Personal Narrative- First Job Anxiety Essay -- Personal Perspective

Personal Narrative- First Job Anxiety Thump-thump, thump-thump, thump-thump. My heart began to race as I climbed in my truck early Monday morning. Anticipation grew inside of me at the thought of starting my new job. Would it be difficult? Would I get frustrated? I kept asking myself these questions, but I didn't want to know the answers. All the confidence that I had built up before that day had diminished and I was left with dread. I tried to reassure myself that it was just a summer job and that I would never have to go through it again, but my anxiety had already overcome me. I managed to get myself to the office, trying not to appear intimidated as I entered the front door. I immediately got a wave of relief when I saw my dad sitting at his desk waiting for my arrival. "So†¦ where do I start?" I asked him, in a somewhat shaky voice. He led me to my desk and gave me my first assignment, and from there things appeared to be going smoothly. I continued working, and soon felt as ease with my surroundings. "I guess there's really no need to stress out over this," I thought. H...

Living with Depression, Mania, and Medication Essay -- Personal Narrat

Living with Depression, Mania, and Medication Depression joined my life shortly after I entered middle school and tagged on persistently through my adolescent years. At first, my sullen moods were brushed off as mere hormonal changes, but I quickly became aware there was something more behind them. The severity of depression is difficult to explain without personal thoughts and examples. I know that my depression is coming long before it sets in. There is a cloud of forewarning that starts to move in on the vibrancy of my thoughts and vision; the world becomes distorted and negative. Slowly, this bleakness moves in from the outside world down to the pit of my stomach where it creates a dark, menacing feeling that makes me want to cry, scream, and vomit all at the same time. The feeling beckons me to a state of hopelessness and complete despair. Lingering thoughts of paranoia become prominent which leaves friends as foes out to abandon me and complete strangers as agents out to destroy me. The thoughts of negativity drag me deepe r and deeper until I am convinced there is no bottom; they separate me from the outside world. It is in this lowest state that one of two things happens: either I am persuaded by suicidal tendencies or the blackness lifts without a trace. Without medication, death was always a daunting possibility of ending this horrid affair. The cycling of depression became a constant part of my life leaving me always afraid of what was around the corner. The other side of that corner did not appear in my life until the end of high school. Around the time of my eighteenth birthday, my mania began its cycle. The brutality of mania may set in as mere normalcy, but, in time, that same "normalcy" can end worse than d... ...nia, and medication are all part of the bipolar disorder that will be with me for the rest of my life. The cruelty of depression and ruthlessness of mania are something that no person should have to bear. They force a person to doubt society, reject friends, and lose sanity while the disease slowly starts killing the victim from the inside out. However difficult my past has been made by depression and mania, my life has come to look brighter with the advancement of medication. Bipolar disorder is a life- long disease that will always have its setbacks; however, it is a disease that, with the proper medication, will not keep me locked in a cage separate from the outside world. With the diagnoses of bipolarity, I know that I will have to deal with depression and mania, but I also know that I was not born crazy. I was born with a disease, but I was meant to live as me. Living with Depression, Mania, and Medication Essay -- Personal Narrat Living with Depression, Mania, and Medication Depression joined my life shortly after I entered middle school and tagged on persistently through my adolescent years. At first, my sullen moods were brushed off as mere hormonal changes, but I quickly became aware there was something more behind them. The severity of depression is difficult to explain without personal thoughts and examples. I know that my depression is coming long before it sets in. There is a cloud of forewarning that starts to move in on the vibrancy of my thoughts and vision; the world becomes distorted and negative. Slowly, this bleakness moves in from the outside world down to the pit of my stomach where it creates a dark, menacing feeling that makes me want to cry, scream, and vomit all at the same time. The feeling beckons me to a state of hopelessness and complete despair. Lingering thoughts of paranoia become prominent which leaves friends as foes out to abandon me and complete strangers as agents out to destroy me. The thoughts of negativity drag me deepe r and deeper until I am convinced there is no bottom; they separate me from the outside world. It is in this lowest state that one of two things happens: either I am persuaded by suicidal tendencies or the blackness lifts without a trace. Without medication, death was always a daunting possibility of ending this horrid affair. The cycling of depression became a constant part of my life leaving me always afraid of what was around the corner. The other side of that corner did not appear in my life until the end of high school. Around the time of my eighteenth birthday, my mania began its cycle. The brutality of mania may set in as mere normalcy, but, in time, that same "normalcy" can end worse than d... ...nia, and medication are all part of the bipolar disorder that will be with me for the rest of my life. The cruelty of depression and ruthlessness of mania are something that no person should have to bear. They force a person to doubt society, reject friends, and lose sanity while the disease slowly starts killing the victim from the inside out. However difficult my past has been made by depression and mania, my life has come to look brighter with the advancement of medication. Bipolar disorder is a life- long disease that will always have its setbacks; however, it is a disease that, with the proper medication, will not keep me locked in a cage separate from the outside world. With the diagnoses of bipolarity, I know that I will have to deal with depression and mania, but I also know that I was not born crazy. I was born with a disease, but I was meant to live as me.

Objectives in Corporate Finance Essay

If you don’t know where you are going, it does not matter how you get there† Aswath Damodaran Stern School of Business Aswath Damodaran 2 First Principles Invest in projects that yield a return greater than the minimum acceptable hurdle rate. †¢ The hurdle rate should be higher for riskier projects and reflect the financing mix used – owners’ funds (equity) or borrowed money (debt) †¢ Returns on projects should be measured based on cash flows generated and the timing of these cash flows; they should also consider both positive and negative side effects of these projects. Choose a financing mix that minimizes the hurdle rate and matches the assets being financed. If there are not enough investments that earn the hurdle rate, return the cash to the owners of the firm (if public, these would be stockholders). †¢ The form of returns – dividends and stock buybacks – will depend upon the stockholders’ characteristics. Objective: Maximize the Value of the Firm Aswath Damodaran 3 The Classical Viewpoint Van Horne: â€Å"In this book, we assume that the objective of the firm is to maximize its value to its stockholders† Brealey & Myers: â€Å"Success is usually judged by value: Shareholders are made better off by any decision which increases the value of their stake in the firm†¦ The secret of success in financial management is to increase value. The most important theme is that the objective of the firm is to maximize the wealth of its stockholders. Brigham and Gapenski: Throughout this book we operate on the assumption that the management’s primary goal is stockholder wealth maximization which translates into maximizing the price of the common stock. Aswath Damodaran 4 The Objective in Decision Making In traditional corporate finance, the objective in decision making is to maximize the value of the firm. A narrower objective is to maximize stockholder wealth. When the stock is traded and markets are viewed to be efficient, the objective is to maximize the stock price. All other goals of the firm are intermediate ones leading to firm value maximization, or operate as constraints on firm value maximization. Aswath Damodaran 5 The Criticism of Firm Value Maximization Maximizing stock price is not incompatible with meeting employee needs/objectives. In particular: †¢ – Employees are often stockholders in many firms †¢ – Firms that maximize stock price generally are firms that have treated employees well. Maximizing stock price does not mean that customers are not critical to success. In most businesses, keeping customers happy is the route to stock price maximization. Maximizing stock price does not imply that a company has to be a social outlaw. Aswath Damodaran 6 Why traditional corporate financial theory focuses on maximizing stockholder wealth. Stock price is easily observable and constantly updated (unlike other measures of performance, which may not be as easily observable, and certainly not updated as frequently). If investors are rational (are they? ), stock prices reflect the wisdom of decisions, short term and long term, instantaneously.

Algae Blooms and Their Effects on Water Sources

Blue – green algae are scientifically known as cyanobacteria. They are also known as pond scum. They belong to the family of bacteria and naturally develop in shallow, warm and still waters. These conditions are present in fresh water lakes, ponds, and wetlands. In order to survive and grow the algae blooms need sunlight and thus they are photo synthetic bacteria. The name blue – green algae can be attributed to the fact that the first species of this algae were blue – green in color. There are other types of algae, namely, olive – green colored and red colored.During the months of July and August, the population of the algae grows enormously due to the fact that the congenial conditions of hot, calm weather are fulfilled in these months. These weather conditions help create large numbers of blue – green algae, which are often called blooms. These blooms incline upwards to the surface of the water and cover the water. They resemble thick pea soup th at is blue – green in color and they occur naturally. A large portion of blue – green algae blooms are either toxic or poisonous. Wildlife, livestock or humans who consume these algal blooms could possibly die (Blue-green Algae Blooms.BC HEALTH FILES). The cyanobacteria have a dual effect on humans. One variety of these algae acts as a natural fertilizer for rice, whereas there are other variants of this class of bacteria, which contain dangerous toxins. The toxins of cyanobacteria cause a rash in humans. Some cyanobacteria emit high levels of neuromuscular toxins, which kill the fish that consume it. The water containing such algae, on being consumed by animals proves to be fatal. If conditions are favorable, the cyanobacteria grow in profusion and such dense algal blooms produce potent toxins that render seafood highly poisonous.The people who consume such seafood are bound to die. Algal blooms cause a discoloration of water and impart a malodorous smell and a bad ta ste to it (Steinman). During the summer season, algae blooms develop on the lakes and other reservoirs in the entire region and the blue – green algae grow abundantly on the water. They need combinations of high levels of nutrients, warm water, and prolonged sunny weather conditions. These algae make the water become odorless or pungent and the taste unpleasant. Eventually the water becomes unfit for human consumption.The various recreational activities on the Lake of the Prairies are severely hindered in summer, because the algae blooms grow abundantly on the water in summer. In Brereton Lake in the Whiteshell, the fish population was killed by the algae blooms, in the year 1990. During summer, the huge population of algae blooms in the Shoal Lake renders the water tasteless and causes a severe drinking water problem in Winnipeg (State of the Environment Reports). The blue – green algae blooms contain two different types of toxins. One type consists of neurotoxins tha t interfere with the nervous and respiratory systems of human beings.These neurotoxins cause muscle tremors, stupor, staggering, rapid paralysis, and respiratory problems. Consuming these toxins generally results in death within thirty minutes. A number of dead bodies of animals that have consumed the water, contaminated with the algal blooms, can be found near water bodies like lakes and ponds. The consumption of these algal blooms is fatal irrespective of whether an animal or a human consumes them (Blue-green Algae Blooms. BC HEALTH FILES). The other type of toxins is the hepato – toxins. These toxins damage the liver which results in slow death.Animals or humans who drink water contaminated with toxic strains of blue – green algae blooms would die within thirty – six hours. Jaundice and sensitivity to sunlight are the immediate symptoms of these toxins. Animals that consume water containing this toxin develop these symptoms (Blue-green Algae Blooms. BC HEALTH FILES). Harmful Algae Blooms cause great economic loss. They hinder activities such as commercial fishing, tourism, cultural traditions, recreational, and subsistence harvests. Maryland sustained a huge economic loss in the year 1997 due to such contamination.The seafood industries depicted a decline of over ten percent of their gross sales due to harmful Algae Blooms in the water. This industry had been making huge profits with an annual rate of increase of seventy – four percent till 1996. The reduction in sales was approximately forty – three million dollars. This huge loss was attributed to the Pfiesteria toxins of the algae blooms. In addition, persons who had been affected by this localized toxic outbreak of Pfiesteria developed several neurological diseases ( Harmful algae blooms in Mary land ).Furthermore, algal blooms cause the discoloration of water, formation of foam on the water, depletion of oxygen, and death. Some fish such as benthic fauna and wild or c aged fish or shellfish get poisoned and consuming those fish results in death. The uncontrolled growth of plankton algae causes organic matter to accumulate at the bottom of the water bodies. The ecosystem is adversely affected and the local biodiversity is harmed due to the uncontrolled growth and preponderance of filamentous macroalgae. The growth of these algae is due to the presence of excessive nutrients in the water (European Environment Agency).Domestic water supplies in the cities Brandon and Morden depend on the Assiniboine River and Lake Minnewasta. Algae blooms on these water sources result in the loss of taste and odor in this water. The water department in Brandon increased the rate of chemical feed at the water plant in order to manage this problem. In Morden, the staff added copper sulfate to Lake Minnewasta to eradicate the algae. Although these problems prevail for a short period, the residents of the cities have to countenance a great deal of inconvenience. Consequ ently, the people commenced to depend on other sources of drinking water (State of the Environment Reports).With the advancement of scientific knowledge, humans are deriving a number of advantages from the algae blooms. Some of these advantages include the production of food for people as well as animal livestock, using them as binding agents in the preparation of ice creams and shampoos, and using the algae in medicines to control certain diseases. Commercial farming of over 150 species of algae as a vital source of food is one of the positive aspects of the algae. In Japan, China, and Korea people consume seaweed that has been prepared by using algae.The revenues from such seaweed have been estimated at $2 billion per annum. Nori a red algae is a very popular item of food in these nations (Steinman). In North America and Europe, seaweeds are food supplements for animals. Some species of cyanobacteria are rich in proteins. Spirulina is very popular in this respect and it is grown i n ponds commercially. Spirulina is considered to be a health food and cattle dietary supplement. Seaweeds are a very rich source of concentrated potassium and trace elements; therefore, they are used as fertilizers and soil conditioners, in order to increase crop production.Another species of cyanobacteria converts atmospheric nitrogen to ammonia, which is a very useful plant nutrient. Growing cyanobacteria is a major agricultural activity in the tropical countries, because it provides nitrogen to rice (Steinman). Eutrophic reservoirs generally contain cyanobacteria, whose blooms destroy the aquatic environment and prove fatal to animals and humans. They are largely prevalent in water bodies all over the world. In South America, these cyanobacteria have caused the death of a very large number of fish and aquatic life.For example in Chile the blooms of these bacteria produced microcystine L – R production, which caused an enormous destruction of aquatic life. Similarly, in Bra zil, PSP phycotoxins were present in large quantities in water. Moreover, these cyanobacteria have produced hepatotoxins like Microcystis that resulted in severe ailments of the liver (Paralytic Shellfish Poisoning Phycotoxins: Occurrence in South America ). Blue – green algae are as widespread as bacteria and are found to a large extent in either neutral or alkaline Eutrophic fresh water plankton and in the plankton of tropical seas.The benthic forms are usually found in hot springs, snow, ice, tree trunks. Cyanophyceae live in symbiosis with several animal and plant species. Moreover, the phycobiont of a large number of lichens is made up of these Cyanophyceae (Cyanophyceae. McGraw-Hill Concise Encyclopedia of Science and Technology). Apart to forming important contributors to food chains, a number of benefits are obtained from the blue – green algae. One such important activity is the fixing of Nitrogen in the soil so that rice paddies are enriched to a significant extent.Nevertheless, these blue – green algae are a veritable pestilence on occasion, for instance, they impair the function of filters by clogging them, make domestic water supplies unfit to drink due to engendering bad smell and taste, render swimming pools, aquariums and fountains unusable and cause the death of birds, fish and domestic animals (Cyanophyceae. McGraw-Hill Concise Encyclopedia of Science and Technology). Some of the earliest forms of life on this planet consisted of these blue – green algae and their fossils have been discovered in rocks that had been determined to be around 2.3 billion years old. Furthermore, the accretion of oxygen in the earth’s atmosphere has been attributed to these blue – green algae (Cyanophyceae. McGraw-Hill Concise Encyclopedia of Science and Technology). It is essential to identify and monitor water bodies that contain algal blooms, in order to ensure that the quality of the water does not deteriorate. However, there risk of the occurrence of these blooms cannot be entirely eradicated and it is the duty of the water managers and the general public to keep a close watch over these water bodies so that any algae bloom can be detected.Further, a proper course of action has to be implemented, which will deal with blooms and their resultant problems in an appropriate manner (Algal Blooms – Causes and Management. Victorian Resources Online ). Harmful Algal Blooms or HABs cause significant harm to the economy, ecology and society, it has the potential to cause the death of shellfish, dolphins, manatees and humans. These HABs contain toxins that on becoming airborne make breathing difficult in people, which leads to a decline in the number of people visiting the seaside.Over a period of time almost all the coastal states have fallen prey to the depredations of these algal blooms. The gravity of the situation can be gauged from the fact that advanced detection techniques are being employed to detect and control these blooms and examples of these are biochemical detectors, computer simulated models and satellites. Nevertheless, the fact remains that loss to the tune of millions of dollars takes place annually due to these algal blooms (Mitigating Harmful Algal Blooms ). Works Cited Harmful algae blooms in Mary land . 16 July 2007 .Algal Blooms – Causes and Management. Victorian Resources Online . 9 July 2007. 16 July 2007 < http://www. nre. vic. gov. au/DPI/Vro/vrosite. nsf/pages/water-river-algal-manage>. Blue-green Algae Blooms. BC HEALTH FILES. 16 July 2007 < http://www. bchealthguide. org/healthfiles/hfile47. stm >. Cyanophyceae. McGraw-Hill Concise Encyclopedia of Science and Technology. 2004. 16 July 2007 . European Environment Agency. Algal bloom in coastal waters. 16 July 2007 . Mitigating Harmful Algal Blooms .1 February 2007. 16 July 2007 . â€Å"Paralytic Shellfish Poisoning Phycotoxins: Occurrence in South America . † Comments on Toxicology (2 003): ISSN: 0886-5140. Vol. 9. Pp. 175 – 193. State of the Environment Reports. Algae Blooms Perennial Problem of Water Supplies on the Prairies. 16 July 2007 . Steinman, Alan D. â€Å"Algae. † In Microsoft ® Encarta ® 2006 [DVD]. Redmond, WA: Microsoft Corporation, 2005 .

POVERTY IN JAMAICA Essay

Poverty is generally accepted as an undesirable condition. However, defining poverty is extremely difficult and several definitions exist. According to Dennis brown (1995), He defined poverty as a state in which an ‘‘individual or group possesses less than some standard which has been defined as acceptable†. In the world we live it is generally accepted that there are two kinds of poverty, public and private poverty, however, the focus on poverty in this paper relates to Jamaica and its struggle to vanquish poverty. Poverty has been a persistent feature of Jamaica’s environment from the post-emancipation period, and from their, it has been a subject of continuing concern and analysis for Caribbean academics and welfare practitioners. It is mainly in the past decade the notion of poverty and poverty reduction come to occupy the central position in both local and international policy. With boldness, Jamaica promulgates policy statements that poverty will be era dicated. With this continuing dance around the crisis of poverty, the distinction between cause and consequence has become increasingly blurred, with the result that poverty reduction policies have little chance of reducing the extreme risks and hardships that Jamaicans face on a regular basis. In both national and international dialogue, the assumption remains unchallenged that poverty can be reduced if only one could correctly and channel the assistance directly to the deserving poor. The deserving poor are considered the vulnerable because of their demographic of physical characteristics, which may predispose them to health risk situations. Even though every individual will gladly accept any help they can get it is considered unfair to the real less fortunate’s of society According to the Planning Institute of Jamaica, over the past decade, the percentage of the Jamaican population classified as poor fell from 30.5 percent in 1989 to 16.9 percent in 1999. With an estimated population of 2.58 million persons, this was equivalent to approximately 400,000 persons who were unable to meet their basic needs. Assuming that three-quarters of the poor were located in rural areas, as in 1998, an estimated 300,000 rural persons lived below the poverty line. The methodology o fficially used in calculating the number of those who fall below the poverty line follows international practice and is built around the cost of feeding a low income family. It is therefore highly insensitive to the changes in food cost. Most basic foods were imported; the effect of 1991 deregulation of the foreign  exchange was immediately reflected in the poverty level, which soared to 44.6 percent. Since 1992 the poverty level has followed a steady downward path, until 1998 when it was estimated at 15.9 percent. One of the reasons why poverty permeates Jamaica’s environment is due to a number of factors that needs immediate attention which is still present in the 21st century today. Rural households are large and includes more children than in KMA( Kingston metropolitan area) households, rural area contains larger proportions of elderly and small proportions of persons in the prime working ages, as well as they can only afford to spend only two-thirds of what (KMA) counterparts spend on food beverages for each household member and their members a more likely to report being ill and less likely able to seek medical care. The question pertaining to who are considered as the poor is generally taken as sufficient justification for the heavy emphasis of current poverty reduction programs on the two target groups of children and the elderly. However in an article named (â€Å"A Rose by any other name†). A woman by Rose Morgan has been sitting outside the villa medical centre in Mandeville who came from Westmoreland in her early 20s seeking job opportunities. According to rose she came to Mandeville and she was pursued by a man that accommodated her at his home, but eventually he died. Now Rose lives off the sincerity of those that pass her by the street. Poverty receives considerable less attention, particularly because of the inadequacy of employment. If rose had a job which she said was impossible to get, she would be else where rather than begging on the streets. From 1995 the government has been trying to get rid of living conditions such as these. The formulation of the program called (NPEP) N ational Poverty Eradication Progamme, coordinated by the Office of the Prime Minister was design to improve the state of the country. This Programme serves as an umbrella for existing programs today such as the Human Employment and Resource Training, (HEART), Microenterprise credit programs; poor relief; public assistance; and food stamp Programmes. Social and economic support Programmes were also developed to promote the employment rate. Employment is seen as one of the major influences on poverty. On November 28, 2012 a Gleaner article entitle, (â€Å"Youth Unemployment still triples national average†), shows that in spite of the government trying to eliminate poverty from Jamaica’s landscape it has some how still manages to inhabit the air we breathe. According to  Director Dr Gladstone Hutchinson, he states that STATIN data during a review of the quarterly economic performance, Jamaica’s labour force increases by 20,600 in the past year (2011). The youth unemployment has consistently run two or three times the national average. The percentage of unemployed youths was 28.7%. The only improvement in jobless rate was on April 2012 (14.3%). The back of poverty is hard to brake, and I insist because majority of those without jobs are unqualified and it is either difficult at their age to pursue any form of higher education or they have no source of funding to do so. These groups of people falls w ithin the poverty category called the consumption group. For operational purposes, the Government of Jamaica (GOJ) has enunciated three categories of poverty which are: Chronic Poverty, which exists when an individual is incapacitated and incapable of independently procuring the requisite means of sustenance. This category includes persons who are unable to work because of chronic physical and mental infirmity or old age and children without parents or with parents who are incapacitated. Those in this category of poverty are the primary beneficiaries of the welfare Programmes that fall under the (NPEP). Consumption Poverty, which refers to able-bodied adults who are unable to meet their basic consumption requirements. This means, they fall below the poverty line as determined by mean per capita consumption expenditure. This category may include both the employed and unemployed. Resource/capability Poverty, which refers to those who are deprived of access to private and public resources such as a basic education, basic health care, basic housing, transportation, healthy environment, water and employment. This deprivation of these basic resources in turns results in impoverishment. Categorizing poverty in this format allows the government to allocate the necessary assistance to the right persons. Hence they will not give those who need help less more than what they deserve. One of the most diverse Programmes, aiming at breaking the back of poverty is the PATH Programme. It is said often times that the children are the future, it is clear that the aim of the Programme of Advancement Through Health is to break the generational struggle starting with the future of the country. Even though Path assists the elderly and the incapable, most of the focus is placed on the school which is essential for anyone’s country. On February the 4th, 2007. The Sunday Glea ner had an article about PATH, (â€Å"Out of Poverty†) emphasizing the 1.2 million spent on  path beneficiaries which 70% were to school children. PATH is a conditional cash transfer (CCT) Programme funded by the Government of Jamaica and the World Bank and is aimed at delivering benefits by way of cash grants to the most needy and vulnerable in the society. In the article the Programme is being questioned why everyone is not benefited from Path. However it was stated that it is not because of budget limitations, but path is working on improving the attendance and performance rate in schools. In essence it justifies my point that Path is attacking poverty at the roots. It was introduced Island wide in 2002. With PATH helping to assist in the elimination of poverty, it still does not conclude that path alone can do it. On the 6th of October 2006 in the Daily observer an editorial comment was made where the writer was in favor of the (PIOJ) and (STATIN) survey on November to the month of May in 2005. It states that poverty fell by 12.7 percent. On the contrary though he states that, â€Å"While we recognize that each intervention by the necessary Programmes are important, we are convinced that they do not provide the long-term basis for the eradication of poverty. For the real solution to poverty is sustained and sustainable economic growth†. In correlation to the writers comment, the (NPEP) comprises of the Micro Invest ment Development Agency (MIDA) which was set up to support the microenterprise as mentioned earlier. It provides persons with the opportunity to gain employment through the establishment of their own businesses (2003). To date (MIDA) remains among the single largest providers of microcredit in the island. MIDA alone has been responsible for providing well over one billion Jamaican dollars to the micro-enterprise community between 1992 up until this very day. Hundreds of student graduates from HEART yearly with a skill and is now contributing to Jamaica’s economic growth. For that it seems as though the country’s quest to illuminate poverty is gradually taking place. The literature on poverty in Jamaica dearly indicates that it is a phenomenon associated with low educational attainment and often affects those who are unemployed or self-employed. Other contributing factors to poverty in Jamaica can be traced back to the increasing birthrate, delinquency in schools, child abuse and possibly drug abuse. It is each individual responsibility to profile their actions into actions that will in turn benefit them and the society they reside in. http://www.mlss.gov.jm/pub/index.php?artid=23 2006 ministry of labour and security: Planning institute of Jamaica, survey of living conditions 1998 FUNDING ENTREPRENEURSHIP AMONG THE POOR IN JAMAICA Social & Economic Studies. Jun2008, Vol. 57 Issue 2, p119-148. FFRENCH, SEAN30phttp://web.ebscohost.com/ehost/results?sid=7145 THE DYNAMICS OF POVERTY IN JAMAICA, 1969-1999. Social & Economic Studies. Mar2001, Vol. 50 Issue 1, p199-228. 30p. Henry-Lee, Aldriehttp://web.ebscohost.com/ehost/results?sid=7145 Friday October 6,2006, (â€Å"don’t just alleviate poverty†) the observer (â€Å"out of poverty†) February 4, 2007 the Sunday gleaner The gleaner june 18, 2009 (â€Å"A rose by another name†) Thompson Mepherse (â€Å"Youth unemployment still triples national average†), November the 28, 2012

Baidu Enters African Mobile Browser Essay

Executive Summary Baidu Inc. will benefit from partnering with France Telecoms’ Orange to enter in Africa’s mobile searching market which has large potential opportunities and revenues. Africa, the Next Major Mobile Market Africa with the second large population in the world and emerging purchasing power from new middle class requires telecommunication to be popularized. The sudden growth and high density of mobile connection in Africa across countries generate large demand of smartphones and mobile webs or other mobile services. The fast speed of growth rate and potential opportunities in this market attract large mobile operators and search engines, and then Africa will become the major mobile market and transform the global economic landscape. Baidu should enter this market earlier to develop its international business Benefits and Limits of Partnering with Orange Exclusively Benefits:Enjoys Orange’s mass customer base Orange has health growth rate Orange has invested 3G networking in order to expand its market share Orange has more than 800 million customers and spreads its operation across 20 countries. Risk: The exclusive agreement limits Baidu’s expand from cooperating with others Evaluation: Despite the limits of the exclusive contract, the benefits of partnering with Orange are great. Baidu, which has less international business experiences, is good to start cooperating with large mobile operators like Orange to step into the large mobile competition in Africa, which has large potential market, opportunities, and revenues. Introduction Baidu Inc. signs its first global agreement with Orange, on an exclusive basis. The Baidu-Orange browser will provide more affordable and richer browsing experience for customers across Africa by enhancing data  compression capabilities up to 90% of compression. The browser is one-click access to web-search like apps. About Baidu: Baidu is the largest searching engine in China, taking more than 70% of the market share. It beat Google out of the Chinese market in 2010 because it was familiar with Chinese web culture in which allows free downloads and develops general searching However, Baidu lose its ability to be business internationalized, since Baidu satisfied its large market share in the region; at the same time it also lose its good timing to establish and develop its mobile searching while the popularizing and development in smartphones has changed the rules of the game from web networking to telecommunication networking. The need of Baidu expanding its global market and mobile web services is important and urgent. Baidu now is targeting in African as an emerging mobile market in the partnership with Orange, a France’s telecom Africa, the Next Major Mobile Market According to the observation from GSMA, African mobile market has dramatically grown and reaches the highest growth rate worldwide due to the governments have liberalized the telecommunication, and competitions between private telecoms have increased service affordability. Africa has large mobile connection penetration and has speedily gown From 2000 to 2011, mobile penetration has rapidly increased in Africa, from just 2% in 2000 to 63% in 2011, representing a compound annual growth rate of over 46%. It is expected to reach 85% mobile connection penetration in 2015 (GSMA, Africa Mobile Observatory Report, September. 2011) (See Figure 1) Figure 1: Mobile connections and penetration in Africa since 2000. Data sources: Wireless Intelligence. The number of cennections in North Africa has grown by 41% while Sub-Saharan Africa has the highest growth rate with 44% worldwidely, compared to an average of 34% for developing countries and 10% for developed countries.(Deloitte;GSMA, Sub-Saharan Africa Mobile Observatory Report, November 13, 2012). (See Figure 2) Figure 2: Growth in the number of mobile connections world wide, 200-2012. Data source: wireless intelligence The rapid growth of mobile communication in Africa generates high demand of mobile telephony and mobile service and increases revenues According to Wireless Intelligence and International Monetary Fund (IMF), mobile operators reported over $35 billion revenues in 2011, growing by an average of 18% each year from $8.2 billion in 20000 in Africa. According to GSMA Africa Observatory 2011 Report, over the past 5 years, the number of subscribers across Africa had grown by almost 20% per year and was set to reach more than 735 million by the end of 2012. The mobile ecosystem in Africa currently generated approximately $56 billion or 3.5% of total GDP, with mobile operators alone contributing $49 billion. Africa is transforming the global economic landscapes. African economies are among the fastest-growing in the world while emerging economies in Asia have been slowed down due to their increasing capital and labor costs and markets saturated. Economists predicted that Africa would be poised to transform the global economic landscapes (John J.; Wild Wild, International Business: the challenge of globalization, January 16, 2013). Annual GDP growth averaged 5.7% between 2000 and 2010 in Sub-Saharan Africa. (IBM, â€Å"Is mobile Africa’s future?,† 2011) Expected annual growth averaged 7% over the next 20 years. (IBM, â€Å"Is mobile Africa’s future?,† 2011) 14% of the world’s population, the second large population in the world, provides large consumption base. (IBM, â€Å"Is mobile Africa’s future?,† 2011) New middle class has been emerging in Africa The purchasing powers from large population and middle class must stimulate the sales of mobile products and co-related mobile services. Africa’s mobile market is a good start for firms like Baidu, which seeking opportunities to expand its international business and mobile operation with  less experiences. Demands from large consumption’s requests and purchasing from new class created substantial profits. Benefits and Limits of Partnering with Orange Exclusively The Chinese Web services giant Baidu will bring its mobile browser to Africa in signing an exclusive contract with France Telecom’s Orange network, the third-biggest mobile operator in Africa. Benefits of partnering with Orange Orange, which has a mobile customer base of more than 80 million subscribers and covers 20 countries in Africa, has continued to see its smartphone user base in Arica and Middle East increasing, for example the demand for Android devices in Egypt has doubled in the second half of 2012 by Marc Rennard, senior executive vice president for Orange. (Deloitte;GSMA, Sub-Saharan Africa Mobile Observatory Report, November 13, 2012) Orange has recently been deploying 3G networks in countries where it has operations and makes more low-cost smartphones available; customers have been steadily moving from basic feature phone towards more low-cost Android smartphones. (Deloitte;GSMA, Sub-Saharan Africa Mobile Observatory Report, November 13, 2012) The mass user base, the wide geographical operations and the increased growth of smartphone users from Orange help Baidu expand its mobile services and data collecting in the new emerging market. This not only makes Baidu get a slice of Africa’s lucrative mobile and data market but also helps Baidu gain experience of transforming itself to be business internationalized and searching mobilized under the pressure of globalization and development in smartphones. Limits of Partnering with Orange Emeka Obiodu, Principal Analyst for Telecom Strategy, Ovum Research, pointed out that there is a limitation for Baidu by dealing with Orange exclusively. Baidu’s deal with Orange may limit the firm’s maneuverability in the market. If Baidu sticks to Orange exclusively, it will depend on Orange’s expansion of its geographical footprint. Obiodu later added his concern for Baidu that Over time, this lack of maneuverability will influence, and maybe undermine, Baidu’s ability to exploit emerging opportunities in the market. While Baidu is tie-up with Orange, its largest competitor Google has already entered in the Africa’s mobile browsing market. Google not only has a deal with South Africa’s giant telecom operator Telkom’s cellphone network unit 8ta but also rolls out a new services in Sub-Saharan Africa though operator Zambia Telecommunication Company, a government-owned telecom. (IDG Reporter, â€Å"Africa is the newest telecoms battleground,† January 27, 2013) The spread of Baidu browser is limited because it is depended on Orange’s geographical footprints due to exclusive agreement, compared with Google, which has multiple partnerships with large government-owned and private-owned operators. Despite the limitation, the benefits from cooperating with Orange for Baidu are greater. Baidu as an inexperienced international investor could decrease its risk to fail the first entry into an emerging market with the helps from sharing Orange’s wide geographical footprints and mass customer base. (TitaniumMedia, Baidu’s Radical Internationalization, 2013) Evaluation of Baidu’s Entry into Africa’s Mobile Bowering Market though Exclusive Partnership with France Telecom’s Orange. Africa’s mobile market Mobile market in Africa is potential and profitable (Deloitte;GSMA, Sub-Saharan Africa Mobile Observatory Report, November13, 2012): 85% mobile connection penetration in 2015 (forecast)  44% mobile connection growth (the highest growth rate worldwide) $49 billion revenues (mobile operator alone)  The fast and wide dissemination of mobile connection and communication in Africa makes the demand for smartphones and mobile web be on the rise remarkably, creating potential mobile market and providing healthy grown profits for Baidu, which is seeking opportunity to internationalize and  mobilize its operation. Partnership with France Telecom’s Orange Despite the limitation of just cooperating with one company, Orange is still a good partner which already has mass customer base and keeps growing users doubly though its investment in 3G networking. Baidu, a Chinese searching engine which has less international business’ experiences, takes advantage of cooperating with Orange in order to lower the risk of first entry into a unknown market by sharing Orange’s mass customer base and wide geographical operation . Entry into Africa and cooperation with Orange are a good start for Baidu turning itself internationalized and mobilized. References Wild, J. J., & Wild, K. L. (2013). International business: the challenges of globalization (Seventh ed.). : Pearson College Div. Sub-Saharan Africa Mobile Observatory 2012. Sub-Saharan Africa Mobile Observatory Report. Retrieved May 4, 2014, from www.gsma.com/†¦/SSA_FullReport_v6.1_clean.pdf Arican Mobile Observatory 2011 Driving Economic and Social Development through Mobile Services. African Mobile Observatory Report. Retrieved , from www.gsma.com/†¦/2011/†¦/Africa-Mobile-Observatory Afica is the newest telecoms battleground. (2013, January 27). . Retrieved May 2, 2014, from http://www.cnmeonline.com/analysis/africa-is-the-newest-telecoms- battleground/ Is mobile Africa’s future?. (2011, January 1). . Retrieved May 15, 2014, fromhttp://www.ibm.com/smarterplanet/global/share/19jan2012/mobile_africa/ Baidu’s Radical Internationalization. (2013, March 31). . Retrieved May 11, 2014, from http://tech.163.com/13/0331/09/8R9JOH9O000915BF.html Appendix A Important notice about GSMA and Deloitt Frequent uses of data, facts, and statistics are from â€Å"Sub-Saharan Africa Mobile Observatory 2012†, a report is prepared by Drloitte for GSM Association with contract. The â€Å"Sub-Saharan Africa Mobile Observatory 2012† is provided exclusively for the GSMA’s use under the terms of contract. No party other than GSMA could be entitled on the report for any purpose whatever Deloitte accepts or not. Appendix B Figure 1 and 2 Figure 1 is from GSMA’s â€Å"Africa Mobile Observatory 2011 Driveng Economic and Social Development through Mobile Services.† Figure 2 from GSMA’s â€Å"Sub-Saharan Africa Mobile Observatory 2012.† Both figures of the charts are collected data from Wireless Intelligence

Coaching process Literature review Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Coaching process - Literature review Example However, natural skill or talent will not be enough for an individual to optimally perform in any sport. With so much at stake in sports events including country’s honour, professional life of the sportspersons, fan expectations, etc, etc, individual or the individuals (team) involved in any sport need specialized tuning up or if aptly said coaching to elevate their skill to the expected levels of the competition. So, sports teams are using the services of experienced, equipped and talented individuals or experts to coach their under-skilled or underperforming members as well as further tuning the performing players. This role of coach will discussed as part of the literature review, with focus also on different coaching styles for different situations and the differentiation that exists within sports coaching. The term â€Å"coaching† is used when one individual teaches or trains another individual or group of individuals in certain aspects, in which they are failing short, by contributing physically, mentally, technically and also emotionally. The international coaching accrediting body the International Coach Federation (ICF) defines coaching as, â€Å" an ongoing partnership that helps [people] produce fulfilling results in their personal and professional lives and†¦deepen their learning, improve their performance, and enhance their quality of life†. So, coaching is mainly given as part of acquiring the lacking aspects, as demonstrated from its origins in sport. That is, term coaching came into popular parlance, when sports teams all over the world had a â€Å"head person†, who observed how the players in the team played the game and corrected any weaker aspects. â€Å"By late 1800, in the US, most college sports team employed coaches as well as managers and by the 20th Century, non-sporting coaches were emerging, those who were not specifically experts in the skills of their clients but who