Poetry and Happiness

In the poem, â€Å"Happiness†, the poet, Priscilla Leonard, illustrates for the reader that happiness cannot be contained and that one human cannot own all happiness. The poem happiness is about how to live life to the fullest. In the first two lines of the poem, †Happiness is a crystal/ fair and exquisite and clear† the feeling and emotion that the poet gives the reader, is peaceful and tranquil(1-2). Leonard throws a different perspective at the reader when she write ,†broken in a million pieces/shattered scattered far and near(4-5).The emotion has now been cut off. It is like an alarm clock to the reader. She goes onto say in the last part of the stanza that if one understands this and â€Å"now and then along life’s pathway/lo! Some shining fragments fall† and they are lucky enough to behold these pieces of happiness, they will experience great joy(5-6). Leonard writes that â€Å"there are so many pieces/ no one ever finds them all† t o say happiness is not bought, nor to be stolen, but it is to be earned, found, and given to one another(7-8). There are different pieces of happiness.Some pieces of happiness that Leonard says, are that â€Å"you may find a bit of beauty/or an honest share of wealth†(9-10). beauty and honest wealth are two things modern women wish to have and to be. Leonard being a woman might have placed these two elements of beauty to reach out to certain woman readers, so that they could relate to the poem. Leonard tells a tale about a neighbor, and how their greed got them no happiness, and no matter how much they searched and reached out to grab all happiness, it escaped their grasp.Before that she tells of the wise on their journey of life. She wrote that they â€Å"treasure every fragment clear/[and] fit them as they may together/imaging the shattered sphere†(17-19). The wise care about and realize that they are â€Å"to be ever thankful† even though their share of wisdo m is tiny, they understand that â€Å"it has so many pieces no one ever finds them all†(20,22-23). The wise know that their gift of happiness is being wise and that there are also many other great gifts in the world. There is, of course, a difference etween the fool and the wise. Once the fool receives a gift , he tries to get all he can. The wise get a gift and know to be satisfied with what they have, and not to wander around looking for more satisfaction. The wise, being wise imagine not just a sphere that the poet has put into context for u, but the true meaning of happiness. The reason why the author uses a crystal ball as a symbol for happiness is because a crystal seems fragile and priceless, but at the same time a sense of immortality.A crystal is treasured and admired by all who see it. Thieves and fools want it so they can have more pleasures. Respectable and wise people use it as a gift and are humble. Holding all happiness in your hands can have a strange effect t hough. Even some of the wisest men have fallen under its luring spell. Don’t be deceived by happiness, it is like a double-edged sword. If people would pay more careful attention to poets like Priscilla Leonard there might not be so many corrupted souls in the world.Happiness is not a toy that can be pulled out and played with, only to be lost when searching for more. Since happiness cannot be contained, but it can easily be destructive and lost. Treat it like a crystal; clear, true, and exquisite. When happiness seems to be out of reach, wait a little until some falls on your lap. Until then admire it as you would a passing cloud. This close reading has helped to take a step back and to realize the value of looking at life through a wide angled lens. And to not just look at happiness, but in all the elements of life.

Local and National Provision Research Essay

Research and write about the local and national provision for your preferred sport. The aim of this assignment is to research the local and national provision for tennis. The main governing body for tennis is the Lawn Tennis Association. I will research how the LTA provides funding and helps players from a beginner level to and elite level. There are many ways in which a performer can improve and compete, I will research how these are done and what help is given. Often there isn’t sports provision for those with disabilities, i will investigate what is available in tennis. I will also research what is available in our area. Tennis venues in Suffolk include ? Park courts ? Clubs and village courts ? School and education facilities Tennis courts in parks are generally maintained and run by local authorities for example in Bury St Edmunds there are courts in the Abbey Gardens. Courts are expensive to hire at around à ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½5 per hour. There are several clubs in West Suffolk for example The Risbygate Club in Bury St Edmunds. There is a joining fee for the club, which is quite expensive particularly for young people however, the subsequent cost of hiring the court is cheaper than / A number of villages in the West Suffolk area have their own communal courts which you can access providing you are a resident in the village, for example Bardwell has 2 courts. There are no indoor courts in West Suffolk therefore tennis is mostly played through spring and summer. Tennis lessons for children are available throughout the year in venues such as local leisure centres and schools where mini courts and practise sessions can be set up. For those who wish to compete there is the Glasswells tournament in the summer,in Bury St Edmunds, all other competitions take place further a field which require transport to get there. The LTA is the main tennis governing body. It makes these opening statements on its website â€Å"OUR VISION, To make Britain a great tennis nation. OUR MISSION, More players, Better players.† (www.LTA.org.uk) The LTA aims to develop tennis from the grass roots of tennis to international success. They have clear priorities, juniors, clubs and performance. They believe in order to succeed, tennis needs to be played from a young age, money is invested in encouraging very young children to the game and helping them develop their skills to become talented players who will represent their country. The British Tennis Foundation is the official tennis charity. It works alongside the LTA, to provide opportunity for young people and those with disabilities. It helps organise come and try sessions, national training programmes and international tournaments. The Central Council of Physical Recreation CCPR is responsible for distributing lottery money to national governing bodies, some of this money is given to the LTA to invest in the development of tennis. The National Coaching Federation NCF aims to improve the standard of coaching in the UK. It runs courses to ensure coaches are fully qualified and are able to coach participants to the very highest standards. This enables players to be coached my the very best and produce a very competitive edge. Many talented performers begin playing tennis at a very young age, they gradually move up through club age groups. When a youngster with talent is spotted their coaching becomes more intense and their level of competition increases. The LTA has a system of tennis coaching which begins young and carries on to senior tennis.   4-8years, mini tennis, this is fun and ensures tennis is enjoyable and played regularly 8-10years, club futures, clubs and coaches provide opportunities for juniors with talent to compete and be involved in club performance programmes 11-13years, county futures, talented players are spotted from club futures to be part of a nationwide programme at county level 11-14years, national futures, young competitors who have the right athletic ability, competitive attitude, mental balance and behaviour are chosen and are provided with the technique to succeed on the international stage   14-22years, academies and intermediate, preparing players to make the step from junior to senior game by providing competitions and physical conditioning 22+, senior players, intensive coaching and training. If a talented player wishes to pursue a career in tennis but also study for a degree at university, special scholarships are available to ensure top coaching is still available but alongside studies. Wheelchair tennis can be played against others in wheelchairs or able bodies players. The International Tennis Foundation regulates the wheelchair game. The ITF ensures wheelchair competitors can compete in the worlds most prestigious events. Wheelchair tennis can be played on regular tennis courts, so some facilities are available. Many wheelchair players are discriminated against and there are no wheelchair teams locally. This is because nationally wheelchair isn’t as widely played as able bodied tennis. Tennis provision is minimum at the moment, but it is higher than it has been. The LTA is committed to developing the game and with encouragement from those already participating I believe in the future tennis will have the best facilities and provision, regardless of their age, gender, or ability. www.wtatour.com www.itfwheelchairtennis.com www.itfjuniors.com www.minitennis.com www.btf.com www.lta.org.uk

Approaches To Hr By Multinational Corporations Management Essay

Approaches To Hr By Multinational Corporations Management Essay For better understanding this is important to discuss what a multinational company is in first place. In short words multinational company can be defined as a company or an organization that serves or produce in more than one country is known as multinational company. Other names use for such kind of organizations is Multinational Corporation (MNC), Transnational Corporation (TNC) or Multinational Enterprise (MNE). Multinational organization can be engaged in manufacturing, services or the exploitation of natural resources in the operating countries. Different writers described different definition of multinational companies. According to Moore & Lewis (1999, P. 21) stated that â€Å"an enterprise that engages in foreign direct investment (FDI) and own or controls value – adding activities in more than one country is known as multinational enterprise†. As Jones (1996, p.4) says â€Å"An MNE is usually defined as firm that controls operations or income generating asset s in more than one country.† There is a long list of multinational firms like Sony, Nestle, Wal-Mart Stores, General Motors, Ford Motor, ConocoPhillips Microsoft, Nokia, Toyota Motors, Intel, Coco-Cola, Sony, IBM, Nike and Citigroup etc. Now the main question is about the multinational companies of different origin adopt different approaches of HRM practices. To discuss this section this is really important to discuss the HRM practices in first place, to define what HRM is and then its practices will be discussed throughout this essay step by step, and then practices of HRM in broader context for the MNCs or MNEs. HRM is modern word use in the businesses, which can be defined as â€Å"a model of personnel management that focuses on the individual rather than taking collective approach†. (www.dictionary.bnet.com). As Pennington & Edwards (2000, P. 4) stated that â€Å"Human Resource Management (HRM) is a new way of thinking about how people should be managed as employee s in the workplace†. It can be classified into two schools of thoughts.i.e. Hard HRM & Soft HRM. Both types of HRM are under studies of different authors in detail. Now to concentrate on the question directly a survey is going to be under studies â€Å"Country of origin effects and HRM in multinational companies† which took place in 2007 by P. Edwards et al. In which he discussed 302 UK based multinational companies, which cover both UK – owned and overseas – owned companies. This study will play an important part in the essay to get the conclusion either multinational companies of different nationalities have different HRM approaches and practices or not. 2- Challenges in multinationals According to Brett, Jeanne & Kristin, 2006, international business’s nature is going under a sea change. The globalisation, multi-nationalisation, and the geographical diversification is pushing companies towards change in their management structure and style. Multi nationals now need to consider regional market conditions and develop strategies to cater to each of the regional markets. 2.1- Culture shock Culture shock is the big challenge for multinationals, the difference brings the different thinking ways and working ways, and it needs time to adjust it. In most cases the expatriate manager prefer to emphasize and require the home office or home country values on the host country’s employees instead of accepting and learning within the new culture. (Adler, 2002)

Compare and Contrast the drive participatory styles of management, Essay

Compare and Contrast the drive participatory styles of management, describe which one would you use and why - Essay Example Such an approach encourages the employees to improve their productivity and performance because when they do their job well, they are rewarded. In such a participatory management style, employees can see the way their contributions add value to the organization. Yet another style of participatory management is the shared decision-making management style in which employees complete surveys, take part in focus groups, brainstorming sessions, and achieve specific tasks in self-monitored groups. A common feature of all the different styles of participatory management is that they consist of a type of share decision-making (McQuerrey). I would use the recognition management style of participatory management. I prefer this style of management because this provides the employees with incentives to improve their productivity and efficiency at the workplace. Sometimes, it is in the best interest of the management to control the level of transparency in the workplace. Too much transparency becomes the cause of undue conflicts and misunderstandings. I believe that a manager should be in charge and control the discipline and work, and reward the ones that deserve according to his/her judgment and criteria. Such a positive attitude fosters trust between the manager and the employees (Raeside

Research Methods & Methodologies in Accounting and Management Essay - 2

Research Methods & Methodologies in Accounting and Management - Essay Example The UK has become an attractive destination for higher education for many nations. Nowadays, the highest inflow of foreign students to the UK comes from China. The number of Chinese students taking higher education courses in the UK has shown dramatic increase during past decades. In 1998-1999 the number of Chinese students in UK was 4000 (Ianelli and Huang, 2014). By 2001, the number rose by 71% to nearly 18,000 students and by 2009-2010 to almost 57,000 (Gittings, 2002; Ianelli and Huang, 2014). There are many papers which aimed to explore the determinants of the choice of UK universities by overseas students. Soo & Elliot (2010) have carried out such research, analysing key determinants of popularity of the UK universities among international students. They have found that fee cost, quality of education, as well as the existing popularity of a university among home applicants were some of the most significant factors (Soo & Elliot, 2010). Thus, prestige and quality of higher educa tion are recognized to be the most common reasons. However, the inflow of Chinese students can be hardly explained only with these aspects. With the growth of the middle class and market orientation of China, Chinese families seek value for money (Gittings, 2002). Obviously, that decision of a Chinese student to study in the UK is more likely to be sponsored by their parents, and therefore, parents also are important decision-makers in the process. Ianelli and Huang (2014) have tried to analyze how the patterns of attainment of Chinese graduates have changed during the last decade. The findings have shown that science, engineering, business, and social sciences were the courses in great among the Chinese students in UK (Ianelli and Huang, 2014). Also, the study has shown that Russel Group universities are increasingly popular among Chinese students studying in

Contemporary Issues In Business And Management Essay

Contemporary Issues In Business And Management - Essay Example A global industry can be described as an industry where all firms are competing within the global market in order to sustain and grow. A global strategy is driven by various factors. These can be cost drivers, competitive drivers, customer drivers and government drivers (Sakarya, Eckman and Hyllegard, 2006). We live in a global economy where the time required to cross continents has reduced to a bare minimum. With the help of advantage technologies, it is now possible to initiate conversations within no time. Because of these changes, there has been a shift in the business practices of organisations and more and more organisations are adopting a global strategy for growth and sustainable development (Aharoni and Ramamurti, 2011). A global strategy is the plan of an organisation to compete in these new realities of global markets. For example, in food manufacturing, organisations like Nestle, Cadbury and Kellogg’s have created marketing networks and global distribution based on marketing of their leading brands that are well recognised globally. Key aspects of a global strategy include: The global market should be treated as the domestic market. Establishment of a global marketing mix, differentiating between the national and regional differences such as language, culture and taste. Creating a global distribution and production system, for example establishing factories globally manufacturing goods for respective local regions (Vrontis, Thrassou, and Lamprianou, 2009). Concentrating on the most successful and most recognised products and brands. Since the global market is huge, a substantial amount of profit can be achieved by using economies of scale in terms of production, distribution and marketing. Rather than producing a large number of products, it will be more fruitful to manufacture those products and services which are well recognised and accepted by the customers round the world. Importance of Global Strategy The importance of global strategy ca n be understood from the flowing perspectives: Perspective of a Company With the international expansion, opportunity increases in terms of new sales and higher revenues. Sometimes, it might also happen that the profitability in the home country has reduced due to various unavoidable conditions. In such cases, revenues from the international market prove to be a saviour. At times which are turbulent, they might become the saviour in terms of profit. For example, poor growth and low profits in the domestic market in China were one of the main reasons that forced the Chinese company, TCL, to formulate a strategy with the aim of international growth and expansion. It has continued this global expansion strategy with new factories, new offices overseas and acquisitions with the aim of developing the positioning of its market particularly in the two markets for electronics goods, the European Union and the USA. Apart from opportunities such as new sales and profit expansion, global strat egies can take place because of various other reasons. Oil companies, for example, look for expansion with the objective of securing their resources, a strategy which can also be termed as resource seeking (Bellin and Pham, 2007). Industries such as clothing look for global expansion with th

Communicable Diseases for District of Columbia, Maryland, and Virginia Assignment

Communicable Diseases for District of Columbia, Maryland, and Virginia - Assignment Example Health officials moved with speed to intervene such that by 16th November, the number of deaths significantly dropped to 5,000. The epidemic was one of the worst in the American history. The influenza had a high virulence hence not easy to contain. The influenza is believed to have been transmitted by sailors in Norfolk (Dinh et al., 2006). About 200,000 people were reportedly infected within the first month of the outbreak. The District of Columbia was hit by the dengue fever epidemic in late September, 2010. By October 1st, 160 cases had been reported. The dengue fever spread exponentially such that by October 8th, about 2000 people had been infected with the flu. 450 victims of dengue fever were reported by mid October (Modis et al., 2004). By the third week of October, 750 people had been infected with the virus. The dengue fever was feared to become a pandemic in the rural areas and along the border. It took the intervention of the health and State authorities in Columbia to warn the people about the high prevalence of the fever along the borders since the disease is mostly transmitted through water and humidity (Gubler, 2002). To effectively contain the disease, there was need for the government of Columbia to work hand in hand with the authorities in regions neighboring Columbia. There was an Ebola outbreak in Reston, Virginia in 1989. An outbreak spread relatively fast; however it was nonlethal to humans. Several lab monkeys died, though. Many people tested positive. It was a unique Ebola outbreak in the U.S. history. Although the Ebola virus could only kill monkeys, it was a major health scare (Geisbert et al., 1992). Fortunately, the U.S. authorities were able to move with speed to contain the Reston virus. Patients exposed to the virus never really got sick. Many Americans viewed the Reston crisis as a health horror. Health officials who tried to contain the situation were exposed to the virus, albeit

Doman Name Expansion Solution Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Doman Name Expansion Solution - Essay Example The organization is tasked with the responsibility of identifying and setting minimum standards for which they must adhere to performing their functions as registrars. In furtherance of its duties ICANN also gives recognition to persons as well as entities that meet these standards ‘and to enter into an accreditation agreement that sets forth the rules and procedures applicable to the provision of Registrar Services’ (ICANN 2012a). Since its inception, ICANN has been gradually increasing the suffixes attached to domain names or generic top-level domains (gTLDs). This has been done in response to problems encountered by various groups including businesses and customers. The original domain suffixes include .com, .org and .net. The first set of changes took place in 2001when ICCAN increased the number of gTLDs to 22 to include suffixes such as: .uk, .au and .en. They include the original .com, .net and .org. In addition to that, there are 254 domains that are specific to c ountries and regions – 120 of these are country code domains and 134 At-Large Structures (ALSes) from all geographic regions (ICANN 2012b). The country code domains are represented by the Country Code Names Supporting Organisation (ccNSO). In spite of that increase, a great demand continued to exist for internet names. On June 20, 2011 Internet minders voted unanimously to expand the number of domain names based on company brands, entertainment and political causes. According to The Associated Press (2011) this is the greatest change since the debut of .com in 1984. With this change organisations are now able to make application for gTLDs that contain virtually any word in any language or script (Alex Hall 2011). This change is expected to benefit individuals, companies, cities and regions. It is also expected to reduce the number of disputes that requires resolution. 2.0 Reasons for expanding domain name suffixes Several reasons have been given for the move to expand indefin itely the number of domain name suffixes.  

Trending curation Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Trending curation - Essay Example Just like in tweeter, where we have tweets as message sent by people, pins in pinterest are shared images that people can pin on customized boards. Users have freedom to customize their own boards with their preferred categories such as car models, funny photos, or amazing architects just to name a few. The article titled, a guide to the new and fun social media for the starters http://mashable.com/2011/12/26/pinterest-beginners-guide/ explain how Pinterest works. Snapchat despite of being around for a year has gained much popularity among the young people where they talk of snapchatting each other. By the end of last year, Snapchat was rated number three among the most popular sites in Itunes free app. Snapchat offers an exciting and interesting way to share images with relatives and friends. The unique feature in snapchat is that the user has the control the amount of time the image can be viewed before it is removed automatically. The article on this link http://infospace.ischool. syr.edu/2012/11/29/what-is-snapchat/ best explains how snapchat operates. Do you think photo communication or social wordless have changed the way we communicate and how? Taking and sharing photos have greatly changed how we used to communicate, for instance, if a person text you wanting to know where you are, one can take a snapchat and share with the person, the photo will explain in precise where you are without additional details. In addition, some people have are shy to talk to people face to face , but social media allows these person to share their moments or thoughts through a simple photo. For instance, one can share a moment of his first-born child across the whole world, where people will congratulation and like the photos of the child electronically (Petrescu 1). How do these social networks ensure that the privacy of individuals is safeguarded? A person can only view your pinterest if invited which is very similar to following in twitter. One is required to register to receive invites or invite the person you know to see your pins. Pinning is a simple process that involves using a pin it button, easily drag and place the pin on the browser extension, click to the photo or image you find exciting and select it, then finally place the pin to the appropriate board with a descriptive text, and the pin is shared. Pins can also be shared via other sites such as Facebook and twitter in order to gain more audience across all networks. In snapchat, the image or photo shared can only be available to a friend for a time ranging from one to ten seconds. Photo captions using snapchat is very easy since it requires the user to tap on the screen or create a doodle. Photo created can be shared with one person or a group a group of persons. Snapchat automatically creates a best friend alternative by identifying the persons you have shared most photos (Petrescu 1). Which do you think are the most common features of photo communicating sites such as instagram and sn apchat? Sharing of photos is the main feature of wordless social, where the user can take photos within the customized app or share the already taken photos via the phone camera. All these social sites allow people to share photos to each other such as Facebook, tumbr, and twitter. Photo manipulation is a feature that allows users to modify their photos to their liking, one can add names and funny texts on the photo to make it exciting. Instagram, snapchat, and

Persuasion eassy about torture Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Persuasion eassy about torture - Essay Example In such a way, choosing to torture someone just in the hopes that such an inhuman process would provide the needed information would open up Pandora’s box with regards to the lengths that our society might then be willing to go to in order to pursue it’s ends. Not only is this unethical, it represents an affront to the many hundreds of thousands of individuals who have died to ensure that the United States remains free and provides a stark level of contrast to the many despotic regimes that exist elsewhere throughout the world. Although the temptation may be strong to bend the rules and engage in what would otherwise be considered dehumanizing and inhumane treatment of others, these are not the principles that we should want to bequeath to our children and grandchildren. A far worse fate than losing lives to terrorism would be spitting upon all of the lives of the fallen who have died to ensure that this country remained a liberal and free democracy that did not engage in such inhumane treatment of

Setting up a business Essay Example for Free

Setting up a business Essay Introduction Tods tyres is a company which deals in fitting new sets of tyres to fleets of cars. Tod has to record the details of each car, and send the owners a letter when the cars are due for new tyres. Previously, this could all be done manually, but the growth of the company has meant there is a need for a more efficient system. The existing system is all manual, with Tod or one of his clerks keeping a book containing all the details of cars he maintains, as well as the addresses of his clients. He writes out a letter on a basic word processor on his home computer, and changes the address manually. A new design is needed to make the company more efficient, as Well as increase the capacity for adding new customers in the future. Ideally, the system should be very easy to use, as Tod himself is not very experienced with computers. Because Tod holds the details of his customers on this computer, it must be protected from unauthorised use. A good way to do this would be to protect either the entire computer or the database with a password Specification of solution The Solution, for it to be a complete success, must be capable of each of the following: 1. It must store each record in a way that it is easily visible, easily compared with similar records, and easily retrievable with a query 2. It has to be protectable with at least a password, to satisfy the requirements of the data protection act. 3. The database itself must be easy and intuitive to use for its users, and must be a stable and reliable program. 4. The data itself must be transferable to a common storage medium, like floppy disks or CDRs, for cheap and compact back-up storage. However, these disks must be kept safe from unauthorised access, as per the data protection acts. 5. The programme must update the file in real-time; e. g. a change to the database at one workstation will register at the others with immediately after. The solution, as a secondary objective, should be relatively cheap and easy to upgrade in the future. For instance, a few spare RAM sockets would be useful, as data flow increases and extra memory is needed. The program developed to solve the problem should be widely compatible with most widely available platforms, so that the records can be viewed on other computers, in case the office computer is inaccessible, so that backups can be used. It is recommended the whole database be backup as often as possible, but every week or so would be sufficient, depending on the rate of data transfer in and out of the database. The new system should also be easy to use and straightforward to operate. This will mean that Tod and the clerks can use the system quickly and easily, and so reduce operating time and shop stress. Therefore, I think a windows 98 system (stable, basic, and needs a modest spec to run) with Access XP or 2000, whichever is cheaper. After a fitting of a tyre is completed, the quantity of the appropriate tyre available is reduced by the appropriate amount, and the last tyre date of the car data table is updated manually. This way we can easily find how many tyres of each type are in stock, and how long each car has before it is due in again. The solution program must be: 1. Easy and intuitive to use 2. Able to operate on a low spec The firm will want to keep the spending on hardware to a minimum. 3. Able to search for records, for quick access to data. 4. Protected by a password + anti-virus software, under the data protection act. 5. Easy to backup: i. Must support floppy disk backups ii. Must be a commonly used format (e. g. must be able to be read on most machines, etc. ) Feasibility study Although the computerised process would save time in the long term, there is the short-term cost of buying and setting up the computer equipment. However, I think this would save the company time and money in the middle/ long term. To keep the firm efficient whilst it expands, computerising the administration system would free up staff time, making the workforce bigger than it needs to be. This computerised system means the firm will not need to employ a secretary or any other manual filing system, until the database grows too large to manage. This is all part of the process of mechanisation, and cant be helped. If the firm expands too much without checks being made on efficiency, a diseconomy of scale may well result. This would increase running costs, and decrease profits over time. In all, I think the middle- and long-term benefits far outweigh the short-term costs. There is the possible problem of Tod having to personally fill in all the records himself, since he is the only one with the knowledge of who gets the 5% discount or not. The system would result in a much better reminder system, so that more customers will potentially come back to the firm. The only cost would be the cost of the computer equipment, and the cost in time and money of maintenance in the future. The system runs basic hardware and common software, so technicians able to deal with the system would be common. Why use a database? Databases are very practical methods of data storage, because they provide a very simple, uncluttered GUI for a novice user, but can prove very powerful tools for searching and the like for the advanced user. This is why I decided not to use Excel; the interface is comparatively complex in relation, and may confuse the first-time user. Also, databases allow for many more types of record to be shown there is the option to publish the results in an individual record card, which Excel cannot do. Excel is not totally useless for this project; Tod might be able to make use of its graph-making and accounting features, especially as the company grows and needs to be more in control of its productivity and expenses. Hardware Specification Required At the moment, we are going for a very cheap, reliable system, because of the low system requirements of the programs involved. Following the recent leaps in processor speed, and the advent of new technology like the Pentium 4 series, you can purchase new Pentium 3/ duron processors at very low prices. Because of rapid increases in new CPU speeds, we can now set up a very competent system very cheaply. RAM has also become cheaper, which is just as well, because were going to need 128 Meg in each machine in order to maintain a good level of stability, and safely clear the minimum requirements of Windows 98. A 128 Meg RAM chip costs about i 20. We wont bother with DDR Ram; SDR is cheaper and has no noticeable downgrade in performance, as well as the added cost of getting a compatible motherboard, since the technology is relatively recent. I would recommend buying the parts from a registered computer fair, rather than a large- scale retailer, because larger shops are only interested in i 700 home systems and upwards. The older parts used in these systems enable a complete computer to be built for under i 180. CPU: 450-mhz p3 Less than i 25 if used. Hard Disk: 10-gig ATA 133 Surpassed, but cheap and plenty of room for OS and database. RAM: 128 MEG, SDR. Motherboard: Old ABIT models have legendary reliability. About i 50 used. Case: Minitower case. Theyre cheap (ish) and save space on the desk. About i 15. Graphics card: Cheap, low-end versions cost about i 10, or some motherboards carry one on-board. For this sort of application, we really have no choice but to use a database/ spreadsheet program, because they have a better capacity to index and sort data by name, price etc. more easily than having each record on paper, for instance, or even entering the information in a word-processing application. For example, its a lot easier to add a record in-between two others, because a Database program like Access will automatically update other fields, like the Autonumber field, for example. Its also a lot easier to move the records down in the first place, because the database program has many spreadsheet features. The screenshot here shows the option clearly visible. However, performing the same operation in word can send records all over the page. Entity Relationship diagram This illustrates the relationships the solution will need to take into account. The relationships should ideally be linked in real time, so that changing the record in one table will automatically update the fields in another table. Database Notation: ACCOUNTS (Customer account ID, No.of cars name, company address ,company postcode, 5% discount? ) CARS (Customer account ID, Car ID, Model name, Reg number, Last tyres date) CURRENT JOBS (Customer account ID, Car ID, Date in, reg number) TYRE STOCKS(Tyre ID, Number left in stock) Data dictionary Car Database Fieldname Type Description Customer ID Number duplicates OK Car ID Autonumber Duplicates not OK Comments Text (256 characters) Allows other car details to be recorded, e. g. year of production Reg Number Text Only accepts new numbers ( ) Tyre type needed Text (P1000 OR P3000 OR P5000 OR P7000). Indicates which tyre type best suits the car Last change date Date/time Should display the date in days, months and years. Example Accounts Database Fieldname Type Description Customer ID Autonumber Must be indexed, duplicates not OK No. of cars Number Preferably looks up quantity of cars listed 5% Discount? Boolean Tick box Customer Name Text Normal Text Customer Address Text Normal Text Customer Postcode Text Normal Text Example Current jobs Database Fieldname Type Description Customer Account Number Number Identifies customer (lookup from customer accounts, duplicates OK) Car ID Number Duplicates not OK.. Date in Date Reg number Text ( ) Lookup from car table, by car ID Tyre type needed Number Must be below that in the tyre stocks field for that particular tyre in the tyre stock table Example Tyre stocks Database Fieldname Type Description Tyre Type ID Autonumber Gives a primary key for lookup functions Manufacturer ID Text P1000, P3000 P5000, P7000 Tyre price Currency Cost of tyre to buy Number of tyres in stock Number Gives tyre stock Reports Invoice report Fieldname Type Description Customer ID Autonumber Lookup from Accounts table. Car ID Number Lookup from car table 5% discount Boolean Lookup from accounts Sub total Currency formula 1 VAT/ other tax formula 2 Total Currency formula 3 Cars due in report Fieldname Type Description Customer ID Number Lookup from Accounts table Car ID Number Lookup from car table Car Reg # Text string   Lookup from car table Last tyres date Date Lookup from car table Queries Name Function qryaccount Inputting an account number allows the user to access that customers history qryRegistration. Inputting a valid registration number will reveal the owner and other details qrytyrestocks Allows the user to enter a tyre type and view details of how many tyres of that type are left in stock, and how much they are sold to the customer for. qryCarsduein Allows the user to enter a date and view details of the cars that are due for new tyres Validation rules. To ensure the smooth running of the database, it is important to ensure that errors are found and corrected by the user. To ensure these errors are detected, the following measures have been implemented. Format checks all dates input into the system must be in the format DD/MM/YYYY. For instance, a date like 02/06/2002 will be accepted, but anything not in this format or a letter will create the following error message The short date criteria means data is only accepted in numerical A similar set of rules apply for the car registration numbers. They must be in the new style European format, or this error box will appear: Range check A date from before 1950 is very unlikely to be valid. Since Tods tyres hasnt been around very long, a rule preventing dates from before 1953 being put in is useful. Query Design. Firstly, we need a query to highlight cars which are due in for new tyres, i. e. those which the last tyres date was over a year ago. To do this, we can set up the following query. Standard letter query Fields displayed = Car ID, Customer address, customer postcode, date due in Criteria for Date due in date() + 365 This query will produce a list of the cars which are due in for new tyres; this list can then be used to set up a mail merger, so that the customers address, postcode and the registration of the car will be inserted into the letter. An example of this letter is attached at the back of the report. An example of this could be given by a car with a last tyres date of 02/05/2001. This would be picked up by the query, and entered into the mail merge letter with the owners address and postcode. Dataflow diagram Level one diagram Why use a database? Databases are very practical methods of data storage, because they provide a very simple, uncluttered GUI for a novice user, but can prove very powerful tools for searching and the like for the advanced user. This is why I decided not to use Excel; the interface is comparatively complex in relation, and may confuse the first-time user. Also, databases allow for many more types of record to be shown there is the option to publish the results in an individual record card, which Excel cannot do. Test plan Test number Description Expected result 1 Security password Only accepts correct password 2 Relationships cross referencing Extending a field in one table will show relevant contents of other tables. 3 Relationships Real-time updating Updating one table will update the other tables correctly 4 Query Searching for Customers by name will provide the desired result 5. Invoice lookup The mail merges produce the correct customer details, car registration number etc 6 Invoice Calculation 5% discount is applied correctly, totals are added up correctly and end result is formatted correctly (e. g. as a currency) 7 Car registration Validation rules An incorrect format for a car registration will be picked up 8 Date validation rules An impossible date for a new car (e. g. 1953) would be picked up on. 9 Switchboard functionality Changing the amount of tyres left in the switchboard should update the tyre stocks table. 10 Tyre usage rule The current jobs table wont accept more than 5 tyres being fitted at a time. Testing report 1. On opening the database, the user is asked for a password before the database will open. If the password specified is incorrect, the database will refuse access: 2. Extending an entry in the accounts field can display data for the cars owned by a particular account holder: 3. Updating the last tyres date in the table above has updated the data in the original table, so that one table can be used to change or update another: 4. Searching for Cross, the name of one of the customers, brings up the file for Mr. Cross account. 5. The mail merge correctly inserts Elliot Cross Name, Address and Postcode successfully into the table 6. The mail merge also inserts a final paragraph, dependant on whether the account holder is entitled to a 5% discount. 6. An invalid car registration number is picked up by the validation rule 7. The validation rule stops the user from inputting a very suspectable value, a date before 1953 for a new car 8. Using the switchboard to increase tyre stocks (e. g.following a delivery of fresh tyres) automatically updates the tyre stocks table. The table is updated successfully, which suggests the switchboard has allowed for real-time editing of the database 9. Because of the following validation rules in the tyres used field: Putting in a value greater than 5 or lower than 1 produces the following error message: Evaluation The system has left Tod with a powerful database of stock and account details. This has completely computerised the system, making it more efficient and productive. This has meant addresses are accessible at the touch of a button, saving time. The added increase in staff morale has made the firm more efficient, as happier workers are more productive. This increased efficiency will save the firm money in the short run. This means extra profit for the firm. However, improvements could still be made in the future, including these points: 1. Connecting the system to the internet, allowing Tod to simply email reminders to interested clients. This would make the entire system more reliable and efficient, since labour costs are reduced by eliminating the need for a clerk to put the letters in envelopes, etc. It also reduces the possibility for human error, as long as the details are correctly input in the first place. 2. Upgrading the computer to make the system more stable. More RAM in future upgrades may prove particularly useful. Also, over time the company may wish to transfer the details into a bespoke system. This would maximise processing power, since RAM is being dedicated only to the basic functions of the database, and not unnecessary functions such as a windows shell. Also, it would reduce the possibility of time being wasted by employees on unrelated applications, like games on the computer. Tom ONeill Page 2 07/05/07.

Dth Industry Scope Essay Example for Free

Dth Industry Scope Essay The total number of households in our country is around 231 Million out of which Television households are only 148 Million (TAM Annual universe Update 2012). DTH Subscribers registered with Pvt. Service Providers is 44.21 Million (Indian Telecom Services Performance Indicator Report Dec 2011 by TRAI). That shows the future growth potential of DTH industry. With the Government drive for rise in rural electrification, income and the consumption patterns, people have started demanding quality products. This is resulting into faster adoption of DTH as a category. The presence of all channels across the country is an enabler and will continue to be the game changer in favor of DTH Platforms. The recent regulation of Telecom Regulatory Authority stipulating the complete Digitalization in India by 2014 will further strengthen the demand and growth of the sector. With the government aggressively pushing in for digitization of TV, Multi System Cable Operators (MSOs) are expected to lose their subscribers to DTH during the 4 phases that requires the complete digitization of four metros namely Mumbai, Delhi, Chennai and Kolkata, then 38 cities across India, all the urban areas and finally complete India by 31st December 2014. The recent success in installation of DTH TV in railways and buses will also unfold opportunities of such roll out in times to come. The new retail chain outlets spreading all across the country will also help in presence and acceptance of the DTH category as an off-the-shelf product. The recent successful launch of HD set top box, set top box with live recording etc†¦ will also create a new demand for the technology, further accentuating the growth story. In nut shell, the rise of rural consumption, reduction in the entry level price, variety of content, wide spectrum of value added service, large landscape still under cable dry area and the approach towards personalizing the services to the customers will continue to act as opportunity areas in the forthcoming years for DTH service.

Juice Of Different Brands And Containers Marketing Essay

Juice Of Different Brands And Containers Marketing Essay Introduction Now a day with the increasing intensive competition in order to marketing a product marketing plan is considered as a sole of this, 2.1 Current Marketing Situation In our country there are many types of fruit juice available in the market. Generally mango juice is popular. Beside this, orange, apple, strawberry, grape juices are also accepted by the consumers. At present, many existing soft drink producing companies like Pran, Shezan, Achme are more or less successful in the country because of the rate of selling of their product in the market. Considering this situation, to enter into the market and to compete with other brands, our new soft drinks producing company Anron is preparing to launch the juice of water melon which will enter as a new product in the market. Generally our target is to focus on all class people of all ages particularly kids and teenagers. For doing this we have tried to distribute our product in such areas so that it is available to them. 2.1.1 Market Description Generally, in current market different types of juices are sold in tetra packets or bottles. Tetra packet is not returnable. It is very light and easy to carry. On the other hand, some bottles are returnable and some are not. Few images of these types of containers of some particular brands are shown below: Fig1. Juice of different brands and containers Fruit juice is very good for health because it provides vitamin and nutrition that build body. Since the present market is generally covered by orange, apple, strawberry, grape juice and our new product water melon juice is full of nutrition we want to present it with nice flavors, nice containers and with a real taste at reasonable price. Watermelons are grown throughout the tropics and subtropics region, but do best in the hot drier areas with the abundance of sunshine. They are killed by frost. They grow best on fertile sandy soil, particularly on sandy river banks. They ate fairly drought- resistant and will not stand water logging. Kuakata, Khepupara, Alipur, Mohipur, etc. are main production area of water melon in Patuakhali district in our country. It is also produced in Natore and other districts in Bangladesh. Our target is to collect water melon from the cultivators of different areas and make a deal with them to ensure proper supply of the water melon in order to produce Juicy Melon in a large volume. 2.1.2 Product Review An overall idea about our product is presented here. i. The brand name of the product will be Juicy Melon. ii. The slogan of the product is A taste of reality. iii. At first, it will be available in the market in cane, plastic or glass bottles and in tetra packets. iv. The containers will be of different sizes so that people can buy according to their need. v. The juice will be produced from fresh and pure water melon which is grown in our country. vi. It will be produced by highly improved automated machine. vii. It will be fully free from harmful chemicals, colors and preservatives. viii. It can be stored in refrigerator but it is not must to store it. ix. The overall making procedure of the juice will be monitored by experienced employees and chemists. x. The product will be available in almost all shops in the market. At first, in grocery shop then, in super markets. xi. The product quality will be of high and price will be reasonable. 2.1.2 Competitive Review Pran, Shezan, Achme, Frutika juices have already created a standard position in the market. So, just launch a product in a market is not an easy task. To make a good impression to consumer about the product and also to make profit it is must to know details about other competitors. Analyzing the competitor can create augment chances of launching to be the most successful one. Pran: PRAN is the leading food processing company in Bangladesh and is believed to be processing about half of the horticulture produce that goes to the processed channel in the country. The company produces and distributes fruits juices, snacks, confectionery, culinary products, dairy and soft drinks. It enjoys a strong brand reputation in the country and exports its products to 70 countries. The company has requested IFC for assistance to finance its corporate plan to expand capacity and improve operating efficiencies, aimed at satisfying growing domestic demand and capitalizing on export opportunities. Shezan: The company was incorporated in 1964 as a Private Limited Company, with the main  objective to set up an industrial undertaking for manufacturing of juices, squashes, sherbets, jams, pickles and preserves from fruits and vegetables. In 1971, Shahnawaz group purchased all the shares of Alliance Industrial  Development Corporation. Sajeeb Corporation the company is a well reputed and leading manufacturer, exporter, importer marketing organisation of consumer products (Shezan Juice, TANG, Nocilla, Kolson Lascha Semai, Kolson Macaroni, Kolson Vermicelli, Kolson Noodles, Sajeeb Biscuits other food item) in Bangladesh. Acme: ACME Group is one of the leading and diversified global conglomerates in Bangladesh, with offices in all major cities, employing over 3000+ employees. The images of some acme juice products are given below: Fig2. ACME juice products Frutika: Akij Food and Beverage Limited (AFBL) is one of the main concerns of Akij Group, which is a Bangladeshi industrial conglomerate. Frutika Juice is the juice brand of AFBL, recently introduced juice in the prevalent Bangladesh market. From the lunching of the product Frutika Juice has come up with novelty promotional campaign in order to grab the market share. It also tried to make available the product in the market through their effective distribution channel. However, the price charged by it is relatively higher compared to the competitors. 2.1.2 Distribution Review This is an important part of marketing. After producing Juicy Melon in the company it is required to distribute it in the market. At first, we will distribute it almost all shops of divisional cities. Grocery Store is a store established primarily for the retailing of food. Our assigned team member will distribute the product in grocery shops. People of our country are largely dependent on this type of shops. They can buy necessary things from their nearest shop. So, to reach our product to every people, Juicy Melon will be distributed to grocery store. Supermarket A supermarket, a form of grocery store, is a self-service store offering a wide variety of food and household merchandise, organized into departments. It is larger in size and has a wider selection than a traditional grocery store and it is smaller than a hypermarket or superstore. Well distribute our product at this type of market. Schools, colleges and universities Well distribute the Juicy Melon in the shops nearby schools and colleges. We also supply it in the university cafà ©. SWOT analysis: Our company is serving in the market as a leading competitor. Most of the products of our company are consumer oriented and holding superior market value except the existing juice brands. Thats why our company is willing to inaugurate a juicy brand in a different manner, with a different taste in the juicy drinks JUICY MELON- a pure natural drink with no added sugar, a minus fat with no calorie observation. Though our new product is expected to lead the juice market, we have a swat analysis for the betterment in market serving in an efficient way. Strength: strength are internal capabilities that can help the company reach its objectives .our company has the strengths- Innovative feature- the juicy melon is containing a minus fat characteristic, which is a new observation in case of any juicy brands. Along with our companies existing brands, no other brand is containing this rare feature. Lower price- in comparison to other competitive products in the market, juicy melon is charged a lower price. The lower price is possible due to our competitive advantage in technological and ingredient observation. Ingredient availability- the main ingredient used in the Juicy Melon is water melon. Water melon is largely produced in all over the country. The price is also seems to be very low which is very positive indication for the company. Full of nutrition-our main ingredient ,watermelon is a indigenous fruit which have to believed to have originated in our India Subcontinent is a good source of vitamin A, high in vitamin C, beta-carotene, lycopen, iron, zinc, potassium and other nutritive minerals and very low in sodium; free of fat, saturated fat and cholesterol. Weakness: weakness is internal elements that may interfere with companys ability to achieve its objectives. The major weaknesses are ___ 1. Lack of market information previously no other product is made up of water melon the juicy melon can serve the market or not, may be a questionable factor. Higher preservation cost _ the preservation cost is higher than others. The product, ingredient liquid is a season fruit so the company has to store a huge amount due to demand construction. Opportunity: Opportunities are external elements that the company may be able to its advantage. Increasing demand: Due to peoples health consciousness and other environmental factors people are demanding natural food. The Juicy Melon will be available in the market with this unique characteristic. So there is a possibility that demand will increase in a hear future. Low technology cost: Juicy Melon is available at lower cost due to its lower technology cost. Due to govt. policy, the technological assistance is available from different companies outside the country. The nutrition content: The high water and nutrients contents of our main ingredient keep our bodies hydrated and refreshed, protect from dehydration, toxification; helps in cleaning our kidneys; Vitamin A and beta-carotene improve the accuracy of our vision, preventing, at the same time, eyes-related diseases such as cataracts or macular degeneration, help heart to function accurately, strengthen the immune system, prevent against cancer and is an anti-aging and anti-wrinkling agent for the skin; lycopene a naturally occurring red pigment is the most active carotenoid that is a very potent antioxidant against free radicals and anti-anticancer agent, helps improving short and long term memory, protects and prevents from heart disorders, beneficial against the prostate and testicles and prevents skin, cervical, breast and prostate cancer, also acts as a detoxifier of the waste in the body and inhibits cholesterol formation; Iron plays a decisive role in the growth and physical develop ment of children and teenagers, as it helps their bodies grow in a healthy and harmonious way, strengthens and protects all the organs within our body and is crucial for menstruating, pregnant or lactating women, makes us active and provides us with stamina, links to the hemoglobin, which transports oxygen from the lungs to all body cells and is also part of key enzyme systems for energy production and metabolism; and so on. These all valuable nutritious functions of our ingredient give our product a high quality diet or food value and will help us in our promotion strategies. Our tropical climate: The succulent, thrust-quench fruit watermelon containing 90% water is available for maximum three months on the other hand in our tropical country, now a days, summer exists more than about seven months. As a result, the demand of this refreshing and thrust-quench fruits exists beyond the period of watermelons availability. Demand for all the year round: Besides delicious and watery mouth taste, the high nutritious value will support its demand for the whole year. Threats: Threats are current or emerging external elements that may possibly challenge companys performance. Increased composition: A number of compositions are entering into market with fruit juice orientation .Along with our companys existing fruit juice, grappyfizz, appyfizz etc. again no water melon juice is available in the market. Variety in customer preference: Bangladesh is a country of about 14 crore people. The market size seems to be very large. Again the market is differentiated in terms of demand as the people are differentiated in case of income, age, occupation, literacy, etc. 4.0 Objectives and Issues 4.1 Objectives 4.2 Issues 5. Marketing Strategy Anrons marketing strategy is based on positioning of product differentiation in terms of new taste and flavor and relatively lower price than other competitors. Our primary consumer target is children and our secondary consumer targets are young and adult people who enjoy fruit juice and other types of soft drinks. Our primary business targets are wholesalers and retailers of busy places like bus terminals, railway stations, and local markets. Our secondary business targets are cafeteria of college and university, fast food shops and shopping mall. 5.1. Positioning Though our product Juicy Melon is undifferentiated type, we want to differentiate it by providing real taste of watermelon which is one of the most flavored and nutritious fruit. The flavored taste of watermelon, the brand new type of juice, the nutritious value, the colorful attractive packaging, and relatively lower price are our major positioning tool. 5.2. Product Strategy The Juicy Melon, including all the features described in the earlier Product review section, will be sold in different colorful packaging styles like cane, plastic and glass bottle, tetra pack of different amount like 150 ml of tetra pack; 250 ml of cane, plastic and glass bottle, tetra pack; 500 ml of plastic and glass bottle, 1 L of plastic and glass bottle. The different types of packaging are shown below in the table: Packaging Amount per unit packaging Cane 250 ml Cane 500 ml Tetra pack 150 ml Tetra pack 250 ml Tetra pack 500 ml Tetra pack 1 L Plastic bottle 250 ml Plastic bottle 500 ml Plastic bottle 1 L Glass bottle 250 ml Glass bottle 500 ml Glass bottle 1 L The delicious taste and flavour of products main ingredient, water melon and colorful attractive packaging; purity and asepty of Juicy melon and comparatively lower price are all favorable features of our product to attract our target customers and to take competitive advantage. We will introduce another new taste and flavor of pineapple (the Juicy pineapple) in the next year thereby expanding product line. Building brand equity with new taste and purity is an integral part of our product strategy. The brand name (ABC), slogan (BRINGS TASTE IN LIFE) will be displayed on the pack, cane and bottle that means on overall packaging and in our primary introductory marketing campaign these will be reinforced. 5.3. Price Strategy The Juicy Melon will follow market penetration pricing strategy with target of large market sharing by attracting large number of buyers. The Juicy melon will be introduced at the wholesale and retail price per unit which are shown in the following table Packaging Price Per Unit Cane, 250 ml 13 Cane, 500 ml 25 Tetra pack, 150 ml 10 Tetra pack, 250 ml 13 Tetra pack, 500 ml 25 Tetra pack, 1L 48 Plastic bottle, 250 ml 13 Plastic bottle, 500 ml 25 Plastic bottle, 1L 48 Glass bottle, 250 ml 13 Glass bottle, 500 ml 25 Glass bottle, 1L 48 5.4. Distribution Strategy Our distribution strategy is intensive distribution to make the product available to the consumer by stoking as many outlets as possible. Indirect consumer marketing channel (Producer Wholesaler Retailer Consumer) is our major distribution channel. In various occasion like Pahela Baishakh, International Mother Language Day, Independent Day, Victory Day, Eid Ul Azha, Eid Ul Fitar, Durga Puja, fair and so on, we will follow mobile marketing using direct consumer marketing channel by direct selling to consumer at half of the price per unit in the college and university campus and other gathering and fair place. 5.5. Marketing Communication Strategy By using all media like TV channels, printing media, radio, bill board, we will integrate all messages to reinforce the brand name, the main points of positioning of new and unique taste and flavor and lower price. We will follow both a combination of pull and push strategy. Our persuasive and comparative advertising objectives will be achieved through selecting appropriate timing, media and advertising strategy by advertising agency based on media consumption research to reach prospect buyers for pull strategy before and during product introduction. Consumer sales promotion tools like premium, contests which will be communicated through advertising will be used for pull strategy. For push strategy we will use trade sales promotions like discount, premium, display allowance to attract motivate, retain and persuade wholesaler and retailer to give self space, promote in advertising, and push our product to consumers. For our new product we need large advertising budget as we want to gain large marketing share. 5.6. Marketing Research Our exploratory and descriptive research objectives are- -measuring brand awareness during and after marketing campaigns which will help us determines the effectiveness and efficiency of our messages and media, -studying customer satisfaction to gauge market reaction, -identifying opportunities for our future product development effort, -measuring and analyzing customer attitudes toward competing brands and products. 5.7. Marketing Organization The structure of our marketing organization is organized by function which is shown in the following figure. The Chief marketing officer holds overall authorization for marketing strategy and direction Chief Marketing Officer Sales Manager Public Relation Manager Promotion Manager Research Manager Promotion Analyst Advertising Analyst Figure: Arnones Marketing Organization 6.0 Action Programs We will launch our product Juicy Melon in first January 2011.The summary of our next four months action programs to our objectives are given below. December, 2010 We will introduce our Juicy Melon formally by arranging concert inviting most popular celebrity and nutritionists who will give some speech about our products nutritious value. We will start trade sales promotion strategies by communicating selected wholesaler. January, 2011 We will start integrated campaign targeting our prospected customer using multimedia like TV channels, printing media, radio, bill board. We will start consumer sales promotion. February, 2011 We will continue multimedia advertising campaign to reinforce our positioning strategies and will also continue trade sales promotion tactics. March, 2011 We will use new type of advertising, and will continue consumer sales promotion and will use mobile marketing. 7.0 Budget: This marketing plan includes a detailed budget, schedule, and managerial assignment for every action program. After implementing the marketing plan, up-to-date data has to be collected about the product position regularly and then for control purposes the plan will be allowed for month-by-month comparison of actual versus projected sales and expenses. Budgets as managerial tools How much will the activities defined above cost? Can you provide a revenue forecast? Explain the assumptions on which the forecast is based and consider various (best case, worst case) scenarios. Since many Information Centers now operate as cost centers, if not profit centers, this component of the plan is extremely important. The classic quantification of a marketing plan appears in the form of budgets. Because these are so rigorously quantified, they are particularly important. They should, thus, represent an unequivocal projection of actions and expected results. What is more, they should be capable of being monitored accurately; and, indeed, performance against budget is the main (regular) management review process. The purpose of a marketing budget is, thus, to pull together all the revenues and costs involved in marketing into one comprehensive document. It is a managerial tool that balances what is needed to be spent against what can be afforded, and helps make choices about priorities. It is then used in monitoring performance in practice. The marketing budget is usually the most powerful tool by which you think through the relationship between desired results and available means. Its starting point should be the marketing strategies and plans, which have already been formulated in the marketing plan itself; although, in practice, the two will run in parallel and will interact. At the very least, the rigorous, highly quantified, budgets may cause a rethink of some of the more optimistic elements of the plans. Objectives of Budget Budget serves two main purposes To protect profitability To help managers plan for expenditures, scheduling, and operations related to each action program. Determining costs There are different types of costs like fixed costs and variable costs. Fixed costs (also known as overhead) are costs that do not vary with production or sales levels and include costs such as rent, interest, depreciation and clerical and management salaries. Regardless of the level of output company must pay these costs. The total fixed costs remain constant as output increases, the fixed costs per unit will decrease as output increase because the total fixed costs are spread across more unit of output. On the other hand variable costs vary directly with the level of production and include costs related to the direct production of the product and many of the marketing costs associated with selling it. Although these costs tend to be uniform for each unit produced, they are called variable costs because their total varies with the number of units produced. Total first year sales revenue for the Juicy melon is projected at tk2000000 million, with an average wholesale price tk 13.00 per bottle and variable cost per bottle 3.00 tk for per bottle sales volumes 400000. We anticipate a first year loss up to 10 million on the juicy melon. Break even calculation indicates that the juicy melon will become profitable after the sales volume exceeds 40000 early in the products second year. Our breakeven analysis of juicy melons first product assumes per bottle whole sale revenue of amount per bottle. Variable cost of tk 3 per bottle, and estimated first year fixed cost of 400000. Based on the assumption the breakeven calculation is: Beak even volume = = Fixed costs / price variable costs = 400000/13-3 = 40000 Where as fixed costs = 4, 00,000 Variable cost = 3 Expected unit sales= 50,000 Unit costs = variable costs + fixed cost/expected unit sales = 3+ 400000/50000 = 11 Mark up price = unit costs / 1- desired return on sales 16 percent = 11/ 1- 0.16 = 13 Determining price is one of the most important marketing decisions and marketers have to considerable leeway when setting prices. The limiting factors are demand and costs. Demand factors such as buyer perceived value, set the price ceiling. The companys cost set the price floor. In between these two factors, we as a marketer must consider competitors price and other factors such as reseller requirements, government regulations, and company objectives as well. Since we started as a new product we would like to sell at wholesale prices tk 13.00. In order to expand the market and to gain market share rapidly we launch the product at a lower price. Accordingly we first consider pricing decision s from a cost perspective. The n we consider consumer value, the competitive environment and the reseller requirements. 8.0 Controls Controls help management assess results after the plan is implemented, identify any problems or performance variations, and initiate corrective action. We would like to plan tight control measures to closely monitor quality and customer satisfaction. This will enable us to react quickly in correcting any problems that may occur. Other early warning signals that will be monitored for signs of deviation from the plan include monthly sales (by segment and channels) and monthly expenses. Giving the emphasis on the market volatility, contingency plans are developed to address fast moving environmental changes such as new technology and new competition. Now a day the executive drinks market is steadily increasing with passing time. With keeping this in mind, our marketing programs will expand accordingly. The addition of an internally index will allow juicy melon to the market with the expanding number of potential customers. Sales will increase accordingly, providing working capital for internal product development, marketing department growth, and Internet development. A presence on the Internet will be a key milestone to expanding sales and marketing potentials through the utilization of new channels. Ultimately everything is carried out to monitor the project success. Break-even analysis Based on understanding of the costs, consumer value and the competitive environment and reseller requirement we have decided to set its price to wholesalers at tk 13.00.At that price what sales level will be needed to break even or make profit is determined. Breakeven analysis determines the unit volume 40,000 and taka sales needed to be profitable given a particular price and cost structure. At the breakeven point, total revenue equals total costs and profit is zero. Above this point the company will make profit; below it, the company will lose money. The break even analysis shows that to reach the break even point, the company is required to have sold 4000 units of the juice. As per the sales forecast, it will happen by the end of 4th year (2014) of launching product into the market. Table: Break Even analysis Quantity of bottles(thousands) (1) FC (Tk) (thousand) (2) VC (Tk) (thousand) (3) = (1) ÃÆ'- Tk. 3 TC (Tk) (thousand) (4) = (2) +( 3) TR (Tk) (thousand) (5) = (1) ÃÆ'- Tk 13 Profit (Tk) (thousand) 0 400 0 400 0 -400 10 400 30 430 130 -300 20 400 60 460 260 -200 30 400 90 490 390 -100 40 400 120 520 520 0 50 400 150 550 650 100 Figure : Break Even analysis Conclusion In order to the effective

Essay on Relationship between Art and Life in Death in Venice

Relationship between Art and Life Explored in Death in Venice      Ã‚   The novella Death in Venice by Thomas Mann examines the nature of the relationship between art and life. The progression of the main character, Gustave Von Aschenbach, illustrates the concept of an Apollinian/Dionysian continuum. Apollo is the Greek god of art, thus something Apollinian places an emphasis on form. Dionysus is the Greek god of wine and chaos, hence something Dionysian emphasizes energy and emotion. In The Birth of Tragedy Friedrich Nietzsche suggests that,"... the continuous development of art is bound up with the Apollinian and Dionysian duality--just as procreation depends on the duality of the sexes, involving perpetual strife with only periodically intervening reconciliations.. in the Greek world there existed a tremendous opposition, in origin and aims, between the Apollinian area of sculpture, and the nonimagistic, Dionysian art of music "(33). The Greeks embodied this concept in the "clear figures of their gods" just as Thomas Mann, a great reader of N ietzsche, embodied it in his characters (33).    At the beginning of the novel, Gustave is depicted as an extremely, if not overly, civilized man. He is an artist, but he approaches art coldly and rigidly. It is more a job than a joy for him, and it is actually his urge to seek "flight from his rigid, cold, and passionate service" that brings him to Venice (Mann 6). Although Gustave loves this service, he is currently in a state of frustration: "To him it seemed that his work had ceased to be marked by that fiery play of fancy that is the product of joy..." (7). His beliefs can be summarized in the words "mind and art," thus missing the crucial ingredients of life and sensuality. Gu... ... painting Figures on Rocks at the Edge of the Sea. Life is found to be problematic if lived at either extreme, a midpoint of some type must be established. A dynamic state of oscillation, the best environment for the cultivation of creativity, would have prevented Gustave's uncontrollable exhibition of previously inhibited Dionysian qualities. The ideal state for the production of art and living in general seems to be a mixture of art, mind, and life.       Works Cited Mann, Thomas. Death in Venice and Other Stories. New York: Random House, Inc., 1989. Nietzsche, Friedrich. The Birth of Tragedy from the Spirit of Music. 1872. In The Birth of Tragedy and The Case   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   of Wagner. Trans. Walter Kaufmann. New York: Vintage Books, 1967. Vibert, Jean-Georges. Figures on Rocks at the Edge of the Sea. Snite Museum of Art, Notre Dame, Indiana.   

Sexual Stereotypes and Stereotyping :: Feminism Feminist Women Criticism

Sexual Stereotyping: False Preconceptions and False Conclusions in Blaming Technology       In an excerpt titled "The Feminist Face of Antitechnology" from his 1981 book Blaming Technology, Samuel C. Florman explains why he thinks so few educated women in modern society are engineers.   The excerpt was written shortly after he had visited an all-female liberal arts school, Smith College in Northampton, Massachusetts, to convince a few young women to become engineers.   His mission failed and his essay makes clear why he had such trouble.       Florman has more than one idea as to why young, educated women shy away from engineering as a career option.   First, he notes that America has inherited much of its culture from England, where engineering has not been considered a high-class occupation.   This is apparently so because engineering did not fully separate from craftsmanship until the mid-nineteenth century.   Florman claims that most young, male engineers come from lower- and lower-middle-class families.   He also claims that most young women who are educated in math and science come from middle- and upper-class families.   For this reason, Florman explains that educated women generally see engineering as being below their social class, and therefore do not pursue it as an option.   He supports his position with a story about how Herbert Hoover, after a long conversation, told a woman that he was an engineer and how she responded,   "Why, I thought you were a gentleman!"1   Florman then turns to the fem inists and asks why they haven't taken the lead in changing this situation.         Florman's main argument against the feminist movement is that it is fueled by a greed for power.   He suggests that women, especially feminists, are attracted to perceivable power, or power which is obvious to the cultural eye.   They want to become doctors, lawyers, and politicians.   The desire for power is also intimately connected with social class, according to Florman.   He sees this as one of the major reasons as to why so few women seek out engineering: they see it as a career without power.   Florman sees women as being "a lot more interested in the privileges than in the responsibilities."   According to him, the "ultimate feminist dream will never be realized as long as women would rather supervise the world than help build it."   Until women strive to understand the technology around them, and help to create it, they will always suffer.

The Endless Circle in William Faulkners Barn Burning :: Barn Burning Essays

The Endless Circle in William Faulkner's Barn Burning      Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   William Faulkner's short story â€Å"Barn Burning† is the tale of a southern man forced into a role by society.   â€Å"Barn Burning† takes place in the post Civil War South where a mans place in society is derived by their actions during the war.   Ab Snopse, a man who served both the North and the South, is plagued with his non-allegiance and failure to accept authority.   When Ab comes into conflict with his employer, he finds himself taking control from the authority figure, and reverting back to his mercenary ways.   Having no allegiance, Ab makes the move from helping hand to the enemy by burning down barns.      Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Along with many of Faulkner's short   stories, â€Å"Barn Burning† is set in the imaginary Mississippi county of Yoknapatawpha.   During the restoration of the South, the time period following the Civil War, the only thing that kept the South alive and running where the memories of fallen heroes and the belief that the South would someday regain the status that it had once held.   Families like the Sartorises and the de Spains were glorified and praised for honors that their family members had achieved during battle.   The honor that families like these were granted placed them in public offices, and gave them opportunities to prosper where others could only dream about.   This same honor seemed to carry on to those who shared the names of the great war heroes.   â€Å"‘Hey', the Justice said. ‘Talk louder. Colonel Sartoris?   I reckon anybody named for Colonel Sartoris in this county can't help but tell the truth, can they?'† (Kennedy 163).      Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   On the other hand, the Snopses are viewed as dishonorable.   During the war, Ab Snopse was considered a mercenary for serving both sides of the way.   â€Å" ...nights passed during those four years in the woods hiding from all men, blue and gray, with his strings of horses (captured horses, he called them)† (165). Ab stole horses from the North and the South, to earn a living.   He was even shot by a confederate soldier, â€Å"His father turned, and he followed the stiff black coat, the wiry figure walking a little stiffly from where a Confederate provost's man's musket ball had taken him in the heel on a stolen horse thirty years ago...†(164). Actions like these caused the community to look down upon the Snopses, which in turn caused Ab to invoke revenge upon his adversaries.      Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   When Ab comes into conflict with an employer, he reverts to his old Civil War ways of non allegiance to benefit himself.

Clause 49 – Listing Agreement

CORPORATE WORLD Clause 49 of Listing Agreement on Corporate Governance —Dilip Kumar Sen SEBI has revised Clause 49 of the Listing Agreement pertaining to corporate governance vide circular dated October 29, 2004, which supersedes all other earlier circulars issued by SEBI on this subject. The article highlights important changes in the corporate governance norms. C lause 49 of the Listing Agreement, which deals with Corporate Governance norms that a listed entity should follow, was first introduced in the financial year 2000-01 based on recommendations of Kumar Mangalam Birla committee.After these recommendations were in place for about two years, SEBI, in order to evaluate the adequacy of the existing practices and to further improve the existing practices set up a committee under the Chairmanship of Mr Narayana Murthy during 2002-03. The Murthy committee, after holding three meetings, had submitted the draft recommendations on corporate governance norms. After deliberations, SEBI accepted the recommendations in August 2003 and asked the Stock Exchanges to revise Clause 49 of the Listing recommendations and the same was put up on SEBI website on 15th December 2003 for public comments.It was only on 29th October 2004 that SEBI finally announced revised Clause 49, which will have to be implemented by the end of financial year 2004-05. These revised recommendations have also considerably diluted the original Murthy Committee recommendations. Areas where major changes were made include: ? Independence of Directors ? Whistle Blower policy ? Performance evaluation of nonexecutive directors ? Mandatory training of non-executive directors, etc. The changes in corporate governance norm as prescribed in the revised Clause 49 are as follows: A. Composition of BoardThe revised clause prescribes six tests, which a non-executive director needs to pass to qualify as an Independent Director. The existing requirement is that to qualify as an Independent Director, the di rector should not have, apart from receiving director’s remuneration, any other material pecuniary relationship or transactions with the company, its promoters, its management or its subsidiaries, which in the judgment of the Board may affect independence of judgment of the director. This requirement finds place in the revised clause also Agreement based on Murthy committee recommendations.This led to widespread protests and representations from the Industry thereby forcing the Murthy committee to meet again to consider the objections. The committee, thereafter, considerably revised the earlier The author is Vice President, Tata Tea Ltd. He can be reached at dilip. [email  protected] co. in THE CHARTERED ACCOUNTANT 806 DECEMBER 2004 CORPORATE WORLD except that the relationship will now extend to its management, its holding company and its associates in addition to the existing list. Further the Board is no longer required to judge the independence status of a director as at present.Five new clauses have been added to determine independence of a director. These are: (i) He is not related to promoters or persons occupying management positions at the board level or at one level below the board; (ii) He has not been an executive of the company in the preceding three financial years; (iii) He is not a partner or an executive or was not partner or an executive during the preceding three years of (a) the statutory audit firm or the internal audit firm that is associated with the company; and (b) the legal and consulting firms that have a material association with the company. iv) He is not a material supplier, service provider or customer or a lessor or lessee of the company, and (v) He is not a substantial shareholder of the company owning two percent or more of the block of voting shares. The new tests of ‘independence’, the readers would recall, were mostly included in the Companies (Amendment) Bill, 2003. The important and practical change t hat has now been made is addition of the word ‘material’ in item (iv) above. Without use of the word ‘material’, technically even a single supply or purchase by the director to or from the company would have taken away independence status if he/she was otherwise eligible.However, the word ‘material’ has not been defined. Nominee directors of Institutions are now to be considered as ‘Independent Director’. While on the subject of Independent Director one must remember that no one is invited to join a board to act as a nonexecutive director unless he/she is well known to the Promoters or the Chairman or the Managing Director. All non-executive directors, whether or not independent, need support of Promoter Group for their reelection. If the purpose or objective of having a specified number of independent directors on the boards of listed companies is to ensure that boards are notTwothird of the members of Audit committee shall be ind ependent directors as against the present requirement of majority being independent. packed with ‘yes-men’ or to ensure constructive criticism one needs to ponder how many independent directors can freely raise questions at board meetings. Is it right that a vast majority of them invariably support every proposal of management? Only a few persons who are eminent in their own fields may ask right questions, even if they look inconvenient, at board meetings but the majority may not muster enough courage to do so.It may therefore appear that no amount of regulation can ensure how an independent director should behave at board meetings. After all independence is a matter of attitude and a director who is conscious about his responsibilities, will always raise right questions at board meetings, whether or not he holds the independent status. The original recommendation of the Murthy Committee for mandatory training and updating of knowledge of directors has now been shifted to non-mandatory requirement, most probably in the face of strong opposition from industry.This indeed is sad as a vast majority of directors are in need of training in the business model of the company and for updating of knowledge. I do THE CHARTERED ACCOUNTANT 807 DECEMBER 2004 CORPORATE WORLD believe that a beginning in this regard was immediately necessary. It may not be out of place to mention here that under the Listing requirements of UK all directors are mandatory required to regularly update and refresh their skills and knowledge. From the point of view of listed companies, a declaration should be obtained annually from all independent directors confirming compliance with all six conditions of independence.The CEO/CFO Certification is a new requirement and is based on Sarbanes Oxley Act of USA. Five new items have been added under nonmandatory requirements and the existing item on Postal ballot has been deleted. (ii) A code of Conduct for Board members and senior managemen t has to be laid down by the Board which should be posted on the website of the company. All Board members and senior management should affirm compliance with the code on annual basis and the annual report shall contain a declaration to this effect signed by the CEO. B.Non-Executive Directors’ compensation & disclosures A new requirement has been provided for obtaining prior approval of shareholders for payment of fees/compensation to non-executive directors. If there is stock option, the limit for the maximum number that can be granted to non-executive directors in any financial year and in aggregate should be disclosed. According to the Companies Act, 1956 fees paid to directors do not form part of Managerial remuneration and hence no approval of shareholders for payment of fees to directors is required.Listed companies will now need to obtain prior approval of shareholders for payment of sitting fees to directors. Unless the Government is contemplating to change the law an d bring sitting fees within the ambit of Managerial remuneration this contradiction should have been avoided. (v) Role of the Audit committee has been enlarged to include (a) matters required to be included in Directors’ Responsibility statement; (b) to review the functioning of Whistle Blower mechanism if the same is existing and (iii) review of performance of statutory and internal auditors. vi)The Audit committee will also mandatorily review (a) Management Discussion and Analysis of Financial condition and results of operations; (b) statement of significant related party transactions; (c) Management letters/letters of internal control weaknesses issued by t h e D. Audit Committee Following are the changes with regard to Audit Committee: (i) Two-third of the members of Audit committee shall be independent directors as against the present requirement of majority being independent; (ii) Earlier, only non-executive directors could be members of Audit committee. The revised cla use has omitted this requirement. iii) All members of the Audit committee shall be financially literate (as defined in the revised clause) as against the existing requirement of at least one member having financial and accounting knowledge. (iv) Minimum number of Audit committee meetings in a year increased to 4 from 3. C. Other provisions relating to Board (i) Gap between two meetings has been reduced to three months from four months ruling at present. statutory auditors; (d) Internal audit reports relating to internal control weaknesses, and (v) To review the appointment, removal and terms of remuneration of the Chief Internal Auditor.The Audit committee will no longer be required to review the company’s financial and risk management policies. Risk assessment and minimization procedures will now be reviewed by the Board. Listed companies should now THE CHARTERED ACCOUNTANT 808 DECEMBER 2004 CORPORATE WORLD ascertain from their respective Audit committees the frequency of re porting related party transactions, frequency of discussing Management letters issued by the statutory auditors etc. drawn to the following: (a) Material non-listed Indian subsidiary has been mentioned only for Board representation.In respect of review of financial statements of unlisted subsidiary by the audit committee of holding company and placing of minutes and significant transactions entered into by subsidiary, it is significant that the words ‘material’ and ‘Indian’ solidated turnover or net worth respectively of the listed company and its subsidiaries. This definition is likely to exclude most of the unlisted subsidiaries as they are not likely to meet the turnover or net worth test. (c) Significant transaction or arrangement shall mean any individual transaction that exceeds 10% of the total revenues/expenses/assets/liabilities of the subsidiary.It is difficult to understand the logic of excluding subsidiaries incorporated abroad from the purview of representation on the board by an independent director. E. Subsidiary Companies These are new requirements, which provide for the following: (i) At least one indepen- T th he o m e ri in an M gin ha g o dat ur t al r m s f or hy ec pr an now kno y tr C om op ob dat b w ain o me in po ab or een led in mm nd de s ly y g g i a ed itio in re cha e o an tte tio qu n f d e n is n th g o sa fro e ire ed dir up fo f d. m fac me as ec da r i n e n t a n t o r tdu o f , o s st st mo nry ro s . T n t hi g s F.Disclosures Following new disclosure requirements have been specified in the revised clause 49: (i) Statement on transactions with related parties in the ordinary course of business shall be placed before the Audit committee periodically; (ii) Details of material individual transactions with related parties which are not in the normal course of business shall be placed before the Audit committee; and (iii) Details of material individual transactions with related parties or others, whic h are not on arm’s length basis should be placed before Audit committee together with management’s justification for the same.Here also, the word ‘material’ has not been defined. Listed companies should ascertain dent director on the Board of the holding company shall be a director on the board of a material non-listed Indian subsidiary company; (ii) The audit committee of the holding company shall review the financial statements, in particular, the investments made by the unlisted subsidiary company; (iii) The minutes of board meetings of the unlisted subsidiary company shall be placed at the board meeting of the holding company.The management should periodically bring to the attention of the holding company a statement of all significant transactions and arrangements entered into by the unlisted subsidiary company. Attention of the readers is have not been used. It can therefore be interpreted that board meeting minutes, financial statements and signific ant transactions of all unlisted subsidiaries whether incorporated in India or abroad are to be placed before the board of the holding company or to be reviewed by the audit committee of the holding company.Is this the intention? (b) Material non-listed Indian subsidiary shall mean an unlisted subsidiary, incorporated in India, whose turnover or net worth exceeds 20% of the con- THE CHARTERED ACCOUNTANT 809 DECEMBER 2004 CORPORATE WORLD from their respective audit committees the frequency of reporting such transactions. (iv) Financial statements should disclose together with management’s explanation any accounting treatment different from that prescribed in Accounting Standard. v)The company will lay down procedures to inform board members about the risk assessment and minimization procedures which shall be periodically reviewed by the Board. (vi) The company shall disclose to the Audit committee on a quarterly basis the use of funds raised through public/ rights/preferential issues. Annually a statement showing use of funds for purposes other than those stated in Offer document/prospectus should be placed before the Audit committee. Such statement should be certified by the statutory auditors. vii) Under ‘Remuneration of Directors’ new disclosure requirements have been prescribed, which include criteria of making payments to nonexecutive directors, shares and convertible instruments held by non-executive directors and shareholding (both own and held on beneficial basis) of nonexecutive directors to be disclosed in the notice of general meeting called for approving appointment of such director. 2002-03. The revised Clause only requires CEO and CFO to certify to the Board the annual financial statements in the prescribed format.While this certification will certainly provide comfort to the non-executive directors and will indeed act as the basis for the Board to make Directors’ Responsibility Statement in terms of section 217(2AA) of the Companies Act, 1956, it is not clear why SEBI did not require the listed companies to include such certification in the Annual Report. While the new corporate governance norms are more stringent than the existing requirements it must be appreciated that while regulations in these areas are necessary, regulations per se cannot and will not ensure good corporate governance.H. Compliance Report The format of quarterly report to be submitted to the Stock Exchanges has been revised and the new format follows the revised requirements of Clause 49. The CEO or the Compliance officer can now sign the compliance report. The annual corporate governance report should disclose adoption or non-adoption of non-mandatory requirements. G. CEO/CFO Certification This is a new requirement and is based on the Sarbanes Oxley Act of USA. This had also been recommended by the Naresh Chandra Committee set up by the Centre in I. Non-mandatory requirementsFive new items have been added under non-mandatory require- ments and the existing item on Postal ballot has been deleted. The first new item states that Independent directors may not have tenure not exceeding in the aggregate a period of nine years on the Board of the company. The next item relates to companies moving towards a regime of unqualified audit report. The third item deals with training of board members in the business model of the company as well as risk profile of the business parameters of the company and responsibilities of directors and how best to discharge it.The fourth item deals with performance evaluation of non-executive directors by a peer group comprising the entire Board. The fifth item relates to setting up of a whistle blower policy in the company. While the new corporate governance norms are more stringent than the existing requirements it must be appreciated that while regulations in these areas are necessary, regulations per se cannot and will not ensure good corporate governance. Attention of readers is drawn towards the Report on Observance of Standards and Codes carried out under a joint programmed of World Bank and IMF.This report benchmarks the observance of corporate governance in India against the benchmark Principles of Corporate THE CHARTERED ACCOUNTANT 810 DECEMBER 2004 CORPORATE WORLD Governance laid down by the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD). The assessment team had extensively interviewed issuers, institutional investors, financial institutions, market analysts, lawyers, accountants and auditors. The report was also discussed by Government of India and cleared by the DEA for publication in June 2004. Following are the areas identified for reform in the World Bank report: a.Sanctions and enforcements: Sanctions and enforcements should be credible deterrents to help align business practices with the legal and regulatory framework, in particular with regard to related party transactions and insider trading. b. The current framework places the oversight of listed companies partly with DCA, partly with SEBI and partly with Stock exchanges. This fragmented structure gives rise to regulatory arbitrage and weakens enforcement. c. If boards are to move away from simply ‘rubber stamping’ the decisions of management or promoters they must have a clear understanding of what is expected from them.They should know their duties of care and loyalty to the company and all shareholders. They should know their responsibilities and should be familiar with the changes in this regard arising from changes in laws and regulations. A key missing ingredient is a strong focus on professionalism of directors. Director training institutes can play a key capacity building role and expand the pool of competent candidates. d. Institutional investors acting in a fiduciary capacity should be encouraged to form a comprehensive corporate governance policy including voting and board representation.It will be observed that the World Bank report has stressed the need of training and updating of knowledge of directors. Unfortunately the recommendation of Murthy Committee in this regard has now been shifted as nonmandatory requirement. The rationale of industry’s objection to mandatory training, etc. of directors is not readily understandable. Hopefully, when the governance norms are reviewed next the training and knowledge updating would be made mandatory requirement. A new requirement has been provided for obtaining prior approval of shareholders for payment of fees/compensation to nonexecutive directors.If there is stock option, the limit for the maximum number that can be granted to nonexecutive directors in any financial year and in aggregate should be disclosed.  ¦ Leading light of CA world, SN Desai passes away ne of the highly revered Chartered Accountants and a leading light of the profession, ICAI’s former-president Shri Shantanu Nanubhai Desai passed away on 10th November 2004 in Mumbai. Born on 26th January 1925, he became a member of our Institute in 1949 and rose to become one of the pillars of the profession.Having become President of ICAI in 1961-62 at a young age of 35, he had served as a Central Council member for decades. He was actively associated with Indian Merchants Chamber as its Managing Committee member for a long period of 32 years. He became its President in 1976. He had held several distinguished positions in his illustrious professional life, including as Member of the High Powered Sachar Committee on Company Law & MRTP Reforms, as Chairman/ Director of several reputed public companies besides as a member of ASSOCHAM. Mr.Desai was also the founder member of the Bombay Chartered Accountants Society. A Rotarian of repute and a veteran of several Committees, Mr. Desai was a free, frank and modest personality— a thorough gentleman who endeared one and all with his qualities of both head and heart. Mr. Desai’s services to the cause of our pro fession and his long career of more than 50 years as one of our profession’s most distinguished ambassadors will long be remembered and will continue to inspire new generation of Chartered Accountants. O THE CHARTERED ACCOUNTANT 811 DECEMBER 2004