To what extent has the current financial crisis affected people's Essay

To what extent has the current financial crisis affected people's living standards in the UK - Essay Example Similarly, the real income remains at levels in 2002 whereas Consumer Price Inflation has risen by 25% (Croucher, 2013). This indicates the growing disparity between people’s purchasing power and the cost of commodities. Therefore, people are worse off with the increased prices and falling incomes. The commodity prices in UK have been affected largely by the current financial crisis. Prior to the financial crisis, the rapid oil price hike (including that in UK) had generated hope that the UK government would focus on renewable energy projects. However, the oil prices stabilized following the global recession owing to falling demand for fuel (Alvarez-Ramirez et al., 2012). As a result, the prices of commodities in UK, including both direct commodities such as petroleum and indirect commodities such as food stabilized. On the contrary, prices of diamonds saw a sharp decline in 2008 which was followed by a â€Å"rebound† whereby diamond prices exceeded equilibrium levels ( White & Rowley, 2013). This is referred to as a â€Å"commodity boom†. Thereafter, in 2011 when economic activity slowed down, the commodity prices suffered a fallback from their previously high levels. Commodity exporting countries such as the UK are greatly dependent on demand from commodity importing countries and BRIC economies such as India and China. Until 2007 and the first half of 2008, commodity prices increased rapidly due to boom in demand from India and China. However, the recessionary pressures soon caused demand for fuel and other commodities to slow down in these economies (El-Gamal & Jaffe, 2010). The international commodity demand for base metals soared with the demand for oil increasing simultaneously. This had led to an increase in food-based inflation with an increase in prices of petrol, food and other expenses. This inflation held back the Central Bank from reducing interest rates to provide financial comfort to UK citizens during the credit crunch. Furt hermore, with falling economic activity and new housing construction, construction contracts by the UK government also fell significantly from 2007 to 2009 (BBC News, 2012). This reduced the fall in demand for energy with the affect of a short-lived descent in oil prices in the UK during the period. The price of Gold, on the other hand, has been steadily rising following the recession. This is because gold has historically been viewed as a safe haven for investors to save their money during times of economic volatility. Gold boomed as stock markets collapsed and large amounts of money were printed with the dollar â€Å"floundering†. Furthermore, in the financial crisis marked by illiquidity, gold provided a highly liquid investment for investors (Shafiee & Topal, 2010). Emerging markets have had a â€Å"worst-than-expected† demand which shows how demand has fallen drastically resulting in a fall in overall commodity prices in the UK. To conclude, the financial crash ha d the effect of reducing or stabilizing the prices of fuel such as oil which had a spiraling effect on the prices of other commodities. One of the biggest causes of this (as highlighted earlier) has been the falling demand of commodities from BRIC economies in the aftermath of the crisis which has put prices of commodity exporting countries such as UK on a backburner. Furthermore, prices of gold increased due to strengthening of dollar

The Reference Letter of John Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

The Reference Letter of John - Essay Example John proved to be altogether different from the rest of his colleagues as he looked at our business from the perspective of an outsider and this made a huge difference. He helped us to understand that funeral industry is not much different from any other product or service industry with stakeholders such as owners, employees, customers, suppliers, competitors etc. and went about strategizing our operations, even as he plunged himself into executing his specific role with rare zeal. His entrepreneurial streak and leadership qualities came to the fore as he involved himself in activities beyond the call of duty without treading on others’ toes. He is a team player par excellence. John changed the way we looked at our business in a number of areas like inventory control, working capital management, buyer-seller relationships, marketing, customer relations and above all, adopting the technology. All these changes as briefly explained below, have metamorphosed our operations like never before. John critically analyzed the past years’ data on stores and inventory movement and helped to rationalize the inventory management and thus working capital needs. He put in place a system of inventory control that tied up with the corporate goals of growth and profitability. Working capital costs have been brought down by avoiding high stocks slow moving but easily available items, even as incidents of unforeseen emergencies due to ‘stock outs’ of critical items were reduced. He has underlined the role of developing strategic relationships with critical suppliers in order to achieve a rational inventory control, whereby the suppliers are now more confident of their business with us and are willing to meet our demands of prices and delivery schedules.

Business Ethics of Plastics Company

Business Ethics of Plastics Company The partners for the situation The main partners incorporate Ardnak Plastics, George, Charge and the inhabitants of Hondo. Additionally, speakers contain the government (EPA), Ardnaks rivals, the Mexican government, and the town 15 miles south of Hondo. Understudies ought to be urged to distinguish and talk about every partners authenticity and power. The interests of the partners Ardnak Plastics has a stake in dispensing with the steep EPA fines it has been getting. Since it cant remain to do this by purchasing new smokestack scrubbers, it ought to either move to Mexico, or George must schedule the plants considerable releases work around night time to avoid EPA area. Either course of action would satisfy Ardnak Plastics. Charges stakes mirror those of Ardnak Plastics. Legitimate and moral examination The occupants of Hondo have a huge stake in the plant staying in the town since it speaks to most by far of the citys work. Regardless, whether they comprehend it or not, they also have a stake in having clean air to breathe in, which is in opposition to the plant staying in Hondo. Since if the plant moved, it would simply be 15 miles away, this is not stress that would have much impact. The EPA has a generous stake in guaranteeing the more vital interests of all, regardless of whether they comprehend them or not, as to clean air. Everyone requirements to consent to clean air standards in case we are to fight air painting. Meeting EPA principles is an established issue going up against Ardnak. How it fulfills, the standards raise moral issues. For example, is it moral for Ardnak to timetable its mind-boggling transmissions amid the night so that the association would be an irregularity during the day when EPA readings were taken? Another ethical issue is the offices obligations to the gathering both in absolute security and business. What social duty, assuming any, does Ardnak Plastic, Inc. must the city of Hondo? Since the Ardnak plant uses a critical piece of Hondos masses, it without a doubt has a fundamental commitment to Hondo. Meanwhile, it has an obligation, not too filthy the town of Hondo. Should Ardnak close the Hondo plant, the associations social capacities would be reflected by the way it closes, including the arranging of the end and legitimate reprimanding to the city (Hooker, 2011). What ought George do? Why? Stop the Hondo Plant from closing and having to relocate. George could develop a decent dispute considering utilitarian suspecting that it is best to timetable notable releases amid the night thus keeping the plant open. By then, he could scan for a more drawn out term course of action. In any case, its hard to gauge the valuable results of keeping the plant open in Hondo against unfavorable effects of over pollution. Keeping the plant seems like a quick thought. Conclusion and Suggestion This logical investigation describes a couple of good substances for saving the parts of the humanity of related people could be used with the real objective of, particularly favorable circumstances by government and relationship as to achieving their goals These inevitable convincing to reduce the various leveled moral conflicts. Affiliation can make the relative move as like its other operational units for the transmission of debased air since EPA does not check the rate of defilement in the night. The organization can talk from close-by managerial bodies that they would offer occupations to neighborhood people, however not move the affiliation that can be valuable to find an excellent game plan in this case. At last, if the legislature couldnt give any discount on fundamental issues, then the affiliation should contribute for smokestack scrubber for diminishing defilements and other businesses. It can be much useful for the association since it guarantees the common piece of people close by EPA.References References Cole, M. Aldington, A. (2009). The Business (1st ed.). [Place of publication not identified]: ISIS. Hooker, J. (2011). Business ethics as rational choice (1st ed.). Boston: Prentice Hall.

Capital Punishment :: Death Penalty Essays

The death penalty has been around for centuries. It dates back to when Hammurabi had his laws codified; it was â€Å"an eye for an eye, a tooth for a tooth†. Capital punishment in America started when spies were caught, put on trial and hung. In the past and still today people argue that, the death penalty is cruel, unusual punishment and should be illegal. Yet many people argue that it is in fact justifiable and it is not cruel and unusual. Capital punishment is not cruel and unusual; the death penalty is fair and there is evidence that the death penalty deters crime. A big part of abolitionist’s argument is that the death penalty is not humane. They pull in Amendment 8, â€Å"†¦nor cruel and unusual punishments inflicted.† What the victim went though was indeed â€Å"cruel and unusual punishments’.† The murderers’ death is not cruel. The people will demand justice for what he or she has done (Bidinotto 19). Hanging and the electric chair are topics more reasonable to argue, but now because of lethal injection capital punishment has become more humane. The death penalty is not barbaric, the pain and agony that the victim went through is barbaric. Abolitionists were very upset in 1996 when rapist and murderer John Albert Taylor was executed by firing squad; they said his death was barbaric (Feder 32). Charla King, the poor 11-year-old girl he raped and strangled with a telephone cord, her death was barbaric! It makes no sense to think that John Taylor’s’ death was barbaric or inhumane. He would not even hear the bullets shoot out; his victim went through more pain than what any court system could have inflicted on him (Feder 32). In the past people have challenged the death penalty, it has always been denied, lethal injection is fair enough (Johnson 43). There have been inhumane ways in the past; people should be thankful that we use lethal injection instead of using electrocution as first choice (Johnson 43). Honestly, the death penalty is roughly enough pain that can be legally inflicted, they get what they deserve (Bidinotto 19). We will not use the death penalty to get revenge; the legal systems would not tolerate victims’ family using it for revenge. It is to seek justice, not to get even (Bidinotto 20). Second, the death penalty does in fact deter crime. New York, 1990, the murder rate was up to about 2,650 people, every year it has dropped, in 2009 there were only 778 murders.

lightweight truss construction

The purpose of this paper is to discuss issues concerning the use of lightweight truss construction.   The use of this construction has increased greatly in recent years.   There are many benefits to using lightweight truss constructions.   However, there are also dangers, which will be presented. The main benefit of using lightweight truss wood construction is that it offers builders the opportunity to save lots of money (Pindelski, 2006).   Construction companies are in the business of making money, and therefore many of them prefer to use this new, cheaper construction.   This allows the builders to secure more contracts because they are able to offer lower prices.   Another benefit of using lightweight truss construction is that it makes it easier to install and run utilities and ventilation systems, it is also easy to assemble.   Moreover, this new construction is as strong as traditional structures under normal conditions (Pindelski, 2006). It is clear that there are indeed benefits to using lightweight truss construction, however, as with all types of construction, safety is a major concern.   Research has demonstrated that lightweight truss construction does measure up to desired safety standards.   For example, â€Å"Fire statistics suggest that there is an urgent need for improved performance of light-weight truss construction in fire scenarios,† (Ziemba, 2006, p.2). This creates a serious danger for firefighters and people who occupy buildings, which have caught on fire.   â€Å"Buildings that contain lightweight wood truss construction are susceptible to collapse from fire exposure in a very short amount of time,† (Pindelski, 2006).   This sentiment is further supported in the article Lightweight Truss May Cause Firefighter Death.   â€Å"Without training and building codes that specifically address the fire hazards and threats caused by lightweight truss construction, many civilian and firefighter lives may be lost due to early structural collapse during fire situations,† (Lightweight Truss May Cause Firefighter Death, 2005). Construction companies and builders are now left to decide if the benefits of using lightweight truss construction are worth the risks to human lives.   Firefighter argue that this construction is simply too dangerous, and has cause death for many firefighters.   Unfortunately, many builders to not agree and they assert that firefighters are simply misinformed and exaggerating the dangers of these construction materials.   This debate is likely to continue for years to come.   But there is no doubt that most people agree that saving lives is more important than saving money.   Using lightweight truss constructions is an unsafe practice and it is not worth the risk to human lives or safety. References Lightweight Truss May Cause Firefighter Death (2005).   Retrieved May 8, 2007, from http://singularity.pilsch.com/Squad514CasualArgument Pindelski, J. (2006).   Understanding the Dangers of Lightweight Truss Construction.   Retrieved May 8, 2007, from http://cms.firehouse.com/content/article/article.jsp?id=46749§ionld=14 Ziemba, G. (2006).   Theoretical Analysis of Light-Weight Truss Construction in Fire Conditions, Including the Use of Fire Retardant Treated Wood.   Retrieved May 8, 2007, from   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   http://www.wpi.edu/Pubs/ETD/Available/etd-050506-114556/unrestricted/Gziemba.pdf   

Pastoral Care and Counseling

Introduction Pastoral care and Counseling is one of the important ministries in the Church at any place in the world. Our churches are filled with people who experience crisis, lost, loneliness, anxiety, depression, divorced, and family problems. Pastors have a huge opportunity to help people just by listening and encouraging those in household of faith. In some cases it is just enough to listen and teach biblical principles of living but in the other cases there is the need to be specifically train people for a specialized ministry of counseling with deeper problems.In the context of my Country, Russia, I choose three issues which mostly need response in the churches. These issues are Premarital Counseling, Marriage Counseling and Crisis care and Counseling. Most of the times we do not feel comfortable to talk about these issues on the church but it do not mean that the problems do not exist. To have a healthy church these issues need to be addressed and pastors need to learn how to approach people because the people are not going to approach pastors first and ask for help. Part I: Premarital CounselingPsychologist Carl Rogers once gave a sobering perspective on marriage. â€Å"If 50-75 percent of Ford or General Motors cars completely fell apart within the early part of their lifetimes as automobiles,† Rogers wrote, â€Å"the public outcry would be overwhelming and drastic steps would be taken to correct the situation. † But this happens to many marriages and hardly anyone rises any complain. Divorce is fre ¬quent, fewer than half of the marriages that persist could be considered successful, and often couples seem unable or unwilling to correct the situation.The same situation and attitude to marriage we have in Russian, people usually get marry in age of 20 and mostly marriages fail after first three years. When I was getting my bachelor degree, 90% of my classmates were getting married at ages of 20 – 21 but 95% of them got divorced i n the senior year of College. I am talking about secular world and we may have a different statistics among Christians but the fact is that young people have no clue what marriage is about.There are many reasons for the present instability of marriages, but one of the many causes of failure is built prima ¬rily on sexual attraction, the desire to escape from a difficult home situation, a vague feeling of love, or some equally fleeting motive. Many marriage relationships are too flimsy to survive the pressures, challenges, and storms of daily living. Unprepared for the stresses or for the effort and determination required making mar ¬riage work, many people prefer to give up and bail out. That which was meant to be meaningful and fulfilling thus becomes frustrating and personally devastating.I believe that if the society in Russian would pay more attention on premarital counseling in the church and outside then the family institution would have grow stronger and that would lead t he country to success because the foundation of any country is the family institution. Premarital counseling seeks to help individuals, couples, and groups of couples to prepare for and build happy, fulfilling, Christ-honoring, and successful marriages. There are many values in premarital counseling if it is done carefully and consistently by the pastor. One of these values is the satisfaction that it brings to him personally.One pastor cannot change this societal attitude by himself, but each one can experience the inner reward of knowing he has done his part to change this pre ¬vailing attitude. The values of premarital counseling are first of all to help the couple to approach marriage more realistically because they are aware of only two things that they are in love, and they want to spend their lives together. Another value of premarital counseling is that it affords each partner a better understanding of himself. A value of great importance is the knowledge that each partner gains of the other through the counseling process.The pastor must help the partners to gain a greater understanding of the thought patterns of each other. Another practical value of premarital counseling is that partners can see the value of, and gain experience in the skill of communication. Finally, a great value of premarital counseling is that it helps persons to realistically determine if they are making the right choice regarding marriage. Reasons for premarital guidance Gary Collins outlines seven basic principles of premarital counseling that I found helpful in my context. These are: 1.Unrealistic Expectations That Can Lead to Disillusionment. When they ap ¬proach marriage, perhaps most people assume that they have unique relationships. Perhaps these expectations are changing now that marriage failures are so much taken for granted. Often there is impatience, insensitivity, self-centered, attitudes, inadequate skill in relating, and great disappointment and disillusionmen t when one's expectations for marriage are not met quickly. Premarital counseling lets couples express, discuss, and realistically modify their expectations for marriage. 2.Personal Immaturity That Can Lead to Insensitivity. Most 92% marriages in Russian happened because of pregnancy and this is the normal thing nowadays. It is not surprising that one's attitudes and behavior within a marriage differ little from the characteristics that were brought to the relationship. If one or both of the participants are self-centered, hypercritical, impatient, competitive, or striving for status—that is, immature—before marriage, these traits will put a strain on marital stability later. People who are irresponsible before marriage tend to be irresponsible after the wedding.Premarital counseling should seek to uncover and discuss the self-centered tendencies that put strain on a marriage. The couple must be taught how to resolve differences, and they must develop both sensitivity and a willingness to accept and meet each other's needs. This involves giving freely to one's mate just as Christ gave to us. 3. Changing Roles That Can Lead to Confusion. Confusion and conflict may follow when a man and woman each come to marriage with unclear roles and vague expectations about their own and each other's responsibilities.Differing assumptions and views about who is supposed to do what can lead to tension unless the couple has learned to communicate honestly, not defensively, and in loving way. Premarital counseling provides an opportunity for a couple to begin this type of communication. Together they can learn to discuss their different expectations and decide on areas of responsibility. Such role clarification must not ignore biblical teachings. According to Scrip ¬ture, both the Christian husband and wife must be filled with the Spirit: daily confessing sin, giving thanks, and praying for the Holy Spirit to control each of their lives.There also must be an att itude of mutual submission to each other, but the more stringent requirements are laid on the husband. The husband and wife are equally valuable and equally important in the building of a good marriage, but they have different responsibilities. 5. Loosening Sexual Standards That Can Lead to Immorality. Sex before marriage is not new and neither is it rare, even among Christians. But as a result of these more liberal attitudes, dating for many has become a time for exploring each other's bodies and genitals instead of each other's mind, feelings, beliefs, values, and expectations.Sexual standards are loosening and premarital sex, even among Christians, appears to be more preva ¬lent. Nevertheless the Bible still calls this immorality a violation of God's best for our lives. Issues like this should be discussed honestly, faced compassionately, and examined biblically. 6. Previous Experiences That Can Lead to Overconfidence. Books on premarital counseling often assume that most coupl es are young, inexperienced, and entering their first marriage. This is not always true. Many prospective brides and grooms have been previously married.Some previously married people recognize the need for new adjustments and appreciate the help that can come from a sensitive counselor. More often, it seems, people approaching remarriage resist premarital counseling and assume that it is unnecessary and only for those who have had no prior marital experience. The counselor can challenge unrealistic attitudes, help the couple see potential problems that even previously married people might miss, and guide them to resolve issues that may have been unresolved following the previous marriage. 7. Circumstances That Can Lead to Later Misery.When they come to marriage, some people bring what one counselor calls red-flag situations that need special scrutiny and evaluation. Some of these circumstances were mentioned as pregnant bride, one or both participants on the rebound from a previous marriage or engagement, serious drug involvement, emotional problems or mental instability, serious mental or physical handicaps, no financial security, contrasting cultural backgrounds or religious beliefs, wide gaps in education or age differences, and knowing each other for a very short time. Many marriages do not survive.Premarital counseling should not be viewed as a painful procedure designed to snatch unsuspecting couples from the grips of marital misery. Most premarital counseling is done, not with pathological people, but with relatively healthy indi ¬viduals who can be helped to enhance and enrich a growing relationship. Format It should be obvious that a counselor cannot accomplish all of these purposes in one brief interview. Most writers recommend that there be at least five or six one-hour sessions prior to the wedding. This of course can be demanding.It is easy for time pressures and counselee busyness to combine in convincing the counselor that a briefer period of premarital counseling would suffice. Try to resist that temptation. There is much to be discussed if a marriage is to be built on a solid foundation. The general goals according to Hamilton, include the following: (1) an understand ¬ing of the meaning of marriage within the framework of biblical truth and Christian theology, (2) an understanding of the problems affecting marriage in contemporary culture, and (3) an understanding of the Christian concept of the value of human personality.As the pastor deals with these broad concepts he seeks to expand his counselees' awareness of the importance of marriage in the light of its biblical and historical roots, of the unique pressures being brought upon marriage in our times, and of Christianity's view of the worth of persons. All of these goals are of vital importance in building a sound philosophy of marriage.The specific goals, according to Hamilton, center in the following areas: (1) an understanding of each partner's role-percepti on in the forth ¬coming marriage, (2) an understanding of each partner's role-expectation of the other, (3) an understanding of how each partner evaluates the strengths and weaknesses of the other, (4) an understanding of the potential strengths and weaknesses of the proposed marriage, and (5) a careful examination of particular problems likely to arise.The underlying, practical goal of all premarital counsel ¬ing is twofold: (1) to enable the partners to pre-solve some potential marriage problems before they arise; and (2) to give the partners knowledge of, and experience in, the art of com ¬munication, which is so necessary in the building of a rich and rewarding relationship. The pastor who wishes to do a creditable job of premari ¬tal counseling should think in terms of at least three sessions: (1) one with the woman, (2) one with the man, and (3) one with both.In each of the individual sessions the pastor will be engaging in four main functions: (1) listening, (2) quest ion ¬ing, (3) analyzing, and (4) teaching. Listening As in other types of counseling, the pastor needs to hear what is, and is not, being said. Only by careful listening can the pastor come to valid insights regarding the counselee’s real feelings about his personal relationship with the proposed marriage partner. Questioning Skillful use of questions enables the pas ¬tor to gather the type of data he needs to help persons prepare for marriage.Questioning will center in the two broad areas of facts and feelings. The area of facts will have to do with such aspects as how they met, how long they have known each other, how long they have dated, and when they plan to marry. The questioning should then move to the deeper level of feelings. This area has to do with such matters as the counselee’s true feelings about the idea of marriage, the de ¬mands of marriage, his perception of his partner as a marriage mate, and his own feelings regarding his ability to be a suità ‚ ¬able marriage partner.The pastor should not hesitate to question his counselees regarding their feelings about every aspect of the marriage relationship including such matters as where they will live and in what kind of dwelling, how many children they want, where they will attend church, whether the wife will be em ¬ployed outside the home (along with how long, how much, and what kind of work), how they will use their leisure time, where they will find their friends and how they will develop social relationships, how each feels about the husband's job, and if either plans for further education.He should also ex ¬amine their attitudes toward in-laws, money, and sex. As the pastor probes the deeper levels of his parishioners' feelings he gains the type and amount of information he needs as he pro ¬ceeds to analysis. Analyzing After the data is sorted out and analyzed, the pastor is ready for a joint session (or sessions) with the partners. In most cases there will be some di fferences in how each partner perceives certain aspects of the future marriage. These are the areas that will need to be given special and care ¬ful attention during the joint session.It is at this time that the two partners will need to be shown the importance of com ¬munication. It will also provide a rich opportunity for them to begin to develop new and better ways of communicating their feelings to each other. Teaching Lastly, the pastor engages in the function of teaching. The amount and type of teaching that is to be done will be determined by what the pastor has discovered in the individual counseling sessions. The broad areas covered in his teaching will usually include the Christian view of mar ¬riage, the tatus of marriage in contemporary culture, the responsible use of sex, the basic differences in maleness and femaleness (most feel they understand the opposite sex but do not), and the art of communication. As a part of his teach ¬ing function the pastor should be prepared to recommend and loan helpful books and articles in areas where the partners lack understanding. It is also important for the pastor to point out the value of a medical examination for the prospective bride, if not for both partners. Thorough work in premarital counseling may involve more than three counseling sessions, but that is the minimum.While this is both time-consuming and exhausting, it is less so than marriage counseling. If a pastor does his premarital counseling work well he may be saving himself, or some other pastor or counselor, from involvement in more extensive mar ¬riage counseling later on. Of greater significance, of course, is that premarital counseling helps couples to build the kind of relationships that are both solid and satisfying We have high incidences of divorce in the church in Russia particularly among young people because they are often pushed into early marriage by teenage pregnancies.Such people do not have any opportunity for premarital counseling. The church often treat them with disdain and may not be readily open to give them some basic premarital counseling that would help sustain them when they get married. Part II: Marriage Counseling Marriage is not a very stable institution at least in the Western and Eastern worlds. In Russia the average duration of a marriage is only 5 years. More than a million couples are divorced every year. Many who stay together have marriages tolerable but not especially happy.Even though happy marriages like these do exist and are possible, we live in a time when marital unhappiness is more common and where many see divorce as a convenient and ever-present fire escape should marital conflicts get too hot to handle. Marriage, the permanent union created by God, is treated more and more as a temporary arrangement of convenience. Marriage is one of the first topics discussed in the Bible. But what does the Bible say about marital problems and ways to help troubled mar ¬riages? Almo st nothing!It should be remembered that marital conflict often is a symptom of something deeper, such as selfishness, lack of love, unwillingness to forgive, anger, bitterness, communication problems, anxiety, sexual abuse, drunkenness, feelings of inferior ¬ity, sin, and a deliberate rejection of God's will. Each of these can cause marital tension, each can be influenced by husband-wife conflict, and each is discussed in the Bible. The causes of marital problems Some common marital problems as found in Russian culture outline by Collins as follow: 1. Faulty Communication.In the professional literature, this probably is the most commonly mentioned cause of marital discord. Citing James 4:1-3, psychologist Lawrence Crabb notes that communication problems inevitably result when people pursue self-centered goals, but sometimes problems also come because individuals have not learned how to communicate clearly and efficiently. Most of us would agree that occasional miscommunication bet ween spouses is inevitable. When miscommunication is more common than clear communication, however, the marriage begins to have serious problems.Poor communication tends to breed more of the same. Try to remember that communication is a learned interaction. Even when it is not good, people can learn to make it better. 2. Underintegrated or Overintegrated Relationships, Getting close to another person is risky. We open ourselves to criticism and possible rejection when we let another person know us intimately, he become aware of our insecurities, or see our weaknesses. Since most of us have learned the value of fending for ourselves, it is not easy to trust another person—even when that other person is a marriage partner 3 Interpersonal Tension.When two people marry, each comes to the marriage with approximately two or more decades of past experiences and ways of looking at life. Each has perspectives that are not shared by the other and sometimes, even when there is a sincere desire for compromise or synthesis, couples still has diffi ¬culty resolving their differences. What happens if there is unwillingness to change, insensitivity to the other person's viewpoints, or a refusal to acknowledge the differences?Often there is tension that frequently centers on one of the following issues: Sex: At times most couples have sexual problems. These include lack of accu ¬rate knowledge, unrealistic expectations, fear of not being able to perform ade ¬quately, differences in sexual drive, inhibiting attitudes about sex, and insufficient opportunities for privacy. Roles: We live at a time when traditional male-female roles are being reeval ¬uated. This often leads to conflict over what it means to be a husband or wife. The society gives little guidance because opinions seem to be changing so rapidly.Inflexibility: When a man and woman marry, each brings a unique personality to the marriage. Sometimes these personality differences complement each other and blend into a mutually compatible relationship. Often marriages take on personalities of their own, each of which can have strengths and weak points. There can be difficulties, however, if one or both of the partners is rigid, unwilling to give, or strongly resistant to change. Religion: The Bible warns of problems when a believer and an unbeliever try to live together in marriage.Counselors have observed tensions when a husband and wife differ from each other in their denominational preferences, degree of com ¬mitment to spiritual things, interest in religion, or expectations about the religious education of children. Sometimes these differences create tension in other areas such as choice of friends, views of ethics, whether and to whom charitable donations will be given, or the use of time on Sundays. Religion can be a binding, strengthening force in a marriage, but when a husband and wife have different viewpoints, religion can also be a destructive focus for marital tension.Va lues: What is really important in life? How should we spend our time and money? What are our goals? These questions concern values. When a couple has similar values, the marriage is often healthy and growing. When values are in con ¬flict, however, the relationship may be one of tension, power struggles, and mutual criticism. Value conflicts are at the heart of many marital problems. Consider, for example, how some of the following value alternatives could create potential for conflict. Functions of the Marriage Counselor The functions of the Marriage Counselor are: To hear the hurts that the counselees are feeling. In many cases these hurts have been intense, of long duration, and unexpressed to a third party. The reason that the counselor needs to hear the hurts is because the counselee feels his or her partner has not truly heard him or her. Attempts to be heard by his mate have been aborted, and this adds to his anxiety and frustration. When he feels that his counselor is gett ing his message and is feeling with him, he experiences the catharsis he needs in order to approach his problem more realistically. 2. To clarify problems.Most persons who come for counsel are aware of symptoms but they do not understand what is producing those symptoms. Most people are so confused they do not know what their problem is until they visit a counselor. 3. To help in the understanding of roles. Most couples are confused of their roles. Be ¬cause it is difficult for one to see the gap between his per ¬ception of himself and his behavior, he feels that he is misunderstood if his mate points out this discrepancy to him. When both partners are thus criticizing each other, each feels mistreated and frustrated. . To fa ¬cilitate communication. A communication problem happens when partners have unresolved conflict between them. The counselor helps deal with the conflicts then now they have free flow of communication. 5. To encourage change in perception and behavior. It is not enough for the counselor to hear hurts, clarify problems, aid in the understanding of roles, and aid in facilitating communication. He must help motivate the partners both to think themselves into a new way of behaving and to behave themselves into a new way of thinking.Moti ¬vation is usually achieved, at least to a degree, when feelings have been ventilated, the problem is seen in clearer perspec ¬tive, and communication lines have been opened. Some marital problems in Russia are like an inflamed appendix, capable of killing but relatively simple to remove. Other problems will be of such depth and severity that the pastor will not be able to deal with them. This means that he will need to refer them to a professional counselor, a psychologist or a psychiatrist. The pastor need not feel defeated by his inability to help such persons.If it is any comfort to him, he should be aware that some marital problems lie beyond the skill of even the best of professionals. Therefore , while he may be truly sorry that he is not able to help in some cases, he should not be embarrassed by this inability. Such failures should, however, encourage him to continue his study of counseling so that his knowledge will expand and his skills will increase. Part III: Care and Counseling in Crises Situation A crisis happens all the time in all cultures nobody is exempted from crisis: big or small, reach or poor, educated or uneducated.A crisis is a part of our lives it is usually happen when person cannot solve the problems by himself. This is where pastoral service is required. A personal crisis develops in four stages: (1) the problem causes tension to the person. (2) Failure to respond to this need produce feelings of anxiety, confu ¬sion, and guilt. (3) When this continues unsolved it develops into a crisis situation that may require external help. (4) If the problem is not resolved, the inner stress of unmet needs mounts until it reaches another threshold—the br eaking point. This is full blown crisis.Caplan in his book Principle of Preventive Psychiatry distinguishes two categories of crises Developmental and Accidental: Developmental crises are normal in the sense that they happen as an integral part of all or many people's growth. Among these are birth, weaning, toilet training, the oedipal conflict, going to school, adolescence, leaving home, completing school, entering a vocation, engagement, marriage adjustment (or the adjustment of singlehood), pregnancy, parenthood, the middle-age crisis, loss of parents, menopause, retirement, death of spouse, death of friends, and eventually one's own dying.These stressful experiences are the occasions of crises for an individual to the extent that they pose problems for which her or his previous coping abilities are inadequate. Each developmental stage and crisis is the occasion for a variety of caring and counseling opportunities. Accidental crises can occur at any age, precipitated by unexpecte d losses of what one regards as essential sources of need satisfaction.Precipitating experiences include all the life events listed on the Holmes-Rahe scale below, loss of status and respect; an accident or surgical operation; mental illness or alcoholism; a physical handicap; an unwanted pregnancy; a natural disaster such as a flood or earthquake; or a massive social calamity such as a war or economic depression. Crises can be triggered by seemingly positive changes such as a job promotion or graduation from college. All these events produce emotionally hazardous situations. Crises happen in people rather than to them, but they tend to occur in high-stress, emotionally hazardous situations.A crisis is more than simply a time of danger, pain, and stress to be endured. It is important for the counselor to see that it is a turning point, a growth opportunity where persons move toward or away from greater personality strength and wholeness. This makes crisis counseling a strategic help ing opportunity. Informal Crisis Counseling Much of the counseling done by pastors takes place in informal settings without being called counseling. This is what happen most in my context. Pastors meet a need a attend to it immediately without insisting that the person concerned must book an appointment before seeing him to discuss the issue.Some occurs in the minister's office or home when people drop by for a chat, without an appointment. By allowing the sensitivities and skills of counseling to permeate their many informal and chance encounters, ministers can help many times the number of people they could reach through formal counseling alone. While it is important that pastors should have some private time for themselves and family, it also important to have parishioners know that their pastor ordinarily is available when severe crises strike unexpectedly.As ministers learn to recognize and utilize the pastoral care opportunities potentially present in many interpersonal contac ts, this becomes a natural pastoral reflex. They discover frequent opportunities to do informal one-session crisis counseling during the ordinary encounters of parish life. Occasionally these will become formal and multiple-session counseling relationships. Informal counseling is informal in one or more of these ways – the setting may be anywhere—a street corner, a grocery store, a hospital room, the church lounge, a parishioner's office or living room, in meeting, etc.The counseling happens in the context of a relationship not identified as counseling—a chance encounter or a pastoral call, perhaps following a meeting or Sunday service. The person's mind-set reflects this informal atmosphere. He/she probably thinks of what occurs as â€Å"talking over a problem with the pastor† rather than counseling. The structure and sequence of formal counseling interviews—appointments, stated time limits, and an agreed-upon series of sessions—are usually lacking. Such brief informal counseling can be very helpful to some people.Informal crisis counseling opportunities occur frequently during a pastor's home and hospital visits. Much of what is done during such calls is general pastoral care. It becomes a counseling issue when the counselee is aware of his /her problem and the pastor shows his willingness to help with the problem. The counselee is able to overcome his/her fear of disclosing the problem to another person with the hope that he/she is going to be helped in such action. Such confidence to disclose the problem does not normally come automatically. It comes with a lot of struggles.Such persons often are receptive to informal counseling long before they enter formal counseling. Some people have great difficulty making a formal appointment for counseling, even when wrestling with very painful problems. They feel that to do so would be to admit failure, which would increase their feelings of low self-esteem and powerlessness . This is why the ability of pastors to go to people, make themselves emotionally available, offer help, and establish informal counseling relationships is a priceless professional asset, which should be used to the full!How can ministers create opportunities, during their pastoral contacts, for care-giving conversations, informal and formal counseling? First, they know or suspect that such and such is in particular need of pastoral care—the bereaved, the sick, the unemployed, the depressed, the hospitalized, the disgruntled, those in psychotherapy, newlyweds, new parents, the recently retired, the handicapped, alcoholics and their families, the lonely, those with disturbed or handicapped children, and those who face painful crises and perplexing decisions.An alert pastor often senses intuitively that a certain family is under extreme pressure. Such â€Å"pastoral care suspects† should go on the Special Help List. By devoting extra pastoral visitation time to these per sons, ministers can build strong relationship bridges with them. Such relationship can bring pastoral care and informal counseling help to the troubled, and also make it easier for them to seek formal counseling. The building of relationship bridges with those who are likely to need help but are not yet motivated to seek it, are described by Seward Hiltner as precounseling.The many interpersonal contacts of pastors contribute to this objective if people feel they are warm, nonjudgmental, caring, competent, shockproof, not â€Å"too busy,† and human—aware of their own humanity . Clinebell believes that, a pastor's sensitivity to the subtle signs of distress is an asset in spotting potential counseling opportunities. Many ministers walk by on the other side of their parishioners' Jericho Roads simply because they lack awareness. The pastor's emotional radar antennas should be tuned to the wavelength of people in order to pick up subtle cries for help and coded â€Å"may day† signals.Clinebell highlights some basic typical distress signals that can help pastors understand people in need. These are: Embarrassment at the minister's call: A frantic attempt to keep the conversation on the surface, avoiding all depth encounters. Depression: including such symptoms as sleeplessness; loss of interest in one's usual pleasures; anxious agitation or heavy sluggishness; feelings of worthlessness, emptiness/meaninglessness or helplessness; a phony-fixed smile. Veiled antagonism between spouses: sometimes hidden behind saccharine-sweet surface behavior.Emotionally disturbed children: including those with behavior problems, (which often reflect hidden marital unhappiness). Frequent intoxication: particularly at inappropriate times. A radical change in usual behavior: including church attendance. Irrational or frantically compulsive behavior. Guilty avoidance of the pastor. Affiliating with extremist political or religious groups. When such distress signals are identified, pastors should make every effort to be emotionally accessible to the persons and to offer help in a way that respects their right to refuse it.A third way to open up informal and formal counseling opportunities is the judicious use of â€Å"openers†Ã¢â‚¬â€questions or statements designed to interrupt superficial conversation and provide an opening for people to discuss their real feelings and issues if they choose. Here are some samples: â€Å"How are things going for you in this difficult situation? † â€Å"What you're saying feels very heavy. † â€Å"How are things going with you really? † â€Å"You seem to be feeling very discouraged (upset, angry, remorseful). † â€Å"I get the feeling you have a burden on your mind. Although such openers may startle people initially, they express the pastor's concern and by implication, offer help. A well-chosen question, asked with warmth and empathy, can help free people to talk about their burdens. A question about one's spiritual health is as appropriate from a minister as is a question about one's physical health from a family doctor. Conclusion Pastoral Care and Counseling ministry is the most important ministry next to the ministry of preaching of the Gospel. People who are hurting they are not be able to listen the Gospel without a healing balm of their wounds.Only Pastors are caring such methods of healing. The Gospel itself addresses to totality of man: spiritual and body. When one part is addressed to the negligence to the other the total needs of man will not be made. Pastors who are sensitive to the hurts of members of their congregation and unable to address such hurts through the appropriate counseling technique are more likely to be successful in ministry then those who neglect these needs. The course Pastoral Care and Counseling has opened my understanding to these needs in our congregation. I got more focused in this area of ministry.And I wish to purs ue it in the future. Bibliography: Benner, David. Strategic Pastoral counseling. Michigan: Baker Book House,1998; Barister C. W . Pastoral care in the church. San Francisco: Harper San Francisco, 1992; Cavanagh, John. Fundamental Pastoral Counseling. Ireland: The mergier press, 1963; Cobb, John. Theology and Pastoral Care. Philadelphia: Fortress, 1979; Collins, Gary. Christian Counseling . Dallas: Word Publishing, 1988; Clinebell Haward. Basic Types of Pastoral care and Counseling. Nashville: Abingdon Press, 1992; Hamilton, James. The ministry of Pastoral Counseling. Michigan: Baker Book House 1975.

Treatment of Words That Include Self

Treatment of Words That Include Self Treatment of Words That Include â€Å"Self† Treatment of Words That Include â€Å"Self† By Mark Nichol Appropriately enough, the self-centered word self, when combined with others, sometimes gets special treatment. Self, as a prefix, is attached by a hyphen to other words in several parts of speech. The combination can be a noun (self-control), an adjective (self-absorbed), a verb (self-medicate), or an adverb (self-importantly). It can also refer literally to a person (self-regard) or can figuratively apply to an inanimate object (self-contained). However it is used, though, it is always, with one aberrant exception I’ll refer to below, hyphenated. In adjectival usage, although most phrasal adjectives are hyphenated before a noun but left open after (â€Å"The well-known artist drew a big crowd,† but â€Å"That artist is well known†), compounds that include the prefix self are hyphenated in both positions: â€Å"The self-possessed girl was confident but not conceited,† and â€Å"That girl is remarkably self-possessed.† This rule applies also to all, another prefix used in phrasal adjectives: â€Å"The all-inclusive policy was more successful†; â€Å"The policy is all-inclusive.† Ex, although not employed in phrasal adjectives, is another prefix always hyphenated to the word that follows: â€Å"That’s her ex-boyfriend.† The exception for the prefix self I referred to above is this: Though self-conscious and self-consciously are so constructed, the antonym presents a problem: Words are often strung together into phrases with hyphens (â€Å"She had an annoying devil-may-care attitude†), but this strategy is considered inappropriate when prefixes are concerned. Un-self-consciously looks awkward. Unfortunately, the preferred alternative, unselfconsciously, is equally repugnant. The solution? Instead of writing â€Å"His unselfconsciousness was refreshing,† write â€Å"His lack of self-consciousness was refreshing.† As an alternative to the adverbial form in, for example, â€Å"They played together unselfconsciously,† try â€Å"They played together with no self-conscious behavior.† In all other usage, though, words in which self or its plural form appears when self is followed by a suffix (selfish, selfless) or when it is combined with a pronoun (yourself, myself, itself, ourselves, themselves, and so on) are not hyphenated. Want to improve your English in five minutes a day? Get a subscription and start receiving our writing tips and exercises daily! Keep learning! Browse the Expressions category, check our popular posts, or choose a related post below:Grammar Test 1Hang, Hung, Hanged75 Synonyms for â€Å"Hard†

The Eyes Of The Dragon Essays - Novels By Stephen King, Free Essays

The Eyes Of The Dragon Essays - Novels By Stephen King, Free Essays The Eyes Of The Dragon The book that I read was The Eyes of the Dragon. The author was Stephen King. It was published in 1987. Stephen King grew up in Maine and has lived most of his adult life there, both in Bangor and in the Portland area. He and his wife, Tabitha, have three children, Naomi, Joe, and Owen Philip. This story took place in the fairy tale times with Kings and Dragons. The kings name was Roland. He was a good king. He had two sons. Peter, the first son, was good at every thing and his father and every one else loved him. Thomas was just a reject. He had no friends and his Father didn't even care for him. Flagg was the Magician. Flagg was trying to manipulate the kingdom so that he could end up in control and after 5000 years his chance had finally come. He killed Roland and framed Peter so that he would have to go to jail for life. Thomas was then king and Flagg was his friend and teacher. Flagg taxed the town and beheaded people for anything that they did. The title of the book came from the passage that Flagg had shown Thomas that lead to the head of a Dragon head that was hanging in his fathers room. He saw Flagg poison his father and he was to scared to tell anyone. Any way, Peter excapes and kills Flagg. Thomas was just a followed of any one who would be his friend. He was stupid and he never expected to be king so he didn't pay attention in class. Peter was the perfect son. He won all of the castle competitions. Every body in the entire kingdom loved him. Flagg was just plain evil. Every thing he did, he did for the good of evil. He finally got his way with the world and he took complete advantage of it. Stephen Kings style is to keep the reader from knowing to much and in some places in the book it gets very boring and then every thing starts to pick up. I like his style because it reads very quickly and is very entertaining. I think that this is one of the better books that I have ever read. I would recommend it to any one who has a brain in their head Bibliography na

CASE STUDY # 1 Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

# 1 - Case Study Example However, some children may accurately develop these abilities but still have symptoms of language disorder. The speech disorders without known causes are usually referred to developmental language disorder. Nonetheless, numerous agents including brain injury, developmental problems, hearing loss, autistic spectrum disorder, and learning disabilities, may cause the language disorder in children (The New York Times 01). Notably, each agent has its unique symptoms, system of diagnosis, and treatment. Cori Williams, the national president announced during the Federal Lections of the year 2007 lobbied a national campaign against speech disorder among children. William wanted the speech pathology to be discussed extensively and sufficiently so that the government could adopt the Speech Pathology as an Australia’s policy (Speech Pathology Australia 01). The main areas that this public policy aimed at addressing included the functions of the speech pathology services to children with speech and language disorders. William also wanted the improved access of pathology services to children in remote areas. Finally, it lobby called for extended pathology services within the Medicare Allied Health Initiative (Speech Pathology Australia 01). There numerous exams and tests that are often conducted in children to determine the type of speech disorder they might be suffering. In some cases, a speech disorder in a child may be traced from the medical history of the child’s family (Simms 432). In such a case, it may be revealed that the child’s close relative might have suffered speech and language problems. Moreover, a child who might be suspected to be suffering from language or speech disorder can be taken for standardized expressive and receptive language tests. During this test, a language and speech neuropsychologist or therapist will be able to determine the same. Additionally,

Report Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Report - Assignment Example This in turn would aid in taking decisions in an organization effectively. Discussion Combination of Both, the Text Chapter and Journal In today’s competitive business world, it is vital for every association to analyse the external along with internal settings before making any final decision. With reference to the book i.e. ‘Organisational Behaviour, An Introductory Text’ by Huczynski and Buchanan it can be viewed that the writers have underlined the significance of studying an environment in an business as it aids in making decisions that do help in mitigating a risk arising situation. This in turn facilitates to make effective strategies and policies to deal with any future risks. Moreover, the writers have also helped in understanding that conducting study to implement certain policies within a business may fail at times as it would not provide a detailed analysis of the outer world which comprises the changing trends, demands and all those factors that may a id a business to achieve its desired goals. The aspect of impression management has also been delineated as a crucial element as establishing a brand image has become vital for every organisation to maintain a substantial customer retention rate (Huczynski & Buchanan, 2001). With reference to the journal i.e. ‘The Interorganizational Virtual Organisation’ by Kasper-Fuehrer and Ashkanasy, it can be viewed that the author here explains the importance of establishing virtual organisation (VO) in today’s commercial world. Additionally, the journal mainly highlights the importance of establishing interrogational forms that focus on establishing a cooperative purview to attain individual organisational goals. However, the journal article has also stated the importance of intra-organisational form. The main reason behind selecting this journal is that it has not only facilitated in understanding the different forms of virtual organisation but has offered evidences regar ding the way in which the establishment of VO can aid an organisation in every sphere (Kasper-Fuehrer & Ashkanasy, 2003). Self-Reflection With emergence of globalisation and the rapid technological proliferation, today’s businesses are growing at a rapid speed. It has therefore become vital for every business corporation to understand the external environment as it helps in making effective decisions along with enabling to identify techniques and potential impacts of the external trends. This external force mainly includes change in demand, change in technology, increasing competitiveness of the competitors, environmental policy and laws among others that have a direct influence on the internal operational characteristics of an association (Marcin & Wojciech, 2013). In this context, I would like to state that I have been a part of an organisation that mainly emphasised following contingency theory as an integral part of the operational activities. On close analysis, I have co me know that the main reason behind following the theory within the organisation has been owing to its acceptance factor that facilitates a business to analyse the environment along with making its sure that the proposed plan meets all the current requirements of the environment.

Migrant women Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

Migrant women - Essay Example It is the movement of people from one place to another, either as an individual or in masses. People may either move over long or short distances to stay over long or short periods of time. This is because people tend to move to the industrialized areas that present employment opportunities as well as market created by a large number of people who seek employment in the established industries. Financial globalization has also encouraged globalization of labor leading to high levels of migration, especially from the less developed economies to the developed economies. Initially, men were predominant amongst the migrants. However, with recent empowerment of women in acquiring skills, their competitiveness in the labor market has improved. The need to satisfy financial needs has seen women actively participating in the labor market. With high dependence on agriculture in the less developed countries, population increase has led to reduced agricultural land and people have to look for al ternative ways of earning a livelihood. Migration of women is mainly triggered by the desire to feed their families. With modern transportation, migration has been made easy. People can move conveniently all over the world so long as they can afford to meet the cost. Most of the migrants from the less developed economies move to developed ones to offer cheap and unskilled labor. Women from Asia and Africa have been migrating to the United Kingdom, the United States and Canada to seek employment.

Analysis of Three Books in Literacy Development among Children Essay

Analysis of Three Books in Literacy Development among Children - Essay Example The aim of the commentary will be to develop a case study using various approaches. The three sources acknowledge the fact that earlier cognitive abilities by children are essential for future literacy development. Arnold (2003) indicates the process that enhances Harry’s cognitive ability. At this point, the mother plays an important role in ensuring Harry undergoes the learning process successfully. Adams (1990) states that early cognitive ability determines how a child will grasp literacy concepts while in school. Adams applies the concept to a child’s earlier phonemic awareness using an earlier cognitive ability. Peccei (2006) uses the cognitive ability of a given child to recognize complex structure words. The common approaches the three authors deploy relates to Piaget cognitive theory. The three concepts of the theory are visible in the books in that parents and the pre-school environment is identified by the authors as Schemas. They also indicate the development of this cognitive ability through different stages before a child is enrolled into the formal educational systems. The books, however, use different writing style. Arnold (2003) uses a descriptive style where he gives a day-to-day account of Harry and hence giving the reader the ability to make a conclusion based on the events. Harry’s life events are based on observations and the author uses these events to ascertain the early cognitive ability of a child. Peccei (2006) and Adams (1990) use an analytical approach in displaying cognitive abilities among children. They both draw from existing researchers to explain certain events in a given child’s life. They analyze the environment in which children would best learn their cognitive ability and focuses majorly on the literacy developmental stages. The differences in style indicate the diverse nature in which cognitive abilities are displayed and learned.  Ã‚  

Econ Excel hw Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Econ Excel hw - Assignment Example he cross price elasticity measured the degree of responsiveness of demand of a give commodity due to the change of price in substitute or complementary goods. In this case, ey,z = → where (ÃŽ ´u/ÃŽ ´pz) x ÃŽ ´y/ÃŽ ´u but u=Y, →. ey,z = [PZ-1.4/( PY-1.9PZ-1.4m1.2)] x [-1.4PZ-2.4( PY-1.9PZ-1.4m1.2)] → PZ-1.4 x -1.4Pz-2.4 therefore ey,z = -1.4Pz-3.8. On the other side income elasticity of demand is normally used to elucidate how the buyers’ income swings the demand factor for commodities; the equation will be differentiated in respect m therefore em= but u = Y → em = 1.2m1.4 (PY-1.9PZ-1.4) The product Y and Z are complementary goods; actually, positive cross price elasticity designates that two commodities are substitutes since the price of one commodity and demand of the other commodity positively vary. In the proviso that whenever the price of good â€Å"Y† upsurges, quantity of good â€Å"Z† also increases. On the other side a negative price elasticity of demand happens for complementary goods which do happen in the reverse direction. In this case inverse relationship between price and quantity demanded exist in the equation identified ey,z = -1.4Pz-3.8. Form a typical look on the demand function; Y = PY-1.9PZ-1.4m1.2 of product Y, it is clearly identified as a non- linear demand or curvilinear which changes all along the curve. It yields a demand curve instead of a demand line. Generally, it takes a form of power functions which graphically a rectangular hyperbola in shape. The powers of the price variable in a non-linear function indicate the coefficient of price elasticity of demand, which is normally constant. And the equation shows that consumers expenditure â€Å"Y† will increase with the price py-1.9 if its demand is relatively inelastic. This indicates that the income elasticity of product â€Å"Y†Ã¢â‚¬â„¢s demand is positive. This consequently, shows an increase in consumer’s income leads s /he to purchase more of good â€Å"Y†. In this respect good

Schools Sporting Day Memoir Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Schools Sporting Day Memoir - Essay Example   In a Schools’ Sporting Day that I witnessed in summer, various events took place. Our group converged at the field by 9 am and a welcoming note was given by the school’s representative. Since we were a large group, the team had to separate into five groups to compete against each other the various sporting activities for the day. It was in summer and so the sunny weather was comfortable for the event. A compeer took the mandate of controlling the tournament from the begging to the end following set rules and regulations. As such, the compeer read and explained the rules governing the event and spelled out disciplinary measures against any violators. He also delegated the powers to record resultant scores to three assistants for purposes of establishing the winners. We said a word if prayer put on the sporting attire, and started the warm up for the event. After 15 minutes of light exercises, we were ready for a challenging yet exciting sporting day. To improve the l evel of participation in the tournament, we chose to run all the sporting activities as relay races. Moreover, to incorporate the abilities and skills of every participant, the event had a wide range of challenges where one would score points on skill, participation, and teamwork. Classic races were the kick starters of the event and included welly waging, three legged dashes, relay race, egg & spoon race, wheelbarrow race, bean bag on the head, space hopper race, sack race, skipping race, and obstacle course.

A Case Study as a Research Method Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 1

A as a Research Method - Case Study Example Case studies are usually held about some social issues or entities which are â€Å"†¦intricately connected to political, social, historical, and personal issues, providing wide-ranging possibilities for questions and adding complexity† It follows the same pattern as any other critical study, yet there are a few important steps that one has to take care of while designing and conducting one. These include the following: 1. Determination of the research question is the first and the foremost demand of any research endeavor. In this step, the researcher can focus on the complexity of the subject within consideration and tries to seek answers to a few questions starting with ‘how’ and ‘why’. 2. The second step is to determine the type of case-study. Whether it be intrinsic due to researcher’s personal interest, or instrumental for more than mere surface knowledge about the issue, or collective because of the consideration of a group of similar cases, or exploratory, or explanatory, or descriptive. 3. After the determination of the type of research type, the next is to select the data collection tools which are to ensure validity and reliability of the data. Cross-examination and within-examination are important tools in this regard. 4. To organize the huge amount of data to be gathered via different sources, the researcher needs to plan a â€Å"databases to assist with categorizing, sorting, storing, and retrieving data for analysis†. 5. Field study and notes are the most important in this regard as they and to the exemplariness of the issue.

Schools Sporting Day Memoir Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Schools Sporting Day Memoir - Essay Example   In a Schools’ Sporting Day that I witnessed in summer, various events took place. Our group converged at the field by 9 am and a welcoming note was given by the school’s representative. Since we were a large group, the team had to separate into five groups to compete against each other the various sporting activities for the day. It was in summer and so the sunny weather was comfortable for the event. A compeer took the mandate of controlling the tournament from the begging to the end following set rules and regulations. As such, the compeer read and explained the rules governing the event and spelled out disciplinary measures against any violators. He also delegated the powers to record resultant scores to three assistants for purposes of establishing the winners. We said a word if prayer put on the sporting attire, and started the warm up for the event. After 15 minutes of light exercises, we were ready for a challenging yet exciting sporting day. To improve the l evel of participation in the tournament, we chose to run all the sporting activities as relay races. Moreover, to incorporate the abilities and skills of every participant, the event had a wide range of challenges where one would score points on skill, participation, and teamwork. Classic races were the kick starters of the event and included welly waging, three legged dashes, relay race, egg & spoon race, wheelbarrow race, bean bag on the head, space hopper race, sack race, skipping race, and obstacle course.

Phuket Beach Resort Essay Example for Free

Phuket Beach Resort Essay Case Report : Phuket Beach Hotel Executive Summary Phuket Beach Hotel has space located on second floor of the main building which was underutilized. Planet Karaoke pub was expanding in Thailand and looking for a venue in patong beach area for setting up another outlet. Planet Karaoke Pub found unused space of the hotel most suitable for their new venture. Beach Karaoke pub project does not considered salary as excess man power is available but if we considered cost of staff salary, Beach Karaoke pub becomes less attractive. There are many factors that cannot be quantified but they need to be addressed for the evaluation of the projects including Security issues. Additional security guards can be hired to maintain law and order but the costs of extra security is not provided for analysis. Recommendation Wanida should suggest an investment recommendation in favor of the Planet Karaoke Club (PKC) project. Reference : On-line segments Text Book – Financial management (Theory Practices) Phuket Beach Hotel report

Swot Long Pest Analysis Of Mcdonalds

Swot Long Pest Analysis Of Mcdonalds One strength for McDonalds is that it has a wide product range. Some examples of the products they have are, beef chicken and fish burgers, wraps, salads, deli sandwiches and chicken nuggets. This is a good thing as it means that they can target lots of people if they have something to suit everyones needs which will gain them more customers. Another strength for McDonalds is that it is the market leader in the fast food market. It is by far the largest fast food chain worldwide bringing in more customers than any other company and also having the most restaurants. This is a strength as it means they have control over the market and take more risks. It is easier for McDonalds to move into new markets as they have the money and facilities to do this which another fast food company may not be able to do it they arent as well established. (Scribd, 2008) 2.2 Weaknesses With McDonalds being the worlds largest chain of quick service restaurants it is the one everyone firstly thinks of when it comes to fast food. This can be seen as a weakness as currently the government are trying to lower obesity levels and to do this they are attempting to make people eat healthier. With McDonalds having their unhealthy image this can put people off as they trying to convince people to avoid places like this. 2.3 Opportunities One opportunity for McDonalds is the ageing population. This is an opportunity as it means they can change their restaurants to fit in with the eating habits of older people. They could do this by making their restaurants more like cafes which will encourage older to people to come to McDonalds if they dont see it as a fast food place anymore. This can be done by having healthier products available such as sandwiches and they can also provide a wider variety of hot drinks and more cakes and muffins. Another opportunity is peoples changing lifestyles. People are currently more time poor than they used to be and have busier lifestyles. This is a good thing for McDonalds as people are more likely to buy fast food if they are busy as they may not have time to cook meals for themselves and their families. Also there are now more single person families in the UK, this is an opportunity for McDonalds as people who are single may not want to cook for just themselves or may find it cheaper to buy fast food. They are also less likely to go out for meals as it may be seen as socially unacceptable to eat alone in a restaurant and might have fast food instead. (Mintel, Chicken Burger Market Internal Market Environment, 2008) 2.4 Threats Currently the market is becoming saturated with more and more competitors entering the market every year, this is causing slowing growth as people are turning to the new alternatives which is a major threat to McDonalds. Also there is government intervention as they are trying to stop people eating so much fast food. The government have intervened with the advertising campaign as they now have to have healthy images for the happy meals by advertising the options of fruit and vegetables and juice instead of fizzy drinks and fries. Although this does make it more likely for people to buy happy meals people could still however be put off. Another threat would be the prices of raw ingredients as these are rising at the moment. If they go up too much this could result in McDonalds raising the prices but at the moment it is just lowering profit. (JapanToday, 2009) 3.0 Porters Generic Competitive Strategies http://www.icsrpa.org.ge/images/stories/genericstrategies.jpg http://www.mindtools.com/pages/article/newSTR_82.htm In order for McDonalds to operate successfully in the fast food industry where there is substantial competition from other brands they need to identify a competitive strategy. This can be achieved through cost factors or differentiation. Getting this right could lead to above average or even superior profits. The first section of Porters strategy is cost leadership, this is best suited to a business which serves a mass market like McDonalds. To reach maximum efficiency you need to supply standard products to many consumers. This is much like McDonalds who are the worlds largest fast food chain, although their approach to marketing in the past has been targeting children with happy meals, their best selling product. In more recent years their adverts have included pulling factors for both children and adults alike. As well as this massive advertising budget they have a limited yet carefully designed menu. Perfect for mass market production, it enables them to make just a select number of meals with timely precision. And to attract the number of sales they require they put lots effort into providing meals that any of their customers could choose from. The menu is updated quite often and alterations are made to make sure theres a good range. There are different options like beef burgers, chi cken burgers, deli sandwiches to grasp the mass market. The key being that whatever you taste, beliefs or religion there should be a product suited to you. Its also convenient being located in city centres, shopping areas and road convergences. A large benefit of McDonalds over independents is you know what to expect every time you go as the ingredients and cooking methods are generalised. Porter says that its difficult for any competitor serving the mass market with standard products to charge above average prices, as competitive rivalry is too fierce. But what the theory doesnt consider is the added perceived value of the brand. Theres no recognition that McDonalds stands out from the other competitors based on its reputation. This is the major reason behind their aggressive growth and mass market performance. Twinned with their successful franchise based business model, without which they couldnt achieve such good geographical coverage or as competitive economies of scales. So aside from selling some cost leading products theyre also able to attract people into buying more premium meals, for instance the chicken legend meal in 2008. The most expensive set meal theyve ever sold. This moves McDonalds slightly away from cost leadership, although their target will always reside with the broadest categories, some product differentiation is happening. In Porters Strategy he defines differentiation it by saying an organisation is differentiating when theyre still able to serve a broad target market, but by providing a service which is different or better due to its added value. The customer needs to be prepared to pay extra for additional features or quality. This allows for a higher or premium price to be charged, giving rise to superior profits. I suppose this is the aim of McDonalds to be able to build on their cost leading success, generate revenue from superior hamburgers where people are willing to pay for it. These ideas are emulated by other competitors in the fast food sector. Burger king have low cost and ever more expensive meal options, topping the five pounds mark. As do Subway with their different filling choices, six inch sandwiches cost from  £2.49 and you can pay over  £5 for a foot long meal. Traditionally this would seem expensive for a sandwich, drink and snack. The big issue with this currently is that differentiated products dont perform well when theres economic downturn. This is best demonstrated by Marks and Spencers in the second quarter of 2008 their food sales fell by around five percent, while at the same time Aldi and Lidl experienced an increase in market share. Showing that consumers where less willing to pay for perceived added value, even MS customers who are typically brand loyal. McDonalds in my opinion would suffer badly under these circumstance should they go further down the differentiation route. The reason being the products would most likely dive in number of sales while demand for the usual set of value options would benefit. The other side of Porters competitive strategy is the narrow scope. Meaning the business doesnt serve the mass market but a small number of customers instead. Cost focused strategy is taken up by organisations following a narrow target market, and where customers are very price sensitive. For the business to make profits there are two important factors, firstly costs must be kept to a minimum and price set at achievable rates. This type of strategy direction isnt commonplace in what we think of as the main fast food sector. But when considering the entirety of small takeaway businesses in the UK, most of them are in-fact forced to take this strategic route. As barriers to entry by the big franchises like McDonalds restrict them from winning more custom. Coupled with tight margin and this is almost impossible. Differentiation focused strategy on the other hand looks to serve that narrow band of customers, but instead of being run on tight margins businesses change and alter their products or service so that consumers are prepared to spend a great deal of money. This is also known as niche marketing. When it works well the business can match or even exceed profits made by broad differentiated firms, despite not having the mass market customers. Whether this is possible in the fast food sector is doubtful, the simple nature of the products is based around convenience and value. So for someone to start selling to a limited number of people for an inflated price seems unlikely. It would just be too difficult without a quality reputation and a large budget for promoting yourself. Porters idea of differentiation focused strategy is one which McDonalds could never take up as the concept of applying it to fast food is flawed, making it very unprofitable for any business to undertake. (Capon, 2009) 4.0 Strategic Fit In recent years McDonalds has seen a dramatic change in its external environment with more competition, changing demands from consumers, advances in technology and changing view from governments around the world. McDonalds strategy is to produce good quality food at a low price for the consumer. In recent years McDonalds has seen a rise in competition which has effected its market share within the fast food market. The likes of Burger King and KFC have grown dramatically over recent years and McDonalds have had to develop internally to counter the growth of their competitors. An example of this would be McDonalds broadening its food menu. McDonalds have attempted in recent years to move away from the traditional image that McDonalds serves only unhealthy fast food by creating healthy options on their menu. This was an internal change within the company as nowadays McDonalds tries to emphasise where their ingredients come from and the new healthy options. Another influence that made M cDonalds consider its image and what products it sold was the changing demands from consumers for healthy products. Government campaigns and the media in general gave consumers more awareness of the risks of eating unhealthy. This made McDonalds respond with more salads, fruit, and lower calorie items. Another way McDonalds could adapt their strategy involving healthy eating/drinking is by creating more healthy drinks for consumers. Currently McDonalds only sells orange juice as an alternative to fizzy drinks they could expand their range of drinks involving carbonated waters or other fruit based drinks which give consumers a healthier option. Another issue in the external environment that will effect McDonalds strategic fit is the economy. Currently consumers around the world do not have as much disposable income to spend on treats such as fast food takeaways. In recent years McDonalds prices have increased meaning many consumers are moving to lower priced takeaways. An example of this was in 2009 where McDonalds increased the price for children happy meals a standard Happy Meal increased by 16.5 per cent, from $4.25 to $4.95. This increase may be due to McDonalds growing use of local ingredients or the currently refurbishment programme throughout its stores around the world. To improve the companies strategic fit in this area it suggests that McDonalds tries to create more lower end products which are cheaper for consumers. As consumers have less disposable income they will be less willing to spend nearly  £5 on a meal when they can still not guarantee a good quality of product. 5.0 New Product or Service From carrying out our SWOT analysis we identified some opportunities for McDonalds to take advantage of. These were the ageing population within the UK and consumers changing lifestyles and demands. From these we have identified a new direction that McDonalds can expand into. We have looked at McDonalds main competitors and found that many do not operate a delivery service. We feel this is an opportunity for McDonalds to differentiate from their competition. We have chosen delivery service mainly because of peoples changing lifestyles and the fact that most people no longer have time to cook meals. We believe that the delivery service would be popular with many McDonalds consumers with the main target being students. This is because we feel that students would rather pay extra for their meals if they dont have to go out and purchase it themselves. Most students live in central locations and are unlikely to have cars meaning the only way to get to McDonalds is by walking which may be inconvenient. The delivery service will operate through the day and evening making it a substitute to an independent typical takeaway. Appendix 1 Porters Five Forces Porter agues that five basic forces drive competition in an industry, competitive rivalry, threat of new entrant, threat of substitute products or services, bargaining power of buyers and bargaining power of suppliers. Industry Competitors McDonalds is the number one fast food company in the UK in terms of foodservice sales, with a 12% share of the total sector in 2008. Amongst chained fast food brands, McDonalds held an impressive 27% of foodservice sales in 2008, although it must be noted that its share of fast food sales amongst chained operators was down by one percentage point from 2007. This fall is due to the expanding competitive environment in which it operates, you may think of McDonalds as being a monopoly business and with around 31,000 restaurants in 116 countries and this is right in one sense. McDonalds strong brand presence and efficient operating service has allowed them to expand rapidly, opening up in developing countries worldwide. But now other businesses such as Nandos, KFC and Subway are growing in strength. There are many driving forces behind this from a greater demand for choice, healthy options, and the expansion of franchise business models (KFC, Subway). KFC, the number two fast food brand by sales and number four in terms of outlets, saw marginal growth in its share of foodservice sales in 2008. KFC accounted for 14% of sales amongst chained fast food brands and 6% of total fast food, unchanged from 2007. Burger King was the number three fast food company in sales terms, with a 4% share of the total sector, down from 2007. Expansion plans of KFC, particularly in the parts of the country where it is under-represented, such as the North and Wales, have been seen by some as a move for more dominance. Threat of New Entrants The major barriers in which a firm looking to enter the market faces are the economies of scale and the access of the distribution. In order for a firm to enjoy success in the industry, they must spend a large amount of capital on advertising and marketing. The industry is very competitive because firms are always attempting to steal customers from each other. Its also very price focused, without a monopoly on the competition you would find it difficult to survive without alternative low cost products. However the McDonalds franchise model has made it easier to enter the market, for example Subway has built their strategic plan around franchise options. Because fast food is a global business, theres a threat that new entrants in foreign countries could gain market share and power. Especially where McDonalds finds it difficult to adapt to cultural customs e.g. India. This growth could transfer oversees into McDonalds home markets like the UK Germany and the USA. When every aspect is considered though, its going to be difficult for new entrants to achieve substantial market share in such a dominated industry. Threat of Substitute Products or Services Theres a wide range of products which could be considered alternatives to eating in McDonalds, such as purchasing a burger from the local store and taking it home to warm up, this is a cheaper alternative but is more time and effort consuming, therefore not a convenience like McDonalds. However, according to MINTEL the UK ready to cook food market went up from  £504m in 07 to  £530m in 2008. By 2013 its estimated to be worth  £728m a 37% increase over last years figure. And sales of the chilled meat burger brand Rustlers reflect this, last year sales increased by 57.9% to  £30m. Alternatively you could go to one of the popular in store cafes, like at Debenhams, BHS or even an independent cafà ©. Burger restaurants, like Fine Burger Co and Gourmet Burger Kitchen offer the same products but use better quality as there USP. There are also a number of upper-class restaurants like Cafà © Rouge and Pret A Manger who could take business away from McDonalds by appealing to people on lunch breaks from the office. Pubs and Gastro pubs also compete, offering deals such as two meals for the price of one, it isnt difficult to find a burger and chips for under  £5. Or in the high street theres businesses like Greggs and Ainsleys who do take out food but arent classified as restaurants, theyre cheaper and a strong alternative during the economic downturn. Because people are becoming more health conscious, theres likely to be some switch over from what people perceive as fast food to healthier options. We believe this is the main threat to McDonalds, as its campaign for healthier products has come under lots of criticism, uptake of these ranges hasnt been as good as McDonalds hoped and this could play into the hands of other business using basic ingredients as their selling point. Bargaining Power of Suppliers Because McDonalds is such a large competitor in the market, suppliers will be keen to win their custom. This also means that they control and influence heavily on what price they pay for goods. Such strong dominance means that suppliers will have little bargaining power over the price they get, only regulations and free trade agreements will ultimately protect them. McDonalds have gone a step further than bargaining with suppliers, theyve taken over a number of them and switched to their own supply in many cases. This is called backwards vertical integration, something which large businesses do to reduce costs, guarantee a good supply and ensure to quality of products from their farms. An example of this is supplies such as beef, milk, flour, sugar and yeast to be used in its products. McDonalds has also formed strategic alliances with companies such as Walmart, Disney and Coca-Cola which lead towards balanced vertical integration, whereby they also begi n to control other outlets for their products as well as suppliers. The limited bargaining power suppliers may have is from the growth of other brands, whereby they can attempt to switch customers. However I believe this is weak as each brand will have individual suppliers and the more powerful they get the more bargaining power they will have. Bargaining Power of Buyers Bargaining power isnt measured by the number of people complaining in store, its most evident by the shift in consumer spending from one type of product to another. As fast food chains and other substitutes are so easily accessed, and theres relatively no switching costs, the individual consumer can simply go elsewhere to spend their money. McDonalds may notice this change in footfall but unless there are vast numbers, individual people still have little persuasion or power to negotiate over the price they pay for their lunch. However, if individual consumers choose to act in unison they may be able to excise power. An example of this is, in the mid-1990s when the health scare over British beef erupted, McDonalds faced the prospect of large numbers of its consumers acting together and refusing to buy their hamburgers. Therefore it switched from suppliers of British beef to supply of Dutch beef. An emerging issue is the pressure on fast food prices, as value for money becomes a key tr end this will become more important consideration for customers. One pound menus will become more popular as consumers impacted on by the recession looking for a cheaper option, this will push down the average transaction spend. Also Meal deals have become very common place in the fast food sector, with all the big brands offering them. Appendix 2 LoNGPEST Analysis Local Political The first political issue at a local level that will affect McDonalds is local government legislation. McDonalds need to make sure they adhere to employment legislation such as the Minimum Wage, Working Time Directive and Working conditions legislation. McDonalds needs to make sure it cooperates with all the employment legislation as McDonalds is a global company a negative story about their employment methods such as paying below minimum wage could seriously affect their reputation at a local level. At a local Level McDonalds also need to have an understanding of the Waste Management regulations that will involve their restaurants. McDonalds will need to make sure they deposit their waste material in the right way and dont cause any contamination of the local environment. This could lead to fines or a worse public image to the local population around the restaurant. Another political issue that will influence McDonalds is trade unions in the local area. If employees are unhappy about pay or hours of work then they will go to their local trade union leader to complain about the current working situation. This could influence McDonalds as they will need to make sure they have the right amount of employee interaction in their store to keep all employees happy. At present McDonalds do not directly work with certain unions on all issues regarding McDonalds. Local Economic The local economy will also be an issue to McDonalds. For example if the local economy is performing well then the customer base for products and service will be large and profitable. However wages will be high and employees will be in short supply in the local population. Currently regions are in a depressed state where there is smaller opportunities for selling products and services with people having less disposable income. During the recession the local populations disposable income was severely reduced with a lack in confidence to buy services and consumers more willing to save money than spend. As MacDonalds is seen by most people as a treat they are more likely to cut back on purchasing the product and look at other options. The final economic issue which may affect McDonalds locally is the rate of unemployment in the local area. This issue could influence McDonalds as high unemployment levels in the local area could expand the range of employees for work but could mean more workers without the required skills to work in the McDonalds stores. This could increase the amount of money McDonalds have to spend on training their staff. Local Social The first socio Cultural issue at a local level is the local community around McDonalds store. McDonalds will have a direct influence of the quality of life within the local community. If a Macdonalds is created in a small town it may increase traffic volume which will have an affect on the quality of life for the population. An increase in traffic volume could be a benefit to other shops but it could also be a disadvantage with a higher risk of pollution and higher risk of accidents. Also a McDonalds store opening in a small town or village may lead to local suppliers of fast food been but out of business such as fast food takeaways, chip and fish shops which may have been around a long time within the village. This could give McDonalds a bad public image in the community if they are putting other providers out of business. The second socio Cultural issue at local level is Social Change within the local area. As fast food companies have become more under pressure from the local and national media their has become a growing trend for people to look for more healthy options. This will be an influence for McDonalds as they will need to start expanding their range of healthy goods to attract the new consumer demands. McDonalds have already began to implement new salad options to their product range to attract new consumers who are interested in healthy products. McDonalds are also trying to provide information about where their suppliers are based for their ingredients. Many consumers of McDonalds are now wanting to know how chicken products are farmed for McDonalds so the company is trying to provide information to consumers. On the McDonalds website the company goes into detail regarding the source of their ingredients. McDonalds have had to provide this information as recently there has been many high pr ofile TV programmes that have questioned how McDonalds farm their chickens for their products. (Mintel, Chicken Burger Bars Strengths and Weaknesses, 2008) National Political One political issue which may affect McDonalds is advertising laws. The government and the advertising standards authority have put pressure on fast food companies such as McDonalds to stop aiming their advertisements at children and young people and are no longer allowed to advertise at certain times of the day when children may be watching. This is to try to combat the problem of increasing obesity in the UK and by stopping children from seeing adverts for things like happy meals etc. they are less likely to want them. (Mintel, Chicken Burger Bars Issues in the Market, 2008) Another political issue which may affect McDonalds is minimum wage. The government controls the minimum amount which companies have to pay their staff. If the minimum wage was to be increased by the government then it would mean an increase in costs for McDonalds. With them being a global brand it is very important that they comply to these rules as they dont want to end up with a bad reputation for not paying their staff fairly. National Economic One economic issue which may affect McDonalds is exchange rates. The British pound is currently very weak compared to other countries. This is a bad thing for McDonalds as it means any money which is made in the UK will be worth less when it is exchanged into another currency which will mean lower revenues for the company. Another economic issue which may affect McDonalds is the current economic situation. With the UK being in a recession people now have less disposable income and therefore are more likely to send their money on necessities rather than luxury products. McDonalds could be seen as a luxury product as although food is a necessity there are cheaper alternatives for people to buy rather than fast food. However from research we have found it would suggest that the fast food market hasnt been affected by the recession. This could be due to the fact that although there are cheaper options it is still not a very expensive thing to buy so people are willing to buy it. Also with it being a convenience food people who dont have time to cook are still going to be buying it. National Social One social issue which could affect McDonalds is that there is an increasing amount of single person families. This is a positive thing for McDonalds as a chicken or a burger meal is a lot more convenient compared to cooking a meal for one. Also people are more likely to get food from a fast food outlet than to go to a restaurant as sitting alone in a restaurant could be seen as intimidating for people. (Mintel, 2008) Another social issue which may affect McDonalds is that people are now starting to eat more healthily. People are now a lot more concerned with there health due to the government making people aware of the dangers of not eating healthily. There are now more healthier options available for people who are wanting something quick and convenient such as the Boots Meal deal which is the same price as a McDonalds and still tastes as good but is a lot better for their health. Global Political One political issue which may affect McDonalds is alliances and agreements. When McDonalds expands to other countries it has to be made sure that the two or more countries regulate the conduct of international trade and commerce. It was easy for McDonalds to trade with The UK and US are an alliance because of their history, in the 1980s the close friendship between Margaret Thatcher and the US republican president Ronald Reagan. This was not however the case for all countries as for a country such as India for example McDonalds had to think about the different laws that they would have to abide as they have religious laws. They also have trading laws as most of the country are vegetarian they may have to have certain staff who do not touch the meat as they are against it. Another political issue which may affect McDonalds is Health and Safety. In all countries there are Health and Safety laws for within the workplace. It is important that McDonalds abide by these rules not just purely for health and safety but also to keep up their reputation. Also with it being a food market it is even more important. There are the general health and safety acts that apply to all companies as workers have the right to work in an environment where health is not a risk and the odds are you wont get hurt or ill through work. Managers would therefore have to firstly look at what decide what can harm you in your job and work out the precautions to stop it by doing risk assessment. Also they should give employees health and safety training that is required to do the job free of charge before the employee starts work. Also any uniform and protective clothing should be provided for example hair nets and gloves for hygiene reasons. Global Economic One economic issue which may affect McDonalds is the exchange rate, import and export tax. Both the exchange rate and the import and export tax has a major effect on the company as it can hugely affect profits depending on whether the pound is strong or weak or whether the tax is high or low. Another issue is labour cost, levels of disposable income and income distribution. When expanding globally it was important for McDonalds to look at the difference in the other countries economy when regarding to the labour cost, levels of disposable income and income distribution. As for some countries the labour cost could either be a lot cheaper or a lot more expensive which is important for McDonalds to know as this affects profits. Also the levels of disposable income and the income distribution in the area McDonalds planned to place the outlets as if they were placing it somewhere where the disposable income was r