, to communicate a problem to others to resolve it or to organize or explain the problem to help other understand the agenda of what you are speaking about or working on. Every person has their own skills and knowledge so by communicating we can help each other learn or explain things to each other by all of the forms of communications mentioned above. There would be no understanding or routine without communication. 1.2 – The reasons for knowing the audience to whom you are speaking to is that if you know them then you can quickly figure out or should already know what way, language or style of writing which should or could be used. The aim is always to get your point, problem or query understood by whomever may be listening, reading or watching. So if it is an individual, group or team or people you know that you may know personally this makes the task at hand so much easier because they will believe you in what you are saying or trying to communicate across in which ever manner which is chosen. They will also understand the language, emotion or attitude you will be using towards them compared to if it was a complete stranger trying to understand you. I will always use whichever way of talking, writing or body language which I think will be the easiest for my selected audience at hand. Read more:  Different reasons why people communicate  essay 1.3 – The different methods of communication are Verbal, Written and non-verbal (Body language). Verbal would be communicating by using my voice to say and tell whatever I may be trying to communicate across to my audience. Written communication would be, sending an email, letter, text message to explain, tell or inform my audience. Non-verbal communication using body language, would be showing with my hands,  eyes or face by using gestures to show and tell. 1.4 – You should always use different methods of communication, for example if you was in a management meeting you would always communicate verbally in a formal manner. For just having a general talk between our editorial team in our desk area we would use informal for talking about the plans for the social media sites for the company, what products should be selected to show up on the company’s daily Facebook updates. Non-verbal would or could be used by sending an emails to someone to add facts, figures or statistic’s or even in a form as a written note. Body language is always used even without us know we are doing it, in any form of communication except sending emails, texts etc.†¦ Body language can tell or show a lot more from the way you hold your self during a public speaking or when at an informal or formal meetings.

Am a Filipino, a Proud One Essay

The Philippines. The Pearl of the Orient Seas, a country full of wonderful places, places being visited of tourists from different countries. A great country with great people called Filipinos. Filipinos, people with such nice traits. Tan, the color of their skin, the color that makes many foreigners envy them. They have rich black hair that flows naturally. Twinkling eyes some have black ones, some have hazel brown. They have such lovable characteristics. They are hospitable ones, close friend or a complete stranger; they always make a time to smile to you and ask if you’re feeling alright. Cheerful, they are, and talented too! Reciting poems expressing the appropriate feelings, singing to the top of their lungs, dancing so gracefully that you want to join them. They are hard-working, industrious they are. They are also religious of course, they surrender all to God. There are lots of traits of the Filipinos that are to be proud of. And I am one of them, one of the â€Å"They†. I am a Filipino, a proud one. And you, I suppose, are one too. I just can’t think why we, Filipinos are not proud of our nationality, our country. Why we, choose other products than ours, because in our mind things made locally are ‘CHEAP’ which is totally not true, we are makers of world class items. We should be proud of our country. Don’t you know that we, Filipinos, are admired by people around the world? They love the Philippines AND the Filipinos. There is nothing, absolutely nothing to be ashamed of being a Filipino. Neither our physical traits, nor our characteristics should be ashamed of. So, how do we show our love to our country? Easy. Simply choose our own products instead of the imported ones. This will also help our country arise in terms of economy. Learn about our country, this will also help you love our country more. We shouldn’t be ashamed of our beloved country.

Environmental Sustainability Questions Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Environmental Sustainability Questions - Essay Example This report provided a complete synopsis of the emerging environmental crisis and remedies in solving the problems. This report majorly aimed at discussing environmental development as a single issue. This report gathered various issues relating to environmental problems and initiated a comprehensive breakthrough to sustainability thus encompassing social, economic, political and environmental criteria. The main aim of this report was to provide the country with sustainable environment as from 1987 hence forth (Ashford& Hall, 2011). The idea of sustainability was initiated by the world commission of environmental development which has since been used and redeveloped in the continuous work with sustainability in different scopes. The Bruntland report was majorly divided in three parts that are the major focus of the commissioned report. This report was concerned of the environmental sustainability in the future since the rate of human environmental reduction was very high. However, th ere were challenges experienced such measures to achieve a supportable growth in the environment. This effect leads to reduction in infant mortality and on the other hand human life expectancy is also high therefore posing a challenge to the global environment (Ashford& Hall, 2011). ... Question Two This is an international agreement formulated to protect the stratospheric ozone layer. This agreement was designed in 16th September 1987 in Montreal and substantially amended in 1990 and 1992.This treaty stipulates that production and consumption of materials that diminish the ozone layer in the stratosphere such as chlorofluorocarbons(CFCs), methyl chloro form, carbon tetra chloride and halons are to be eliminated by the year 2000 while methyl chloro form should also be eliminated by 2005(Ashford& Hall, 2011).Scientific theory suggest that ,the moment these compounds are emitted into the atmosphere then they deplete the ozone layer that shields the earth from destroying ultra violet- beta radiation. This agreement was signed by over 140 nations among Argentina, Belarus, Burkina Faso, Denmark, Europe, Egypt, Belgium, Australia, Canada Austria, Congo, Chile and Kenya. This protocol relates to climate change in that it aids in the restricting the use of ozone depleting c ompounds. This has majorly helped reduce global warming and protect the ozone cover. Therefore, the benefit of this protocol to climate change currently supersedes the one for Kyoto protocol (Ashford& Hall, 2011). This protocol has helped to reduce global warming and protect the ozone layer. This protocol is also essential to the climate change since it has helped reduce the volume of heat confined due to ozone depleting substances as this would be twice as much as present levels. Question Three Transboundary pollution involves the pollution that originates from one country but is not able to damage another country’s environment by passing or crossing borders

Advantages of the current healthcare insurance in the US Essay

Advantages of the current healthcare insurance in the US - Essay Example Reports from Federal Budget and General Accounting Office of USA display the fact that if universal health care is implemented then there would be a saving of $100- $200 billion per year. This is a huge monetary benefit that country can secure for other vocations. The advantage was understood by the Canada government long back, in 1971 and they adopted single-payer system. People are much happy by adopting this system and they are contentedly enjoying peace of mind as they do not have to be bothered about their health and care facilities and are not willing to revert back to their old, US-kind of system. The government of Canada knows that in terms of economy they are lagging behind as compared to USA but by adopting universal health insurance they are saving a lot in terms of funds. It is essential to understand that by adopting universal health insurance, single payer universal health care cost would decrease due to diminution of administrative cost, as compared to the current US-system of health care facilities where individuals are paying around 50-100% more administrative charges, which is a remarkable loss of finances (Battista, McCabe, 1999). By adopting universal health care insurance enhanced management, monetary gains and ease can be accomplished. It is necessary for the citizens of US to have this understanding and also it is essential that government should make the people aware to dissolve their myths and wrong notions that they have created in their minds and should understand the benefits they will be provided with, for the sake and better prospects of the nation, as we never shop for health it is not a product, but people can enjoy the same kind of facilities at much lower cost. It is essential that government and NGOs must understand the benefits of health insurance and should create public awareness program through talks and discussions and

Bribery and Serving Public Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2750 words

Bribery and Serving Public - Essay Example We hear these types of incidences almost daily in our lives. All of these acts are crimes and deemed as bribery cases. Bribery is basically a crime which is done by giving any benefit to the other party for changing the outcomes of the result. The term benefit is a very broad term and it could be anything from money to a simple favor. According to the Black's law dictionary, bribery is the offering, giving, receiving, or soliciting of any item of value to influence the actions as an official or other person in discharge of a public or legal duty. Bribery is basically a reward or rewards, which is given to an individual or group to change the decision in favor of the person who is giving the bribe. Generally, the following rewards are given for not being loyal and just: The issue of bribery is not only associated with the public sector organizations but also with private sector organizations - even in the NGOs that come in the market with a commitment to serve the people without any monetary benefits. Bribery is illegal in many countries including the United Kingdom and United States. It is considered an unethical act and a form of political corruption that hinders the success and prosperity of a nation. Another shameful form of bribery exists in the field of medicine - a field that serves to save human lives without any discrimination and unjust behavior. In this form of bribery, pharmaceutical corporations reward doctors for heavy subscription of their drugs to their patients, and in reward the doctors get lucrative gifts in various forms. The US government has already taken several steps to cope with this form of bribery. The American Medical Association (AMA) has already published a set of ethical guidelines for the industry that describes the list of acceptable gifts that can be given to the doctors as rewards. In addition, dentists are also the part of this bribery issue; they receive samples of home dental care products such as tooth cleaning gels. Transparency International Reports (Health) The transparency international reports the types of corruption in health. According to the organization, regulators, payers, health care providers, suppliers and consumers face a complex mix of incentives that can lead to corruption. Forms of corruption in the health sector include: Embezzlement and theft from the health budget or user-fee revenue. This can occur at central or local government level or at the point of allocation to a particular health authority or health centre. Medicines and medical supplies or equipment may be stolen for personal use, use in private practice or resale. Corruption in procurement. Engaging in collusion, bribes and kickbacks in procurement results in overpayment for goods and contracted services, or in failure to enforce contractual standards for quality. In addition, hospital spending may include large investments in building construction and purchase of expensive technologies, areas of procurement that are particularly vulnerable to corruption. Corruption in payment systems. Corrupt practices include waiving fees or falsifying insurance documents for

Business and the Constitution and Administrative Law Essay

Business and the Constitution and Administrative Law - Essay Example In addition, for any successful business manager, it is helpful to know and be familiar with tribulations addressed by constitutional laws, provisions of those policies, and the type of administrative and mechanism via which these laws are enforced. Environment protection agency has established regulatory flexibility agenda that possess information that may have a positive impact on tourism industry. The environment protection agency continue to draft in it in the federal register since that is what is demanded by the regulatory flexibility Act enacted in 1980 (Kubasek & Silverman, 1997). Its actions are more protective and cost effective because it involves stakeholders to assist to identify most practical remedies to problems. More so, it encourages a person to be more involved in its policymaking process and rule. Environment protection agency information found in the registry is about compliance to administrative legal requirements and environmental laws used to the issuance of regulations. Section 610 of the regulatory federal agency demands that environmental protection agency review is conducted within 10 years of promulgation, each rule will have an impact on the economy (Kubasek & Silverman, 1997). Some information such as confidential business information is not available to the public. This restriction will be helpful to business operations of a manager at Microsoft Corporation since it does not reveal the secrets of the company. The operation manager will also use this information to improve the performance, security and availability of Microsoft networks. He or she will able to evaluate, monitor and secure vast resources such as web servers, corporate servers, computers and other

Electronic Waste Speech or Presentation Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Electronic Waste - Speech or Presentation Example Developed nations have made several steps towards ensuring e-waste management. On the other hand, developing nations lag behind and so far policies enacted as not fully implemented. In most developed nations, there are no policies that govern the disposal of electronic materials (Karpus, 1). This, therefore, implies that e-waste is posing several challenges in many nations.   Electronic wastes are made up different materials that are extremely toxic. Some of these materials cannot be decomposed or decompose at a unusually slow rate (Toothman & Elizabeth, 1). Toxic Components of E-Waste  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Smoke alarms contained in many electronic devices are made up of americium or carcinogen. This two materials are radioactive and take a very long to decompose. Mercury is used to make tilt switches, fluorescent tubes, flat screen monitors and thermostats. If mercury is absorbed into the environment, it results into serious health eff ects such as dermatitis, sensory impairment, general muscle weakness, and memory loss in human beings and reduced fertility, death, slower rate of growth and development in animals (Karpus, 1). Lead acid batteries are made up of particularly harmful chemical called sulphur. If absorbed into an individual’s body it causes adverse effects such as kidney damage, throat and eye irritation, and heart damage. When allowed to reach the clouds, it reacts with vapor.... o serious health effects such as dermatitis, sensory impairment, general muscle weakness, and memory loss in human beings and reduced fertility, death, slower rate of growth and development in animals (Karpus, 1). Lead acid batteries are made up of particularly harmful chemical called sulphur. If absorbed into an individual’s body it causes adverse effects such as kidney damage, throat and eye irritation, and heart damage. When allowed to reach the clouds, it reacts with vapor to form sulphuric acid (Toothman & Elizabeth, 1). BFR is used in most electronics as flame retardants. It is made up of other several chemicals, which when allowed to the environment causes several health complications. These include liver problems, thyroid problems, and impaired nervous system development both in animals and human beings (Grossman, 1). Cadmium is used to make light sensitive resistors and nickel cadmium rechargeable batteries used in electronic devices. Cadmium has adverse effects if ex posed to the environment. If inhaled, it causes permanent damage to the lungs as well as causing kidney diseases. Due to its adverse effects, it was banned in Europe except for medical purposes (Toothman & Elizabeth, 1). Lead is a vital component of most electronic devices including monitors, solders, lead-acid batteries, cathode ray tubes and PVC. Lead if allowed into the soil will encourage leaching and destroy natural habitats for many micro-organisms. Beryllium is used as filler in thermal materials. These include thermal grease that is used in CPUs and heat sinks, X-rays ceramic windows, vacuum tubes, and gas lasers (James, 13). If all of these harmful chemicals are released into the environment then our future generations are threatened. Most animals will get extinct the generations that

Strategic Change Management in Larnaca General Hospital Assignment

Strategic Change Management in Larnaca General Hospital - Assignment Example The hospital was established in the year 1984 (Larnaca General Hospital, 2012). The hospital has been built upon the land which belongs to the â€Å"Church Committee of the Monastery of St. George Kontos†. Church committee donated the land to hospital authority during early 1980’s. Ministry of Health provided a donation to hospital authority in order to build the healthcare unit. The hospital was opened on 24th April 1985 by Spyros Kyprianou (former president of Cyprus during that time). Funding Situation Various nonprofit organizations such as Anti-Cancer Society of Cyprus and Cyprus Association of Cancer Patients and Ministry of Health will provide a fund for breast health center of Larnaca general hospital. There will not be any other stakeholders except mentioned nonprofit organizations. Mission Statement In accordance with the Directorate of Nursing Services the hospital strives for improving nursing care continuously. According to the directorate, they need constr uctive cooperation as well as participation from nurses during difficult and complex healthcare situation in order to achieve the mission objective. Change Situation Breast Health Center Breast cancer has emerged as a pernicious disease for women in last fifteen years and statistics show that in the country of Cyprus number of women affected by breast cancer has been increased sharply in recent times. There are three major cancer prevention initiatives such as Anti-Cancer society, Cyprus Association of Cancer Patients and Friends are present in the country. In the district of Larnaca, there are no special centers for observing initial symptoms of breast cancer although it is a way to prevent the disease in early stages. It is very hard to find accurate and valid healthcare data of the Cypriot population due to strict government rules. A report published by CYSTAT or Statistical Service of Cyprus shows that a number of women dying due to breast cancer are relatively high in contrast to other diseases. The statistical report shows that more than 32% of women are suffering from breast cancers. The following diagram can be used in order to understand the severity of breast cancer in the country. (Source: Golna et al., 2004) The Larnaca General Hospital needs to establish breast health center in order to reduce stress and nervousness associated with preliminary stages of breast cancer. The study shows that 1109 Cypriot women were diagnosed with breast cancer during the time period of 1999-2005. The study also shows that nearly 400 cases of breast cancer are reported by women while 90% of cases get registered by hospital officials. Although cancer patients receive treatment from Bank of Cyprus Oncology Centre of Nicosia very few people in Larnaca district have the access to such facilities.

Response Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 30

Response - Essay Example 137–143). During the process of socialization, people learn the language of the culture they are born into as well as the role played in life. Socialization is an important component of personality formation. In as much as much of the human personality is dependent on the human genes, socialization process plays an integral role in modeling a person towards a particular direction by encouraging specific attitudes, beliefs as well as provision of selective process. Successful socialization results in uniformity in the society. When all children receive the same standards of socialization, there is a high likelihood that they will share the same expectations and beliefs. It is crucial for children to learn socialization skills at home or in schools; children are naturally egocentric, implying that they think of themselves as the center of the world at birth. The process of socialization is an important aspect of a child’s life as it enables the child to think of others as well as themselves to be significant and appreciate different roles played by different people in the world. The tendency of egocentrism among newborn children is not negative and is inborn in all human beings; however, for successful operation of children into the society, they must learn to interact with other members in a positive, healthy and productive manner. Preparation of children to become successful adults thus calls upon adults and childhood educators to impart socialization skills, not only in schools but also at homes (Praxis, pp. 1–7). Poor socialization skills among children would most likely result in an unhealthy intimate relationship in adulthood. This can result in unfortunate incidences like peer rejection and involvement in delinquent childhood behaviors. Socialization is thus important since social skills learned in the society helps to keep a child safe as well as enables the maintenance of a healthy

My adult learning style Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

My adult learning style - Research Paper Example This is why it was highly important to take the learning styles inventory to understand what factors involved with learning are most effective at helping the individual to comprehend. The results of the study indicate that I tend to be an aural learner, scoring a 13 on the inventory. Closely behind was logical with a score of 12, physical scoring 11, and verbal learning with a nine score. Largely, based on the inventory, I am considered to be a balanced learner who is able to comprehend information from many different learning activities. As an aural learner, music and sound are often quality methods in the learning process. Aural learners learn by hearing information and the student fitting this profile would generally â€Å"like class lectures and small group discussions, listening in class more than taking notes† (Korybut, 2009, p.1). From a personal reflective standpoint, I have always found considerable value in classroom environments with teachers who are strong lecturers without really ever having a personal need for note-taking in order to be engaged with the teacher’s discussions. This type of presentational teaching helps me to stay focuse d on what is being taught orally where comprehension is simply a matter of recalling what has been heard. Further, having the balance between different learning styles would also give me the ability to explore many different learning methods to find which one is best-suited to long-term comprehension. For instance, logical learners â€Å"prefer using logic, reasoning and systems† (learning-styles-online.com, 2009, p.1). Though I have not always had a knack for statistics or the use of complicated systems, logic is a very large part of how I absorb information. For example, if a lecturer provides information which is not very relevant or seems to be stemming from opinion rather than experience, I find myself rejecting the information and can no longer focus on what is

Correctional system Essay Example for Free

Correctional system Essay Does the conservative approach or liberal approach improve the correctional system. Please explain and give an example Though conservative approach has been criticized greatly over its dominance and operation in the last two decades, it still forms the best approach for crime control and correctional consideration. Over the last two decades, the conservative zero tolerance to crime has achieved a lot by segregating the criminals and correcting them in isolation. According to the pattern theory, it is clear that once a criminal has been established, it is very hard to prevent latter crime. Notably, keeping the criminals in prisons makes it possible for the administration to mobilize resources towards their correction with ease. To add to that, it is much easier to monitor the criminals reform progress. According to the Oklahoma Board of Corrections, John Lilly Correction Centers criminals are able to refocus on their actions and therefore make lifetime decisions to change. In addition, the desire for revenge by the offended reduces greatly when the individuals who committed crime are away from the community. Justice entails holistic evaluation of the scenario and the general re-evaluation that the offender gets due to punishment from his/her actions. According to criminal analysts, the presence of an offender (like a rapist) can hamper the psychological recovery of the offended. Though this system has been highly effective amidst vast criticism, it has the following disadvantages which should be addressed to perfect it. With the criminal correction system taking place at segregated places, there are high chances of minor offenders mixing with hard criminals which can make the formers to assimilate the traits of latter. Therefore, they should be separated and greater surveillance offered to ensure compliance. To add to that, the approach requires vast resources to maintain and effect the correctional measures to the vast prisoners in the US jails. To borrow from the liberals, it would be important to ensure an outward outlook of the correctional approach as a mode of preparing the inmates to get back to the community after the correctional period (Byrne, 2005). 2: Does the restorative justice approach improve the criminal justice system. Please explain and give an example Recently, criminal justice has taken different considerations that indicate possible future changes in the overall application of the justice system. Restorative justice is a broad term which refers to institutionalization of peaceful approaches to addressing harm, problem-solving, and violations. This system has assisted improved criminal justice greatly by bringing the two parties (offender and the offended) to the same table for reconciliation. Under this system the offender seeks reparation directly or indirectly from the offended. Restorative justice assists in addressing all the underlying issues that hold the offended captive until justice is done. During the Truth and Reconciliation Commission of South Africa after the oppressive regime of apartheid, it was possible for the offended to totally bring out their anger, grief, pain, and sorrow they encountered during apartheid. As indicated by Piagets theory of personal development, what is in ones mind persists for long until such a time that the correct platform for expression is established. Restorative justice therefore gives people the correct chances to forgive one another totally. As indicated by the South Africa Truth and Reconciliation commission, it becomes much easier to develop better relationship between the offender and the offended after the process. In adversarial legal process and civil litigation processes, lawyers simplify reduce the issues between the offenders and the offended to only legally relevant considerations to protect their clients. However, restorative justice is better in that all aspects are addressed holistically and rehabilitation exclusively undertaken to enhance later coexistence and development. Restorative justice therefore assists in achieving the correct balance between the rights of the offenders and the needs of the victims. Besides, it strikes the balance between the need for rehabilitation of the offenders and the main duty to protect the public from such criminals. This system should therefore be encouraged due to its conterminously acceptable ideals at all levels (Jaimie, 2005). Q3: Does community-based correctional options address crime control? Please explain and give an example. Arguably, community based correction options assist in reducing crime in the society by ensuring that the criminals are reformed in a model that prepares them to be assimilated back to the society. Whereas other correction systems emphasis on the need to harshly treat the offenders for them to realize their mistakes and reform with time, this method is considered to be a softer option as it is based in the community. To add to that, it gives more focus to developmental skills attainment that assist offenders prepare for productive lives after their correction time is over. Oriana House is a community based correction unit that operates in Ohio and Akron. In this CBFS, felony offenders are sentenced to undergo substance abuse treatment, job training, educational services, and cognitive skills that can assist them after completing the community service. The offenders usually get time to mix with the community in various activities and educational programs. This system redirects the focus of an individual to constructive thinking as opposed to destructive format that is achieved by the conservative approach. However, it has been criticized for failing to ensure that strict measures are taken by the corrective system (Curt Anne, 2008). About 5% of the people under the system are likely to recidivate back. Reference list Byrne, J. M. (2005). Crime Control Strategies and Community Change-Reforming The Surveillance vs Treatment Debate. Lowell: University of Massachusetts. Curt, R. Anne, B. (2008). Introduction to Forensic Psychology: Research and Application. New York: Sage. Jaimie, B. (2005). ‘Restoration or Renovation: Evaluating Restorative Justice Outcomes’. 12(1) Psychiatry, Psychology and Law 12(1):185-200

Report for potential investors in tesco plc

Report for potential investors in tesco plc The purpose of this report is for potential investors who are considering buying shares in Tesco plc. The report creates an overall picture of Tescos financial position and provides an assessment of Tescos performance over the last three years. The information used to assess the financial position of Tesco was gathered from the Annual report of the last three years. This information was downloaded from the official Tesco website. From that, the ratios were calculated from the financial statements within the report. Results Ratios 2004 2005 2006 Change (%) Return on capital employed 13.99% 14.77% 17.29% 19.09% increase Net profit Margin 5.17% 5.76% 5.78% 10% increase Asset Turnover 2.72 times 2.56 times 2.99 times 9.03% increase Current Assets 0.56 times 0.57 times 0.52 times 8.77% decrease Quick Ratio 0.35:1 0.35:1 0.33:1 05.71% decrease Gearing Analysis 35.35% 34.52% 28.38% 19.72% decrease Interest Cover 7.75 8.31 9.46 18.08% increase Earning per share 15.05p 17.44p 20.07p 25.01% increase Dividend Cover 2.13 times 2.29 times 2.57 times 17.12% increase Introduction The aim of this report is to provide an assessment of the companys performance over the three year period to a group of potential investors in the company. So this report will use nine financial ratios which are useful for the investors to help them to identify and highlight area of good and bad performance of the company and area with significant change. Therefore this report will consist: brief overview of the history of Tesco and Then it will analyse the profitability, liquidity, investment analysis of Tesco plc. The report will also advice potential investors on whether shares in this company would be a good investment. Brief Background on Tesco plc It is best known that Tesco Company is the leading retailer in the UK and one of the largest food retailers in the world. The retail industry is a highly competitive market. Tesco competes with a wide range of retailers with a wide range sizes and there face increased competition from UK retailers as well as international operators. Tesco also sell non food goods such as electrical goods and clothing. In general Tesco is a successful profitable company which attract investors to invest in the company. General Financial Analysis It is well known fact that the financial ratios become important for investors to help them whether they should buy shares in the business, sell them, or hold on shares which already own them. Therefore ratios analysis helps investors to identify and highlight area of good and bad performance of the company and area with significant change. In addition, financial ratios explain the relation between different figures in the financial statements consequently we could calculate hundred of ratios fro a set of financial statements, because of this we need to know which ratio provide a good and useful information for the investors , the ratios which are applied incorrectly they may be completely useless and misleading. However if they are used correctly they are useful for understanding the performance of the company and interpreting the company account. Ratios describe the relationship between different items in the financial; however the relative usefulness of each ratio depends on what aspects of a companys business affairs are being investigated. In this case of Tesco plc, there are four elements of ratios that are been analysed. These are Profitability, Liquidity and Investment analysis. Return on Capital Employed (ROCE): The ROCE is an important measure of the profitability of a company. This is because it is a popular indicator of management efficiency by contrasting the net profit generated by the company with the total capital employed (traditionally, total capital employed in this case has been taken to be the long term funding). It does not only incorporate the funds the shareholders have invested, but also funds invested by banks and other lenders, and therefore shows the productivity of the assets of the group. ROCE = PBIT ÃÆ'-100 Capital employed 2006 = 2,280 ÃÆ'-100 9,444 + 3742 = 17.29% 2005 = 1,952 ÃÆ'-100 4,563 + 8,654 = 14.77% 2004 = 1,729 ÃÆ'-100 7,990 + 4,368 = 13.99 These calculations show that the return on capital employed has been on steadily increasing for the past three years. For 2006, the ROCE is 17.29% which is 1.94 % above the average for the three years. This indicates that Tesco is using its invested resources more efficiently and that by comparing with other leading retailers, they ROCE are higher. This shows that this figure is more likely to be acceptable to potential investor. Comparison on Return on Capital employed Year Tesco plc J Sainsbury plc Morrisons 2004 13.99 7.99 6.01 2005 14.77 -2.56 5.1 2006 17.29 3.73 -5.63 Average 15.35 3.053333333 1.826667 Net profit margin is another widely used ratio in the assessment of company performance and in comparison with companies in the same industry. Net profit margin = Profit before exceptional items, interest tax ÃÆ'-100 Revenue (turnover) 2006 = 2,280 ÃÆ'-100 39,454 = 5.78 % 2005 = 1,952 ÃÆ'-100 33,866 = 5.76 % 2004 = 1,735 ÃÆ'-100 33,557 = 5.17 % From the calculation, it shows that net profit margin has been increasing slightly which shows Tesco have kept control of its expenses. Group sales have increased consistently through 2004/05 by 9.4% and in 2005/06 by 14.33%. (Note: in order for comparisons, two different figures were used in 05 sales due to the implementation of IFRS while the comparison for 04/05 was accounted under the standard of UK GAAP). As for PBIT, there was not much increase in 2004/05, however between 2005/06 there was an increase of 14.16 %. Comparison on Net profit Margin Year Tesco J Sainsbury plc Morrisons 2004 5.17% 3.23% 6.19% 2005 5.77 -0.99% 2.12% 2006 5.78 1.43% 2.17% Average 5.573 0.012 0.035 This shows Tesco average on net profit margin for the past three years is way above the averages of other leading supermarkets. This illustrates that in 2005 and 2006, Tesco profit margin is miles ahead. From this it can be concluded that it is a profitable company which has kept control of its expenses. The Asset Turnover is a measure of how much sales are generated by the capital asset base of a company. Asset turnover = Revenue (turnover) Capital employed For Tesco plc, asset for the three years are as follows: For 2006 = 39,454 13,186 = 2.99 times For 2005 = 33,866 13217 =2.56 times For 2004 = 33,557 12,358 = 2.72 times this shows that asset turnover is slightly increasing. This is due to the fact that revenue has increased considerably from  £33,557 in 2004 to  £39,454 in 2006 Comparison on Asset Turnover Year Tesco plc J Sainsbury plc Morrisons 2004 2.72 2.47 0.98 2005 2.56 2.57 2.59 2006 2.99 2.61 2.59 Average 2.7566667 2.55 2.053333 This shows that Tesco is above the average asset turnover for the market. From this it can be concluded that Tesco is generating more sales from its capital base. Liquidity Analysis It is clear that liquidity ratios analysis important to the investors as liquidity ratios related to the capacity of business to pay its short term debt as become due, therefore the focus is on the relationship between current assets and creditors due within one year, since these measure short term sources of cash and short term calls on that cash, there are two commonly used ratios which highlight such a situation: Current ratios (current assets/current liability) The current ratio measure the relationship between the companys current assets and its current liability in Tesco Companys balance sheet shows the current asset for 2006 3991 and current liability of 7518, the current asset for 2005 3224 current liability 5680, for 2004 current assets 3139 current liability 5618 Current ratios = currents assets Current liabilities For 2006 = 3919 7518 = 0.52 times For 2005 = 3224 5680 = 0.57 times For 2004 = 3139 5618 = 0.56 times It can be seen from the results the current ratio for Tesco company is stable between 2004 and 2005, however it fell slightly in 2006, this is because of the fact that there was an increase in current liabilities. Quick ratios (Current assets inventories) / current liabilities The quick ratios ignore the stock and concentrates upon those assets which can be turned into cash, the quick ratios important for investors who want to take share in Tesco Company where stock is turned over quickly and the sales are mainly on a cash, consequently the quick ratios compares liquid current assets with current liabilities. For 2006 = 3919 1464 7518 = 0.33: 1 For 2005 = 3224 -1309 5680 = 0.35: 1 For 2004 = 3139 1199 5618 = 0.35: 1 As it can be seen from the results the quick ratios test follow much the same trend on average over the three years of 0.34, which shows low level of resources are tied up in inventory. It can also be concluded that Tesco does not have any cash flow problems and therefore the company is using its resources well. Gearing Analysis An important determinant of a companys capacity to develop is its funding structure. This very important as it enables the company to assess its capacity to satisfy its long term commitment. The financial structure of a business is an important consideration when assessing the financial health of any entity. The most commonly used structure is the Gearing ratio, which quantifies the relationship between debt and equity. The higher the ratio then the more vulnerable the company is perceived to be this is because there is a high and fixed call on its profit before equity can be satisfied. This means that a company that has high gearing will has deal with its long term commitment such as long term debt and this in turn means they will be less fund for payment such as dividend for shareholders. Gearing Ratio = Long Term Debt ÃÆ'-100 Capital Employed For 2006 = 3742 ÃÆ'-100 9444 + 3742 = 28.38% For 2005 = 4563 ÃÆ'-100 8654 + 4563 = 34.52% For 2004 = 4368 ÃÆ'-100 7,990 + 4,368 = 35.35 % From these calculations, it shows that the long term debt has been decreasing steadily for the past couple of years while on the other hand the equity of the company has been increasing steadily, which indicate the finances of the company as moving towards equity and less on debt. Interest cover ratio: It is important to recognize that the interest cover ratio is important for investors as they measure the amount of profit available to cover interest payable. The high interest cover ratio it means that the company or business is easily able to meet its interest from profit. in the same way a low value from interest cover ratio it means that the business is in danger to meet its interest obligations therefore the profit available to the shareholder will be very low. In Tesco company the measure of interest cover ratio as follow: Interest cover ratio = profit before interest and tax Interest charge For 2006 = 2280 241 = 9.46 For 2005 = 1952 235 = 8.31 For 2004 = 1729 223 = 7.75 The measure of interest cover ratio of Tesco within the last three years tells us that the company maintaining increase in interest cover ratio 7.75, 8.31, 9.46 as a result Tesco is able to meet its interest from the profit therefore the profit are sufficient to pay the interest it owes and the profit available to the shareholder increased from 1729m in 2004 to 2280 in 2006. Investment Analysis Potential investors who want to buy shares in a company want to be able to have the information they require to compare the benefit from their investment. There are two measures of benefit to the investor: One is the profit of the period (usually referring to the profit available for the ordinary shareholders). The other is the dividend, which is the amount actually paid to the shareholders. Earning Per Share (EPS) EPS is a widely used measure of business performance and progress, and importantly the percentage change from year to year should be monitored for the trend. It explains to an investor the kind of return they could receive for each share during the accounting period. Therefore, it is important ratio as earning per share works out the average amount of profits earned per ordinary share issued. In accordance with FRS 14 Earnings per share, EPS must be disclosed on the face of the income statement. This means that when producing financial statements companies must disclose the EPS figures for investors to see. EPS = Earnings (profit) Number of equity share in issue For 2006 = 1,570 7,823 = 20.07p For 2005 = 1,344 7,707 = 17.44p For 2004 = 1,100 7,307 =15.05p As it can be seeing there has been a steady increase of EPS for the past of years. This indicates that potential investors would have an attractable return on there shares Dividend Cover The dividend cover ratio is another important ratio for potential investors as it measures the proportion of available profits which are issued to shareholders and the amount which is reserved by the company. In another words, the dividend cover ratio tells the investor how easily a business can pay its dividend from its profit. Dividend Cover = Profit after tax Ordinary dividend For 2006 = 1,570 609 = 2.57 times For 2005 = 1,344 587 = 2.29 times For 2004 = 1100 516 =2.13 times The measure of dividend cover ratio of Tesco plc for the last three years has shown a steady increase. It increased slightly from 2004 to 2005 and again in 2006. A high dividend cover means that a company can easily afford to pay dividend. For the last year (2006), the dividend covers shows that for every  £2.57 made in the profit,  £1 was issued to the shareholders Investment Advice Sales have risen by 14.94 %to  £39,454m Pre-tax profits are up by 24%, with earning per share increasing by 25% in 2006 from 2004. This result shows the excellent performance from all aspects of Tesco strategy. This is an extract from the Directors report for 2006: The directors recommend the payment of a final dividend of 6.10p per ordinary share, to be paid on 14 July 2006 to members à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦. Together with the interim dividend of 2.53p per ordinary share paid in December 2005, the total dividend for the year will be 8.63p compared with 7.56p for the previous year, an increase of 14.2% This shows that Tesco plc strong performance is been implemented in dividend as can be seen in the increase of payment. Tesco faces strong competition from other leading supermarket, however with the management strategy implemented by Tesco and their huge experience which has given them good image (every little help!) and trust in the market as a leading retailer. Therefore, it will be worthwhile investment for those who are interested in earning money through share price fluctuations to invest in Tesco. Conclusion This report has used nine ratios to analyse and interpret the financial position of Tesco plc. There are many other ratios that could be used and will also assist in the interpretations of the financial accounts. Although there are limitations to ratio analysis such as; ratios are based upon past performance and hence there are historical data. However ratio analysis is one of the best ways to analyse the financial performance of a company. This is because, it allows managers to spot any problems and therefore concentrate resources on that area. If ratio analysis is interpreted the right way then it can be useful tool of results which can be understood by accountants and non-financial users such potential investors.

Analysis of Unethical Practices in Banking

Analysis of Unethical Practices in Banking The essence of this essay on management and ethics is to analyze the unethical practices in the banking industry with an aim of assessing the level of honesty in the banking activities as well as the extent to which they affect the ethical atmosphere in banks. A number of banking industry employees were interviewed, and a general conclusion that emerged in all the interviews indicated that there were various issues that required evaluation as well as. Foremost, the banking sector should to comply with the integrity principles, neutrality, dependability, transparency, social obligation, and finally on the control on money laundering. However, the manner in which this compliance is achieved arouses serious concerns as to whether it really exhibits the expected ultimate objective. Moreover, the management structure of the banking sector, like most other blue chip companies is very strict and hierarchical. In addition, the strictness results from the underlying principle of accountability, as well as transparency in the various operations within the banking industry. Nevertheless, the banking sector pays close attention to the ethical practices of various employees and customers partly as a way of creating a positive image to the public as well as to their regulators, and partly because of the need to offer services to customer in a manner that reflects ultimate respect for our creator (God). For instance, try to have an honest discussion with an employee regarding the various banking practices. in theory, the employee in question can indicate how much he/she values the ethical practices been implemented, but in terms of personal belief, a lot of employees will accept that they carry out some of those practices out of duty and not out of care for the society. T herefore, the role of this essay is to explicate the unethical issues in a bid to come up with proper recommendations. The Issue of information non-disclosure and interest rates determination Over the years, banks have undergone tremendous growth in many aspects of their operations, starting with the type of customers they deal with to the manner in which information is received, recorded, transformed, and finally used. Ultimately, banks have unraveled the whole mystery of discrimination as to what customers to offer services to or not by categorizing their clients in terms of their income structure. This classifying of customers is meant to assist in the decision making process as to what customer receives what treatment, but it is also meant to assist the banks in understanding the type of customers to offer better services to. Therefore, regulated by their policy of information non-disclosure, banks would obtain very crucial information about various customers (their age, sex, race, employment status, as well as income level) with a notion that they are adhering to the Know Your Customer policy. This information is supposed to be private and confidential. However, on c lose examination, one would realize that banks need such information to make decisions aimed at enabling them to remain in the global market while at the same time, maintaining their traditional banking principles. Consequently, the objective of this essay is to analyze the various unethical practices the employees of the bank practice, and their relevance to the community at large. Moreover, the unethical practices will be addressed in a manner that relates to ethical dilemma and decisions regarding management. Thus, to understand the conflict in terms of globalization and traditional practices, one needs to call to focus the approach exhibited by Thomas L. Friedman regarding the Lexus and the olive tree (2000). According to Thomas Friedman, the Lexus designates sustenance, affluence as well as modernization, development, computer technologies, and the burgeoning of the global markets (Friedman 51). In addition, all these principles represented by the Lexus are positive and very instrumental in the current global economy. However, on the other hand, the olive tree designates the attachment of individuals and societies towards their traditional comfort zones, or rather values of higher course; and this is where the ethical standards take presidency. Consequently, banks operate in an economy that is very volatile, and they need to ensure that various practices are done in the traditional banking manner, provision of financial services in a legal manner. This information is thus democratized, in the words of Friedman (81), and the level of privacy expressed to customers is thus questionable. This is because, they only way in which this information can be protected is by using access codes. However, any employee can be able to access this information based on whether he/she has this access codes or not. In addition, most employees in the banking industry would want to access customer information based on various reasons. One, employees are evaluated in terms of their performance to the bank; this requires that they obtain crucial information about customers in a bid to decide on what services to offer them or not. In so doing the employees end up violating the information privacy requirement that clients would wish to have. Secondly, because of the current market trends in the banking industry, services have been made available even to the lowest income earner in order for banks to exploit all possibilities in terms of lending and customer deposits. In addition, the sales team works diligently to acquire customers both in terms of deposits taking or loan advancement. Moreover, of great significance is the manner in which they obtain information about clients before they can influence them to accept the services offered by the banks. Information is actually retrieved from the database by whoever lays hands on access codes, and customers having good credit history, and huge income are contacted in order to take up loans or open up other accounts with the bank. Further, these customers are treated with respect and they are offered what has been termed as superior services, premium services. These services could range from dedicated management assistance, special separate banking premises, and other service s such as internet, meals, to name but a few. On the other hand, those customers with a lesser income level, their treatment is more general and the banks credit advance to them is highly scrutinized compared to the premium customers. A question that arises here is whether these activities are conducted in the view of the Lexus, or olive tree. On the one hand, the information obtained from customer plays a very significant role in enabling management to understand the nature of their customers in a bid to offer relevant services to them. For instance, a customer who has a higher income level could be given alternative solutions as to how he/she could better use his/her income effectively in order to generate more income. Well, this attitude implies that the bank would wish to enable the employee benefit from the global economy in terms of investment and finance. However, the manner in which this process is attained is through privacy violation, which again touches on the whole issue of values; are banks really promoting ethical values as they seemingly purport to show in their terms and conditions, or they are merely doing trying to convince customers? A question like this one could seem obvious but it is a triple bottom line question. In addition, it concerns the balance that is required between being ethically oriented and at the same time acting as a role model in the global economy. Another aspect of information disclosure relates to issuance of bank services to customers. This is done in a manner that customers should receive full information as to the commitment they are about to engage in. Besides, some information if well known to customers could send these prospective customers away from the banks. Nevertheless, withholding this information seems to be the only way out for banks to maintain their customer base. Therefore, bank employees tend to give customers critical information only when they request for it, and in case they do not, then this information is withheld. Which kind of information could banks withhold in order to maintain or attract customers? Information regarding bank charges, loan processing fees, salary processing fees, insurance coverage fees, loan payment default repercussions, interest rate computation information, to name but a few. Most of this information, if disclosed to some customers, could lead to disastrous results. Therefore, d riven by their desire to generate increased revenue and reduced costs, banks find it confortable to offer services to customers behind closed doors. Therefore, these behaviors arouse serious debate as to the role of the banking sector in promoting social wellbeing. Whereby, customers would like to maximize their utility of services from the banks, while banks on the other hand would want to maximize revenue in order to cater for the costs incurred in technology and other services rendered. Information disclosure does not have to relate to customers alone, but also to competitors. Nevertheless, there is some information which is so important to the progress of banks, and if this information goes to competitors, then the bank whose information has been violated, stands to loose. There have been instances of insider information ending in the hands of competitors without having a clue as to whoever supplied that information, and the impetus for doing so. This situation occurs in cases when some people are employed in some banks not because they want to work there but because they want to obtain important information about the organization in question. This has been deemed to occur in certain banks, which end up loosing customers because of their information usage by the competitor financial institution. On the one hand, this practice could be considered a business strategy, which could provide resourceful information for the management decision-making process. On the other hand, this could be deemed an unethical practice owing to the fact that such a practice violates banking practices of fair play. Another area of unethical endeavor is on the issue of interest rates determination. Whereby, banks usually operate in a manner that they use the base lending rates that stipulated by the banks governing body (Central Bank). These rates represent the lowest value possible for advancing loans to customers. However, banks also engender to generate maximum profits because that is their essence as business enterprises. Nevertheless, because of technological advancement, competition has become the most common war in the current society. Thus, in order for banks to come up with sound decisions pertaining interest rates, they call to focus many factors, which are of course logical. For instance, blue chip companies are given lower rates compared to the standard companies. Furthermore, companies are approved based on their performance over a certain period of time as well as their level business trend. Employees in these banks are encouraged to pursue those high-end customers, more than the r est. The banks management does not directly encourage employees to pursue high-end customers; they rather use reduced interest rates to lure these customers to obtain bigger credit from them so that the final interest rate value remains higher. On the other hand, customers with poor credit history, low-income level, and unknown business practices, are offered highly scrutinized services. For instance, their loan advancements are denied on various bases, but the bottom line is that these banks do not want to make commitments to individuals who might end up generating losses. However, when evaluating this trend from banks to offer credit to individuals with high credit worthiness, and deny credit to customer with low-income levels, issues of ethics come in. First, one could see these financial institutions offering services to individuals who do not take a damn about whether they are offered finances or not, while treating those who really need financial assistance with caution. An institution with greater social responsibility should not behave in a manner that contradicts their practices, but a balance has to be maintained between the two sides of ethics and development. Moreover, too much overreliance to ethics could lead to negligence on sustenance, opulence, technological advancement, and financial progress, which could as well offer more support to the society through social responsibility services. On the other hand, overreliance on globalization could lead to negligence of the ethical standard to treatment that banks are required to follow. The steps taken to protect customer information Information is a powerful tool for controlling individuals. Once one is in possession of crucial information, he/she can decide to do something drastic and detrimental to the other party concerned. Therefore, banks in line with the current technological advancement have fostered various mechanisms that offer more confidentiality that is appealing to its customers. This has been through the installation of new management information systems, which are highly structured and monitored. For instance, access codes are provided in a manner that each code offer access to a certain level of information to the banks employees. Employees at the top level of management are offered access to a wider range of information access because they are the major stakeholders in the decision making process of the companies. In addition, tactical level managers have authority to oversee the various progress reports of other employees. Thus, this form of management fosters accountability and responsibility in the manner in which employees treat customer information. Furthermore, this use of access codes has been facilitated by information systems that track and record various issues regarding the daily operations of the banking industry. For instance, individuals accessing computers are monitored by a system that indicates their time of access, the type of information they were accessing, and the reason as to why they were accessing this information. Hence, this management information system leads to responsibility and protection of customer information, because whoever tempers with information is dealt with accordingly. Moreover, employees are required to access only information that relates to their line of duty. Another manner in which banks are responding to efficient information management is through video monitoring. Whereby, in this manner of information policy, employees are monitored by a well-protected computer video recording system, which records the various employees and their locations as well as time. In this case, access to information on various systems is traced back quickly. Recommendations According to Thomas Friedman, there should be a balance between spiritual worthiness and the role model, which involves the olive tree and the Lexus (Friedman 512). Therefore, banks should ensure that as much as they are responding to the changing environment, they should also adopt an approach that is of social concern and ultimately, of a Godly value. Therefore, it is in the due course of responding to this ethical challenges that banks are expected to restructure their strategies in a manner that ensures that they obtain credibility with their major stakeholders, who need high return on investments, and customers who expect good services from the financial institutions. How responsive are specific banks to management restructuring? This question is well calculated owing to the impetus to discover the way forward in cases when unethical practices are observed. For instance, in most banks, like many other organizations, it is the role of the top management to foresee the process of decision-making and policy implementation in the banking industry. However, even though other employees down the line are given an opportunity to provide recommendations regarding the best course of action, their information could only be accepted or rejected based on the manner in which the tactical manager sees these recommendations. Thus, the decision-making process in the current globalized society has been, in the words of Friedman, democratized (Friedman 109). This means that most of the practices within the banking sector only reflect the perspective of the managers per se. in which case, managers have an obligation to deliver results based on the stakeholders interests as well as their interests. In addition, this might crowd off their judgments because, they might decide to use all means necessary to achieve results without bearing in mind the end result of the means in use. Moreover, employees are governed by their contractual agreement to foster the banks missions and objectives. Nevertheless, as they engender to achieve this contractual responsibility, unethical practices may ensue as mentioned above. Thus, there is need to re-evaluate their behaviors in order to recognize that no matter how much one would wish to retain his/her job, God exists, and that He requires that all actions be of value to socie ty and of value to the greater good. There are better ways of addressing issues of unethical standard that are more appealing even though risky. For instance, in the case of interest rates disclosure, individual employees in the banking sector could be required to offer their recommended interest computation strategies that do not reflect unethical practices. These recommendations could include having interests lowered but increasing penalties on defaulters, increasing interest rates and lowering processing fees, offering preferential services to high-end customers as well as ensuring that the standard customers are also given dignified services. Sometimes, issues of serving standard customers are delayed compared to those of premium customers. This level of discrimination should be reduced because it counters the whole aspect of human rights and fair treatment. The Impact of Information and Interest Rate Disclosure to the Business World Ethics plays a crucial role in our society today, not because of the immediate feeling that individuals feel after experiencing ethical practices, but because of the ultimate role, ethics plays in the society. Besides, the banking industry plays a significant role in ensuring that business practices prosper in line with the advancement in technology. Thus, it is within the banking sector that businesses derive their standard of operations. Hence, unethical practices resulting from banks signify negative role modeling. Stable business can never operate without having access to banks. In return, these banks receive important information that relates to the operations of the businesses concerned. Therefore, the information received should be kept secure and only disclosed to the government in cases when there is need for investigations as to the business practices as the government deems necessary. Furthermore, information relating to the various charges the banks make on individuals are co-operations, the disclosure of such information is important for business planning and cost estimation. Therefore, it is important that this information be readily available so that other businesses may thrive in the global economy.

Rate of Reaction :: GCSE Chemistry Coursework Investigation

Rate Of Reaction Introduction I will be investigating the rate of reaction, which is the amount of substance taken for the reaction. Often the rate curve is a negative correlation. As we increase the temperature, the time taken for the cross to disappear will decrease. Other Information The most important factors that affect the rate of reaction are: Concentration of the acid Time taken for the cross to disappear Temperature Concentration of Sodium thiosulphate The reaction will not take place unless the particles will collide with each other. The minimum energy for reaction to work is called activation energy of the reaction. We need to know that energy is only released when new bonds are made and this happens when old bonds are broken. To start the reaction we will need to provide enough energy. Once the reaction has been started we don’t need to put more energy because new bods will be made and old one will be broken. When the reaction has started the molecules will react when they collide therefore break old bonds and make new bonds, this will releases energy. If activation energy is weaker or equal to produced energy reaction will take place. We will heat up sodium thiosulphate to a certain temperature. The bigger the temperature of the sodium thiosulphate the more particles will move and are likely to collide more frequently, this will speed up the reaction. The factor I chose to investigate is time taken for the cross to disappear. I am aiming to answer the effect of temperature on the reaction between sodium thiosulphate and hydrochloric acid. The graph below shows what my predicted results look like. Temperature (oC) I am predicting that as we increase the temperature the time taken for the cross to disappear will be decrease. If the temperature was lower then the time taken for the cross to disappear will be longer. This will happen because: If there are more particles in the concentration there would be more collision. If there was more collision between particles then more energy will be produced therefore the temperature will increase and the cross will disappear quicker. Variables Dependant Variables (The one I will not change): Time taken for the cross to disappear: If it takes longer for the cross to disappear then it means there is less collision taking place. Less collision takes place when the temperature is not high enough. Independent variables (the one I will change): Temperature: If the temperature is high then there will be more collision therefore more energy will be released. If the temperature is low then it would take longer for the cross to disappear. Controlled Variables: Concentration of sodium thiosulphate and hydrochloric acid: : if we Rate of Reaction :: GCSE Chemistry Coursework Investigation Rate Of Reaction Introduction I will be investigating the rate of reaction, which is the amount of substance taken for the reaction. Often the rate curve is a negative correlation. As we increase the temperature, the time taken for the cross to disappear will decrease. Other Information The most important factors that affect the rate of reaction are: Concentration of the acid Time taken for the cross to disappear Temperature Concentration of Sodium thiosulphate The reaction will not take place unless the particles will collide with each other. The minimum energy for reaction to work is called activation energy of the reaction. We need to know that energy is only released when new bonds are made and this happens when old bonds are broken. To start the reaction we will need to provide enough energy. Once the reaction has been started we don’t need to put more energy because new bods will be made and old one will be broken. When the reaction has started the molecules will react when they collide therefore break old bonds and make new bonds, this will releases energy. If activation energy is weaker or equal to produced energy reaction will take place. We will heat up sodium thiosulphate to a certain temperature. The bigger the temperature of the sodium thiosulphate the more particles will move and are likely to collide more frequently, this will speed up the reaction. The factor I chose to investigate is time taken for the cross to disappear. I am aiming to answer the effect of temperature on the reaction between sodium thiosulphate and hydrochloric acid. The graph below shows what my predicted results look like. Temperature (oC) I am predicting that as we increase the temperature the time taken for the cross to disappear will be decrease. If the temperature was lower then the time taken for the cross to disappear will be longer. This will happen because: If there are more particles in the concentration there would be more collision. If there was more collision between particles then more energy will be produced therefore the temperature will increase and the cross will disappear quicker. Variables Dependant Variables (The one I will not change): Time taken for the cross to disappear: If it takes longer for the cross to disappear then it means there is less collision taking place. Less collision takes place when the temperature is not high enough. Independent variables (the one I will change): Temperature: If the temperature is high then there will be more collision therefore more energy will be released. If the temperature is low then it would take longer for the cross to disappear. Controlled Variables: Concentration of sodium thiosulphate and hydrochloric acid: : if we

The Role of Social Class and Society Essay -- Literary Analysis

Since the beginning of time, social class and race have been paramount in society. Back in the time of caveman, roles and traditions were passed down based on gender. The man was responsible for protection and collecting food while women were responsible for cooking and keeping house. That belief has traversed time and slowly changes with each era. But throughout history, men and women have lived with preconceived notions of their duties to their families. These notions have been passed down generations and have affected how people live within their society. In the novel â€Å"Like Water for Chocolate†, social class is revered in the story of the De la Garza family. As we see through the personal journey of Tita, the main character, these distinctions are evident. Set in the time of the Mexican Revolutionary War, the De la Garza family consisted of Mama Elena and her three daughters. â€Å"The most significant, life-changing activities women carried out in the Revolution at the outset were related to their families† (Monk). The oldest daughter was Rosaura, followed by Gertrudis and then the youngest, Tita. Tita’s father had died shortly after Tita’s birth. They lived on a self-serving farm where all members were expected to help. Each female had chores that were to be completed without complaint. Even though the fictional story revolves around recipes, other gender based ideals are revealed. â€Å"These activities were no longer carried out inside four walls, causing family survival to become essential† (Monk). The first tradition mentioned in â€Å"Like Water for Chocolate† was the role of the youngest daughter as pertains to her future. These women were not allowed to marry. Their duty in their life was to care for the mother as ... ...mentsin 1776." Map of General Washington's Battle Engagements in 1776. Web. 21 Apr. 2012. . Guidotti-Hernà ¡ndez, Nicole M. "National Appropriations: Yaqui Autonomu, The Centennial Of The Mexican Revolution And The Bicentennial Of The Mexican Nation." Latin Americanist 55.1 (2011): 69-92. Academic Search Complete. Web. 18 Apr. 2012. "In the Garden of Eden | Pathways." Pathways. Web. 14 Apr. 2012. . Monk, Heather Dashner. "Notes On Mexican Women Then And Now Reflections On A Revolution." Against The Current 25.4 (2010): 20-24. Academic Search Complete. Web. 14 Apr. 2012 "Nibbles - Family Stress." University of Illinois Extension-Urban Programs Resource Network. Web. 3 Apr. 2012. . The Role of Social Class and Society Essay -- Literary Analysis Since the beginning of time, social class and race have been paramount in society. Back in the time of caveman, roles and traditions were passed down based on gender. The man was responsible for protection and collecting food while women were responsible for cooking and keeping house. That belief has traversed time and slowly changes with each era. But throughout history, men and women have lived with preconceived notions of their duties to their families. These notions have been passed down generations and have affected how people live within their society. In the novel â€Å"Like Water for Chocolate†, social class is revered in the story of the De la Garza family. As we see through the personal journey of Tita, the main character, these distinctions are evident. Set in the time of the Mexican Revolutionary War, the De la Garza family consisted of Mama Elena and her three daughters. â€Å"The most significant, life-changing activities women carried out in the Revolution at the outset were related to their families† (Monk). The oldest daughter was Rosaura, followed by Gertrudis and then the youngest, Tita. Tita’s father had died shortly after Tita’s birth. They lived on a self-serving farm where all members were expected to help. Each female had chores that were to be completed without complaint. Even though the fictional story revolves around recipes, other gender based ideals are revealed. â€Å"These activities were no longer carried out inside four walls, causing family survival to become essential† (Monk). The first tradition mentioned in â€Å"Like Water for Chocolate† was the role of the youngest daughter as pertains to her future. These women were not allowed to marry. Their duty in their life was to care for the mother as ... ...mentsin 1776." Map of General Washington's Battle Engagements in 1776. Web. 21 Apr. 2012. . Guidotti-Hernà ¡ndez, Nicole M. "National Appropriations: Yaqui Autonomu, The Centennial Of The Mexican Revolution And The Bicentennial Of The Mexican Nation." Latin Americanist 55.1 (2011): 69-92. Academic Search Complete. Web. 18 Apr. 2012. "In the Garden of Eden | Pathways." Pathways. Web. 14 Apr. 2012. . Monk, Heather Dashner. "Notes On Mexican Women Then And Now Reflections On A Revolution." Against The Current 25.4 (2010): 20-24. Academic Search Complete. Web. 14 Apr. 2012 "Nibbles - Family Stress." University of Illinois Extension-Urban Programs Resource Network. Web. 3 Apr. 2012. .

Synopsis on Customer Relationship Management

G. PULLAIAH COLLEGE OF ENGINEERING & TECHNOLOGY, KURNOOL MASTER OF BUSINESS ADMINISTRATION 2012-2013 SYNOPSIS REPORT On A STUDY ON CUSTOMER RELATIONSHIP MANAGEMENT WITH REFERENCE TO M. S. A. MOTORS, KURNOOL Submitted by C. VENKATA NAGA SINDOOR Roll no: 11AT1E0052 Under the guidance of K. NAGAIAH, MBA Assistant Professor. INDEX| 1. | Introduction| | 2. | Objectives of the Study| | 3. | Need for the Study| | 4. | Scope of the Study| | 5. | Research * Source of data * Procedure of sample size| | 6. | Limitation of the Study| | 7. Company details| | Synopsis Approval Letter This is to certify that Mr. C. Venkata Naga Sindoor, Reg. No 11AT1E0052 submitted the synopsis report entitled â€Å"A Study on Customer Relationship Management with reference to M. S. A. Motors, Kurnool in fulfillment for the award of Master of Business Administration to G. Pullaiah College of Engineering and Technology is a record of bonafide work carried out by him under my guidance and supervision. Signature of t he Guide Signature of the HOD IntroductionRelationship building with customers is now accepted as over-riding goal of marketing and of the business as a whole. In service industries, the goal is especially emphasized since a repeat customer is believed to cost merely a fraction of what needs to be spent in servicing a new customer is service transaction. It is believed that relationships flourish when marketers play the book, meet customers. core expectations and exceed in respect of other features of their total offering. Service firms have been the pioneers in adopting the practice of Customer Relationship Management practices.Indian banking industry has witnessed rapid development in recent past with the initiation of financial sector reforms. The thrust of financial sector reforms was to improve efficiency, competitiveness and productivity of the financial system. The entry of new generation private sector banks which provided technology aided services like Internet banking, Mob ile banking, Inter Branch network, etc. , has electrified the banking environment in India and has added a new dimensions to automation in Indian banking. Customer Relationship Management is a vital factor to improve the performance of the banks.Most of the banks in India are now turning to CRM as they are increasingly realizing that the cost of acquiring new customers is for higher than the cost of retaining existing customers. This quest has led to the implementation of CRM in banks. The concept of CRM is in the initial stage of implementation in banks, as getting the CRM philosophy work in a bank is quite complex as well as a challenging task for, its implementation is based on certain key principles, namely, ?The banks must realize that all customers are not equal; Customer profitability varies from person to person; ?Not all customers are evenly desirable for the banks; ?The banks must differentiate their customers based on the „Value Criteria; ?Value is the profit that t he customer adds to the bank account; and ?A more profitable customer is a „High Value customer and a less profitable customer is a „Low Value customer. Changing perception of customer The perception of a customer has drastically changed. Peter Drucker said twenty-five years ago, that the purpose of a business wads to attract and retain a customer.There has been a phenomenal change and paradigm shift towards customer focus during the past five decades in the Indian context, ?1961-1970 Servicing the Customer, ?1971-1980 Satisfying the Customer, ?1981-1990 Pleasing the Customer, ?1991-2000 Delighting the Customer, ?2001 and beyond Relating the Customer. Today, the customer relationship between the banker and customer has come under the sharp focus both the customers? ends. 2. OBJECTIVES OF THE STUDY * To identify various services offered by MSA motors to consolidate their CRM strategies. To study the customer perception on factors influencing Customer Relationship Manageme nt in MSA motors * To classify the customers opinion on initial strategies, maintenance strategies, technology, service satisfaction and impact of CRM. * To ascertain the perception of show room executives on various aspects of CRM. 3. Need for the study As lifestyles change people begin to have more experiences in banking. There are two consequences of this 1) Customers have different feelings about services provided for them by Show rooms 2)Customers develop higher expectations for their Buying experience. . Scope of the study Scope of this study is it will assist MSA motors to get its own customer relationship management system mirror well and it will get all the important things before eyes to apply all the possible ways to provide a superb service to the customers and accordingly make them loyal and retain them long lasting and also to get new customers to be served. Scopes can be stated in few points as follows * Maintain current/ existing customers. * Achieve new potential cu stomers. * Retain all the customers * Profitability increment Reputation and credibility increment, etc. , 5. Research Methodology Source of the Data: Primary Data 1. Primary data are always original as it is collected by the investigator. 2. Suitability of the primary data will be positive because it has been systematically collected. 3. Primary data are expensive and time consuming. 4. Extra precautions are not required. 5. Primary data are in the shape of raw material. 6. Possibility of personal prejudice. Primary data is collected from interview and questionnaire in this study. Secondary dataSecondary  data, is data collected by someone other than the user. Common sources of secondary data for  social science  include  censuses, organizational records and data collected through qualitative methodologies or  qualitative research. Primary data, by contrast, are collected by the investigator conducting the research. Secondary data analysis saves time that would otherwise be spent collecting data and, particularly in the case of  quantitative data, provides larger and higher-quality  databases  that would be unfeasible for any individual researcher to collect on their own.In addition, analysts of social and economic change consider secondary data essential, since it is impossible to conduct a new survey that can adequately capture past change and or developments. Secondary data is collected from company, newspapers, journals, websites, and from library books. 6. Limitations of the Study * The response from the customer may be biased * Since the sample size is limited, it may lead to the partial true factor about the research. * The information obtained or the collection of data is limited. Due to time constraint the study is restrict to Kurnool onlyCOMPANY DETAILS Maruti Suzuki India Limited (MSIL, formerly known as Maruti Udyog Limited) is a subsidiary of Suzuki Motor Corporation, Japan. MSIL has been producing cars in India since 1983. Maruti ’s revenues totaled approximately 73. 3 billion rupees in 2009-2010. It’s operating profit as of 2009-2010 is 75 billion rupees while its net profit comes to 6. 8 billion rupees. The company has two manufacturing facilities located at Gurgaon and Manesar, south of New Delhi, India, which have an annual combined capability to produce over a 12 lakh (12, 00,000) passenger car units.The company is planning to invest 17 billion rupees in the Manesar plant. Maruti is known for its hatchback cars, especially the Maruti 800. Other popular hatchback models include the Maruti Zen and the Alto. It offers fourteen brands and over one hundred and fifty variants – Maruti 800, Omni, Eeco, Alto, Alto-K10, A-star, WagonR, Swift, Ritz and Estilo, Gypsy, SUV Grand Vitara, sedans SX4 and Swift DZire. Maruti Suzuki introduced factory fitted CNG option on 5 models across vehicle segments. These include Eeco, Alto, Estilo, Wagon R and Sx4.Maruti Suzuki has an employee strength over 7 ,600 (as at end March 2010). In 2009-10, the company sold a record 10,18,365 units including 1,47,575 units which we exported primarily to Europe, the remaining 870,790 sold in India. In the third quarter of 2009-2010, the company sold 258, 026 units. Thus, in March 2010, Maruti Suzuki had a India market share of 53. 3 per cent of the Indian passenger car market of 16,33,752 passenger car units. Maruti Suzuki will be investing around Rs. 1,250 crore (Rs 12. 5 billion) on capacity expansion of the K-series engines between 2010 and 2012.The expanded annual capacity will be over 7 lakh units from the present 5 lakh units of K-series engine cars. This will be a progressive investment to be completed by 2012. It has a sales network is 802 centers in 555 towns and cities across India. The customer service support network comprises of 2,740 workshops in over 1,335 towns and cities. In 2008, Maruti Suzuki India Limited, unveiled a National Road Safety Mission under which it would train 500, 000 people in safe driving in 3 years at 61 Maruti Driving Schools and 4 Institutes of Driving Training and Research (IDTR) in Delhi, Dehradun and Vadodara. HISTORYIn 1981, Maruti was launched. The company was started by the Government of India and was initially called Maruti Technical Services Private Limited. The first Managing Director of the company was Sanjay Gandhi, late-Indian Prime Minister Indira Gandhi’s son. During the period of 1985 to 1996, a few other significant developments took place including Suzuki taking up 50% stake in Maruti, leading to a 50-50 joint venture between Maruti and the Government of India and over 60 per cent of its parts being produced in India leading to lower costs of production as the parts didn’t have to be imported from abroad.When asked why Suzuki was chosen as the partner of this established corporation, the chairman of Maruti, Mr. R. C Bhargava said that the company went to Japan and none of the companies out of Nissan, Mitsub ishi and Daihatsu were ready to bring 40 per cent equity in India. Suzuki was the only company which agreed to bring 26 per cent equity in India and raise it to 40 per cent thereafter. The first car that the company produced was a four-door Maruti 800 and the second car that the company produced was a Multi-Utility Vehicle called the Omni. Between 1994 and 1996 Maruti released the Esteem, the Gypsy, the Omni, the Gypsy King, Zen and Esteem.It also opened a second plant in Manesar whose capacity at the time of opening was 2,00,000 units. In 2000 Maruti launched a call center. This was the first time a car company had ever launched a call center in India. In this year, Maruti setup a website for its Wagon-R car, introduced a new model of the Zen, got the IRTE National Award for its safety initiative, traffic management and environment protection, launched the Baleno and the Wagon R with electric power steering, joined hands with Sumitomo for providing after-sales service and introduce d the Suzuki Alto. The Gurgaon plant had stopped production due to a strike by the employees.Maruti introduced its first CNG car in 2001. In the same year Maruti invested 550 crore rupees in manufacturing cars. In 2002, Maruti launched Maruti Finance to offer financial services like extended warranty and finance for car insurance. It also hiked its car prices and launched the Versa. This was a good year for Maruti in exports as it produced 16,000 cars for an order to Europe. In the next few years Maruti got into collaboration with various companies to launch car-selling schemes. They partnered with State Bank of India to launch a scheme where each branch of the bank would sell a Maruti car.The company also tied-up with Reliance Industries Limited for lease and fleet management. This was the same year Kumar Mangalam Birla joined Maruti as an independent director. From 2005 – 2007 Maruti became the market leader of Indian cars and in 2006 unveiled the new Wagon-R in Punjab. In 2007, Maruti launched the SX4 sedan. TECHNOLOGY Maruti Suzuki uses an innovative Compressed Natural Gas technology – the Intelligent Gas Port Injection (iGPI) on five of its models – the SX4, Eeco, WagonR, Estilo and Alto. The iGPI technology delivers more power and runs like a petrol-filled engine while achieving fuel-efficiency.The iGPI technology uses injectors for each cylinder and a particular amount of CNG is injection in the engine through gas ports. The Engine Control Unit controls the amount of CNG needed for each ride. Two components used by Maruti in cars such as the Maruti Omni to help increase fuel economy are the crankshaft sensor and knock sensor. They control the ignition timing and fuel injection. The crank shaft is a part of the car’s engine that translates its linear motion into rotation. The sensor is part of the internal combustion engine which monitors the position and rotational speed of the crankshaft.The knock sensor is a part thatâ€⠄¢s linked to the car’s engine-when the car’s engine is not working it knocks on it and usually you hear the knocking sound. The knock sensor will send a signal to the Powercontrol Car Module (PCM). The Maruti Swift has a Direct Diesel Injection System engine. This engine has efficient combustion, higher torque and cleaner emissions. It is an extremely light engine and has a 75 bhp, 190 Nm of torque capacity. It has a five-step multi-injection technology that makes the car run more smoothly than other cars.It also has a Double Over Head Camshaft that gives the engine a quick run. It also has a Chain Drive Timing System. This engine is way better than the Maruti 800 engine which has a Single Over Head Camshaft and only two valves per cylinder while the Swift has sixteen-valve cylinder. The Maruti Suzuki SX4 has a Variable Valve Timing engine. According to the company, they will use K-Series engines in all car models. India’s largest car manufacturer Maruti Suzuki decided to implement the K-series petrol engine in all the models for at least five years according to a company report.The K-Series engine is a straight four cylinder engine that comes in Single Overhead Camshaft and Double Overhead Camshaft variants. This engine will be made in the Maruti Manesar plant in Haryana for the A-Star car which is produced in India and sold in Europe. The K-Series engine is Euro 4 and Euro 5 compliant and is the most advanced of engines. The engine has a CO2 emission of 109 gm/km and plans to reduce it further. The engine is extremely fuel efficient. ————————————————- Awards & RecognitionAs one of the top Indian brands of cars, Maruti Suzuki has won many national and international awards since it began production. Some of the major accomplishments of Maruti are listed below: 1. Maruti Suzuki Alto received the TNS Voice of Customer Award in 200 8. TNS Global is a market research firm. In the same year Maruti received the CNBC-Autocar India Award in the category Best Value for Money Car for the SX4. It also received the CNBC-Autocar India Best Mid Size Car Award and the CNBC-Autocar India Car of the Viewers’ Choice Award for the SX4.Maruti Suzuki India Limited received The Car Manufacturer of the Year Award in 2008. 2. In 2009, Maruti won the JD Power Asia Pacific Customer Satisfaction Index (CSI) Survey award, the JD Power Asia Pacific Sales Satisfaction Index (SSI) Survey award, the Most Preferred Car Brand Award at CNBC AWAAZ Consumer Award, the Golden Peacock Eco-Innovation Award, and the Gold-Award by India Manufacturing Excellence Awards (IMEA). 3. In 2010, Maruti won the CNBC-TV18 Overdrive Manufacturer of the Year Award and the Autocar Manufacturer of the Year Award. 4.Alto’s â€Å"Boondon Mein† campaign won the Silver medal of the prestigious â€Å"Effie Award† in 2006 and 2007. 5. Alto won the â€Å"Car of the Year† and â€Å"Most Exciting New Car of the Year† by India’s automobile magazine in 2000. Some of the international awards that Maruti has won include the following: 1. Japan – It won the Car of the Year award by the Automotive Researchers' ; Journalists' Conference, the 2005-2006 Car of the Year, the Goof Design Award by Japan Industrial Design Promotion Organization and the 2005-2006 Carview of the Year Award. 2.Iceland & Ireland – Maruti Suzuki won the Car of the Year 2006 given out by the BIBD Association of Automotive Journalists, the Samperit Irish Car of the Year 2006 given out by the Irish Motoring Writer’s Association. 3. New Zealand and Australia – Maruti won the Fairfax AMI Small Car of the Year Award by Autocar, the National Business Review Small Car of the Year Award by The National Business Review and the 2005 Carsguide Car of the Year. 4. Malaysia – Maruti Swift was the winner in the NST Mastercard Car of the Year 2005 â€Å"Small Car† category. 5.China – Maruti Swift won the 2005 CTV COTY â€Å"Economical Car† by CCTV. ————————————————- International Operations Maruti Suzuki is a global company with over 8,500 employees engaged in sales, customer service, manufacturing, and distribution in many countries across the world. It is partly owned by the government of India and partly owned by the Japanese company, Suzuki Motor Corporation. Suzuki Motor Corporation, the parent company owns 54% of Maruti’s shares. Maruti’s cars are of European style but custom-made to cater to the local markets.Maruti Suzuki has launched the Grand Vitara, SX4 and the Swift as part of the worldwide strategy. Maruti Suzuki not only provides hatchbacks, mid and small level cars but also luxury cars. Maruti Suzuki has also launched another concept car called Kizashi which was showcased in the Frankfurt Motor Show and is now available in India. The Grand Vitara, which is an SUV and Kizashi, which is a sports sedan are imported from Japan as completely built units(CBU). Maruti Suzuki is sold in China by Jiangnan Auto. The company has launched the car at Rs. 1. 24 lakhs.Four companies that produced the Maruti 800 in China are: Chang’an Auto, Jiang Nan, Xi’an Tai and Sichuan Auto Maruti Suzuki also has office in Japan. Indian engineers sometimes travel to Japan to work on Maruti cars and Japanese engineers sometimes travel to India to provide their expertise for Maruti Suzuki. ————————————————- Exports Maruti Suzuki exports entry-level models across the globe to over 100 countries and the focus has been on identifying new markets. The company exports to the United Kingdom, Italy, Hungary, Netherlands, Germ any, Latin America, Africa, Philippines and Indonesia.Along with these countries, Maruti also sells its cars to Algeria, Chile, Sri Lanka and Nepal. The company exported 38,000 passenger cars in 2006-2007, around 6. 4 per cent of its total sales. The car that contributes most to Maruti’s export income is the A-Star model. In 2007, Maruti got an export order of 11,000 units of the Zen Estilo to Indonesia and 1,500 units of the Maruti Alto to the Philippines, become the initial car manufacturer to export to South East Asia. Maruti crossed the cumulative half-a-million export mark in February 2008, becoming the first Indian car company to export half-a-million units.Maruti has tied up with the Mundra post for development of port facilities for export shipments through Pune Car Carriers. Maruti started exporting cars from this post in January 2009. Moving to international markets, Maruti has large export volumes to Latin America and the lesser-developed region of Africa. Marutiâ €™s exports have increased by 60% over the years at these two locations. In 2008, in a joint venture between Maruti Suzuki, Mundra Port and the Special Economic Zone, the company exported 1,00,000 units of the A-Star from the Mundra Port.Even though the company exports to all five continents, Europe makes up 56 per cent of Maruti’s cumulative exports as of February 2011, making it the single largest source of export income for the company. The sales figures for the continent of Europe as of February 2011, by country are given below: – Netherlands – 67,700 units – Italy – 41,000 units – United Kingdom – 34,000 units – Germany – 20,000 units – Hungary – 20,000 units ————————————————- Future Plans On May 11, 2011, Maruti announced its plans to design new car models at its Rohtak Plant in India.Th e new car models will be crafted for the next four years for the Indian and International Market. Maruti is experimenting with new car models in an effort to stay ahead of its competition and will be responsible for 25 per cent of Suzuki, its parent company’s, revenues. In the financial year 2010-2011 Maruti Suzuki reported a net sales figure of 37,522 crore rupees. Maruti will invest in a new plant in Gujarat which will produce 6 million units a year which is being done in an effort to make the company the leader in the car market. The company is having a look at different plants as shown by the Government of India.In another effort, Maruti will introduce four new cars in the Indian market: The mass-market hatchback, a utility vehicle, a new and improved Swift, and a unique SX4. The company plans to release the design of the YE3, the hatchback by June-July 2011 while the car will actually be shown in the Auto Expo 2012. The company plans to design the YE3 without any involve ment of Suzuki which is a major feat since most of its cars have been designed in collaboration with Suzuki in the past. The YE3 will be a four-door, four seat hatchback and will be available in a 600-800cc engine and a five speed manual transmission.The company also plans to launch the Maruti R3 under a different name. The Maruti R3 is a Multi-Utility Vehicle that will come in a Rs. 7 lakhs – Rs. 9 lakhs ex-showroom price and is a six-seater compact van strapped with three rows of seats and rear-hinged rear doors. The car will come in both 1. 2 litre K-Series engines and a 1. 6 litre Variable Valve Timing engine, each of which have been present in the popular models of Swift and SX4. The R3 will compare to an Innova. The company plans to sell it in emerging markets. It will be showcased in the Auto Expo 2012.The company plans to get a diesel engine for the car from Volkswagen. The third new model of Maruti, the new Swift will be launched by July 2011 will a 1. 3 litre multi- jet diesel engine and a 1. 2 litre K-Series engine. The new Swift fall in the Rs. 3. 5 – 5. 5 lakhs bracket depending on the model and approximately 17,000 units will be produced each year. Along with coming up with new cars and new plants, Maruti is also expanding its transportation capacity. The company has forged partnerships for this with the Adani group to set up a mega car terminal at the Mundra port.