D’Leon Inc. Case Study Essay

D’Leon Incorporated is a small food producer that specializes in high-quality pecan and other nut products sold in the snack-foods market. In 2004, D’Leon’s president, Al Watkins, decided to undertake a major expansion to become more competitive within their market. The following report describes some of the financial effects that this expansion has had on the company. D’Leon began its expansion by doubling its plant capacity, opening new sales offices, and investing in an expensive advertising campaign. Watkins felt that they had superior products to the competition and that he could charge a premium price for their products to result in increased sales, profits, and stock price. The results, however, were unsatisfactory. Sales were below and costs were above all initial projections. These results have raised questions about the expansion and also caused concern among the Board of Directors and the major shareholders about the future of the company. Part I of this report analyzes D’Leon’s financial statements from 2004 and 2005. It describes some of the effects of the expansion on the financials of the company and some of the problems that have arisen with their current financial position. Net operating profit decreased, but operating working capital and total operating capital have shown increases. Sales had a considerable increase, but net income decreased. D’Leon’s financials also indicated a decrease in cash flow due to the company spending more cash than they were taking in. These changes are subsequently resulting in decreased stock prices and a deteriorating financial position which is concerning both management and shareholders. Part II of this report discusses the ratio analysis of D’Leon’s financial statements. It begins by explaining the five major categories of financial ratios: Liquidity, Asset Management, Debt Management, Profitability, and Market Value. While most of the 2005 ratios have shown significant declines and are below industry averages, the 2006 projections look promising for the company and are showing significant increases. Part II continues with a discussion of some of the limitations of financial ratios as comparison tools and concludes with a brief discussion of D’Leon’s credit issues and a  summary of the company’s 2006 projections. It is recommended that D’Leon Inc. conduct in-depth financial research and perform an extensive ratio analysis of their financial position before deciding to undergo any further expansions. Doing this could greatly help the managers in their decision-making and aide in determining the effects of any future expansions on the financial stability of the company. Sales In addition to expanding the company, D’Leon’s president, Al Watkins, felt that the company’s products were of a higher quality than the competitions and that he could charge a premium price, resulting in greatly increased sales and profits. Following the expansion, D’Leon did see a sales increase of $2,602,000 , a 75.8% increase over the previous year. Even though the company did experience a sales increase, liabilities such as accounts and notes payable increased, resulting in decreased profits. Net Operating Profit after Taxes Net Operating Profit after Taxes (NOPAT) is a company’s after-tax operating profit for all investors, including shareholders and debt holders. NOPAT represents the company’s operating profit that would accrue to shareholders if the company had no debt. Unfortunately, due the increased debt and liabilities associated with the expansion, D’Leon’s NOPAT experienced a significant decrease of 168.8% from $114,257 to -$78,569. Net Operating Working Capita lNet Operating Working Capital (NOWC) is a financial metric representing the amount of day-by-day operating liquidity available to a business. NOWC is calculated by subtracting a company’s non-interest bearing current liabilities from their current assets. An increase in working capital indicates that the business has either increased current assets by receiving cash or other current assets, or has decreased current liabilities, by possibly paying off some short-term creditors. As a result of D’Leon’s increased sales from the expansion, the company has experienced an increase in NOWC from $842,400 to $913,042. This is an increase of about 8.4%. This increase is good because it’s a positive indicator that the firm is able to continue its operations and that it has sufficient cash flow to satisfy both maturing short-term debt and upcoming operational expenses. Total Operating Capital Total Operating Capital is simply the addition of a company’s net fixed assets to the NOWC. D’Leon’s expansion generated a significant increase in the company’s net fixed assets of almost three times the previous years. This figure added to the NOWC generated a 56.1% increase in total operating capital from $1,187,200 to $1,852,832. Net Income Net income, or profit, is the income that a firm has after subtracting costs and expenses from the total revenue. It can be distributed among holders of common stock as a dividend or held by the firm as retained earnings. Once again, however, due to the significant increase in costs and expenses such as notes and accounts payable, D’Leon had a negative net income in 2005. They experienced a decrease of 282.1% from $87,960 to  -$160,176. Cash Flows Cash flow refers to the amount of cash being received and paid by a business during a defined period of time. The measurement of cash flow can be used to determine and evaluate such things as problems with liquidity and the state or performance of a business. It can also be used to generate project rate-of-returns and to examine income or growth of a business when it is believed that accrual accounting concepts do not represent economic realities. In this report, cash flows will be categorized into three components: net cash flow, operating cash flow, and free cash flow. †¢Net cash flow (NCF), the measure of a company’s financial health, equals the cash receipts minus cash payments over a given period of time. It can be considered money that is available for expansion, research and development, or retained as cash reserves. From 2004 to 2005, D’Leon’s net cash flow decreased dramatically by 140.4%. This decrease in funds needed for the expansion is causing great concern with the major shareholders of the company over the future of D’Leon Inc. †¢Operating cash flow (OCF) is the cash flow from operating activities. It refers to the amount of cash a company generates from the revenues it brings in minus the costs associated with long-term investment on capital items or investment in securities. The company experienced a 71.2% decrease in OCF from the previous year. †¢Free cash flow (FCF) is the cash flow actually available for payment to investors. The value of a company’s operations depends on its expected future free cash flows. This is another cause for concern for D’Leon’s major shareholders because, following the expansion, the FCF decreased dramatically to -$744,201. Market Value AddedMarket Value Added (MVA) is the difference between the current market value of a firm and the capital contributed by investors. If MVA is positive, the firm has added value. If it is negative, the firm has destroyed value. The expansion of D’Leon has decreased their MVA. This can  be seen in that the stock price has decreased over the past year by about 73.5%. In order for MVA to increase, the amount of value added needs to be greater than the firm’s investors could have achieved investing in the market portfolio. SECTION 2: Working CapitalA good indicator of a company’s health is its working capital. The working capital represents the amount of operating liquidity that is available to a business and is calculated as current assets minus current liabilities. A company can be endowed with assets and profitability, but short of liquidity, if these assets cannot readily be converted into cash. Section 2 of this report focuses on the three components of current assets: sales, receivables, and purchases. SalesThe objective of any business is to create or increase profits through sales. One way that D’Leon might increase sales would be to offer 60-day credit terms to their customers rather than the 30-day credit terms that they currently offer. If sales were to double as a result of the change in their credit policy, the cash account would initially decrease because they would have to build up their inventory to support the increased sales. This would result in an increase in accounts receivable. Over time, D’Leon’s cash account would eventually begin to rise as collections increased. One downfall to this option, however, would be if the competitors learned of the change and began to offer similar credit terms to their customers. If this were to happen, D’Leon’s sales would remain constant, resulting in its cash account decreasing and its accounts receivable increasing. ReceivablesDay-to-day business at D’Leon, just as in any other business, consists of them spending money. They spend money for labor, materials, and fixed assets needed to make products to sell. The sale of these products result in receivables, which are simply the billing of customers who owe money to the company for the goods that have been provided. The receivables eventually generate cash as the outstanding bills are paid by the customers. Because of this process, D’Leon’s cash account has decreased dramatically due to the company spending more cash than it is taking in. Because of this, it appears that the sales price does not exceed its costs per unit sold.  This has a negative effect on the cash balance because, as stated above, more cash is going out than is coming in. PurchasesD’Leon purchases its materials on 30-day terms, meaning that it is supposed to pay for its purchases within 30 days of receipt. Judging by D’Leon’s 2005 balance sheet , its suppliers probably do not get paid on time. This conclusion can be made from the fact that sales have only increased by about 76% over the past year while accounts payable have increased by about 260%. SECTION 3: Problems AnalysisAdditional questions and problems have raised concern among the board members and the major shareholders of D’Leon Incorporated. Section 3 of this report focuses on these issues as well as options that the company might pursue to ensure a healthy financial future. Cash ProblemsThe expansion at D’Leon weakened their financial strength. Because the company issued long-term debt rather than common stock for the funding, it appears that it has financed its expansion with external capital rather than with internally generated funds. Due to the significant increase in receivables, even if it had broke even in 2005, D’Leon would still experience a cash shortage requiring it to raise external capital to finance its increase in assets. Regarding the company’s physical stock, the question has been raised to depreciate them over 7 years rather than 10 years. Unfortunately, this change would not affect the physical stock. The balance sheet account for fixed assets, however, would decrease due to the increasing accumulated depreciation. The company’s reported net income would decrease and the decrease in tax payments would result in an increased cash position. Stock IssuesEarnings per share (EPS) are the earnings returned on the initial investment amount. It is calculated by dividing net income by shares outstanding. Dividends per share are calculated by dividing dividends by shares outstanding. Book value per share is calculated by common equity divided by shares outstanding. The market price per share of a stock does not equal the book value per share because the market value reflects future  profits, while the book value per share represents historical cost of the stock. Tax IssuesFor businesses, interest paid is tax deductible. This is because it is considered an expense and is paid out of pre-tax income. Dividends paid, however, are paid out of after-tax income. Interested earned is subject to income taxes because it is part of the company’s taxable income. Dividends received are also taxed as part of the ordinary income. For corporations, Capital gains are taxed as ordinary income. D’Leon was able to use Tax Loss Carry-Back and Carry-Forward Provisions to receive a tax refund because of its net loss of -$160,178 in 2005. PART II:Financial StatementAnalysisSECTION 1: Ratio AnalysisThe primary goal of any business is to maximize its value. In order to do this, it must take advantage of its strengths and correct its weaknesses. Businesses do this by first comparing their performance to other businesses in the same industry and secondly by evaluating trends in their financial position over time. This evaluation is done through ratio analysis . Ratio Analysis is simply a tool used by individuals to conduct a quantitative analysis of information in a company’s financial statements. These ratios are calculated from current year numbers and are then compared to previous years, other companies, the industry, or even the economy to judge the performance of the company. These calculations provide assistance in decision-making, reduce reliance on guesswork and intuition, and establish a basis for sound judgment. The following section discusses the five major categories of financial ratios. LiquidityLiquidity refers to an asset’s ability to be easily converted through the act of buying or selling. A liquid asset can be bought or sold rapidly without causing a significant movement in the price and with minimum loss of value. Liquidity ratios are calculations that show the relationship of a company’s cash and other current assets to its current liabilities. These ratios include the current ratio and the quick ratio. By looking at D’Leon Inc.’s quick ratio for 2004 and 2005, it is clear that their liquidity has decreased, but it is projected to increase in 2006. Asset ManagementAsset management ratios are another group of financial calculations that measure how effectively a company is managing its assets. These ratios attempt to answer the question â€Å"Does the amount each type of asset seem reasonable, too high, or too low in view of current and projected sales?† If a business has too many assets, its cost of capital will be too high and its profits will be depressed. If assets are too low, however, profitable sales will be lost. Asset management ratios include inventory turnover, days sales outstanding (DSO), fixed assets turnover, and total assets turnover. D’Leon’s inventory turnover and total assets turnover are below the industry average, but their DSO is above the industry average. Their fixed assts turnover, however, is above the industry average. By the inventory turnover ratio being low, it appears that the firm either has excessive or obsolete inventory. If inventory were reduced, their current asset and turnover ratios would improve and the debt ratio would reduce even further, increasing D’Leon’s profitability. If D’Leon were to improve its collection procedures and lower its DSO to the 32-day average, the effects would ripple through the financial statements and free up over $250,000 in cash that would, in turn, raise their stock price. Debt ManagementDebt management is also referred to as financial leverage. Financial leverage is the using of given resources in such a way that the potential positive or negative outcome is magnified. It most generally refers to using debt, or borrowed funds, in an attempt to increase the returns to equity. Financial leverage can allow greater potential returns to the investor than would have otherwise been available. The potential for loss is also greater, however, because repayment of the loan principle and all accrued interest is still required if the investment becomes worthless. Debt management ratios include times-interest-earned (TIE) and EBITDA coverage. D’Leon’s expected TIE for 2006 is much improve over its 2004 and 2005 levels and is above the industry average. Their EBITDA has also improved, but is still below the industry average. ProfitabilityProfitability ratios reflect the combined effects of liquidity, asset management, and debt. It measures a company’s use of its assets and  control of its expenses to generate an acceptable rate of return. For most of these ratios, having a higher value relative to a competitor’s ratio or the same ratio from a previous period is indicative that the company is doing well. Profitability ratios include profit margin on sales, return on total assets (ROA), basic earning power, (BEP), and return on common equity, (ROE). D’Leon’s profit margin is above 2004 and 2005 levels and is slightly above the industry average. Their BEP, ROA, and ROE ratios have also increased from the previous year, but are all still below the industry average. Market ValueMarket Value Ratios are the calculations that relate a company’s stock price to its earnings, cash flow, and book value per share. These ratios give management an indication of what investors think of the company’s risk and future prospects. If all of the previously discussed ratios look good, and if these conditions have been stable over time, then the market value ratios will be high, the stock price will probably be high, and management has been doing a good job. Market value ratios include price/earnings (P/E), price/cash flow, and market/book (M/B) ratios. All of these ratios at D’Leon Inc. are above the previous years level, but are all below the industry average. SECTION 2: Financial Ratio LimitationsWhen evaluating a company, analysts recognize that they must consider certain qualitative factors . These factors are:†¢Are the company’s revenues tied to one key customer?†¢To what extent are the company’s revenues tied to one key product?†¢To what extent does the company rely on a single supplier?†¢What percentage of the company’s business is generated overseas?†¢Competition†¢Future prospects†¢Legal and regulatory environmentWhile these factors must be considered for all company’s alike, not all company’s can be compared equally when it comes to their financials. There are a number of limitations to using financial ratios as a tool for comparison. One such limitation is that company’s use different operating and accounting practices and procedures. This could cause distortion in comparisons. Another possible cause of distortion between ratio comparisons is seasonal factors. Industry average comparisons can be made difficult if company’s operate many different divisions. Another  major issue is that a company may not always know whether the ratios that they are comparing theirs with are good or bad because some company’s use certain techniques to make their financial statements and ratios appear better than they actual are. SECTION 3: Problems and DiscussionCredit IssuesIn 2005, D’Leon paid its suppliers much later than the due date, and it was not maintaining financial ratios at levels called for in its bank loan agreement. There was concern that this behavior would lead to the suppliers cutting the company off and refusing to renew the loan when it comes due. Even though the company’s projected ratios appear to be improving, the credit manager will most likely not be able to extend credit to it. However, the bank will mostly likely not demand repayment because this could for D’Leon into bankruptcy. Financial ProjectionsUsing the extended Du Pont equation, we find that D’Leon has an ROE of nearly 13%. Looking at the 2006 projections in Appendix F on page 16, we see that the company’s strengths include above industry average fixed assets turnover and profit margin. D’Leon also significantly reduced it debt ratio, resulting in a decreased interest expense and improved TIE ratio. Some of the company’s weaknesses include poor asset management ratios, EBITDA coverage, profitability ratios, and market value ratios. I would have recommended that the company perform an extensive ratio analysis of its current financial position before taking on any expansion plans. This could have immensely helped managers to determine the effects of the expansion on the financial stability of the company. Brigham, Eugene F., and Joel F. Houston. Fundamentals of Financial Management. â€Å"D’Leon Inc., Chapter 4 spreadsheet module†. Made available on July 1, 2008 by Dr. Richard Constand. Brigham, Eugene F., and Joel F. Houston. Fundamentals of Financial Management. Thomson: South-Western Publishers, Eleventh Ed. 2007.

Aggressive Driving

Sometimes I wonder why people died of accident. Some blame this on reckless or aggressive driving while some believe it is normal for accident to occur. This is why the issue of aggressive driving has been a very vital issue today. These are recognized aggressive driving behaviors: over speeding, tailgating, weaving and running red lights, darting in and out of lanes, yelling and gesturing etc.Growing concerns about these drivers and the hazards they create on the roads have led to a flurry of activity by safety groups, law enforcement, mental health professionals and legislatures.There have been different studies about this issue and this study is very important, because these drivers’ endangers their life and others. Sometimes it might be suicide on the drivers’ part.One of these studies is the findings by the Institute for Traffic Safety Management and Research at the University of Albany, in conjunction with Fact Finders, Inc. and the New York Governor's Traffic Saf ety Committee, which showed that almost 29 percent of those surveyed say they see someone driving aggressively every day.Most of the participants admitted that they tend to drive more aggressively when in hurry, but not when angry or in a bad mood. The survey also indicated that aggressive driving poses problems for teens. The survey found that 24 percent of those aged 16 to 24 say they sometimes or most of the time drive aggressively as compared with 11 percent for those aged 45 to 54.In another study by the AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety, which found that between 1990 and 1996 road rage contributed to 218 deaths and 12,610 injuries.The study analyzed 10,037 police reports and newspaper stories about traffic accidents that led to violence. What's more, AAA found that road rage incidents increased nearly 7 percent each year within that six year period. Some experts blame the increase on longer commutes, which have led to more people on the roads others blame it on aggressiveness, risk-taking and personality traits of high-anger drivers.In conclusion, this study shows that teens are more likely to drive aggressively. In addition, there is a difference in the number of aggressive behavior between Convertible/Sports car (Porsche) drivers and drivers of Minivan and Truck.It is believed that drivers of Trucks and Minivans drink most of the time than those driving sports car and will most times drive aggressively.Reference:Dittmann, M, â€Å"Anger on the road†, Monitor staff, (2005, June).

Causes of Political Disaffection and Disengagement

Causes of Political Disaffection and Disengagement Is the British political class to blame for political disaffection and disengagement? The Founding Fathers suggested that a democracy can only come to impartial decisions if both high levels of representation and deliberation take place (Gargarella, 1998). As a result of growing political disengagement and disaffection within contemporary British politics, there is a growing, â€Å"focus on the quality of representative democracy in Britain and on the quality of participatory democracy† (Kelso, 2007, p365) – the relationship that has been recognised is that political disaffection and disengagement are not conducive with an impartial democracy. Worryingly, both the Hansard Society’s annual, ‘ Audit of Political Engagement’ (2017), and a recent House of Commons briefing paper, ‘Political disengagement in the UK: who is disengaged?† (2017), suggest that political disaffection and disengagement are growing issues; knowledge of politics is down six percent from the previous year (49%), the level of trust in Government ‘to put the needs of the nation first’ has dropped to 17% (2013) and trust in the credibility of MPs stands at a measly 9%. These figures indicate that there is indeed an issue of disaffection and disengagement within the UK, thus, to determine if the political class or instead, something else is responsible, it becomes necessary to investigate what the cause of disengagement and disaffection is within specific subsections of the population; especially those who are more likely to become disengaged from politics – the ‘disaffected democrats’ (Flinders, 2015). These factions include demographics such as the ‘working class’ and ‘18-24 year olds’, both of which account for low levels of knowledge in politics compared to the average mentioned above; 29% and 33% respectively (Hansard Society 2017). The term ‘political class’ is conten tious and, ‘is still not thoroughly developed in literature’ (Manolov 2013). Allen that the term political class is used to identify certain, ‘flawed characteristics’, that elected politicians tend to hold, those being: â€Å"Limited roots in local constituencies, inexperience of the real world, inability to reï ¬â€šect the social background of the voting population, inability to represent devolved and English regions, and their tendency to engage in a style of politics that is off-putting to the general public.† (Allen Phillips (1995), most notably suggested that the electorate tends to favour those that are, â€Å"best equipped to represent† (Wà ¤ngerud, 2009, p.52), their views – those that can empathise directly with their electorate. Underrepresentation is an issue for a much wider demographic than just the working class. Just 8% of MPs identify as BME (British Future, 2017) whilst the population of BME citizens in the UK stand s at 13% (Census, 2011). Furthermore, just 2% of MPs are under the age of 30 (Total Politics, 2016) whereas those who are of voting age under 30 make up 8.4% (Census, 2011). As the political class is not representative of the working class, or if it fails to represent minorities proportionally, there is no sense of, ‘impartiality’, within the representative process (Gargarella, 1998), resulting in political disaffection and potentially even disengagement.

Application task Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Application task - Essay Example There is an example of how to use non-countable noun: Let me give you some advice (not an advice). In this question, 'information' is a non-countable noun, so it does not take plural form, so we need ‘information’. 2. 1) I walk and then take the subway 2) Jack asked about 'every day'. It is a general fact (rountine), so we have to use simple present tense verbs instead of present progressive tense. In general, simple present tense is used for events or situations that exist always, usually, and habitually. We also use the simple present to narrate events in sequence. On the other hand, present progressive tense is used for actions (verbs) that are in progress during a particular time, so actions are still taking place and have not ended yet. The tenses say that an action being before, is in progress during, and contiues after another time or action. In this case, Jack uses ‘every day’ which refers to habitual action – rountine -, so we need ‘wal k’ and ‘take’. 3. 1) It was such a good movie. Or It was so good. 2) ‘Such’ is used when the object being talked about comes after the adjective; hence, ‘such’, followed by a or an, is used before an adjective and noun – for example, such a long time, such a good idea, such a nice guy, such a wonderful day (such+ adjective + noun). When we use ‘such’ with a plural countable noun, we don’t use ‘a’ or ‘an’ after ‘such’.

Wal-mart's Philanthropic Efforts Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Wal-mart's Philanthropic Efforts - Essay Example For example, a smart buyer who would want to buy more out of her single dollar can actually meet this need at Wal-mart. It has got all, if not many, for every customer who would want to find more value for their money in today’s highly challenging economy. The main objective of this paper is to examine the philanthropic efforts of Wal-mart and how they are strategically aligned with its core competencies. Wal-mart emphasizes two important philanthropic points in its mission. Save people money There are many ways how an individual can save his or her money. However, Wal-mart emphasizes that each consumer can save their money with its various product and service offerings. For Wal-mart, saving money is associated with a low-priced product. Common sense suggests that money could substantially buy more if the products’ prices are remarkably low. In line with this, Wal-mart ensures that people can still attend to their other priorities by providing or offering those products that of substantial lower prices. For example, a particular consumer who is in a budget requires products that are substantially low in price so that there may still be left for other spending. This means that a one-kilo sugar needs not be too expensive so that there is still a way to buy coffee, milk, and others. However, Wal-mart also emphasizes that saving money is also associated with providing the best quality that customers can rely on. It ensures that customers can really make out the best of its offerings. This means that customers will still enjoy fresh and healthy fruits such as oranges, apples and others. Providing quality to each of its product offering would mean a lot to its consumers, so Wal-mart sees to it that by providing a higher quality it does not only entices people but build up trust among them. So here are the most important points of saving people money, it basically builds up the trust of consumers towards Wal-mart’s product and service offerings. T his in return is strongly aligned with its core competencies (Wal-mart, 2011; Wal-mart, 2010; Wal-mart, 2009; Wal-mart, 2008). Living better To live a better life is another good promise of Wal-mart for its consumers. This is just the result of providing the best and competitive prices of its products for its customers. Wal-mart ensures that people can receive more, but above this is to allow them save even more. Product chain management Perhaps, one may wonder why Wal-mart can remarkably offer lower prices for its offerings. The answer lies on its product-chain management. For many years, its core competencies are rooted in here. It can offer lower prices for goods and other related products because it substantially cut back expenses that may be passed on to the final price of the product. In order to ensure that the market or retail price of the product is low, its strategy is to provide great effort on its product chain management (Wal-mart, 2011; Wal-mart, 2010; Wal-mart, 2009; Wal-mart, 2008). This is remarkably the root of Wal-mart’s core competencies. If it has to be analyzed, the company does not only look forward to how it can stand a cut above the other in its industry, but its aim is to help people save their money so as they could live a better life. Conclusion It is clear that Wal-mart is significantly trying to be a cut above the other in its industry by cultivating its core competencies through its low-price strategy for its product offer

The State of California Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

The State of California - Essay Example But the state of California had a nonstop ferment of innovations and creativity waiting for the world to explore. After a tiny lapse of time, the period of innovations began again. It was the World Wide Web (The Internet) which became the talk of the town in no time. But this innovation required the largest investment on Earth yet to be spending on. Late 1990s witnessed no unemployment in Silicon Valley due to this massive technological outburst. Thousands and thousands of entrepreneurs and risk takers lend billions of dollars from their lenders in a hope to cash it in the future with their new big idea. It was not like the Gold Rush which occurred 150 years ago; it was different, it was a marvel which said that ‘details are yet to come.’ Nonetheless this boom came to a halt as well as the world crossed millennium. Most of the businesses with a snappy logo and more than a eye catching logo bored the people and thus failed. The whole state was in a state of terror and fru stration as energy shortages were gifted to the state in the beginning of the millennium.   In the present era it is seen that technology has proved to be of great benefit to the entertainment industry itself. The three entertainment industries that benefit the economy of California are; Hollywood, Universal Studio and Disney Land respectively. These three industries use technology in almost everything that they enter in. Hollywood is the largest movie making industry in the world and is able to excel in providing quality by using specific technology.... Subsequently, he typed letter ‘O’ and same thing happened. Excitedly, he typed ‘G’ and the system halted; but nevertheless a massive invention which was to change the world in the future was born- The Internet.3 The State of California has the privilege of having Silicon Valley as it paved the road to first ever digital revolution with the improvement of Personal Computers during the tenure of 1980s. Ultimately, this boom ended as quickly as it has emerged and thousands of businesses went down. But the state of California had a nonstop ferment of innovations and creativity waiting for the world to explore. After a tiny lapse of time, the period of innovations began again. It was the World Wide Web (The Internet) which became the talk of the town in no time. But this innovation required the largest investment on Earth yet to be spending on. Late 1990s witnessed no unemployment in Silicon Valley due to this massive technological outburst. Thousands and thousan ds of entrepreneurs and risk takers lend billions of dollars from their lenders in a hope to cash it in the future with their new big idea. It was not like the Gold Rush which occurred 150 years ago; it was different, it was a marvel which said that ‘details are yet to come.’ Nonetheless this boom came to a halt as well as the world crossed millennium. Most of the businesses with a snappy logo and more than a eye catching logo bored the people and thus failed. The whole state was in a state of terror and frustration as energy shortages were gifted to the state in the beginning of the millennium. 4 Present In the present era it is seen that technology has proved to be of great benefit to the entertainment industry

Strategy and Competition Case Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Strategy and Competition - Case Study Example In 2008, the company recorded revenue of $ 705 million which is far better when compared to 2004’s $9.7 million (Ivey, 2010, p.8). This was attributed to the support that several authorities within the world have given which promoted the execution of the PV technology. Canadian Solar Company has been experiencing losses over the past few years though its revenues have grown by more than 135 percent over the years (Ivey, 2010, p.8). These loses have been attributed to the high competition around the world which have contributed to a decrease in the company’s market share (Ivey, 2010, p.9). The management under the leadership of Dr. Qu is faced with the mandate of turning the losses into profits amid the high international competition and economic crisis by formulating and executing a viable profit plan. No business can operate in a vacuum. Each and every business requires an environment to operate in. After a thorough analysis, the external environment of Canadian solar company consist of the political environment, the technological environment, the social environment, the economical environment, competitors in the industry and the industry itself. According to Porter’s five forces model, Industry encompasses the competitors, the suppliers, the consumers or the customers, technology available and the restrictions available for entry and exit in the industry by firms. The market consists of potential customers who include the domestic users and commercial users. Canadian Solar incorporation produces a wide variety of products such as the industrial and automotive and consumer products (Ivey, 2010, p.6) to suffice the customer’s needs. The various authorities in the different countries have greatly promoted and encouraged production of and the technology of the PV cells. Most of the countries across the universe in 2008 and 2009 provided incentives for the development of the technology e.g. China and Canada (Ivey, 2010, p.7). Government

Leninism verse liberalism in an ex-colonial state Essay

Leninism verse liberalism in an ex-colonial state - Essay Example Other important influential trends in Iran may also include its two constitutional revolutions one in 1905 and the other in 1979. It is prudent to start by looking at the Leninists prospects in Iran. Without rushing to ridicule such an idea, we should not that a number of states in the Middle East are exhibiting left wing tendencies. A notable example is the Hashemite monarchy found in Iraq being replaced by a more Arab socialist state, which happened in1968.In 1950s, it was feared that Iran would adopt communism system that could see them ally the Soviet Union. In a more direct assertion, embracing Lenism by Iran as opposed to liberal democracy is minus not without precedent. Exhibiting similar traits to Rusia, prior and in the post Leninist revolution, Iran just like Russia was also ruled by absolute monarchs who are said to behave like the Russian Czars. Its rulers were draconian. The emphasis witnessed in personal norms in modern theocratic Iran resembles Czarist Russia signified by strong central figures, Iran being a devoutly Islam state shares the same inclination with Russia was also a devoutly Eastern orthodox. The main contention remains how transition into a Lenin state can occur. Proponents of this argument have asserted that, just as the Russians through threw religion and moved to secularization, Iran may surprisingly throw religion and adopt secularization too. However, some scholars have argued that adoption of liberal system could also be ideal for Iran. They have cited historical governance of Iran as their basis of assertion. That Iranian intellectual leaders as found in the 20th century had already stipulated constitutional revolution despite being a lower state than even Turkey and Egypt in the same period. They have compared this to the modern challenges facing Iran. Through citing the obstructionism that saw a revolution happen in 1979, they have suggested Iran is moving towards this direction, in this instance towards liberal

World literature Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

World literature - Essay Example It contains a lot of advice that seems pretty reprehensible today, but is definitely pragmatic. For instance one important piece of advice is that it is better to be feared than loved, because men who are afraid of their leader are less likely to rebel (132). The Heptameron story shows a similar view towards mankind, although it is not quite as pragmatic but more tragic. It shows how mankind, when placed in situations that are difficult, or that dont let them get exactly what they want, will do all sorts of things regardless of their professed intentions or their supposed interest in things like chivalry. That is seen in how the tale of Florida and Amador ends up, and how both characters are seen to have made up ideals which do not match reality. Of Cannibals is an essay arguing for how to convert non-European people to acting more "civilized" in the manner of the times. It is very explicitly about how the European culture should push its own ways of living off on other people, which would give them a lot of power over them culturally as well as just by military might. These three pieces of work taken together give us a clear glimpse of some of the diverse ways people at the time thought about their fellow human beings and

How has the financial crisis impacted the agriculture sector in Research Paper

How has the financial crisis impacted the agriculture sector in Albania - Research Paper Example As a result it is more subject to the exogenous fluctuations originating in the macro-economy. This implies that the impact of the crisis on the specific agricultural food sectors and countries heavily rely on the strength of the interconnection to the financial system and the world wide economy. Prior to the impacts of the global economic and financial crisis intensified in the late quarter of 2008, Albania had enjoyed an average Gross domestic product of 6.0%. This had been attributed to the then continued macroeconomic stability and a strong influx of migrant remittances. As pointed out in the report (Swinnen, & Van, 2009.), 60% of the Albania population works in the agricultural sector which implies that most of its economic activities revolve around agribusiness. A similar research carried by (Agra Europe, 2009) indicates that 23% percent of Albania’s gross domestic product relies on agriculture. This is very imperative sector in economic growth and development of the reg ion. However, the economic downturn of the early 2009 reduced Albania’s GDP to 0.7%. ... y the weak competitive capacity, their limited access to credit facilities and unfavorable business environment that has been created by unfair competition with superior foreign products and inconsistent application of both fiscal laws and regulations. Therefore, order and sanity in the business has failed due to lack of a sound macroeconomic structures that will enable the region to compete favorable with other nations and states. In addition, there have been cases of deprived infrastructure (energy, communication and transport lines) dubious assets term rights and weak laws that dampen foreign and domestic investments. A recent research by World Bank,( 2009b) that focused on the effects of the economic downturns, credit constraints, trade deficits and their impacts on the production, allocation and consumption of resources in Albania. For instance, different stakeholders throughout the supply chain have suffered due to lack of confidence in the trade. This has necessitated them to cut costs and reduce dependence on the credit facilities. They have had negative impacts on the investment functions which in turn have grave impacts on the aggregate demand of the region. This in turn has driven firm to operate at loses causing loss of jobs. For example as farmers have reduced the use of fertilizers, crop production product and demand for machinery also dropped. This has had negative consequences on the contracts that sustain business in society (Swinnen & Van, 2009). This implies that some lease and hold contracts were terminated leading to lose of business operation that could be profitable. Farmers have also adopted home-made feeds that have reduced the yields such as the quality of meat, the quality and quantity of milk produced. Second financial crisis has made it

Naturopathic Medicines over Pharmaceutical Medications Essay Example for Free

Naturopathic Medicines over Pharmaceutical Medications Essay For World Health Organization (WHO), health of an individual is not only means of getting rid of physical illness or pain but involves complete mental and social wellbeing of an individual. It is muti-dimensional and involves various aspects including social environment of a person or a society. Still eighty per cent of people are heard complaining about one or the other health problems and only one percent of people are in according to the WHO definition really healthy. Among several factors, it’s the departure of the people from our age-old system of naturopathic treatment towards hyped Pharmaceutical Industry – a product of Industrial revolution. Dr. Mathias Rath, a German-based advocate of patients’ rights and author of the book, â€Å"Why Animals Don’t Get Heart Attacks-But People Do†, rightly said, â€Å"There is an entire industry with an innate economic interest to obstruct, suppress and discredit any information about the eradication of diseases†. (Faseyin, 2004) He condemned millions of people who are eager to pay billions of dollars to the pharmaceutical industry for medicines that never cure rather kills. Pharmaceutical industry is earning more than one trillion dollars by selling drugs promising cure of various diseases and are being marketed at a cost more than 55,000 percent of the raw materials, bringing profit to the whole pharmaceutical industry and the people attached to it but without any concern to the health of the people. These drugs are merely removing symptoms instead of curing. As a result, more people are finding themselves facing deathbeds even from the preventable diseases. For e.g. few centuries back, James Lind had found that deficiency of vitamin C can cause blood loss and scurvy but still pharmaceutical industries dealing with medicines promising the cure of cardiovascular diseases are not supplying this information. The official RDA for vitamin C set at 60 mg is also not enough to prevent the disease. And the reason is the attitude of the pharmaceutical industry that looks at the cost effectiveness of the medicines rather than the health of the citizens; naturally they find vitamin C as an unprofitable venture for the pharmaceutical industry. Allopathic medicines can cure acute illnesses very effectively and pharmaceuticals and artificial respiration has also saved lives of millions.   But if we count the side effects, these are more than the actual benefits. Several cases have come to light when patients have suffered from pneumonia and acute physical dysfunction arising from the continuous use of steroid medication. Patients can also lose normal intestinal flora and can develop acute digestive problems. Nature has bounteous wealth of healing powers in its lap, which our ancient healers had fruitfully utilized, to the advantage of the patients. Naturopathic medicines go deep into cleaning of our immune system, healing hormonal, nervous systems and detoxifying them and eliminating diseases from its roots thus taking care of patient’s complete health. Medieval Jewish writer, Maimonides reflected Plato’s concept of health, when he said, â€Å"The cure of many diseases is unkown to the physicians†¦ because they are ignorant of the whole (body and soul) which ought to be studied also; for the part can never be well, unless the whole is well. For all good and evil, whether in the body or in the human nature originates†¦ in the soul, and overflows from thence†¦ and therefore if the head and body are to be well, you must begin by curing the soul; that is the first thing.† (Vaux Stenberg 2002) Underlying principles of healing on which the naturopathic medicine is based makes it different from all other medical approaches. Naturopathic doctors take the individual’s biochemistry, biomechanics, and emotional predispositions into account while prescribing medicines.   The body’s self-healing takes into consideration various aspects of body control and strive to maintain the biological balance of the body, which is a very crucial aspect of a healthy body. The holistic or naturopathic way of healing works in combination of best scientific diagnosis methods and monitoring techniques with both ancient and innovative health promotion methods. These methods involve use of natural diet and herbal remedies, nutritional supplements, exercises, relaxation, psycho-spiritual counseling, meditation, breathing exercises, and other self-regulatory practices taking into consideration history of patient’s health and his current life including family, job, and religious life and believes in basic concept that food and nutritional supplements are the best medicine. It focuses on prevention of diseases, maintaining high-level wellness and longevity. Besides, naturopathy beckons patients to be an active participant in his or her own healing process, rather than merely becoming a passive recipient of treatment. Naturopathy deals with specific individual needs, and involves in healing process of body, mind and soul. It is quite true that to understand about the illness, knowing about mere physical symptoms are not enough but emotional aspects of patient should also taken care of. Therefore naturopathic treatment is also called as a science of life as it regulates and maintains chemical activities in the brain, controls rhythm of heart, blood pressure, resistance power of skin and other functions inside our body.   It helps persons to overcome anxiety, depression, irritability, improve memory, create emotional stability, and proves to be a healing power for our old traumatic experiences and over and above rejuvenates our lives by giving us energy and vitality. There are several herbs that have multiple uses for human body. People have been growing herbs since centuries and their medicinal properties even challenge the practitioners of medicines of today. Our ancestors were growing the herb plants in their homes. Many evidences have come to light, which show that early settlers had grown herbs like parsley, anise, pennyroyal, sorrel, watercress, liverwort, wild leeks, and lavender across America and in other parts of the world also. They are still grown in many houses all over America and their proper use can relieve the patients from number of diseases. They are many more herbs like ginger, which reduces the chances of heart attack and act as a protective cover for heart and blood vessels. (Naturals Herbs Guide Online) In 1983, World Health Organization suggested to incorporate naturopathic medicine in conventional health care systems. In 1994, Bastyr University of Natural Health Sciences, received grant of   $1 million funds from the National Institutes of Health’s Office of Alternative Medicine to facilitate the research for alternative therapies to cure the patients affected with HIV and AIDS. The diet for cancer patients recommended by the National Cancer Institute was first published in a naturopathic medical textbook in the 1940s. Government of Germany has made it mandatory for conventional doctors and pharmaceuticals also to undergo formal training in naturopathic techniques, as they are cost-effective. (Morton Morton 1997) Graduates of naturopathic colleges have to put in more hours of study in basic and clinical science than their counterparts in Yale or Stanford medical schools and they receive more training in therapeutic nutrition than Md.’s, osteopathic physicians, or registered dietitians. In United States alone, there are more than one thousand licensed naturopathic physicians and many provinces of Canada also issue licenses to naturopathic doctors as primary care physicians and it is expected that by the end of 2010, all fifty states will start issuing licenses to naturopathic physicians. (Alan Morton, Marry Morton 1997) There are many more healing techniques like Chiropractic, Ayurvedic Medicine, Therapeutic Massage, Traditional Chinese medicine (TCM)/ Chinese Medicine, Acupuncture, Acupressure, Atlas Orthogonal, Chelation Therapy, Colonics, Psychotherapy/Counseling, Movement Therapies/ Dance, Holistic Dentistry, Ear Candling- Ear Candling/ Ear Coning/ Thermal-Auricular, Feng Shui, Flower Essences (Bach Flower Remedy), Herbalism, Hypnotherapy, Lymph Drainage Therapy, Ohashiatsu and Vitamin Therapy, whose basic principles and remedies lie in the various ingredients found in the nature. So why not fully utilize what the nature has given to us as only with the healthy body, there is healthy mind and only healthy mind can lead the world towards healthy living. REFERENCE LIST Faseyin A.Y.   2004. The Pharmaceutical Cartel: A Tool for Genocide. Retrieved on February 10, 2008 from W.W.W: http://newafrikanvodun.com/pharm.html. Grout M.M. Allopathic Medicine. Retrieved on February 10, 2008 from W.W.W: http://www.crossroadsclinic.net/articles/allopathic_medicine.html Morton M. A. Morton M. 1997. Naturopathic Medicine. Retrieved on February 26, 2008 from W.W.W: http://www.healthy.net/asp/templates/article.asp?PageType=ArticleID=508 NaturalHerbsGuide.com. Natural Herbs, Herbal Remedies, Medicines, and Supplements Guide. Retrieved on February 26, 2008 from W.W.W: http://www.naturalherbsguide.com/ Vaux K.L. and Stenberg M. 2002. Covenants of Life: Contemporary Medical Ethics in Light of the thought of Paul Ramsay. USA: Kluwer Academic Publishers.

Peachtree Healthcare Essay Example for Free

Peachtree Healthcare Essay Peachtree Healthcare has been faced with a dilemma. There has been a major IT infrastructure problem within the company for some time now. Since technology has taken over in the healthcare field, it is imperative that Peachtree Healthcare get the technology needed so that they can be trusted and well known within the healthcare industry. Mission The mission of Peachtree Healthcare is to ensure quality, consistency, and continuity of care across the entire network – and to deliver care with the highest levels of efficiency and economy while maintaining respect for patients and staff. Objectives The hospital needs to decide on what long / short term IT infrastructure system strategies and roadmaps are needed to increase efficiency. The new system should allow sharing of patient records, ensure quality, consistency, and continuity of care across entire network of hospitals and physicians. Key Issues The IT infrastructure is not reliable; therefore, uses are unable to perform their day to day functions including clinical duties. This is impacting quality and safety of patient care. Recommendations Adopt service oriented architecture (SOA) which will enable selective standardization. CURRENT SITUATION (10) Peachtree Healthcare has major IT infrastructure problems and is struggling to find the right fix. Growth through acquisitions has led to the inheritance of many incompatible legacy systems. Current IT resources are focused on maintaining inefficient processes in order to keep the hospital running. The maintenance costs of the current IT system are so high that further innovation has become a luxury. In addition there have been recent meltdowns of clinical information systems. IT infrastructure is not reliable; therefore users are unable to perform their day to day functions, including clinical duties. This is impacting quality and safety of patient care. Furthermore there is pressure from the hospital’s board to standardize hospital procedures and practices without fully assessing the need for it. Max Berndt (CEO), Candace Markovich (CIO) and Tom Drane (CFO) are struggling to analyze the current situation subjectively in order to properly manage the pressure to follow competitors. CRITERIA (5) The hospital needs to decide on what long / short term IT infrastructure system strategies and roadmaps are needed to increase efficiency. The new system should allow sharing of patient records, ensure quality, consistency, and continuity of care across entire network of hospitals and physicians. The system should also ensure â€Å"selective† standardization of certain medical procedures across the network but allow sufficient flexibility to individual hospitals and professionals in other areas. Other criteria include: †¢ Time to value when will the new system realize value for each business unit †¢ Flexibility easy to modify, upgrade and customization capabilities †¢ Staff buy-in ability to convince all staff to give this project a try ALTERNATIVES RECOMMENDATIONS (15) Alternative 1: Monolithic System (Modular Enterprise System) A monolithic system is single set of systems and applications that will provide consistency across Peachtree’s facilities but may not give doctors enough flexibility. Other pros and cons include: Alternative 2: Service-Oriented Architecture (SOA) System A servicer-oriented architecture system is modular design that will allow Peachtree to standardize incrementally and selectively but poses certain risks as a newer technology. Recommendation: My recommendation is to crease a strategy of selective standardization using a SOA system. This means assessing and deciding on a SOA architecture standard. Reviewing individual business functions and deciding on an ideal standard for that functional unit then migrating others to it. This will allow Peachtree to standardize incrementally, which Max has wanted most in an IT infrastructure. RISK MANAGEMENT PLAN (15) Since SOA is a new technology, there are serious risks and consequences involved with this approach. The SOA technology is not mature yet and has not been tested in the long term. As a result there is a lot of unpredictability. To mitigate these risks Peachtree should gradually replace its old system with the SOA System. They should proceed with SOA in stages by piloting smaller projects to quickly provide value to business units. By gradually installing the SOA, Peachtree and its doctors would learn about how the systems worked and they could then master it in a sense as the infrastructure moved further. By gradually installing the infrastructure, Peachtree would not only minimize risk but also create flexibility and control. With the gradual learning process on the new SOA system, Peachtree and its physicians would allow IT to shift priorities along the way. Peachtree should also create case studies to get other business units and vendors support throughout roll-out process. They should also consider hiring external change management consultants to ensure minimum user disruption and smooth transition into the new system.

Food Insecurity in the United States

Food Insecurity in the United States Food Insecurity In The United States Julie Hurley Introduction This paper will introduce the topic of food insecurity and hunger in the United States. According to the definition approved by the 1996 World Food Summit, â€Å"food security exists when†¦all people, at all times, have physical, social and economic access to sufficient, safe and nutritious food which meets their dietary needs and food preferences for an active and healthy life†.(Simon, 2012, p. 4-5) Food insecurity therefore, is the inability to acquire adequate food intake for all household members as the result of insufficient resources. Food Insecurity is also the official term used to describe the United States Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) measurement for all the possible variations that a family or house might experience while getting insufficient to sufficient food. The USDA measures the degree to which good food is available and how nutritious that food actually is. So while some members of a family might be getting food most of the time, some of the time some members are getting no food, others are getting food that is not very good and sometimes no one is eating at all. All these variations are taken into account and measured. Food insecure households are not necessarily food insecure all of the time and food insecurity may also reflect the trade-offs a household needs to make between paying the bills and purchasing nutritionally adequate food. (NYC Food Insecurity, 2014) Not surprisingly, low-income families are more likely to experience food insecurity than middle or higher income families. There are four dimensions to food security: availability, accessibility, utilization and stability. So food insecurity occurs when there is: a lack of food (no availability); a lack of resources (no access to food); an improper use (no proper utilization of food); or changes in availability, accessibility or utilization (no stability with regards to food). (Simon, 2012, p. 5-8) The United States produces more food than it could ever use for domestic consumption. Yet despite the ability to produce all this food, food insecurity is still a problem in the United States. American hunger is the result of economic poverty, when some people literally do not have enough funds to purchase food. But levels of income and poverty do not fully predict food insecurity. This suggests that other things (such as the ability to budget resources), are important in determining whether or not someone will be food insecure. (Gowda, Hadley, Aiello, 2012, p. 1586) In 2008, 17 million US households were considered to be food insecure.(Gowda et al., 2012, p. 1579) In 2010, household food insecurity in the US was at its highest level since measurements began in 1995.(Fram et al., 2011, p. 1114) Also in 2010, over one-fifth of U.S. children lived in food-insecure homes. The problem was considered serious enough at the time that President Barack Obama publicly pledged to end child hun ger by 2015.(Fram et al., 2011, p. 1114) Today, food insecurity is combated by both government programs and aid from the private sector. And while both types of aid have increased in this century, hunger relief by the government has outpaced that provided by the private sector.(Gowda et al., 2012, p. 1583) However, this was not always the case, and for many people throughout American history people were essentially on their own. History The prospect of food insecurity is a constant part of the human condition and in the United States has been a concern for as long as people have been living in North America. The European colonists who first settled in North America faced the prospect of severe hunger much of the time. Transplanting crops brought from Europe and trying to grow native crops was difficult. In the early days of the first colonies, many settlers watched their crops fail and ultimately died of starvation or the effects of starvation. But many other settlers were saved from starvation through the generosity of Native Americans. Over time the colonists adapted and they either copied, continued or created farming methods that were successful. In the process of doing this, they discovered that the land in North America was very fertile.(Eisinger, 1998, p. 32-34) They were so successful that despite the rugged environment and violence, hunger in North America was already becoming less severe than the level of hunger found throughout Western Europe. Improved food security had the effect that despite the dangers of life in the colonies, by 1776 American colonists enjoyed a higher life expectancy than their European cousins. The average life expectancy in North America at that time was 51 years; in Great Britain 37 years; in France only 26 years.(Eisinger, 1998, p. 44) A big factor in the food security experienced by North Americans though was that in addition to good fertile land, there was also a low population level. There was also no shortage of jobs. With low unemployment levels and plenty of work, any able-bodied person was prevented from suffering from the effects associated with unemployment, such as low income and the resulting inability to access food.(Fogel, 2004, p. 14-15) But conditions changed by the early 19th century when good land (or at least access to good land) became more scarce, usually available only to those who already had with wealth. It had also become harder to make a living from public land or by owning and operating a small farm. Poor economic conditions forced many small farmers off their land, making them homeless. With a growing population of homeless people, America’s first homeless shelters (which also provided food), were set up, called Poorhouses.(The Poorhouse, 2012) In some areas city officials would also â€Å"hand out† emergency cash to the starving to buy food, but this did not stop the overall rise in poverty or hunger. By 1850 living conditions had fallen so low that in America that life expectancy had dropped to 43 years. It is thought that by 1865, as many as 1 in 5 Americans could have been suffering from food insecurity.(Fogel, 2004, p. 36) After the Civil War, the industrial revolution began to change this situation to some degree. Factory jobs provided more access to income for workers and by the 1870’s there was less hunger and homelessness in the U.S. Of course most of these jobs were low wage and workers suffered in terrible conditions, but there were more jobs to choose from (and therefore less unemployment) so that at least people could earn enough money to eat. Though these â€Å"sweat shops† with their bad working conditions were the engine driving the â€Å"Gilded Age† the overall result was that they improved economy. This in turn created even more (and better) jobs being created outside of the factories as consumers had more money to spend. One side effect however, was that life for the poorest of the poor actually got worse. Many wealthy Americans opposed the idea of government intervening to help the hungry, thinking this would only create masses of lazy unemployed people. They also th ought that it would somehow sabotage the growth of the free market. Laissez Faire capitalism was thought to be the appropriate response to the starving poor. But at the same time, the private sector began to provide help to the poor by creating America’s first soup kitchens.(DePastino, 2005, p. 22) In the early 20th century there was a revolution in farming with the creation of the first methods of mechanized agriculture.(Janick, 2014) Ironically, although this lead to an increase in rural unemployment it also created a surplus of food which helped lower food prices in the United States. As a result, during and after the first World War (1914-1918), the United States sent about 20 million tons of food to a war ravaged Europe. And since World War I the United States has continued to be a world leader for relieving hunger.(Vernon, 2007, p. 242) In the 1920’s America’s economy was booming, but the stock market crash of 1929 and the Great Depression that followed reversed much of the progress that the United States had made in reducing domestic hunger. But as a result of the Great Depression, the issue of American hunger became a major issue for the government. In time both the government and the private sector responded to the needs of the American people. More private soup kitchens and bread lines were opened and the â€Å"New Deal† program of government relief was launched. Some government programs like the Works Progress Administration (or WPA) tried to reduce unemployment by providing much needed jobs. Other programs tried to reduce poverty by raising wages. Another government program, the Federal Surplus Relief Corporation tried to provide poor people with food and bought surplus food from farmers. By the 1940’s the New Deal programs had improved the economy and seemed to have reduced most of the hunger in the United States. Until the late 1960s, many Americans considered hunger in their nation to be a solved problem.(Poppendieck, 1999, p. 11) So much so that some states even ended the practice of distributing federal food surpluses for free. Instead they provided an early form of food stamps but there was a price charged and since many could not pay for them, more people began to suffer from severe hunger again.(Poppendieck, 1999, p. 10) As American society rediscovered hunger, more private charity groups opened soup kitchens and the first modern food bank was created in 1967.(Poppendieck, 1999, p. 112) The so-called â€Å"Hunger Lobby† was also launched to petition politicians to improve welfare for the hungry. By 1967 senate hearings were held on hunger and in 1969 President Nixon called on Congress to end hunger in the U.S. once and for all.(Melnick, 1994, p. 311) In the 1970s, U.S. federal hunger relief grew substantially with food stamps distributed free of charge. Though these efforts again helped combat food insecurity, eventually the federal government again reduced welfare spending.(Dando, 2012, 177–178) The private sector again responded with grass roots relief agencies, essentially in the form of bigger and better food banks.(Dowler, 2012, p. 1) Food Insecurity Interventions America’s heritage of food insecurity provides an interesting look at the cycle within which food insecurity rises and falls. By now the relationship between economics and food insecurity seems pretty well documented: as the economy gets worse, poverty increases and with more people experiencing poverty, more experience food insecurity. Sadly, government policy, again operating in cycles, provides some initial, emergency, short term assistance but then eventually seems to blame the victims for their own deprivations and ends assistance. To be realistic about ending hunger in America, we must acknowledge that no matter how good the economy might ever get, there should always be interventions already in place to prevent food insecurity in the first place and to provide food to the hungry in preparation for the next big economic downturn. As a nurse viewing food insecurity as a public health issue, there are three types of interventions in the field of healthcare: primary, secondary and tertiary prevention. Primary preventions try to protect healthy people from developing a problem to begin with. Secondary preventions happen after an illness has already been diagnosed, with the goals being to halt or slow the progress of the illness. Tertiary preventions try to help an ill patient cope with the long term issues associated with an already exiting, full blown condition that cannot be reversed.(Primary, secondary and tertiary prevention, 2006) Primary Interventions: Creating Food Security/Measuring American food insecurity Community food security is created through several avenues like nutrition education, public health, sustainable agriculture and anti-hunger activism. And as a modern public health issue, a primary intervention used to try and prevent food insecurity from occurring, is to track it using reliable and precise methods of measurements. With accurate statistics, policy makers and organizations can address problems before they get worse. The only way to really do this is to get statistics about what demographic is accessing food programs, and the circumstances which caused them to have to do this. The USDA is the government agency which has been tasked with tracking and fighting food insecurity and in 1994, the USDA organized a conference to try and figure out the best way to track food insecurity. The conference identified the appropriate basis for a nationwide measure and agreed that the best way to take such a measure was with nationwide surveys.(History Background, 2014) This conferenc e resulted in the creation of the U.S. Food Security Measurement Project (USFSMP), and current food security statistics are based on the survey measure the USFSMP developed. In 1995, the U.S. Census Bureau first carried out a field test of the first food security survey called the Current Population Survey Food Security Supplement. The Food Security Supplement was repeated again from 1996 to 2001 and has been continued annually ever since. Taking the data from these surveys and using the highly sophisticated statistical techniques, USFSMP created â€Å"an accurate scale that measures the severity of deprivation in basic food needs as experienced by U.S. households.†(History Background, 2014) So a major component of primary intervention is already in place by tracking and measuring food insecurity. But the second half of this prevention-oriented approach for community food security is to take those statistics and addresses a diverse range of issues such as: â€Å"food availability and affordability; direct food marketing; diet-related health problems; participation in and access to Federal nutrition assistance programs; ecologically sustainable agricultural production; farmland preservation; economic viability of rural communities; economic opportunity and job security; community development and social cohesion.†(Food Security In The US, 2014) According to the USDA themselves, primary intervention should also support the development of long term strategies: â€Å"To improve access of low-income households to healthful nutritious food supplies. To increase the self-reliance of communities in providing for their own food needs. To promote comprehensive responses to local food, farm, and nutrition issues.† (Food Security In The US, 2014) Some of these issues can be addressed directly by the USDA but some can only be address in conjunction with or solely by other government agencies and policy makers. For example, the USDA has no say in influencing â€Å"economic opportunity and job security† but at least it can provide other agencies that do, with feedback as to how their policies may or may not be working. It seems unrealistic to think that the USDA alone can end food insecurity and clearly the magnitude of the problem – and the power it would take to prevent it – is beyond the scope of the USDA as it currently exists. But at least this primary intervention is in place and can be used in the future to continue trying to prevent hunger from happening and, until preventing it completely, to act as an alarm for strengthening secondary interventions. Secondary Interventions While primary interventions for food insecurity involve the policy and decision making that affects poverty in America, the interventions that most of us associate with food insecurity are those involving tangible hunger relief that provides food to the hungry. Modern secondary interventions include the following: Food pantries. The most common food aid establishments in the U.S., food pantries collect food from donors and give out actual parcels of food to those in need. Although used by anyone, they are designed to help families have enough food for a few meals which will be eaten at home. The food closet. The food closet has the same purpose as a food pantry, but is not big enough to be in a building of its own. The food closet will be a closet or room in something like a church and is often found in more remote communities. Soup kitchens. Soup kitchens are also called food kitchens and meal centers, all of which provide hot cooked meals for the hungry. These meals are prepared and eaten in the soup kitchen building (not at home). Soup kitchens are the second most common food aid establishment in the U.S. The food bank. The food bank is the third most common food aid establishment. in the U.S. Most food banks usually warehouse food and distribute it to other agencies like food pantries, instead of giving it directly to the hungry. They get their supply of foods from large farms, manufacturers, supermarkets and the federal government. Food rescue organizations also warehouse food and distribute it to other agencies but they operate on a smaller scale than food banks and get their food from different sources – restaurants, smaller shops and small farms. The network of these organizations that provide food assistance is sometimes referred to as the Emergency Food Assistance System (EFAS).(Riches, 1986, p. 15-20)

how to become a great baseball player Essay -- essays research papers

  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Being great at a particular sport, such as baseball, is actually quite simple. It takes a mix of talent and even more hard work. I have seen a very large number of athletes come through this high school with all the talent in the world, but had no work ethic. Talent is only a fraction of what is needed to be great.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚     Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The process of becoming a great baseball player takes talent, hard work, and a ton of practice. Baseball, being the second hardest sport in the world is a hard sport to stay discipline at. As a player, he must make sure he works at all the drills everyday, boring or not. Also, he must have the mental mind set that he definitely wants to make it to the big leagues, if he doesn’t, then its ...

Comparing a McDonalds Advertisement and a Walkers Advertisement Essays

Comparing a McDonalds Advertisement and a Walkers Advertisement Both advertisements are popular food products. McDonalds are very famous all over the world; the company is based in America and started off there. Walker's crisps are a British company. When you hear the name Walkers, you often think of walkers crisps. Both of these companies sell there products to a range of people. Younger people generally purchase more of these products than older people. In the McDonald advert, they are trying to tell the audience that their restaurant isn't just for teenagers, but for all ages. They have shown this through the characters in the advert. They also are trying to promote that McDonalds is a class less place where you can go to eat, they show this by using different people with different colours of skin and showing costumes of builders, school kids, actors and etc. the people also do not speak to one another. The only signal to each other is when the man and woman look at each other and nod as if they are approving of the food they have been served. The people look happy and are moving briskly away to the sound track. The clothes that people where show the occupation that they are involved in. The Walkers advertisement however is a lot more relaxed and humorous. The first scene starts off with a group of children. The scene is also set in the past, maybe the early 1950's, you can tell this because the road is full of cobble stones, the clothes and hair styles are old fashioned, also the picture of the overall picture and the buildings in the background have all been made duller. The story seems to be that a little boy has been bull... ...re they could have fitted that in. I also think that they will be successful in promoting that anyone can go to McDonalds because business people who are in a rush may need something quick to eat and relate quick to McDonalds. However there is a down side that McDonalds is unhealthy and that may go against them. The Walkers advertisers in my opinion should have made their advert relate and apply to a much wider age range. They had a good idea about using Gary Liniker because football fans might want to eat what Gary's eating so they buy those crisps. I think the ad won't be as successful as the McDonalds ad but still promote walkers a bit. Out the two advertisements I feel that the McDonalds ad will be the most successful because the product price has been reduced and they are appealing over a wider audience range.

The Wife Of Martin Guerre Essay -- essays research papers

Arnaud du Tilh, a rogue and an impostor, deserved punishment for his crimes, and that is what he received. Arnaud, a man once thought by people to be unmistakably Martin Guerre, was sentenced to death. Perhaps in this day an age, a punishment such as this would be excessively severe, however in Arnaud's time it was considered just. A question can be asked whether Martin Guerre deserves such a punishment as well, because of his actions. Martin Guerre never broke any laws like that of Arnaud du Tilh, however in a moral sense, Martin's actions were down at Arnaud's level, perhaps even lower.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Martin Guerre was the spitting image of his father. Before he left the farm, everyone that knew him was confident in him taking over his father's position as head and prote...

Responsibilities and Duties of an HR Manager Essay

uman resource (HR) department deals with wide range of activities from strategic planning level to the day to day operations level. Therefore defining roles and responsibilities of HR manager is a quite complex task so that I would say about few, main function. Human Resources staff members are advocates for both the company and the people who work in the company. Consequently, a good HR professional performs a constant balancing act to meet both needs successfully. Forecasting the labour requirement The HR manager holds the responsibility of forecasting the labour requirement of the organization in the future based on the future level of sales/production level of the organization. The labour forecast may identify the need for need for hiring or firing employees. Recruitment Once the labour forecast is done the HR manager is responsible for recruiting efficient employees for the company that will deliver the best of their abilities. As the recruitment procedure can be quite expensive for the company, it is imperative not to make an error during the process. Selection Selection is the process by which the most suitable candidate is selected from the recruited pool of candidates. Selection is done by carrying out various types of tests and interviews. HR department/manager is responsible of selecting the most suitable employees to fill existing vacancies. Keeping that in mind, an HR manager should possess an eye for searching these talented people for the company’s growth. Induction Induction is the process by which new employees are made familiarized with the organizational environment. Once the employees are selected they need to be introduced to other staff of the organization and they should be given necessary guidelines about the organizational culture and the procedures. Training Once the employees are done with the induction they become an employee of the organization but the skills they possess may not be adequate to carry out required tasks. The need for training arises when the there is a gap between expected level of skills and the current level of skills of an employee. If a there is a training need HR department has to design training programs and execute them. Motivating HR manager is responsible of motivating employees to carry out their duties of a timely and accurate basis. He/she helps inspire employees, build their spirits, and employee motivation to the best of the organization. Organization Development This is again one of the key areas where the HR manager has to execute to the fullest. Development of an organization is a responsibility which includes peculiar organizational culture, making the team more effective by introducing events intervening employees in a formal, and informal way; thus impacting the business. Teamwork and Team Spirit HR manager helps in building a team effective for working under circumstances and makes sure that right people are included in the team, minimizing conflicts and increasing productivity. HR manager decides the team right from the team leader to the lowest ranking employee. Rewarding employees Once the employee performance evaluation is done HR department needs to design good employee rewarding packages to reward well performing employees. These rewards could be of monetary or non monetary in nature. Such non monetary benefits may include: travel allowances, HRA (Health Reimbursement Arrangements), medical, etc. depending from organization. Managing redundancy When the organization decides that thy no longer need the service of certain employee they need to be sent to be given the redundancy notices and have to be paid the redundancy charges. HR department has to manage this process. Managing complains about employees There can be complaints about employees regarding poor performance, bribery, misbehavior and so on. HR department needs to hear those complains and make necessary steps (advising/punishing employees) to solve those issues

Opportunity of a Lifetime Essay

After reading this essay, one person may be added to the National Organ transplant waiting list. That one person can save or enhance more than 25 different peoples lives. The Donate Life Illinois is a group of agencies responsible for organ donations, education about organ donations and other helpful statistics to help people and save lives. The Donate Life Illinois group established that more than 6,500 people have died nationwide in the United States waiting for an organ transplant in 2011. An average of 18 people die each day waiting for an organ transplant (Organ & Tissue Donation Stats & Facts). Statistics can be overwhelming and confusing to understand, but one thing you can understand is that each number you read represents a person; a person that is waiting to be saved. This person can be a mom, a dad, a brother or a sister, someone important to someone else. Families try their best to try to help their loved ones search for organ donors. Not all patients are able to receive organs because the lack of organ donors. Through a simple two-step plan, which consists of educating more people about organ donations and changing the U.S from an opt-in system to an opt-in system, this could save those 18 lives lost each day. To start this two-step plan to fix the need for organ donors in the U.S is to educate the public about organ donations. Many Americans are not informed about this major issue of organ donations and or unaware of the lack of organ donors needed in our country. They may not realize that they can potentially become an organ donor themselves very easily. With the public becoming more educated, this will increase the number of donors and decrease the number of patients that pass away waiting for organ transplants. One major issue is the publics view about organ donations only occurring when they die. Organ donations are just as important for people that are living as well. For example, kidney transplants are in desperate need that a healthy living person can easily donate. In the essay â€Å"The Surgery Was Simple; the Process Is Another Story† by Virginia Postrel, she talked about her experience of being a living organ donor. She donated her kidney. She states, â€Å"A kidney don ation is a big deal to the recipient, but public perceptions exaggerate what’s involved for the donor† (Postrel, Virginia). The government should clearly explain how easily the procedure could be done. Kidney transplants require a few incisions just enough to get the kidney out. The recovery process is a couple days and you are the same person you were before. It’s not a life changing procedure. Deciding whether to donate is also another issue. She states, â€Å"Even relatively supportive transplant centers like mine make it easier to quit than to go through with it† (Postrel, Virginia). The government should promote organ donations. They should help the public understand that they could save many lives by donating. Organ donations are a very important in the U.S and the public needs to understand the importance of donating. The last part in the two-step plan to fix the need for organ donors in the U.S is to change the opt-in system to an opt-out system. The United States currently has an opt-in system, which individuals are asked to register their willingness to be a donor after their death . The opt-in system that our nation has currently is not very effective. â€Å"A 2005 Gallup poll revealed that more than half the population of the United States was willing to donate organs after death, but inefficiencies in the current system mean that even willing donors often end up not donating† (Carney, Scott). This is a sad statement that has been stated. This shows that there are people willing to donate but because of our system, its more difficult to pull through the procedure and unaware of how to become an organ donor. The government should come up with a solution to help these perfectly good donors willing to help others through an easier process such as an opt-out system. Donate Life America has a statistic that states, â€Å"90% of Americans say they support donation, but only 30% know the essential steps to take to become a donor† (Statistics). By having an opt-out system, it would make it easier for people to get involved with organ donations and it woul d increase the number of organ donors significantly. Instead of â€Å"100 million people that are organ donors in the U.S† (Organ & Tissue Donation Stats & Facts), we could double this number to 200 million people with more people being able to become organ donors. Some people oppose the opt-out system because they are worried about their relatives not knowing the need for an opt-out organ donor registration, a mandate will be in effect. The mandate will require the DMV and Hospitals to ask people if they want to be on the opt-out organ donor list. Most United States citizens have a driver’s license, which means they have to renew it every couple years so it is up to date. The government can then require people that are renewing their license to be informed about the opt-out system and then they can decide whether they want to be removed from the organ donation list or not. In Hospitals, the policy can consist of requiring the patients to sign a document while they are checking into the hospital stating that they understand the opt-out policy completely for organ donations and can state if they do not want to be removed from the organ donation list. If the patient doesn’t want to become an organ donor, they have the right to register as a non-organ donor. This mandate will potentially eliminate the donors family’s claim that they did not realize that the donor need to opt-out of the list to become an organ donor. Through this simple two-step plan, this policy can increase the number of organ donors on the United States, and it will decrease the number of deaths due to the lack of organ donors. With the public becoming more educated about organ donations, people will be less hesitant to go through the organ donation process. The United States government can influence people to go through with organ donations and change the U.S system from an opt-in system to an opt-out system. Changing the opt-in system to an opt-out system will increase organ donors significantly as well because it will be an easier way to establish if the person wants to become an organ donor or not. By these two simple plans to increase organ donations, those 18 lives lost each day will be reduced because of the people wanting to help each other and donate their organs to the people in desperate need of donors. Works cited Carney, Scott. â€Å"The Case for Mandatory Organ Donation.† Patterns for College Writing. 12th ed. Ed. Laurie G. Kirszner and Stephen R. Mandell. Boston: Bedford, 2010. Pgs 614-617. Print. â€Å"Organ & Tissue Donationï€  Stats & Facts.† Donate Life Illinois. Gammon Group, 2011. Web. 10 Nov. 2012. . Postrel, Virginia. â€Å"The Surgery Was Simple; the Process Is Another Story.† Patterns for College Writing. 12th ed. Ed. Laurie G. Kirszner and Stephen R. Mandell. Boston: Bedford, 2010. Pgs 625-627. Print. â€Å"Statistics.† Statistics | Donatelife.net. N.p., July 2012. Web. 10 Nov. 2012. .

The Free Soil Party

Buchanan30. In 1848, the Free Soil party platform advocated all of the following except [A] free government homesteads for settlers. [B] internal improvements. [C] an end to slavery in the District of Columbia. [D] support of the Wilmot Proviso. [E] opposition to slavery in the territories. 31. According to the principle of â€Å"popular sovereignty,† the question of slavery in the territories would be determined by [A] the most popular national leaders. [B] a Supreme Court decision. [C] congressional legislation. [D] the vote of the people in any given territory. [E] a national referendum. 2. The key issue for the major parties in the 1848 presidential election was [A] expansion. [B] personalities. [C] Indian removal. [D] slavery.[E] the economy. 33. The Free Soilers condemned slavery because [A] of moral principles. [B] it damaged the national economy. [C] of the harm it did to blacks. [D] it destroyed the chances of free white workers to rise to self-employment. [E] it was the only way they had of combating the appeal of the Democratic party. 34. Harriet Tubman gained fame [A] as an African-American antislavery novelist. [B] in the gold fields of California. C] by urging white women to oppose slavery. [D] as an advocate of the Fugitive Slave Law. [E] by helping slaves to escape to Canada. 35. Daniel Webster’s famed Seventh of March speech in 1850 resulted in [A] a shift toward compromise in the North. [B] Senate rejection of a fugitive-slave law. [C] a movement to draft him for the presidency. [D] condemnation by northern commercial interests. [E] charges of accepting bribes. 36. In the debates of 1850, Senator William H. Seward, as a representative of the northern Young Guard, argued that [A] John C.Calhoun’s compromise plan must be adopted to preserve the Union. [B] Christian legislators must obey God’s moral law. [C] the Constitution must be obeyed. [D] compromise must be achieved to preserve the Union. [E] African-Americans sh ould be granted their own territory. 37. In the Compromise of 1850, Congress determined that slavery in the New Mexico and Utah territories was [A] to be decided by popular sovereignty. [B] to be banned. [C] protected by federal law.[D] to be ignored until either territory applied for admission to statehood. E] to be decided by the Mormon Church. 38. The Fugitive Slave Law included all of the following provisions except [A] denial of fleeing slaves’ right to testify on their own behalf. [B] denial of a jury trial to runaway slaves. [C] a higher payment if officials determined blacks to be runaways. [D] the requirement that fugitive slaves be returned from Canada. [E] the penalty of imprisonment for northerners who helped slaves to escape. 39. The election of 1852 was significant because it [A] saw the rise of purely national parties. [B] saw the victory of a pro-South northerner. C] marked the return of issues-oriented campaigning. [D] saw the emergence of an antislavery thir d party. [E] marked the end of the Whig party. 40. The prime objective of Manifest Destiny in the 1850s was [A] Nicaragua. [B] Panama. [C] Hawaii. [D] Cuba. [E] the Dominican Republic. 41. The prime objective of Manifest Destiny in the 1850s was [A] Nicaragua. [B] Panama. [C] Hawaii.[D] Cuba. [E] the Dominican Republic. 42. Stephen A. Douglas’s plans for deciding the slavery question in the Kansas-Nebraska scheme required repeal of the [A] Northwest Ordinance. [B] Missouri Compromise. C] Compromise of 1850. [D] Fugitive Slave Act. [E] Wilmot Proviso. 43. One of Stephen Douglas’s mistakes in proposing the Kansas-Nebraska Act was [A] allowing slavery to spread into new territory. [B] underestimating the depth of northern opposition to the spread of slavery. [C] believing that slavery could not survive in Kansas. [D] overestimating the protest to the bill. [E] not securing the transcontinental railroad for the North. 44. The clash between Preston S. Brooks and Charles Sum ner revealed [A] the division between the House and the Senate over slavery. B] the fact that, despite divisions over slavery, the House of Representatives would unite to expel a member for bad conduct. [C] the seriousness of political divisions in the North. [D] the fact that passions over slavery were becoming dangerously inflamed in both North and South. [E] the importance of honor to northerners. 45. Match each candidate in the 1856 election below with the correct party. ___ A. John C. Fremont ___ B. Millard Fillmore ___ C. Martin Van Buren ___ D. James Buchanan 1. Democratic 2. Republican 3. Know-Nothing [A] A-2, B-3, D-1 [B] A-3, C-1, D-2 C] A-1, B-3, C-2 [D] B-1, C-2, D-3 [E] A-2, B-3, C-1 46. In ruling on the Dred Scott case, the United States Supreme Court [A] held that slaveowners could not take slaves into free territories.[B] expected to lay to rest the issue of slavery in the territories. [C] hoped to stimulate further debate on the slavery issue. [D] supported the conc ept of popular sovereignty. [E] reunited the Democratic party. 47. The political career of Abraham Lincoln could best be described as [A] marred by early political opportunism. [B] hurt by the Kansas-Nebraska Act. [C] hurt by his marriage. D] characterized by a rapid rise to power. [E] slow to get off the ground. 48. As a result of the Lincoln-Douglas debates, [A] Lincoln’s national stature was diminished. [B] Lincoln was elected to the Senate. [C] Douglas defeated Lincoln for the Senate. [D] Illinois rejected the concept of popular sovereignty.[E] Douglas increased his chances of winning the presidency. 49. Match each presidential candidate in the 1860 election below with his party’s position on the slavery question. ___ A. Abraham Lincoln ___ B. Stephen Douglas ___ C. John Breckenridge ___ D. John Bell 1. xtend slavery into the territories 2. ban slavery from the territories 3. preserve the Union by compromise 4. enforce popular sovereignty [A] A-3, B-2, C-1, D-4 [B] A-3, B-4, C-1, D-2 [C] A-2, B-1, C-4, D-3 [D] A-4, B-3, C-2, D-1 [E] A-2, B-4, C-1, D-3 50. When Abraham Lincoln won the 1860 presidential election, people in South Carolina [A] waited to see how other southern states would act. [B] vowed to give their loyalty to Stephen Douglas. [C] were very upset because they would have to secede from the Union. [D] rejoiced because it gave them an excuse to secede. [E] none of these.

Prevention of teen pregnancy Essay

Explain the level of prevention with teen pregnancy (can choose your own level out of the three levels).   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Teenage pregnancy has been a major problem not only in the developed world but also recently in the developing nations.   In the US and Canada, due to the increased awareness amongst teenagers, the prevalence of teenage pregnancies is decreasing.   However, in several developing nations, the incidence of teenage pregnancies is on the rise.   In the year 1999, it was found that about 97 teenagers out of every 1000 between the ages of 15 to 19 years were pregnant and about 80 % of them were not desired.   Before the age of 18 years, 80 % of the teenage girls have sex.   The age of menarche has also dropped to 12 to 13 years (Weiss, 2000).   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Teenage pregnancies may not be intended for social reasons but due to other including medical and psychological.   The chances of the girl to have a miscarriage, abortion, stillborn baby, etc, are reasonable higher.   These girls are usually the ones who belong to the lower socioeconomic groups and the chances of living in poverty are realistically higher.   The financial burden on the woman would also increase, as she would now have to leave her studies and pick up some job in order to support her child.   Children born from a teen mother are frequently underweight and are at a high risk of developing health problems.   Due to a number of causes, it is always preferred that teenage pregnancies are prevented.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   There are three different levels of prevention when it comes to teenage pregnancies.   These include primary prevention, secondary prevention and tertiary prevention.   Primary prevention includes measures to prevent pregnancies through physical or other methods.   These include use of contraceptive pills, condoms, etc.   This helps to reduce minimize the risk of getting pregnant.   Secondary prevention includes checkups, scans, etc, to ensure that the girl does not get pregnant.   This is usually followed if primary prevention is not enabled.   Tertiary prevention of includes taking measures to prevent any further pregnancies after one has already occurred in the teenage girls.   The best level of prevention would be primary prevention (Connelly & Inui, 2004).  Ã‚               How might this specific level of prevention be addressed in a community experiencing an increase in family violence.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   There are several measures which need to be adopted for primary prevention of teenage pregnancies.   These include health education, sex education, school and college based programs, health services, use of condoms, use of contraceptives (birth control pills), etc.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   In the teen pregnancy prevention program several people belonging to the community should be involved including the teenagers, parents, teachers, legislatures, administrators, professionals, media, medical professionals, School authorities, etc.   It is important that the entire community be involved in the program, as teenage pregnancy is a multi-faceted issue.   People are advised to develop responsible health attitudes, behavior and practices regarding teenage pregnancy.  Ã‚   The program should be much more than just offering health services and counselling services.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   The program should take place at several places including schools, colleges, health centers, public health centers, community discussions, etc.   The targets of such programs should be more realistic and achievable.   Both the boy and girl should actively take part in such programs.   At all stages, it is very important that the family and the parents are involved.   Besides, resources and materials such as condoms, birth control pills, education material, counselling services, etc, should be provided.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   In the teenage pregnancy prevention program, multiple agencies should be involved.   In the planning and implementation of the program, teenagers themselves should be involved.   The parents should educate and create awareness in their children about sex and pregnancy during the childhood stage itself.   Hence, involvement of the parents is also required.   Mobile services would also help to create awareness in rural and far-flung areas.   The trust should be in creating increased levels of confidence, self-esteem and decision-making amongst teenagers.   Teenagers should also be educated about drug abuse and alcohol abuse.   Drug abuse can affect judgment, which can lead to irresponsible sex behavior. Explain why a comprehensive health program should address all three levels of prevention.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Teenage pregnancy programs need to address all the levels of prevention, as focusing on one single level of prevention and ignoring others would create bias and negative attitudes of the community to those girls who have already become pregnant.   As the rates of teenage pregnancy are reasonable high and a significant number of girls become pregnant during the teenage period, there are high chances that they would lead a miserable life.   This may make it all that more difficult to enable the process of primary prevention.   Several facilities such as health education, medical services for the mother and the child, housing, financial support, nursing homes, counselling, etc, need to be provided.   It is important that teenagers who become pregnant be given all the care and love during the pregnancy period and not be driven out of the house.   Pregnant girls should also be given counselling services as they would not know much of the manner in which their healthcare needs have to be met.   They should be specifically warned about drug abuse and smoking during this period. The focus should be on ensuring that the mother and child are healthy and do not suffer.   During the pregnancy period, the young father should be supportive of the girl.   The young mother should also be educated about the manner in which abuse and neglect need to be tackled. References: Connelly, M. T. & Inui, T. S. (2004). â€Å"Principles of Disease Prevention.† In: Braunwald, E., Fauci, A. S., Kasper, D. L., Hauser, S. L., Longo, D. L. and Jameson, J.L. (Eds) Harrison’s Principles of Internal Medicine, New York: McGraw-Hill. Huberman, B. (2005). â€Å"National Teen Pregnancy Prevention Month (NTPPM) Planning Guidebook.† Retrieved on December 9, 2007, from Advocates of Youth Web site. Ontario’s Maternal, Newborn and Early Child Development Resource Centre and the Sex Information and Education Council of Canada (2007). â€Å"Update report on Teen pregnancy prevention.† Retrieved on December 9, 2007, from OMNECD Web site: SHPPS (2006). â€Å"Pregnancy Prevention.† Retrieved on December 9, 2007, from SHPPS Web site. Weiss, D. (2006). â€Å"Reducing Teenage Pregnancy.† Retrieved on December 9, 2007, from Planned Parenthood Web site: http://www.plannedparenthood.org/news-articles-press/politics-policy-issues/teen-pregnancy-sex-education/teenage-pregnancy-6240.htm