Globalization Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words - 3

Globalization - Essay Example Although liberal economies are very crucial, there is a great need of defending the consumers from exploitation especially on basic commodities. The government should not allow her people to be exploited by the sellers simply because of anticipation or may be as a way of making maximum profit from a situation such. The current issue of Obama-care is a good example of a move that tends to interfere with liberalism theory. American dream is based on universal right to existence, freedom, and contentment. This is the dream of every individual in the world and its pursuit is everyone’s responsibility. All these visions are based on an individual’s health hence proving the importance of a healthy body and mind. The reason there is no universal healthcare is the attitude that most people do have that healthcare is more like socialism, which do not imply democracy. Sebelius (2013), explains that the political elites have continuously disagreed on the importance of universal he althcare being that they do not even feel the pinch when faced by sickness and diseases due to their financial advantage (Web). Do they really care for the common person? Lots of money is spent on wars than healthcare services. All the companies in the healthcare sector are clearly in the business of making profit without even thinking of the welfare of their clients thus making diseases and sickness big business. In fact, the US healthcare is the most costly due to the players in this fundamental sector thus making it unproductive to throw money in this system (Sebelius, 2013). Demand for healthcare has since been limited by demand because it is provided in the market and any attempt to provide it freely can only be limited by rationing which happens in most countries practicing this system such as Spain, South Korea, France, Kuwait and Saudi Arabia. Most people would be given appointments with the doctors, which may in turn take a very long time hence causing death to the patients . Patients who could have gone to their doctors with their money now die because they cannot pay for their own doctors’ visit and buy efficient drugs rather than ineffective or expensive drugs pushed by companies to hospitals (Sebelius, 2013). Countries that have adopted this kind of system make their citizens get lesser service than the normal sufficient service due to long waits for doctors, lack of medicine and bureaucratic procedures. Not every citizen can get best possible care regardless of one’s salary or socioeconomic status. Generally, living standards in most countries particularly in Eastern Europe have increased hugely because of economic growth. Globalization has actually helped many nations across the globe to access many markets for their exports. Every nation is trying to access international market by employing unique techniques. In fact, laxity can only be the reason for an individual’s country failure in this error of globalization. Countries like china have currently dominated African market and this is really vital in her rapid economic growth. China exports a lot of products and USA is amongst her biggest market as well as Africa as a continent. They have actually instituted laws that encourage investments and even manufacturing of export products (Sutter, 2013).

Evaluation of the Australian Government Quality Teacher Programme 1999 Coursework

Evaluation of the Australian Government Quality Teacher Programme 1999 to 2004 - Coursework Example Are key concepts easy to identify in the research report? b. Are key concepts explicitly defined? What meaning is given to them? c. Are the concepts used consistently throughout the document? d. Are key concepts consistent with the theoretical framing set for the study? With each other? e. Are the key concepts used in this study in touch with current times? Are they in keeping with the practices documented/reported in the study? Are they usefully explanatory? 3. Methodology 3.1 Research design a. Is the design clearly stated? b. Is it logical? c. Does it "match" the purpose and research question? d. Is the method used to select participants discussed explicitly? e. Is participant selection justified? f. Are participant characteristics clearly identified? g. What criteria did participants need to meet in order to be eligible for selection? h. Are incentives disclosed, and what effect might these have on the study discussed? i. Are the tools and methods used to collect data described s ufficiently? j. Is the data collection procedure or process is clearly described? k.Is the time frame is identified and does it match the stated purpose of the study? l.Is the time frame justified? 3.2 Information about research design specifics. a. Do the authors clearly identify what type of study they are conducting, and why? (e.g., a quasi-experimental study that focuses on some kind of intervention, a qualitative study examining a group of students engagement with popular culture in a range of contexts) b. Is the context for the study justified? (i.e., where physically were data collected and is this justified, given the research question etc.?) c. Is there enough information given about the logistics of the study that I could replicate this study or conduct a similar... The questions pertaining to effectiveness that were asked included the following: (1) Did the AGQTP State and Territory Projects provide professional learning activities for the teachers following the Effectiveness Terms of Reference? The findings said yes. There were â€Å"localized, long-term models of professional learning† to meet the needs of â€Å"a broad spectrum of teachers, from beginning to highly experienced.†(p. ii) (2) Did the programme increase teacher skills and understanding, especially the higher order skills and understanding? The findings said yes.(3) Was enhanced effectiveness in teaching achieved through the AGQTP? Yes, according to the summary report (p.ii).It was achieved through â€Å"partnerships with professional associations, universities, and other providers† (p. ii). (4) Was there effective undertaking in both the â€Å"State and Territory-based projects in priority areas?† (p. ii) Indeed, in all the priority areas, the consult ants found that significant achievements were realized. Literacy and understanding relevance to the overall curriculum had increased. Numeracy learning had improved with involvement of parents and other family members in the numeracy education of their children. Teachers’ mathematics skills were sharpened. Technology became a useful tool for teaching.

Nissans Global Strategy

Nissans Global Strategy Nissans global strategy with focus towards its entry and expansion to India Introduction Globalisation in terms of strategy actually makes us aware of to two simultaneous changes, the globalisation of industries and the globalisation of markets. The globalisation of industries refers to the increased integration of business across national borders due to rapid advancement in communications, transportations and the absence of wide spread high intensity world conflict leading to increased international trade flows and foreign direct investment. The technological advances combined with successful implementation of free trade policies by many countries has resulted in companies being able to expand their operations internationally as well as compete itself in multiple countries. The globalisation of markets refers to the concept that demand preferences are becoming more homogenous across national borders which means people are increasingly looking for same product around the world. Both these aspects play predominant importance in a firms global strategy towards its expansio n internationally. (Scott Gallagher, 2005) Nissans Global Strategy Nissan Motors global strategy involves its aim to become an industry leader in zero-emission vehicles and to cultivate developing markets with low-cost global cars. As part of zero-emission environmental friendly vehicles, it would be beginning with the launching of the new electric vehicles (EVs) which would be powered by advanced lithium-ion batteries to be jointly developed with electronic maker NEC Corp. The EV to be introduced will have a unique body style on an all-new vehicle platform which would be compact for the city, yet big enough to carry five adults. Importantly, it will be thoroughly usable with brisk performance and a range of 160kms. It will have the performance of a typical 1.6-litre petrol-engine car while recharging from a high voltage source will restore 80 per cent of the battery capacity in around 30 minutes. The company with its alliance partner Renault, which holds 44% stake in it, has been developing partnerships with various governments and specialist compa nies to build a sustainable mobility network and create public awareness towards EVs as its preparing for marketing them on a mass scale. Various understanding has been signed with electricity companies, charging station suppliers and governments to promote the concept of zero emission mobility and provide infrastructure support, craft legislation or offer incentives such as tax relief, parking or toll rebates for EV buyers (Source: The Japan Times online, May 14, 2008). Cultivating developing markets with low-cost global cars, Nissan is globally launching its new small car on a fresh global platform. The common global platform strategy is part of Nissans endeavour to produce a host of cars, be it hatchbacks or sedans, across five countries in which thus far India, China and Thailand have been identified as key manufacturing locations. The new small car, touted as a replacement for the Micra, will first go into production in Thailand with shipping out key components from India and t hen later on the production would be from India. Nissans Entry Expansion to India As part of its entry and expansion to India, the company is tying up with its alliance partner Renault and stetted up a manufacturing facility in Chennai, India with an investment of INR 4500 crores, which will have a capacity of producing four lakh units. It also has alliance with Ashok Leyland to build Light Commercial Vehicles, with Bajaj to develop ultra-low-cost cars, with Hover for marketing, sales and dealer development support and with Maruti-Suzuki to export A-segment vehicles to Europe (Source: The Hindu Business Line, Sep 30, 2009). Apart from setting up a manufacturing facility, Nissan Motors India Private Limited is also developing a high-tech research and development facility in Chennai mainly used for developing Robotic painting that would help in boosting up the quality, enhance flexibility, increase saving and improve safety for its international business. This R D facility would allow the company to claim the weighted tax deduction of up to 150% for in-house resear ch and R D activities entitled by the government of India, making its product more likely cheaper (Source: Rediff India Abroad, Apr 10, 2009). The company believes that the scope of growth in India is immense since the penetration of vehicles into the markets is less than 50 per 1000 nationals compared to US of 800, Germany, Japan, UK and France of 600 vehicles per 1,000 people. The total industry volume globally increased 6.1 per cent even though Western Europe was flat, the US market was down 3.5 per cent and Japan was down 5.3 per cent in 2008 (Source: Business Standard, May 13, 2008). As part of its marketing strategy, the company, which already has two models ‘Teana and ‘X-Trail for the Indian market from 2004 onwards, is rolling out new sports car ‘Z370 in 2010 and fully redesigned luxury sedan ‘Teana and ‘X-Trail. The ‘Teana which was pitted against the Volkswagen Passat and the BMW 3 Series, won the Indian Executive Car of the Year 2008 for its excellence in driving comfort, performance, design and style, purpose with relevance and value for money. All these three vehicles is brought as Completely Built Units from Japan paying 109 percent duty showing that the company is making all possible efforts to expand its presence in India. Apart from that the company, will increase its product range to nine models by 2012, five of which will be manufactured in the Chennai plant. The first among these, to be launched in mid 2010, will be a hatchback based on the platform of Nissan Micra, expected to be priced close to INR 5 lakhs in t he Indian market (Source: The Economic Times, Sep 27, 2009). The company will begin exporting to Europe by second half of 2010, approximately 110,000 units (expected to grow to 180,000 units in future), manufactured in India per year, for which it has a contract manufacturing alliance with Maruti Suzuki. For exporting from Chennai, India, it has signed a Memorandum of Understanding with Ennore Port Ltd (EPL), making it the first automaker to utilize this eastern gateway port of India as an export base. EPL will complete development of a berth with space of 140,000m2 for vehicles by the end of June 2010 and would provide dedicated jetty for exports of Nissan cars to Europe (Source: Drive Inside.com, Oct 18, 2008). There is no information on how Nissan is going to price its car in Europe, exported from India, but the company will have to definitely address the import-export tariff rates as the EU-India Free Trade Agreement is still under negotiation and is most likely to be signed at the end of 2010. Regarding the exchange rate issues, it will depend upon which currency the company is going to invoice on. If its in US Dollars, as done for most of the trading between EU and India, then the company would have to look into the exchange rates between Indian Rupee Dollar and Dollar Euro. If its going for Euro trade, then it would have to address the exchange rates between Euro and Indian Rupee. In both these cases, the company will have to come up with fixed exchange values for fixing price and hope that it does not vary drastically on the negative side leading to reduced profit margins. The company wouldnt have problem converting the profit to Japanese Yen as the Indian currency is fully convertible in the current account. Business in India Doing business in India is all about knowing the system, reading the signals (political and economic) as well as understanding the mood of the market before making investment decisions. The country is politically stable having a parliamentary system of democracy, economically growing rapidly at around 8% in spite of economic downturn, culturally diversified and technologically advanced. It has an efficiently structured business enterprise system with regulatory laws in place which are updated regularly, in keeping with the needs of the industrial and management systems. It is the home to a huge middle class population whose purchasing power parity is rapidly growing which itself forms to one of the biggest consumer bases in the world, besides the growth potential, relatively low risk on investment, easy availability of highly skilled manpower, established contract law, developed legal system, modernizing stock markets, national banking system and democratic institutions constitutes t o some of its advantages. Indias return on investment is one of the highest in the world at 19% compared to Chinas at 14% owing to efficient use of capital, the reason for it is the cost of doing business in India is lower than most countries of the world because of the availability of inexpensive labour and advanced telecommunications (Source: Doing Business in India 2009, WB IFC). The business culture of India is a reflection of the various norms and standards followed by its people. It is so diversified that it changes between every province affecting the way business is done. A sound knowledge of Indias cultural practices and business etiquettes is necessary for any trade or business venture within the country. A proper understanding of culture and business etiquette would not only demonstrate a respect for India but will also create a feel good factor amongst the prospective clients. Culturally and as a mark of politeness, Indians have difficulty in saying no, this could be a stumbling block in negotiations and in closing contracts. The notion of time, time management, punctuality is still an anathema in India. It is more to do with the mindset and ingrained in the Indian culture. It would not be surprising if meetings are postponed, re scheduled, cancelled or organized at a very short notice. Bureaucratic hurdles and a laidback approach to work in the gove rnment circles results in delay in processing and overload of paperwork, hence immense patience is necessary for any business transaction. Also due to the lack of infrastructure and inadequate supply chain management, doing business need to be carefully organised and should be ready to overcome such hurdles. The companies follow the hierarchical system and decision making is usually from the top to bottom (Sandy Naidu, 2008). All companies doing business in India must comply with the regulatory laws under the Companies Act, 1956. It is mandatory for every company in India to register its Articles and Memorandum of Association with the Registrar of Companies (ROC) and should accompany Declaration of Compliance which must be duly stamped and signed by an advocate of the High Court or Supreme Court or chartered accountant in whole time practice, Notice of the situation of the registered company, Particulars of Directors and the ROCs letter indicating the approval of the nomenclature of the company in original. Automotive in India The automobile industry in India is the ninth largest in the world with an annual production of over 2 million units. It emerged as Asias fourth largest exporter of automobiles, behind Japan, South Korea and Thailand. Following economic liberalization in India in 1991 which included opening for international trade and investment, deregulation, initiation of privatization, tax reforms and inflation-controlling measures, the Indian automotive industry has demonstrated sustained growth as a result of increased competitiveness and relaxed restrictions. The industry clearly stands out as a significant contributor to the economic growth as it contributes to almost 4% to the GDP, accounting for about 5% of the total industrial output (KPMGs India Automotive Study, 2007). The Indian automobile industry has seen rapid technological change over the last decade in terms of both product characteristics as well as manufacturing processes. At the same time, technological changes and the deepening of technological capabilities have been confined not only to the car manufacturers but also to the auto components industry. The industry has witnessed an unprecedented boom in recent years, owing to the improvement in living standards of the middle class and a significant increase in their disposable incomes added up with easy availability of car loans, affordable rates of interest, smooth repayment facilities and the deductions offered by the retailers (KPMGs India Automotive Study, 2007). Keeping that in mind, most of the major global car manufacturers have established a presence, either through their subsidiaries or through Joint Ventures. These manufacturers have access to the latest technology in product, manufacturing process terms and range of products usin g which trying to make inroads into the Indian market. This has helped transform the technological landscape of the Indian car market by segmenting itself with all varieties of car models like the small cars, mid-size cars, luxury cars, super luxury cars and sports utility vehicles. The constant changes in the existing car models with regard to design, innovation, technology and colours have led to a fiercely competitive market. In spite of all these, the small cars still hold the major market share in terms of sales, making most of the manufacturers to develop cost effective technology to compete in that segment, since the consumers are extremely cost-conscious and have greater awareness towards the latest technologies. Seeing the rapid growth of vehicles in the country, government of India introduced range of policies to tackle vehicular pollution, as a major step towards this, India-2000 norms were introduced, which is Euro-I equivalent. Subsequently Bharat Stage-II (Euro-II equivalent) norms were put into place for passenger cars and multi-utility vehicles and now BS-III BS-IV norms are being adopted in highly polluted cities (Chikkatur, Ananth Sagar, 2007) . At the same time, government has also mandated a reduction of a number of critical pollutants from automobile fuels. Meeting these standards requires the implementation of some combination of technologies such as fuel injection, multi-valve engines, catalytic converters, fixed exhaust gas recirculation and need substantial change in engine design (A.D.Sagar P.Chandra, 2006). All these factors like intense competition, customers price sensitivity, increasingly sophisticated demands and progressively tighter emission standards have acted in concert to place a tremendous pressure on the manufacturers to reduce costs as well as offer an improved and wider range of technological features to their Indian and global customers. This, in turn, has resulted in a series of changes in the technological landscape of the Indian automobile industry. Challenges for Indian Automotive Industry Among the many issues facing the Indian automotive industry, the biggest by far is the poor road infrastructure. Indias road network, comprising of a modest national highway system is woefully inadequate and shabby and can barely keep pace with the auto industrys rapid growth. Most roads are single-lane roads crowded with two-wheelers, bullock carts, pedestrian humans and even cows. Traffic laws are not well enforced leading to one of the highest per-capita accident rates in the world. Secondly, attracting and nurturing talented manpower not only for the creation of better and reliable products but also for servicing and maintenance throughout the life cycle of the product. Thirdly, the massive increase in the cost of input materials like steel which has increased by almost 40%, copper by 45% and natural rubber by 40% and also the significant tariffs imposed on import products and components combined with the inconsistency of currency exchange rates make localization compulsory for c ompanies entering the Indian market. Some of the other issues are like inadequate testing facilities and inspection, maintenance and certification system. Presently the country has testing facilities at the Automotive Research Association of India and the Vehicle Research and Development Establishment, but the need for additional and more extensive test facilities has become clearer in the past few years. The country has Inspection and Maintenance policy but it is widely regarded as having only limited effectiveness and an upgraded inspection, maintenance and certification system with better enforcement is urgently needed (Automotive Mission Plan 2006- 2016, Dec 2006). Challenges for Nissan in India Other than the challenges discussed above, that is existing in the automobile sector in India, Nissan will have to overcome some of its own operational challenges like teaching the mindset of ‘Kaizen to its workers and local suppliers and to constantly and consistently raise their quality standards. Kaizen simply means continuous or constant improvement. In Japanese Kai means â€Å"to take apart† and zen means â€Å"to make good.† Together these two words mean to take something apart in order to make it better. Kaizen is based on the fundamentals of scientific analysis in which you â€Å"take apart† the elements of a process or system to understand how it works, and then discover how to influence or improve it. Continuous improvement is the small, gradual, incremental changes applied over a long period of time that add up to a major impact on business and quality results, the realisation of how important a smallest idea is in attaining greatest results. As part of that, under the guidance of team of engineers from Nissan and Honda, Caparo India, the Indian unit of a British auto parts maker that manufacturers steel body panels and other metal parts, have built up a new assembly lines using the Japanese and Taiwanese factory equipment and have effectively adopted Kaizen management (Source: The New York Times, Jun 26, 2008). The other threat the company has is, entering a market segment that is highly competitive, dominated by old players like Maruti-Suzuki, Hyundai Motors and Tata Motors, which together hold majority of the market share for so many years building the confidence of the customers, making it a late entry. The first car to be revealed by Nissan from the platform of Nissan Micra is going to compete with established and highly selling brands like ‘Swift of Maruti-Suzuki, ‘Getz of Hyundai Motors and ‘Indigo of Tata Motors, two of this brand are also exported to Europe. Conclusion But in spite of all these challenge and threat factors, the company positions itself well and capitalise on its strengths like major global presence making it a reliable and approved international brand, commendable presence in the Europe market, good tie-ups with local Indian manufacturers like Bajaj, Mahindra and Ashok Leyland enabling them the ease of penetration by understanding the needs of customers and customising it accordingly. More than that, since the Indian car industry is expected to grow from 2 Million to 8 Million units by 2020, gives considerable opportunity to all players and Nissan could be one of the main gainers keeping in mind its international reputation and standards. References * Ambuj D. Sagar Pankaj Chandra (2006), Technological Change in the Indian Passenger Car Industry, Indian Institute of Management * AMP- Automotive Mission Plan 2006- 2016 The Department of Heavy Industries, Government of India (Dec 2006), www.siamindia.com/upload/AMP.pdf * Chikkatur, Ananth, and Ambuj Sagar (2007), â€Å"Cleaner Power in India: Towards a Clean-Coal-Technology Roadmap†, Indian Institute of Management * Doing Business in India 2009, World Bank and International Financial Corporation * KPMGs India Automotive Study 2007, ‘Domestic Growth and Global Aspirations, KPMG International, 2007. * Sandy Naidu (2008), A Detailed Pocket Guide To Indian Business Culture, IQebooks.com * Scott Gallagher (2005), Why Does Firm Performance Differ? * Business Standard, May 13, 2008, www.business-standard.com/india * Drive Inside.com, Oct 18, 2008, www.driveinside.com/News/Press-Releases/55XGNS/NISSAN-WILL-BE-FIRST-AUTOMAKER-TO-EXPORT-FROM-ENNORE-PORT.aspx * Rediff India Abroad, Apr 10, 2009, http://www.rediff.com//money/2009/apr/10nissan-micra-in-india-in-2010.htm * The Hindu Business Line, Sep 30, 2009, www.blonnet.com/2009/09/30/stories * The Japan Times online, May 14, 2008, http://search.japantimes.co.jp/cgi-bin/nb20080514a2.html * The Economic Times, Sep 27, 2009, http://economictimes.indiatimes.com/news/ news-by-industry/auto/automobiles/Nissan-to-launch-sports-car-Z370-in-India-in-2010/articleshow/5059873.cms * The New York Times, Jun 26, 2008, www.nytimes.com/2008/06/26/ business/worldbusiness/26iht-nissan.4.14028225.html * www.fleetcar.ie/index.php/news/169-nissan-puts-zero-emissions-at-centre-of-its-global-strategy * www.nissannews.com * www.stylusinc.com/business/india Bibliography * Indian Brand Equity Foundation, www.ibef.org/economy/economyoverview.aspx * Robin John Grazia Letto Gillies (2007), Global business strategy * SIAM -Society of Indian Automobile Manufacturers, www.siamindia.com * Tilman Altenburga, Hubert Schmitzb Andreas Stamma (2007), Breakthrough  Indias Transition from Production to Innovation * www.carazoo.com/autonews/0603200802/Nissan-keen-on-Indiaas-key-production-centre-for-future-cars * www.mfg-matters.com/kaizen/ * www.nissan-global.com/EN/DOCUMENT/HTML/FINANCIAL/SPEECH/2008/e-20080513.html

Organizational Behavior Essay -- Psychology, Emotional Intelligence

This paper will identify and examine the perspective of cognitive intelligence and emotional intelligence which are considered to be important individual diversities in the field of organisational behaviour. The organization selected for this topic is, The Australian Hellenic Educational Progressive Association, commonly known as (AHEPA), the association was founded in Melbourne Australia in 1938; at that time the mission of AHEPA was to promote Hellenism, education, philanthropy, civic responsibility, family and individual Excellence. Originally the association was set up with a small group of Australian/Greek volunteers as a community based establishment to assist Greek immigrants in Australia experiencing language barriers, families with financial difficulties, finding homes, jobs, medical care and help the elderly, as former state secretary of the association I was able to experience the cognitive and emotional intelligence behaviours first hand. The General Structure of the "AHEPA Family" is composed of distinct groups, all of which work in harmony on a local, state and national level under its constitution and by-laws. They are; the Supreme Lodge (National body), Grand Lodges and District Lodge (State bodies). There are several committees within AHEPA who work in harmony to organise fundraising and community activities. The members of these committees work diligently to achieve their various goals for the betterment of the whole community. AHEPA is recognized as a non-profit charitable organization; this essentially means that any profits or surpluses the charity makes must be used to further its charitable purposes. Such profits or surpluses must not be distributed to owners, members or any other individual or group of i... ...n greater in today’s diverse working environments, neglecting emotional intelligence working in a small group can be devastating in the efficiency to the organisation, and these breakdowns can produce confusion, uncertainty hostility and reduce the required performance. The fear of change in any organisation is a major concern as at times management seeks for a quick fix instead of taking a more comprehensive and longer perspective, thus creating emotional uncertainty and mistrust. Given the facts and understandings of cognitive intelligence and emotional intelligence are conceptualized, emotional intelligence can be rationally considered as a reasonable measure to which a person can apply rational judgment and reasoning and feelings to situations and responses in the organisation, it shows that emotional intelligence is a stronger predictor to a task performance.

Y2K: The Millenium Bug

The year 2000 problem has resulted from the common practice of using two digits to designate the calendar year instead of using four. When the year 2000 arrives, 2 digit year dates may be interpreted incorrectly causing many problems. Computer hardware and software may not recognize â€Å"00† as an actual date and will not run properly or not at all. Credit Card systems may not recognize â€Å"00† as a valid year for the expiration date, making transactions for those cards with â€Å"00† as the expiration date impossible. Day of the week calculations will be off. Computers may interpret 1/1/00 as Jan. 1, 1900. 1/1/1900 was a Monday but 1/1200 is a Saturday so all day of the week calculations will be two days off. The scope of this problem is world wide. All products using the two digit technology are potentially at risk. The â€Å"Millennium Bug† could be bring failure to everything from personal computers, home security systems, mainframes, and telecommunications equipment. The effects of the Year 2000 problem will be felt in homes, business, and government. Year 2000 conformity shall mean that neither performance nor functionality is affected by dates prior to, during, and after the year 2000.† According to the British Standards Institution Committee there are four general rules for Y2K compliance: 1. No value for current dates will cause any interruption in operation. 2. Date-based functionality must behave consistently for dates prior to, during and after the year 2000. 3. In all interfaces and data storage, the century in any date must be specified either explicitly or by unambiguous algorithms or inferencing rules. 4. The year 2000 must be recognized as a leap year. Every body that deals with this problem must be ready. To avoid the Y2K problems your computer must first be checked for compliance. Software is available that can check your computer for compliance and even make your computer Y2k compliant. Desktop computers can be checked with a simple utility but larger systems and networks may require more expertise to avoid the potential dangers. Many resources are available for checking your computer and to take the appropriate measures to correct any problems. This problem is huge. Business and government stand to lose billions of dollars if the problem is not corrected. Businesses are either already in compliance or in the process of dodging the possible disaster of the Y2k crash. II. Examples of Business Sectors: Y2K Applied in the Mexican Public Sector Computing systems and information technologies have become fundamental in production activities and everyday life. In order to prevent the Year 2000 effects on the information systems, the last June 3rd 1998, was installed the Year 2000 National Conversion Commission (Y2K National Commission). This Commission has the responsibility of coordinating the efforts of both the social and economic sectors to make sure of the adequate year handling, and therefore, the correct operation in information systems during the year 2000 and beyond. On July 9th 1998 it was published a presidential agreement which established the creation of the Y2K National Commission. Banco de Mexico was invited to participate in this Commission in order to coordinate the efforts of the financial sector regarding to the transition of information systems. The purpose of this page is to offer access to different sources of information that allow users to be familiar with the Year 2000 problem, and to get on time finan cial sector documents issued under the coordination of this central bank with the purpose of solving the Y2K problems. In January 1997 the â€Å"Project for Systems Compatibility Verification with the Year 2000† was established. Accordingly, the Board of Governors instructed the Systems Department to carry out the coordination and supervision of the necessary changes. The Systems Department elaborated an initial inventory of its own systems, asking the immediate revision of the end user applications systems in the rest of the areas. In addition, the Systems Department established a bimonthly control and progress report. In March 1998, the Board of Governors of Banco de Mexico created the Transition Year 2000 office at the Deputy Manager level, whose goal is accelerating and consolidating the progress of the global program denominated â€Å"Transition 2000†. In September 1998, the financial sector adopted a 5 phase self-evaluation methodology proposed by the National Commission for the Year 2000 Information Technology Conversion (Y2K National Commission). Banco the Mexico in his role of financial authority, took this standard of self-evaluation as a way to give a general view of the status its internal project. In December 1998, the Institution finished the correction and internal test phases. During the first half of 1999, the external testing will take place (Industry test), as well as the elaboration Since early 1997 the Year 2000 Problem has become a top priority issue in PEMEX and its subsidiary firms. This is due to the fact that for several decades PEMEX has been considered one of the most important users of information technology in our country, as a means of permanently counting on timely and accurate data to support the wide range of its business transactions. In spite of having a huge array of information systems implemented throughout the Mexican Republic, there is a strong sense of awareness in PEMEX regarding the possible implications of Y2K. Therefore, vast efforts are being carried out both in terms of information systems and automatic industrial controls in order to assess the scope of the problem and implement the necessary corrective measures, taking into consideration that the dateline is immovable. Regarding to industrial systems PEMEX has adopted a six stage strategy: Due to the technology reliance of PEMEX's production processes, there is also a conversion plan for industrial systems, which are critical for oil business. This plan comprises six stages, the first two stages, inventory and discrimination, are already completed and the other ones has been processing in 1999. Because of the nature of embedded systems, PEMEX is outsourcing their Y2K conversion to manufacturers and solution integrators, and has also identified the main vendors, which represent 70% of the inventory that have to be converted. Conversion of industrial systems is PEMEX's top priority. PEMEX's Board of Directors and Senior Management of Subsidiaries are totally aware of Y2k implications and therefore have undertaken a comprehensive plan to fully implement and effectively prioritize the solution concerning industrial systems and information systems. The company has assigned dedicated human resources to the Y2K project and a budget has been established. On July 31, a successfull Y2K readiness test was conducted in the Mexican aviation sector. The experience involved air aviation services, 6 airports and six Mexican commercial airlines. This event was unique because of the number of airlines, airports and systems tested that were involved in this experience. It has been one of the more complex that have taken place so far in the commercial aviation sector. The test was observed by some of the main hardware and software providers in the aviation industry in Mexico. Also present were representatives from ICAO, IATA, FAA and Transport Canada. Equipment on board the airplanes and airport aeronautical services simulated the rollover to the Year 2000 during flight. The experience involved the following airlines and routes: -Aeromexico MD-88 Guadalajara-Mexico City -Aeromexpress B-727 Mexico City-Hermosillo -Aerolitoral M3 Leon-Mexico City Aviacion A-320 Puerto Vallarta-Mexico City -TAESA B-727-300 Mexico City-Mexico City -AEROCARIBE J32 Minatitlà ¡n-Mexico City The tests involved the following areas: Different systems ere tested in different routes. For example, on the Guadalajara-Mexico City route, the following systems were tested:  · Data processing systems, radar and flight plan  · Digital communications processing system  · Aeronautical communications systems  · Tests of airline operational systems The Ministry of Public Education has an informatic platform relatively modern of outfitting and application programs of Institutional use, that allows them to foresee in a general way, that the impact of the initiation of the Y2K that the Institutional information systems will be manageable and relatively easy to resolve. The technological characteristics allows them to make such a statement are:  · Major computer equipment platform, where the actual systems run of Institutional use that consist of RISC architectural computers under UNIX operative system; which reduces the possibilities to obtain process errors caused by ancient computer architectures, that present risks when using ingoing/outgoing basic systems (BIOS) with the watch information, that do not support the Y2K impact, as it does in some platforms with other characteristics (architectural CISC Intel).  · The software for the handling of basis of Institutional data (Informix, Sybase), include dynamic date types of data, that support the Y2K impact while storing years using digital technology. Likewise, the organization of the information in relational tables of content, facilitate the eventual modification of the information fields in contrast to more ancient mechanisms of organization of information (sequential index files). The development tools and the methodology of analysis and design use in the construction of the most reason information systems as well as those that are in the process of development assure robustness of the systems to resist the Y2K impact. On account of its nature, the most delicate institutional system, the Integral System for the Administration of Personnel of the Ministry of Public Education (SIAPSEP), in operation since 1994, was designed in such a manner that the date fields and the calculations that involve the same, tolerate the impact mentioned when redesign in fields of four digits for the information stored for years. Nevertheless, its necessary to observe that a great amount of application programs exist in several areas of the Ministry that are not of generalized Institutional use and can present process problems during the change of the century. In particular, information systems exist that store RFC type fields, in which two digits exist and additional reference exists over the birth year. Such cases are not critical because the date does not form part of any logical or arithmetic operation, nevertheless, its necessary to have a date reference for the correct interpretation of the information for which an activities program must be integrated so as to able to detect and correct those informatic cases. III. Mexican Company's Preparation: Y2K in Mexico's Private Sector To achieve this, Grupo Vitro created in 1997 the Vitro Y2K Office, in charge of all matters related to the problem of the turn of the century. The main role of Vitro Y2K Office is: 1. To keep the organization focused, so that the Y2K issue is permanently included in the agendas of the entire Grupo Vitro. 2. To conclude successfully the Year 2000 Business Processes Program (Y2K). The Office is formed by a team of professionals devoting 100% of their time to the solution of the problem of the year 2000, and a Y2K Guide Committee, integrated by the Corporate Directors who provide services and/or define guidelines for operative areas, and are involved in any aspect of the Y2K problem, and whose main role is to provide direct support to all Y2K leaders to ensure success for the program. The Y2K Program has a wide span, since it considers our transactions with suppliers, customers, banks, business partners and institutions. In Grupo Vitro we are aware of the magnitude and complexity of this problem, since we are just one link in the supply chain and we are conscious of the fact that no company, by itself, can guarantee success in this enormous task. The year 2000 transition will challenge the expertise and capability of organizations to cope with complex technical problems with several levels of operative interactions. TELMEX is aware and ready to face this challenge. In January of 1999, TELMEX will be finished with solution implementation phase of its Y2K project, at which point TELMEX's systems related to the continuity and quality of service will be fully compliant and operational. Commitments and responsibilities for TELMEX in sight of the year 2000 transition are governed by the proper terms of its commercial relationships and contracts with its customers, as a supplier of telecommunications services, to carry out its regular activities. The Y2K project is based around a 4 phase model designed for bringing a multi-faceted and technologically complex company into compliance on time. These phases include identification, solution development, joint operations testing, and formulation of contingency plans. Both IT and Non-IT systems have been included in this process. A more detailed description of each of these phases follows. The Y2K project is based around a 4 phase model designed for bringing a multi-faceted and technologically complex company into compliance on time. These phases include identification, solution development, joint operations testing, and formulation of contingency plans. Both IT and Non-IT systems have been included in this process. A more detailed description of each of these phases follows. On the threshold of the new millennium, CEMEX is committed to undertaking every effort necessary to conduct business as usual through the year 2000 and beyond. Although the Year 2000 bug originated as a technology- related problem, we recognize that its effects extend into multiple business areas, both within and outside our company. That is why we are approaching the Year 2000 problem as a critical company-wide business issue; not just a technological one. In January 1997 we launched CEMEX 2000, a company-wide program to become Year 2000 compliant, not only for information technology, but also for our extended business network. As part of the program, CEMEX has implemented a continuous follow-up plan to monitor the progress of the significant vendors, customers and business partners. This program aims to overcome and even capitalize on the technology issues that the year 2000 presents. By upgrading and replacing our information technology worldwide, we are not only making efforts to ensure that we will be doing business through the new millennium, but that we will be doing business better. Since technology is an integral business component of CEMEX, the CEMEX 2000 Program is a global, company-wide effort. It is succeeding through the combined efforts of every business unit of the company, from top level executives to plant managers to technical, engineering and corporate support services departments. 1. Planning; In this phase the following are defined: the program's management structure, the scheduling of activities, the work team, resource and budget allocation, quality assurance strategy and the overall goals of the program. 2. Analysis; In this phase the scope of the problem is defined and the elements where CEMEX could be affected by the Year 2000 issue are identified. Dynamic business impact analyses are carried-out through and inventory of Year 2000 sensitive elements 3. Solution Design; In this phase the strategy for achieving Year 2000 compliance is defined, and a state of-the-art testing facility named SITE 200 is created. 4. Conversion; This phase includes the correction or replacement of those elements that might affect CEMEX's business operations, giving priority to those that represent a higher impact on operations. 5. Certification; The Year 2000 compliance process takes place on the SITE 2000, where an exhaustive integral acceptance testing procedure is conducted. The process of certification is completed once all revision points are passed. 6. Implementation; This phase includes the end user acceptance testing and implementation of the Y2K compliant system in every CEMEX business unit, office and plant around the world. 7. Quality Assurance and Follow-up; This phase includes the revision of the critical elements which represent business risk by the Year 2000, the documentation of the corresponding contingency plans and the preparation of immediate response work teams who will be monitoring the functioning of the business processes during the transition period and on critical dates. Mexico has been working on Y2K in most of its public sectors, and is to an extent actualized and ready to face the millenium bug. We could probably attribute this to political pressures, specially coming from the United States. In the other hand, I was only able to cover a few of the big powerful companies in Mexico, but in general most of them have a specialized department dedicated specifically to deal with the year 2000 problem. For them it's really important to work on the present problem due to the complexity and size of this companies, and also because this are global companies that can not take a chance in ruining their well developed image and systems. The problem basically remains in the small and medium businesses, as well as in personal computers. Mexico's government has established a department to help the population update their own hardware and software, but still these people has to actively participate in updating their equipment. Finally, I'd like to conclude saying that the technical problem is already fixed; but the real problem relays in the people's attitude towards the problem. If people feel insecure and start removing their money from bank accounts or doing things like that, then a real crisis will occur worldwide. So the only thing left to do is updating our own businesses and personal computers, and rest still trusting that what ever procedures were taken to face the millenium bug problem will work out.

Managing Challenging Behaviour Essay

Challenging Behaviour: â€Å"A person’s behaviour can be defined as â€Å"challenging† if it puts them or those around them (such as their carer) at risk, or leads to a poorer quality of life. It can also impact on their ability to join in everyday activities. Challenging behaviour can include aggression, self-harm, destructiveness and disruptiveness. Challenging behaviour is often seen in people with conditions that affect communication and the brain, such as learning disabilities or dementia.† http://www.nhs.uk/Conditions/social-care-and-support-guide/Pages/challenging-behaviour-carers.aspx Complete the Following Table: Types of Challenging Behaviour Example Reflex Behaviour When Chloà © wanted her carer to help her get dressed, she could not undo her buttons and the carer slapped her across the face. Instantly, she slapped her carer back. This is called reflex behaviour. Reactive Behaviour When Nigel taunted Frank by calling him names, Frank pushed his carer out of fear of something else happening. This is reactive behaviour because Frank was provoked by his carer. Intentional Behaviour When a carer came to help Masie by making her bed, Masie was still in bed. The carer asked her politely to leave the bed so that she could get on with her duties and usually Masie complies, however today she bit her and began screaming at her to leave. This is intentional behaviour because Masie was not provoked and she was not hit first. She intended on hurting her carer. Aggressive Behaviour Emily was asked by David to help him get up from the chair and as she went to hold his hand and support him by placing her hand on his back, he pushed her back towards the wall and began acting aggressively by smashing his  ornaments on the floor. Controlling Behaviour Finn was going around the rooms to collect the rubbish and Rachel was not allowing him to do his job because she repetitively shouted for him to leave until he did what she wanted. http://www.nhs.uk/Conditions/social-care-and-support-guide/Pages/challenging-behaviour-carers.aspx Challenging Behaviour has its own triggers that can cause service users to display challenging behaviour in such a way that it affects more than one person. Complete the Following Table: Why may People Display Challenging Behaviour? Past Life Experiences Previous life events and experiences that may have been traumatic to the service user may cause them to develop ‘challenging behaviour’ which may have resulted from unresolved emotions that may be difficult to confront. Traumatic events may have angered or upset the service user so much that they channel their emotions into behaviour that is aggressive, dysfunctional and endangering. Resentment Resentment for being placed in a health or social care environment may cause the service user to take their anger or frustration out on members of staff in order to influence their carers in to doing things they may not normally do. Resentment can cause some professionals to avoid helping their service user at risk of having to deal with their service users’ challenging behaviour. Medical Conditions (e.g. Alzheimer’s) People with learning disabilities and/or medical conditions may sometimes have very little choice or control over their lives, which can cause challenging behaviour to develop. A service user who is not given choice, and is capable of controlling daily activities could develop challenging behaviour as a way in which they are able to influence changes. Common conditions such as infections, etc. may all cause or contribute to challenging behaviour which may result in behaviours becoming aggressive, etc. Frustration Frustration can happen when there is little cooperation (for example, at mealtimes) where there may be displays of challenging behaviour because a highly physically dependent service user may find it difficult to show emotions and ask for help. Anger from being unable to do activities for oneself, they may display challenging behaviour because they are too angry to express it in another way, so use it as an aggressive outlet. Something is Wrong If a service user finds that something is wrong they may exhibit challenging behaviour as a way of dealing with that issue. When they are unable to express how they are feeling, service users may be hiding from the issue rather than confronting it because they take their anger out on others. Write a Short Paragraph about what might Trigger Challenging Behaviour to Occur Service users who may display challenging behaviour may need to be observed in order to find their individual triggers that could be avoided to prevent challenging behaviour from being used to harm themselves and their carers. Some challenging behaviour is triggered by tough, confusing and unresolved emotions that may cause confusion and pain. If these situations are near the service user, they may respond by acting violently which should be taken away from the service user so that they can adapt their behaviour to the situation, regaining control over their behaviour. For example, if a service user is in a noisy environment/situation which may be upsetting to them or may cause them to become distressed and unable to control their emotions, the carer should take the situation and change it to suit everyone and their responsibility is to take the service user away from the noisy environment. The service user could have counselling and learn techniques to remain calm and try not to seem angry or upset, even though they might be feeling it, so that they can avoid reacting with ‘challenging’ behaviour. Case Study Josephine is 24 years old and she has demonstrated challenging behaviour  since she was a child diagnosed with autism with a severe learning disability and extreme, challenging behaviour. Josephine arrived at Autism Care under the terms of an aftercare plan following countless unsuccessful placements in secure and residential settings. At this point the only consistent thing in her life was very short, unsuccessful placements and this has resulted in Josephine expecting placements to end after a period of approximately two months. For the first three months of her placement Josephine displayed some extreme cycles of challenging behaviour which included aggression towards staff, self-injury and serious destruction of property. Therefore Autism Care recognised that it was vital to introduce a scheduled timetable enabling Josephine to have a better concept of time. We divided her time into two-day periods and completed a behavioural assessment. This enabled us to identify agitation at the earliest possible stage, allowing staff to intervene and refocus her attention onto a meaningful activity in order to de-escalate her anxieties. Over time Josephine built trust with staff and developed therapeutic relationships with them which, over the course of approximately two years, improved her life immensely. Her anxieties gradually decreased and her community presence increased. With our support to maintain family contact and develop a person centred care package, the difficult challenges that she faced throughout her life previously, steadily decreased and the number of incidents of challenging behaviour are now a rare occurrence. (http://www.autismcareuk.com/case-studies/44/Case-study-2) Case Study is from the above website Bibliography: http://www.nhs.uk/Conditions/social-care-and-support-guide/Pages/challenging-behaviour-carers.aspx http://www.autismcareuk.com/case-studies/44/Case-study-2