Challenges That Cathay Pacific Airways Faces

Challenges that Cathay Pacific Airways faces With the integration of Dragonair into Cathay Pacific Airways in 2006, its influence over the domain of aviation has extensively elevated. From 2006 to 2007, the turnover of Cathay Pacific Airways has raised from HK$60,793 million to HK$ 75,364 million with a percentage increase of 24. 0% . Nevertheless, there are internal and external challenges existing as obstacles to its future development, such as labour conflicts, global financial crisis, high capital cost and emergence of low-cost airlines,.In this essay, the latter two issues with be examined at length in terms of causes, effects and possible solutions. According to Mr. James Tien Pei-Chun, the chairman of Hong Kong Tourism Board, the rising oil prices increase the capital cost of global aviation industry, triggering difficulties in operation . In the first-half of 2008, the average price of aviation fuel that Cathay Pacific Airways paid was 60% higher than that in the first-half o f 2007 . It is patent that the high capital cost is predominately attributed from perpetual high-priced air fuel which detrimentally influences Cathay Pacific Airways on the whole.On 2nd July 2008, a profit warning announcement was submitted by Cathay Pacific Airways to Hong Kong Exchanges and Clearing Limited. It stated that high-priced aviation fuel posing a ‘significant and adverse’ impact on financial performance of Cathay Pacific Airways. Effective strategies of reduce the usage and wastage of fuels are urgent and prominent to offset the impact of high-priced oil for the interest of survival of business. To increase cost effectiveness in the short-run, Cathay Pacific Airways has newly adopted redeployment on flights according to capacity.Owing to the significant demand, 8 flights are provided to Australia in addition and bigger aircrafts were used for 14 European countries. Besides, the number of flights of appreciable revenue potential to the Middle East like Duba i and Bahrain is increased by 4 per week, whereas 10 flights to North American are cut down. For sustainable and profit-maximizing development, targeted solutions of considerably reducing the wastage of fuel in the long-run are of paramount importance. It is worth noting that the weight of aircrafts determines the amount of fuel consumption.Therefore, another initiative is to reduce the weight of aircrafts by technological improvement on designs. For examples, minimizing protrusions around the aircraft fuselage, enhancing the design of air conditioning air-in-takes and installing large lightweight wing fairings. Cumulatively, higher wing efficiency and smoother airflow are resulted. Stripping the paint of aircrafts is also a direct way to reduce the weight . In the light of CSR report 2006 of Cathay Pacific Airways, it is expected to save 2,730 tonnes of fuel each year approximately.In addition to the weight of aircrafts, air traffic congestion and regional air traffic control restr ictions provoke a substantial wastage of fuel which is 12% of total fuel consumption . In order to improve the air traffic control system, Cathay Pacific Airways work collaboratively with other airline companies and regulatory agencies to strive for opening of flexible entry or exit points into Russian and Chinese airspace and adoption of flexible, fuel-optimized flight paths according to wind variability.According to the expectation of Cathay Pacific Airways, an estimated 32,000 tonnes of fuel can be saved each year. Consequently, the capital cost can be reduced. Apart from these, a number of low-cost airlines have emerged in recent years such as Hong Kong Express and Hong Kong Airlines . Facing the threat of new competitors, Cathay Pacific Airways emphasized the high-quality service with well-trained employees and introduced various strategies to attract customers.To enhance the service standard, it provides new arrival lounge at the Hong Kong International Airport with high-quali ty catering service, well-equipped shower suites computers with Internet access. Meanwhile, in order to attract customers to travel during current economic downturn, ‘World Pass’ with flight discount and a variety of choices on destinations is offered. Apart from these, special fares to senior citizens with a discount of 25% are offered to the elderly .Not only would this help to attract customers, this improves the image of Cathay Pacific in terms of Corporate Social Responsibility which plays a fundamental role in retaining loyal customers. Building a lifelong and friendly relationship with customers is beneficial to maintain stable market share.. To conclude, it is obvious that the fast-changing external environment with numerous unknown factors poses threats to the growth of Cathay Pacific Airways.High capital cost caused by high-priced aviation fuel and entry of low-cost airlines in the market are expected to be the major challenges faced by Cathay Pacific Airways in foreseeable future which lead to far-reaching influence on the revenue. Among those solutions stated, alliance with other airline companies to technically improve the design of aircrafts and monitor the air traffic system as well as developing lifelong relationship with customers are the most effective strategies to address the problems in the long-term. (786 words) References:

Why Marijuana Should Be Illegal

Tyler Wyrick Ms. Russo English 165. 25W 11 May 2010 E1 Why Marijuana should be Illegal In society today, many people are looking for a feeling of freedom. Some go on vacation and spend money while others look to drugs. The sense of high that results from using marijuana acts as an escape from the stresses of everyday life. As a result, a tremendous number of Americans participate in the illicit use of marijuana. Our American society is facing a tremendous drug problem that will increase exponentially by the legalization of this drug.Marijuana should be illegal because it will cause an increase in drug users and drug related crimes, the short term and long term effects of marijuana on the body, and the effect it will have on the country. One of the consequences of legalization would be a tremendous increase in marijuana users. Right now with the use of illicit drugs comes the fear of law enforcement agents and punishment causes individuals to be too scared to try marijuana. However, i f weed become legalized, the fear becomes nonexistent and the number of users skyrockets.Legalized marijuana provides an ease of access to the drug, which in turn, promotes an increase in sales and use. An increase in marijuana use will also result in an increase in drug related crimes. Supporters of the legalization of weed believe that crime and violence would decrease if the drug is legal. Statistics show that forty percent of those arrested for committing a crime tested positive for the use of drugs at the time of their arrest. Making drugs more readily available could potentially propel more individuals into a life of crime and violence.Many marijuana users turn to crime to pay for their habit. They are stimulated by drugs and therefore act violently. Sold legally, marijuana will become easy for users to buy it around the corner, which would increase the already existing problem of crime. It is mentioned by Forbes that every year drug lords make billions of dollars from marijua na business, and those promoting legalization believe it will wipe out their major sources of funds. Drug use is a matter of supply and demand. As long as demand exists, someone is going to supply it either legally or illegally.Supporters of legalization believe that if the government regulates drugs such as marijuana by imposing taxes, then the black market will be eliminated. Not many users can afford to buy high priced drugs such as marijuana. As a result, people will be forced to go to drug gangs who sell marijuana under the market price. In addition, children and teenagers will obviously be banned from purchasing marijuana, just as they are prohibited from buying beer and liquor. Nevertheless, there will be drug pushers who will continue to encourage the youth and try to get them hooked to marijuana.Hence, legalization of marijuana will encourage a growing criminal black market. Marijuana is also very bad for ones overall health. Persistent use will damage lungs and airways and raise the risk of cancer. There is just as much exposure to cancer-causing chemicals from smoking one marijuana joint as smoking five tobacco cigarettes. There is evidence that marijuana may limit the ability of the immune system to fight infection and disease. This drug also causes severe side effects to the brain and body.Smoking marijuana can cause a person to lose their memory. Marijuana also has many short-term psychological and physical effects. These reactions usually last for three to five hours after a person has smoked marijuana. The psychological reaction, known as a high, consists of changes in the user’s feelings and thoughts. Mainly THC causes such changes. Many people usually smoke marijuana in cigarettes or pipes, but it also can be mixed with food and beverages. The concentration of the marijuana can affect how a person reacts to using the drug.The effects of a marijuana high vary from person to person and from one time to another in the same individual. In most cases, the high consists of a dreamy relaxed state in which users seem more aware of their senses and feel that time is moving slowly. Sometimes however, marijuana produces a feeling of panic and dread. The different reactions result partly from the concentration of THC in the marijuana. Other factors such as the setting in which marijuana is used, the user’s expectations, personality, and mood also affect a person’s reaction to the drug.Long-term effects of marijuana are not completely known, but studies have shown that some people who have used marijuana regularly for several months or longer have developed serious long-term problems. Among males, marijuana use can reduce the production of sperm and the male sex hormone testosterone. Among females, marijuana can cause menstrual irregularity and reduced fertility. Extended use of marijuana also has a long-term psychological effect on many people. These individuals lose interest in everything. They become unmotiva ted and detached. Another impact on health is that marijuana is a gateway drug.People that smoke marijuana for the first time feel that bringing themselves to actually try pot is the hardest part. Once an individual’s nerves are now calm about trying marijuana, they will now find that trying harder drugs won’t be as difficult to think about. Once their attitude on drug use is changed people will not hesitate to experiment with new harder drugs just as they did with marijuana. The Center on Addiction and Substance Abuse at Columbia University found adolescents who smoke pot 85 times more likely to use cocaine than their non–pot smoking peers. 0 percent of young people who use marijuana before they turn 15 later go on to use cocaine. A user of marijuana will eventually want to feel a new or better high causing them to resort to drugs that have much more of a negative effect on the body. Not all drug users will immediately begin using heroin, but once they are taki ng drugs it is very difficult for them to quit. For some, it will begin with simple painkillers and then possibly cocaine. With each step further into the world of drugs the user will find it harder to return. The high becomes an escape from reality.It becomes a release from the pressures of everyday life. With time, the period between highs becomes shortened due to the inability for users to face daily tasks. Soon, they become addicts living for the next high. Why? Because marijuana, a â€Å"harmless, organic drug,† opened the door to more possibilities. Next, legalization is neither a reasonable nor rational policy for this country. One of the biggest concerns about the legalization argument is the mixed message it sends to our young people. The legalization will imply a nonjudgmental attitude about drugs.The public’s attitude must change toward drugs and focus on prevention and treatment of drug abuse while maintaining the laws that make the drugs illegal. By focusi ng time and resources on the dangers of marijuana use, we are setting ourselves up for a better society as a whole. Reducing societal acceptance of weed use would allow Americans to raise a generation that could make a healthy contribution to the country. Then, the thought of job opportunities could be an issue. Think about the hundreds of thousands of others who are daily and heroically involved in the continuous war on drugs.Police officers, who are constantly meeting their quota by busting marijuana related crimes, would now have to sit back and watch the future of America get high on the streets hoping they wont continue on in to the drug world. Marijuana is illegal for many reasons. Most of the people that are pro-legalization will not use it for medical use or are at all interested in this nations economy. The ugly truth is that most want it legal merely because they want to use it. The drug problem America faces now would severely increase if marijuana were legalized.Health b ills would go up due to medical issues involving weed, drug related crimes would increase, and legalizing the drug would change America’s attitude on drugs completely and open the door to drugs far worse than weed. The war on drugs would just be getting started.

What is interior design Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

What is interior design - Essay Example The designer can embark on projects that comprise assembling the simple design of spaces within the house and projects that necessitate the understanding of practical concerns. They usually work in conjunction with architectural corporations. Interior design comprises two categories including residential interior design, which involves the interior of private homes, and commercial interior design that involves industrial facilities and retail (Asensio 1997, p. 6). Interior designer often assist with relevant information. They often offer the best settlement of appliances for the  maximum effective  utility of the kitchen.   They are supportive in adorning and fashioning a definite environment for living (Nielson 2005, p. 10).  They can work on projects ranging from an open-air sensation  of a beach household to a soft lodge in the woods environment (Gibbs 2005, p. 12). In contrast, architecture involves the design a building, the engineering background and process, setting out the outer and interior walls coupled with dimensions as well as the plans that the construction team can follow in the process of constructing the house (Gibbs 2005, p. 24). Interior designer often create the expression of the interior of the household or offices. They usually choose things that mirror the owner’s personality within a definite budget.   In interior design, awareness of the trending styles, product accessibility, and colour trends are significant yet they may not be of importance in architecture (Interior Design Educators Council 1993, p. 73). Architects draw the strategies and produce the plans for the building itself while overseeing its construction.  Architecture embroils further structural, physics mathematical knowledge, while interior design involves is focused on space planning and articulation but both are guided by the building codes, drawing, and documentation (Interior Design Educators Council 1993, p. 45). Architects

Wal-Mart Case Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 1

Wal-Mart - Case Study Example People are supposed to be able to relax themselves and properly feed their bodies during the lunch break. â€Å"Lunch is really important for us to have a recharge of energy and just take a break† (Luckerson, 2012). The premise of Wal-Mart’s management that women are not interested in managerial positions is completely false. Women have the same goals and desires as men of moving up the corporate ladder. Unfortunately at Wal-Mart its corporate culture suffers from the glass ceiling effect. â€Å"The popular notion of glass ceiling effects implies that gender disadvantages are stronger at the top of the hierarchy than at lower levels and that these disadvantages become worse later in a persons career† (Cotter, Hermsen, Ovadia, Vanneman, 2001). Women at Wal-Mart are viewed as second class citizens that do not have the same opportunity for career growth as men. Women were systematically discriminated by Wal-Mart. Female workers accounted for 65% of the workforce, but only 33% of managerial positions. The company has not been able to truly take advantage of the virtues of diversity because of its discriminating stance against women. The position of Wal-Mart of not offering health care coverage up to par with the benefits other employees receive in the industry can be considered an ethical issue due to the fact that Wal-Mart is not attending the health needs of its workers. Wal-Mart has been hiding behind the excuse that it offers some health care coverage to part-time employees which many companies don’t to justify their extremely poorly designed health care benefit coverage. The reason that Wal-Mart’s medical plan is so poor is because Wal-Mart has been looking for everyway to save money on medical coverage for its employees. Wal-Mart pays $3,500 yearly on health coverage per employee which is over 40% lower than the industry standard. I do not think that Wal-Mart should be concerned with unionization of stores based on what occurred in the

Trends in Healthcare Services Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Trends in Healthcare Services - Essay Example rs such as (HMO, PPO, EPO & POS) accomplish the tasks of increasing outpatient care, reducing administrative costs, eliminating the complicated procedures and claims forms and minimize the unnecessary tests. This is done by reviewing needs of every patient before the treatment, needing a second opinion prior to allowing doctors to manage care, providing the authorization prior to hospitalization and administering before approval of services to be performed by the specialists. On the positive side, the managed care plan sponsors have added incentive of emphasizing procedures of preventive maintenance that helps patients to avoid serious health expenses and problems in future. For instance, through these plans patients can typically get checkups and physicals at very low rate or free that helps in detecting and preventing several long-term complications. Managed health care plans have managed to effectively displace the traditional fee-for-service insurance plans (Inc,

Novel analysis. The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins Essay

Novel analysis. The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins - Essay Example This molded an indication of the novel at the back of the biographer`s mind. Moreover, she used the ‘Theseus’, a Greek fairytale as the foundation for the story she had to inscribe. In relation to this myth, Collins gave a description of Katniss as a revolutionary Theseus. In addition, it has been revealed that the Roman ‘gladiatorial’ Games provided the framework. Another influence for the story, came because of the sense of loss she developed majorly through her father`s service in Vietnam war; this is linked to the story since; she also lost her daddy at a tender age also. According to studies, the hunger games are a science creative writing novel transcribed by Suzanne Collins in 2008; the story was written in an opinion of a 16-year-old Katniss, who rendering to the storywriter, exists in ‘Panem’, ‘a post-apocalypltic’ state. This is where according history; North American countries were once thought to have existed; it is know n that the capital of the nation is a highly metropolis area, which practices political control over the whole nation. Studies show, that the hunger games are majorly annual events, where a boy and a girl aged around fifteen years drawn from each of the 12 districts around the capital, get selected through a lottery; the youth contest in an encounter that ends up to demise. The ‘hunger games’ was issued originally on September 14 in 2008 and later released in softcover and as an ‘audiobook’, as well as an ‘eBook’. Studies show that after the release of about two hundred thousand print copies, the book sold rapidly and by early 2010, the book had already sold about eight hundred thousand copies. The book has been translated into about twenty-seven languages since its release and having sold in forty territories the publishing rights. The design (plot) of the game Studies show that, the hunger games takes palace in Panem, a nation established in North America following the obliteration of the North America continent’s civilization through unrecognized apocalyptic events. It is found that, the nation is comprised of a wealthy capital including twelve poorer districts, which history shows, they are united through firm control of the capital. The volume instigates in the twelfth region; this region is found in the expanse, rich in petroleum and previously recognized as ‘Appalachia’ (Collins 10). The story is constructed on the realism of the past revolt; thus, as retribution related to the past rebellion against the control capital, and where the thirteenth district got destroyed. It starts with, one boy and a girl who age about fifteen or seventeen, selected from every district through an annual lottery and they are to participate in the hunger games. This is an event where the selected participants fight to death in an alfresco amphitheater, which is under the capital’s control and this goes on unt il there remains only one individual at the end of the event. The story is recounted through a girl from the twelfth region who is about sixteen years. She is a helper who partakes in the seventy-forth ‘hunger games’ yearly occasion. Peeta is a virile contestant who was chosen from the same twelfth district and he is a anterior faculty buddy of Katniss. In the course of the time when Katniss kinfolk was famished, Peeta gave her a bread from the household`s bakery. It is recorded that Katniss and Peeta were taken to the capital to be instructed by their mentor, Abernathy, who won the fiftieth hunger games. The instructor is also set to determine the strengths and the possible faults of other participants, which will help a great deal in understanding the role played

Single sex education Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

Single sex education - Research Paper Example Apparently, single sex education is advocated in most of the culture with regard to tradition and religion as a practice witnessed in various parts of the world. Numerous studies have shown that single-sex schools or single- sex classes have greatly influenced the participation of students both quantitatively and qualitatively. In essence, there is increased student performance, and general educational performance. Of importance to note is that, most of these schools have boarding facilities where the students are confided for a specific period of time (Bracey, 2007). For instance, until the nineteenth century, education in the United States of America was a single sex affair. In fact, boys attended school while the girls followed later to merge. This meant that the presence of girls in the already existing school would have a great impact on tempering to rough behavior of the boys. However, that same behavior is what would later lead to the separation of classrooms during the learni ng process after it was confirmed that it was not easy for learning to take place when both genders were put together (Brueningsen & Benedict, 2013). This debate brought with it four camps that were used to expound more on the unproven single –sex teaching. The first camp comprised of those who believed that coeducation was the best. Groups such as AAUW and the Feminist Majority Foundation, over and above, other individual researchers argued that if girls were not comfortable in the coeducation system, then it was only practical to reform it.

Critically discuss the positive and negative effects which 'The Essay

Critically discuss the positive and negative effects which 'The Private Life of Henry VIII had upon the British film industry of - Essay Example Quotas and Quickies in British Film Industry Hollywood has begun to overrule all other filming industries around the world, making the competition of international and local cinemas rise. In England, 1930’s â€Å"were turbulent years† for the British filming industry, as the import of Hollywood films became more popular than the locally produced films (Aldred, 1996.). As an action from the government, a legislation was passed ordering all movie houses to showcase British products. Although it was a good act to make, the unexpected result happened as the mediocre, low-budget British films were made so as to fulfill the legislation and avoid any legal impediments. The Cinematograph Film Act of 1927, instead of successfully addressing the problems of British movie’s audience share, produced a line of â€Å"quota quickies† or movies made for the sake of following the legislation. In other words, a large number of British movies of that time period were based o n quantity, not quality and consequently failed to reach the minimum profit of each movie shown. This Act of Parliament, although considered a failure, brought British film making into a more active state compared to the period before the law was enacted (Richards, 2001, p. 57). The Film Act of 1927 became known throughout Europe, and some countries like Germany did the same legislation in order to enhance their own locally-produced films (Richards, 2001, p. 59). Quota quickies were born out of the legislation from the Parliament to enhance the production of British films, and not to bombard the cinemas with mediocre outputs. Realizing the inability and less use of the Cinematograph Films Act of 1927 to the proliferation of quality British films, another Act of Parliament was made to amend the flaws of the previous legislation. Cinematograph Films Act of 1938 ordered the raise of British film quotas from 5 per cent to 15 per cent and required all British films to be worthy of passin g the international standards, thus, debunking the typical perception of the British movies in the 1930’s. Following the decline of the U.S. market on the period of the Great Depression, local movie producers were given the â€Å"space [to create] new and unusual films† (Ashby & Higson, 2000, p. 57). This also served as the first manifestation of the American presence in the British-made films. Metro Goldwyn Mayer (MGM), an American film production company was the first one to make British-inspired films, which were huge successes for both British and American audience. Consequently, America’s great depression forced American producers to seek refuge in the British lands. British setting is not unusual for the American audience, with the British history as mandatory subject in schools. According to Reynolds (n.d.), the appreciation of British-set movies by American movie goers stems from the interest of the Americans of â€Å"British traditions and institutions especially of the class system† (cited in Ashby & Higson, 2000, p. 58). Ashby and Higson’s (2000) claim about the class system as marketable topics in

Part1_ interpreting curriculum doc & their use. Part2_using Curriculum Assignment

Part1_ interpreting curriculum doc & their use. Part2_using Curriculum doc& school knowledge.Part3_Explaing&justifying your curriculum plan - Assignment Example given scenario of early childhood curricula of making a seesaw on a twin tree, both the learning intentions and class experiences chosen by the teacher were on point. In the teaching and learning process, it is advisable that teachers should start from known concepts to unknown concepts. This means that the teacher should start teaching the learners right from prior knowledge the learners know before introducing them to new knowledge and experiences (Early Years Learning Framework (EYLF), 2014). This is exactly what the teacher did; he wanted the learners to apply the skills they have on playground seesaws and make their own from natural materials outside the school playground. Thus, the learners just transferred the knowledge and skills they use on playground seesaw to make another seesaw. These experiences promoted the spirit of creativity and confidence in the learners; the two are vital components of the learning process. The learning outcomes are the real results that emerge from the learning process, on the other hand, the learning principles are the guideline that guides teachers to provide an effective learning (Susan, 2004). Indeed the learning outcomes were appropriate to the learning experiences since the learners started to develop a sense of autonomy and inter-dependence. EYLF, (2014) states that autonomy helps learners to work with little assistance from the teacher on the other hand inter-dependence aids in sharing their ideas of one another hence, collective teaching. The two skills lead to faster learning unlike where the learners are over-dependent on the teacher. However, for these skills to develop fully, the teacher should have used various scenarios that would expose these learners to a variety of experiences. The curriculum designer should be more practical than being theoretical during the learning process (EYLF, 2014). Young learners need to be exposed to learning experiences that are more practical in nature for them to understand

An Ethical Dilemma Essay Example for Free

An Ethical Dilemma Essay There exists a strong link between the way and pace of life in a society and eating habits of the individuals. No matter how diverse and sophisticated the cuisine of a certain culture might be, todays hyper moving tempo necessitates cheaper and faster food. That is where the fast food sector steps in, saving the day. At first glance, they appear to be life savers with their affordable menus. However, when we take a closer look and observe the long-term effects of fast food on individuals, we are faced with health problems such as obesity and heart diseases. Nevertheless, fast food firms also do a very good job in marketing their products to carefully targeted audiences, especially children. This paper will focus on the case of McDonalds and argue how ethical it is for them to advertise for children directly, examining the issue from the perspective of social responsibility. The spread of McDonalds in other parts of the world creates mixed feelings in some countries, and people even claim that the McDonalds and the distorted image of Americanization is harmful for their culture and societies. This opinion is especially valid in Europe, but surprisingly McDonalds is welcome in Asia. What is a common reaction in all countries hosting McDonalds, including its homeland America, is the attitude taken towards the effects of McDonalds on eating habits and the following negative consequences. There are plenty of fast food advertisements in North America and this industry has especially become a part of the life of families with children. Starting from very little ages, children are used to eating this good-tasting, well-marketed and fun menus which usually come along with a toy for free; and their tastes and eating habits are influenced. Even though fast food companies have started to offer â€Å"light† menus and food with less fat and calories, they do not offer the best menus for children. They continue the habit of eating fast food as they go into adolescence and adulthood, and become another candidate for an obese person with various diseases resulting from being overweight. â€Å"Overweight children do tend to become obese adults, putting themselves at a much greater risk, and at a much earlier age, for chronic illnesses such as diabetes and cardiovascular disease† (Dalton, 2004, p. 2). One out of three children in the United States is either overweight or at serious risk of becoming so. The number of overweight children ages six to nineteen has tripled within three decades; the rate of overweight preschool children is nearly as great. The accelerating rate indicates that the current generation of children will grow into the most obese generation of adults in history. (Dalton, 2004, p. 2) Although parents are aware that food sold at McDonalds is not very healthy, they are misled by the fact that it is affordable and makes their children happy. What is more, some parents do not have very healthy eating habits either; so one should not be surprised in seeing their children liking McDonalds menus. Moreover, it is not easy to resist the tempting advertisements. â€Å"Some might say that no one is forcing parents to buy these products or foods for their children. But, these ads position the products as must haves. Even if their parents do not buy them the products, children are influenced† (How to Prevent Childhood Obesity. com, 2009). â€Å"Experts name Ray Kroc, founder of McDonalds franchise and Walt Disney as the pioneers of child-focused marketing, since they first recognized children as a separate marketing demographic from adults in the 1960s† (Veracity, D. , 2008). Today, we cannot help but wonder how the managers of McDonalds feel about the harsh criticisms that the company gets for advertising and promoting unhealthy food for children. From a business point of view, the company has done a great job since it was founded by Ray Kroc in 1955, generated enormous profits and even became a better known brand than Coca-Cola (Veracity, D. , 2008). Competition in the fast food sector is harsh, so McDonalds heavily invests in high quality advertisements aimed at targeting the right audience, using celebrities and partnerships with other brands, or cartoon characters in their campaigns if possible. They build playgrounds in their stores, which serve as a socializing place for children to meet other kids and have fun. McDonalds not only influences American children and families, but also exports its food, image and advertisements to the rest of the world. They have opened branches in almost all parts of the world, and keep expanding despite the economic recession. They are â€Å"optimistic about business prospects in China and plan to open about 500 stores in the country in three years† (Yan, F. Li, H. , 2009). This gives an important hint about the tastes and habits of the growing generation of children and it is not difficult to foresee that the global influence of McDonalds will intensify in the coming years, despite all criticisms that it is unethical to promote unhealthy food to children. How ethical is the advertising strategy of McDonalds really? Are the managers of McDonalds actually guilty, or is everyone being too harsh and oversensitive? Even though it is normal for a company to hold its own rights and benefits before everything, if it is as influential and global as McDonalds, it also has some moral and ethical responsibilities and should consider the social consequences of its actions as well as making profits and opening new stores. One of the most important causes of childhood obesity is lack of exercise, so it might not be totally fair to blame McDonalds and other fast food chains for obese children. On the one hand, the McDonalds culture heavily contributes in a bad way to developing irregular eating habits. But on the other hand, they cannot be the only ones to blame, as children and their parents are increasingly becoming computer and TV addicts, engaging in very little physical activity. When coupled with fast food consumption, health problems become inescapable. What is the solution to this moral problem then? It is obvious that a company this successful will not quit this business or abandon its strategy. However, McDon can at least modify its advertising approach slightly and recommend doing exercises as the underlying message after having a good McDonalds meal. They can include famous sportsmen in their advertisements and encourage children to engage in sports. They can give out toys associated with sports brands, even organize sports competitions for children with awards, sponsored by major brands like Nike or Adidas. These are just a few suggestions, and there is no doubt that professionals designing McDonalds marketing strategy can work wonders with this idea if they want to. This way, children can learn to associate the consumption of fast food with exercise in their minds and be convinced that they must be physically active in order to burn those calories taken at McDonald and be healthy. In conclusion, if McDonalds and other fast food chains would alter their advertisement campaigns so as to include the theme of more exercise and sports, they would have been more socially responsible. This way, even though they do not sell the most healthy meals, their customers, especially children would know that they have to pay a price for eating a high calorie and high fat meal by doing more exercise. They would also associate fast food meals with the energy and dynamism of sports, which also makes individuals happy. Therefore, this can be a very good formula for McDonalds to keep its happy customers all over the world and appease an angry crowd of protesters who argue that McDonalds advertisements are unethical. References Dalton, S. (2004). Our Overweight Children: What Parents, Schools, and Communities Can Do to Control the Fatness Epidemic. Berkeley, CA: University of California Press. Should there be Ethical Issues with Fast Food Companies Advertising to Children?How to Prevent Childhood Obesity. com. Retrieved March 25, 2009, from http://www. howtopreventchildhoodobesity. com/ethicalissues- fastfoodadvertisements. html Veracity, D. (2008, July 13). Americas Fast Food Giants Perfect the Art of Selling Junk Food to Children. Organic Consumers Association. Retrieved March 25, 2009, from http://www. organicconsumers. org/articles/article_1092. cfm Yan, F. Li, H. (2009, February 18). McDonalds eye 500 stores in China in 3 years. Reuters. Retrieved March 25, 2009, from http://www. reuters. com/article/ousiv/idUSTRE51H13F20090218

Development of Television in Developing Countries

Development of Television in Developing Countries Research context The growth of television in the developing world over the last two decades has been extraordinary. Television was invented in the early 1900’s and was made commercially available in the 1920’s. Early television was in black and white and was broadcast via analogsignal, butadvance developments are such that now television is very much a personalized form of entertainment. Television now can broadcast a range of programming which is diverse in nature and taken from all around the globe. McLuhan coined the idiom â€Å"a global village† referring to the diversity of the world into becoming one village with the same thoughts and values. And this is what television has caused. Programming can make what is not a normal item in single country into something that is normal. It can change attitudes and values of a people. It can make one specific program from one country into the most wanted program in another country. Television itself has become all powerful as a medium of communication to the world. It turned the world into a global village. Television makes the unusual become something normal. Certain things cease to be unique or amazing. It can make change one society’s attitude, whether it be good or bad. It can make that same society become similar in its materialistic values to another. It makes the world similar and eradicates the differences, which in itself can be good as well as bad. Good in that we can understand each other better but bad, in that we lose those differences that make a culture unique. And different cultures are what make all of us unique. While television was first introduced to India in 1959, for the first three decades almost all broadcasting was in the hands of the state, and the content was primarily focused towards news or information about economic development. According to (Victoria L farmer: 256) national television system in more homogeneous societies the cultural link between programming and its audience was not clear because Indian government monopoly was predicated on its use to promote socio-economic development. Instead of television naturally reflecting a relatively homogenous national culture, Indian programming was specifically designed to create such an identity. In addition India’s sheer size meant that most of its citizens only received transmissions from within India. The most significant innovation in terms of both content and viewership was the introduction of satellite television in the early 1990s. And since television is often watched with family and friends by those without a television or cable, the growth in actual access or exposure to cable is likely to have been even more dramatic. A number of unintended consequences arose from justifying the construction of India’s television network on the basis of television’s potential for promoting ‘development’. The satellite instructional television experiment (SITE) of 1975-6 did show that some gains could be made through provision of information on topics such as new agricultural practices and basic health care. However, these gains proved to be of very limited scope (Victoria L farmer: 258-259). Broadcast of the Asiad in 1982 was the first Indian broadcast in colour-proved to be a phenomenally popular within India, a fact that did not go unnoticed by the former minis ter of information and broadcasting, Indira Gandhi (Victoria L farmer depicting the nation:265). In 1983 Doordarshan begin with commercially sponsored serials; it was a strategic decision to broadcast appealing, popular programming in order to build broad audience for effective political communication. The first hum log a drama with a family planning message begun arising in 1984. The expansion of Doordarshan reach and programming in early 1980s coupled with the advent of commercial sponsorship created a nexus linking state control of television for electoral ends with the commercial pursuit of profit through advertising (Victoria L farmer: 266). A second major consequence of Doordarshan programming in the 1980s was the erosion of the credibility of its news programming, through blatant use of the medium for publicizing congress party leaders and initiatives. This became particularly severe in the period preceding the 1989 elections, when the conspicuous use of news broadcasts for electioneering earned for Doordarshan the derisive sobriquet ‘Rajiv Darshan’ (Victoria L farmer depicting the nation: 268). Besides that the program offerings on cable television are quite different than government programming. The most popular shows tend to be game shows and soap operas. These shows are based around the issues of family and gender. The introduction of television appears in general to have had large effects on Indian societies. This is particularly the case for gender, since this is an area where the lives of rural and slum peoples differ greatly from those depicted in television programmings. By virtue of the fact that the most popular Indian serials take place in urban settings, character depicted on these shows are typically much more emancipated than rural and slum peoples. Further, in many cases there is access to Western television, where these behaviors differ even more markedly from India. There is also a broader literature on the effects of television exposure on social and demographic outcomes in other countries. For example, Pace (1993) describes the effect of television introduction in Brazil on a small, isolated, Amazon community, arguing that the introduction of television changed the framework of social interactions, increased general world knowledge and changed peoples perceptions about the status of their village in the wider world. Kottak (1990) reports on similar data from isolated areas in Brazil, and argues that the introduction of television affects (among other things) views on gender, moving individuals in these areas towards having more liberal views on the role of women in both the workplace and in relationships. And closely related to one of our outcomes, Chong, Duryea and La Ferrara (2007) report declines in fertility in Brazil in response to access to telenovelas; they also find changes in naming patterns of children, with the names of main characters featured on these programs increasing in popularity. The change has been even more dramatic in India. In the span of just 10-15 years since it first became available, cable or satellite penetration has reached an astonishing percentage in the Bhopal. These years represent a time of rapid growth in urban slum television access. Beyond providing entertainment, television vastly increases both the availability of information about the outside world and exposure to other ways of life. This is especially true for remote, rural villages, where several ethnographic and anthropological studies have suggested that television is the primary channel through which households get information about life outside their village (Mankekar, 1993, 1998; Fernandes, 2000; Johnson, 2001; Scrase, 2002). Most popular cable programming features urban settings where lifestyles differ in prominent and salient ways from those in rural areas. For example, many characters on popular soap operas are more educated, marry later and have smaller families. Many female characters work outside the home, sometimes as professionals, running businesses or in other positions of authority. All things rarely found in rural areas. Anthropological accounts suggest that the growth of TV in rural areas has had large effects on a wide range of day-to-day lifestyle behaviors. (Johnson, 2001). Yet there have been few qualitative studies on the influences of television access may have had on social and demographic outcomes of rural and slum areas. Therefore, in this paper we explore the introduction of television in urban slums areas of Bhopal on a particular set of values, behaviors and attitudes towards various television programmings. Although issues of slum development are important throughout the India, they are particularly salient in Bhopal and even their conditions are significantly worse. By exposing slum households to urban attitudes and values, television may lead to improvements in their status. It is this possibility that we explore in this paper.

Energy Fundamentals :: Environment Environmental Essays

Energy Fundamentals There are many different views, properties, values, and interests for different types of energy. In viewing energy in terms of commodity we focus on supply and demand. Also the price of energy is an important factor. Commodity is used by current buyers and sellers in deciding what type of energy to use. As an ecological resource depletability, environmental impact , and resource issues are the properties of energy. The choice of future sustainability and frugality are also values by those who view energy as an ecological resource. Market bystanders and future generations are most interested in viewing energy in this way. When viewed as a social necessity availability and distribution are the important properties of energy. Equity is valued most when energy is viewed as a social necessity. The poor, and under funded public services seek to benefit from this view point of energy the most. Finally, energy as a â€Å"strategic material† is the last view on energy that we have discussed in class. The properties of this energy view are geopolitics and foreign energy. Security is the main concern, and energy buyers and suppliers are mostly concerned with this view of energy. Nuclear energy is a form of energy that is created through the reaction and exchange of electrons. It is stored in the nuclei of atoms and released either through fission (spliting atoms) or fusion (joining atoms). Elector magnetic energy is concerned with the wavelengths of waves such as converting gamma rays to radio waves. There are also many different forms of energy conversions. (1/25/02 lecture). There is chemical to thermal. an example of this is fire. Chemical to electromagnetic, an example of which is a candle. Conversion from chemical to electrical in which a battery is an example.

Hip Hops Effect on American Culture Essay -- Rap Music and Pop Cultur

Hip hop has permeated popular culture in an unprecedented fashion. Because of its crossover appeal, it is a great unifier of diverse populations. Although created by black youth on the streets, hip hop's influence has become well received by a number of different races in this country. A large number of the rap and hip hop audience is non-black. It has gone from the fringes, to the suburbs, and into the corporate boardrooms. Because it has become the fastest growing music genre in the U.S., companies and corporate giants have used its appeal to capitalize on it. Although critics of rap music and hip hop seem to be fixated on the messages of sex, violence, and harsh language, this genre offers a new paradigm of what can be (Lewis, 1998.) The potential of this art form to mend ethnic relations is substantial. Hip hop has challenged the system in ways that have unified individuals across a rich ethnic spectrum. This art form was once considered a fad has kept going strong for more than three decades. Generations consisting of Blacks, Whites, Latinos, and Asians have grown up immersed in hip-hop. Hip hop represents a realignment of America?s cultural aesthetics. Rap songs deliver a message, again and again, to keep it real. It has influenced young people of all races to search for excitement, artistic fulfillment, and a sense of identity by exploring the black underclass (Foreman, 2002). Though it is music, many people do not realize that it is much more than that. Hip hop is a form of art and culture, style, and language, and extension of commerce, and for many, a natural means of living. The purpose of this paper is to examine hip hop and its effect on American culture. Different aspects of hip hop will also be examined to shed some light that helps readers to what hip hop actually is. In order to see hip hop as a cultural influence we need to take a look at its history. Throughout American history there has always been some form of verbal acrobatics or jousting involving rhymes within the Afro-American community. Signifying, testifying, shining of the Titanic, the Dozens, school yard rhymes, prison ?jail house? rhymes and double Dutch jump rope rhymes, are some of the names and ways that various forms of raps have manifested. Modern day rap music finds its immediate roots in the toasting and dub talk over elements of reggae music (George, 1998).... ... 3. Fernando, S.H., (1994). The New Beats. New York: Anchor Books Doubleday. 4. Foreman, (2002). The Hood Comes First: Race, Space, and Place in Rap and Hip hop. Middletown, Conn.: Wesleyan University Press. 5. Rose, Patricia (1991, Summer). ?Fear of a Black Planet: Rap Music and Black Cultural Politics in the 1990s,?. The Journal of Negro Education, 60 (3). 6. Potter, (1996, Jan.). ?Black by Popular Demand,? Premiere, 9, 39. 7. Kakutani, (1998, Feb.) ?Common Threads: Why Are Homeboys and Surbanites Wearing Each Other?s Clothes The New York Times Magazine, 18. 8. Lewis, (1998, Dec.). ?Hip Hop Gives Birth to Its Own Black Economy,? The San Francisco Examiner. , 1998. 9. Hilburn, Robert (1998). Year in Review/ Pop Music; in the shadow of Hip Hop; Rap is Where the Action is, and its Popularity Still Hasn?t Peaked. Could Rock ?N? Roll Be Finally Dead The Los Angeles Times, December 27, 1998, 6. 10. Chideya, Farai (1997, Mar. 4). ?All Eyez on US Time, 147 (10). 11. Farley, C. (1996, Feb. 8). ?Hip Hop Nation Time, 153. 12. Hip Hop Nation Is Exhibit A For America?s Latest Cultural Revolution, (2004), Time, 201.

To Hell With Dying as an Autobiography Essays -- Hell With Dying Essay

To Hell With Dying as an Autobiography  Ã‚     Ã‚  Ã‚   When reading fiction, one can begin to wonder how much of a gap there is between the story the narrator is telling and the actual events that occurred to make the author decide to write the story. In Alice Walker’s "To Hell With Dying," one could say that this story is basically auto- biographical. Although some people may have thought that "To Hell With Dying" was completely fiction, evidence from the story and other sources suggest otherwise. The love the narrator feels towards Mr. Sweet parallels with actual events that took place in Alice Walker’s life. In the preface of Donna Haisty Winchell’s book Alice Walker, it is revealed that Alice Walker was "blinded in one eye at age eight by a careless shot from a brother’s BB gun" (ix). The shot left a scar that bothered Walker immensely. Winchell also writes that because of the BB shot wound Walker was "feeling ugly and outcast" (ix). This description of Walker’s accident creates the image of a young girl who has no feeling of self worth. In the story, however, Mr. Sweet is very fond of the narrator. He used to call her "his princess," and "he made [her feel] simply outrageously devastating at the blazing age of eight and a half" (1144). Perhaps this description of how Mr. Sweet makes the narrator feel pretty symbolizes the way Alice Walker felt about Mr. Sweet in real life. Alice Walker was eight when she got shot with the BB gun, and the narrator is eight and a half when Mr. Sweet is telling her how pretty she is. Although Alice Walker only has vague memories of th e real Mr. Sweet, she does remember that he never stopped talking about the things that upset him. Mr. Sweet’s talking and singing made Walker feel good. In Walker... ...e an artist as well. Walker explains in Alice Walker. "The love happened, and that is the essence of the story" (qtd. in Winchell, 12). Walker wrote "To Hell With Dying" in order to thank Mr. Sweet for what he contributed to her life. Winchell acknowledges that "the story is her [Walker’s] wish that she could have returned the favor" (13). Works Cited Walker, Alice. "Remembering Mr. Sweet." The Harper Anthology of Fiction. Ed. Sylvan Barnet. New York: HarperCollins, 1991. Walker, Alice. "To Hell With Dying." The Harper Anthology of Fiction. Ed. Sylvan Barnet. New York: HarperCollins Publishers, 1991. Winchell, Donna Haisty. Alice Walker. New York: Twayne Publishers, 1992. Works Consulted Short Story Criticisms. Vol. 5. Detroit: Gale Publishers, 1990. Contemporary Literary Criticisms. Vols. 46, 58. Detroit: Gale Publishers, 1990.      

Best cost allocation method Essay

SQ3R – Survey Question Read Recite Review SQ3R will help you build a framework to understand your reading assignment and it helps us to extract useful information from the text. The reading text is about the unfair headquarters’ overhead cost allocation method of Korea insurance company. There are concerns towards the system by a manager. And that lead to reduce on net income of branches. Jin Kim is trying to develop more efficient systems. The reading text is about the headquarters’ cost allocation method of Korea insurance Co. Inc. Jin Kim, manager of the company, accused that the costing systems is inefficient as it leads to decrease in incremental cost inappropriately and discourages employees to reach the common goal of maximizing profit. It is claimed that the heavy regulations towards the insurance industry by government, put pressure on many financial companies. As a result, many of them tended to adopt least controversial cost allocation policy without considering managerial problems in detail. Jim Kim implemented several policies to generate higher return and less cost, yet there is still room for development of a better system. 1. What is the headquarters’ cost allocation method? 2. What are the concerns of the branch manager? 3. Why is the change of cost systems necessary? 4. How should the cost systems be adjusted? 5. Any difficulties encountered when implementing new system? 6. Who is/are the stakeholder(s)? 7. What criterion does the current system use to allocate overhead costs to branches? Why? 8. How does this effect branches? 1- Exhibit 1 illustrates the cost structure of Korea Auto Insurance Co. Inc. Direct costs accounted for about 60 per cent of total costs while indirect costs accounted for about 40 per cent of total costs. Direct costs consisted of both operating costs (48 per cent) and admin†¦.. 2- Kim, however, realized that expansion of the branch might penalize him and branch employees by not only incurring direct costs at the branch level but also by the branch being allocated a large amount of the headquarters’ overhead costs, resulting in lower net income. 3- Paragraph of ‘IT team’,’ Operating supporting team’ and so on. The reading text is about the headquarters’ cost allocation method of Korea insurance Co. Inc. Jin Kim, manager of the company, accused that the costing systems is unfair as it leads to decrease in incremental income and thus discourages employees to reach the common goal of maximizing profit. It is claimed that the heavy regulations and over-protection towards the insurance industry by government, put pressure on many financial companies. As a result, many of them tended to adopt least controversial cost allocation policy without considering managerial problems in detail. Jim Kim believed that there should be improvement for the costing system.

Are Professional Athletes and Actors Overpaid Essay

In this essay I will explore a much debated topic in this country pertaining to the undeniable fact that professional actors and athletes overwhelmingly get paid much higher than the average American. As any highly debated topic, there are always arguments and viewpoints from both sides of the spectrum. Like many Americans, for entertainment I thoroughly enjoy watching both film and professional sporting events. Even though, I have always maintained a firm stance that many in these professions are simply overpaid. I believe once you have read my research and analysis on this topic, you as well will agree from a sociological, economical and even ethical perspective that they are grossly overpaid. Proponents of the film industry or â€Å"Hollywood† and the pro-sporting industry would contend that they are simply providing for a demand. These two industries do provide for Americans some of the most enjoyed and popular forms of entertainment in our society today. These industries not only provide earnings to the actors and athletes but also provide jobs to many other Americans as well. Like any successful industry, those who provide the primary service to that industry will in turn be rewarded appropriately for their contributions to its success. Both actors and pro-athletes would argue that attaining their current level of success was not easy as these jobs are very competitive. Also, there are many times huge expectations to perform and stress that come with the job and the celebrity status. Some pro-athletes such as football players, would also argue that after they retire, their physical condition has declined much earlier in life due to years of physical trauma and injury and performing in other jobs post-career is many times difficult.  As I wrote earlier, there are arguments from both sides of the spectrum. Let’s begin to analyze from the other viewpoint not ignoring the other side’s arguments and include some of the fundamental and sociological reasons of our need and demand for entertainment. Looking back to the era of the â€Å"Roaring 20’s† in which America was enjoying a period of sustained economic prosperity, the average American could at a higher level afford to enjoy  different forms of entertainment than previously. This ushered in a new era and cultural dynamic which emphasized organized sports, theatre, and f ilm. Since this era, America has seen economic depression, recession and crisis, but has still remained the wealthiest country in the world. Due to this, the entertainment culture that was created roughly 100 years ago still exists today, and the demand for it continues to grow. Each year more and new gaming devices, games, videos, movies, and television shows are released. Likewise the costs of these products and devices continues to go up. The unfortunate side to this is that it has created a more sedentary lifestyle and culture of everyday America, and in turn attributing to issues as obesity amongst both children and adults. Regardless, we have developed and created this culture with the associated increased demand for this form of entertainment, and the industry is nothing more than happy to oblige us in providing it. In a study conducted by USA TODAY and Statista of top paid Hollywood actors, it found that Robert Downey Jr. earned over $75 million in a one year timeframe from June 2012-June 2013. Much of his earnings were a result of his roles in both â€Å"The Avengers† and â€Å"Ironman 3,† with â₠¬Å"The Avengers† alone grossing $1.51 billion in box office sales making it the highest grossing movie of 2012 worldwide. Liam Neeson who was ranked as the 10th top earner, grossed over $32 million in the same timeframe. According to the Daily News, Samuel L. Jackson is titled with being the highest grossing actor of all time with earnings of $7.42 billion throughout his film career. Floyd Mayweather Jr. who is a pro-boxer has earned a total of $90 million in 2013 from winnings alone, making him the top pro-athlete earner according to Sports Illustrated. Mayweather has achieved such a high status that it is common for him to have a guaranteed win-or-lose purse of around 30 million per fight. Pro-basketball player Lebron James who is at number two in the rankings, earned over $17 million in salary and a staggering $39 million in endorsements alone for 2013. The list goes on and on with astronomical numbers that get higher and higher each year in passing. There is essentially a fundamental question that is raised in regards to all of this, â€Å"What individual is simply worth that much?† The services provided by these individuals is simply for entertainment alone. What is provided  does not contribute to the functionality or betterment of our society. There was a time when acting or professional sports were a second job in which an individual would perform due to their love for the sport or art. After all, a sport is something that is played for enjoyment by the rest of us because it is enjoyable. They get paid millions while the rest of us do it for fun. Being the die-hard Green Bay Packer fan that I am, I scream and yell and root for my team as hard as or harder than the other fans. When my team loses or Aaron Rodgers has a bad game I can find myself feeling down and upset. Some fans feel as if their whole day or week is ruined if their favorite team loses. I think it is they that always have the last laugh. At the end of the day he or she is disappointed but regardless they’re still making millions. When Mayweather has a bad fight, he still takes home his $30 million. In a way we are all pawns in their game, and we are always the losers. As we look at wealth distribution in the U.S., many of these actors and athletes fall into the wealthiest 10% of Americans. According to James M. Henslin in Essentials of Sociology, 70% of our nation’s wealth is owned by this top 10%. To break this down even more, the top one percent owns 1/3 of all U.S. assets. The average per capita income in the U.S. is only $42,000 per year (194). The other 90% who is the fan base that provides the majority of the income of these actors and athletes, are seeing this income gap continue to widen. Even with the recent recession in our economy, the rich as a whole statistically remain unaffected. The rich get richer and the poor get poorer. The strong middle class that once was the backbone of our economy is slowly diminishing and sliding to the left. This middle class are the firefighters, police officers, and service members who protect and serve our communities and country. They are the structure of society who provide strength and functio nality and who ultimately serve to the betterment of us all. There is much debate on how wealth should be distributed. A capitalist society has proven for the U.S. to be effective and be partially credited with building the foundation of all of the wealth and creating the richest country in the world. Completely socialist societies have proven in history to be a failure. Typically there is a Darwin Effect of â€Å"Survival of the Fittest† which dominates. There obviously  needs to be some middle ground here, but finding a solution is difficult. In this case of actors and athletes, I believe us as the consumer and their supporters have the power to control this huge inequality and disparity by saying, â€Å"Enough is enough!† and demand that some rationale come into play. Paying these individuals this much money is simply ridiculous in my opinion. Fundamentally we as a society should give value to those professions which serve us in a way that promotes a more sustainable society. Works Cited Fortunate 50: Sports Illustrated 13 Apr 2014. WEB Henslin, James. Essentials of Sociology: A Down to Earth Approach. Edwardsville: Southern Illinois University. Print. Seventh Edition. Maitland, Sashana, Samuel L. Jackson named highest-grossing actor, DAILY NEWS 25 Oct 2011, WEB, 13 Apr 14 Maria Puente, Robert Downey Jr. is highest-paid actor, USA TODAY 13 Apr 2014, WEB, Jul 2013 Best-paid Hollywood actors of 2012/2013, Statista 13 Apr 2014, WEB

General Security Policy

Sample Information Security Policy I. POLICY A. It is the policy of ORGANIZATION XYZ that information, as defined hereinafter, in all its forms–written, spoken, recorded electronically or printed–will be protected from accidental or intentional unauthorized modification, destruction or disclosure throughout its life cycle. This protection includes an appropriate level of security over the equipment and software used to process, store, and transmit that information. B. All policies and procedures must be documented and made available to individuals responsible for their implementation and compliance. All activities identified by the policies and procedures must also be documented. All the documentation, which may be in electronic form, must be retained for at least 6 (six) years after initial creation, or, pertaining to policies and procedures, after changes are made. All documentation must be periodically reviewed for appropriateness and currency, a period of time to be determined by each entity within ORGANIZATION XYZ. C. At each entity and/or department level, additional policies, standards and procedures will be developed detailing the implementation of this policy and set of standards, and addressing any additional information systems functionality in such entity and/or department. All departmental policies must be consistent with this policy. All systems implemented after the effective date of these policies are expected to comply with the provisions of this policy where possible. Existing systems are expected to be brought into compliance where possible and as soon as practical. II. SCOPE A. The scope of information security includes the protection of the confidentiality, integrity and availability of information. B. The framework for managing information security in this policy applies to all ORGANIZATION XYZ entities and workers, and other Involved Persons and all Involved Systems throughout ORGANIZATION XYZ as defined below in INFORMATION SECURITY DEFINITIONS. C. This policy and all standards apply to all protected health information and other classes of protected information in any form as defined below in INFORMATION CLASSIFICATION. III. RISK MANAGEMENT A. A thorough analysis of all ORGANIZATION XYZ information networks and systems will be conducted on a periodic basis to document the threats and vulnerabilities to stored and transmitted information. The analysis will examine the types of threats – internal or external, natural or manmade, electronic and non-electronic– that affect the ability to manage the information resource. The analysis will also document the existing vulnerabilities within each entity which potentially expose the information resource to the threats. Finally, the analysis will also include an evaluation of the information assets and the technology associated with its collection, storage, dissemination and protection. From the combination of threats, vulnerabilities, and asset values, an estimate of the risks to the confidentiality, integrity and availability of the information will be determined. The frequency of the risk analysis will be determined at the entity level. B. Based on the periodic assessment, measures will be implemented that reduce the impact of the threats by reducing the amount and scope of the vulnerabilities. IV. INFORMATION SECURITY DEFINITIONS Affiliated Covered Entities: Legally separate, but affiliated, covered entities which choose to designate themselves as a single covered entity for purposes of HIPAA. Availability: Data or information is accessible and usable upon demand by an authorized person. Confidentiality: Data or information is not made available or disclosed to unauthorized persons or processes. HIPAA: The Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act, a federal law passed in 1996 that affects the healthcare and insurance industries. A key goal of the HIPAA regulations is to protect the privacy and confidentiality of protected health information by setting and enforcing standards. Integrity: Data or information has not been altered or destroyed in an unauthorized manner. Involved Persons: Every worker at ORGANIZATION XYZ — no matter what their status. This includes physicians, residents, students, employees, contractors, consultants, temporaries, volunteers, interns, etc. Involved Systems: All computer equipment and network systems that are operated within the ORGANIZATION XYZ environment. This includes all platforms (operating systems), all computer sizes (personal digital assistants, desktops, mainframes, etc. ), and all applications and data (whether developed in-house or licensed from third parties) contained on those systems. Protected Health Information (PHI): PHI is health information, including demographic information, created or received by the ORGANIZATION XYZ entities which relates to the past, present, or future physical or mental health or condition of an individual; the provision of health care to an individual; or the past, present, or future payment for the provision of health care to an individual and that identifies or can be used to identify the individual. Risk: The probability of a loss of confidentiality, integrity, or availability of information resources. V. INFORMATION SECURITY RESPONSIBILITIES A. Information Security Officer: The Information Security Officer (ISO) for each entity is responsible for working with user management, owners, custodians, and users to develop and implement prudent security policies, procedures, and controls, subject to the approval of ORGANIZATION XYZ. Specific responsibilities include: 1. Ensuring security policies, procedures, and standards are in place and adhered to by entity. 2. Providing basic security support for all systems and users. 3. Advising owners in the identification and classification of computer resources. See Section VI Information Classification. 4. Advising systems development and application owners in the implementation of security controls for information on systems, from the point of system design, through testing and production implementation. 5. Educating custodian and user management with comprehensive information about security controls affecting system users and application systems. 6. Providing on-going employee security education. 7. Performing security audits. 8. Reporting regularly to the ORGANIZATION XYZ Oversight Committee on entity’s status with regard to information security. B. Information Owner: The owner of a collection of information is usually the manager responsible for the creation of that information or the primary user of that information. This role often corresponds with the management of an organizational unit. In this context, ownership does not signify proprietary interest, and ownership may be shared. The owner may delegate ownership responsibilities to another individual by completing the ORGANIZATION XYZ Information Owner Delegation Form. The owner of information has the responsibility for: 1. Knowing the information for which she/he is responsible. 2. Determining a data retention period for the information, relying on advice from the Legal Department. 3. Ensuring appropriate procedures are in effect to protect the integrity, confidentiality, and availability of the information used or created within the unit. 4. Authorizing access and assigning custodianship. 5. Specifying controls and communicating the control requirements to the custodian and users of the information. 6. Reporting promptly to the ISO the loss or misuse of ORGANIZATION XYZ information. 7. Initiating corrective actions when problems are identified. 8. Promoting employee education and awareness by utilizing programs approved by the ISO, where appropriate. 9. Following existing approval processes within the respective organizational unit for the selection, budgeting, purchase, and implementation of any computer system/software to manage information. C. Custodian: The custodian of information is generally responsible for the processing and storage of the information. The custodian is responsible for the administration of controls as specified by the owner. Responsibilities may include: 1. Providing and/or recommending physical safeguards. 2. Providing and/or recommending procedural safeguards. 3. Administering access to information. 4. Releasing information as authorized by the Information Owner and/or the Information Privacy/ Security Officer for use and disclosure using procedures that protect the privacy of the information. 5. Evaluating the cost effectiveness of controls. 6. Maintaining information security policies, procedures and standards as appropriate and in consultation with the ISO. 7. Promoting employee education and awareness by utilizing programs approved by the ISO, where appropriate. 8. Reporting promptly to the ISO the loss or misuse of ORGANIZATION XYZ information. 9. Identifying and responding to security incidents and initiating appropriate actions when problems are identified. D. User Management: ORGANIZATION XYZ management who supervise users as defined below. User management is responsible for overseeing their employees' use of information, including: 1. Reviewing and approving all requests for their employees access authorizations. . Initiating security change requests to keep employees' security record current with their positions and job functions. 3. Promptly informing appropriate parties of employee terminations and transfers, in accordance with local entity termination procedures. 4. Revoking physical access to terminated employees, i. e. , confiscating keys, changing combination locks, etc. 5. Providing employees with the opportunity for training needed to properly use the computer systems. 6. Reporting promptly to the ISO the loss or misuse of ORGANIZATION XYZ information. 7. Initiating corrective actions when problems are identified. 8. Following existing approval processes within their respective organization for the selection, budgeting, purchase, and implementation of any computer system/software to manage information. E. User: The user is any person who has been authorized to read, enter, or update information. A user of information is expected to: 1. Access information only in support of their authorized job responsibilities. 2. Comply with Information Security Policies and Standards and with all controls established by the owner and custodian. 3. Refer all disclosures of PHI (1) outside of ORGANIZATION XYZ and (2) within ORGANIZATION XYZ, other than for treatment, payment, or health care operations, to the applicable entity’s Medical/Health Information Management Department. In certain circumstances, the Medical/Health Information Management Department policies may specifically delegate the disclosure process to other departments. (For additional information, see ORGANIZATION XYZ Privacy/Confidentiality of Protected Health Information (PHI) Policy. ) 4. Keep personal authentication devices (e. g. passwords, SecureCards, PINs, etc. confidential. 5. Report promptly to the ISO the loss or misuse of ORGANIZATION XYZ information. 6. Initiate corrective actions when problems are identified. VI. INFORMATION CLASSIFICATION Classification is used to promote proper controls for safeguarding the confidentiality of information. Regardless of classification the integrity and accuracy of all classifications of information must be pr otected. The classification assigned and the related controls applied are dependent on the sensitivity of the information. Information must be classified according to the most sensitive detail it includes. Information recorded in several formats (e. g. , source document, electronic record, report) must have the same classification regardless of format. The following levels are to be used when classifying information: A. Protected Health Information (PHI) 1. PHI is information, whether oral or recorded in any form or medium, that: a. is created or received by a healthcare provider, health plan, public health authority, employer, life insurer, school or university or health clearinghouse; and b. relates to past, present or future physical or mental ealth or condition of an individual, the provision of health care to an individual, or the past present or future payment for the provision of health care to an individual; and c. includes demographic data, that permits identification of the individual or could reasonably be used to identify the individual. 2. Unauthorized or improper disclosure, modification, or destruction of this information could violate state and federal laws, result in c ivil and criminal penalties, and cause serious damage to ORGANIZATION XYZ and its patients or research interests. B. Confidential Information 1. Confidential Information is very important and highly sensitive material that is not classified as PHI. This information is private or otherwise sensitive in nature and must be restricted to those with a legitimate business need for access. Examples of Confidential Information may include: personnel information, key financial information, proprietary information of commercial research sponsors, system access passwords and information file encryption keys. 2. Unauthorized disclosure of this information to people without a business need for access may violate laws and regulations, or may cause significant problems for ORGANIZATION XYZ, its customers, or its business partners. Decisions about the provision of access to this information must always be cleared through the information owner. C. Internal Information 1. Internal Information is intended for unrestricted use within ORGANIZATION XYZ, and in some cases within affiliated organizations such as ORGANIZATION XYZ business partners. This type of information is already idely-distributed within ORGANIZATION XYZ, or it could be so distributed within the organization without advance permission from the information owner. Examples of Internal Information may include: personnel directories, internal policies and procedures, most internal electronic mail messages. 2. Any information not explicitly classified as PHI, Confidential or Public will, by default, be classified as Internal Information. 3. Unauthorized disclosure of this information to outsiders may not be appropriate due to legal or contractual provisions. D. Public Information 1. Public Information has been specifically approved for public release by a designated authority within each entity of ORGANIZATION XYZ. Examples of Public Information may include marketing brochures and material posted to ORGANIZATION XYZ entity internet web pages. 2. This information may be disclosed outside of ORGANIZATION XYZ. VII. COMPUTER AND INFORMATION CONTROL All involved systems and information are assets of ORGANIZATION XYZ and are expected to be protected from misuse, unauthorized manipulation, and destruction. These protection measures may be physical and/or software based. A. Ownership of Software: All computer software developed by ORGANIZATION XYZ employees or contract personnel on behalf of ORGANIZATION XYZ or licensed for ORGANIZATION XYZ use is the property of ORGANIZATION XYZ and must not be copied for use at home or any other location, unless otherwise specified by the license agreement. B. Installed Software: All software packages that reside on computers and networks within ORGANIZATION XYZ must comply with applicable licensing agreements and restrictions and must comply with ORGANIZATION XYZ acquisition of software policies. C. Virus Protection: Virus checking systems approved by the Information Security Officer and Information Services must be deployed using a multi-layered approach (desktops, servers, gateways, etc. ) that ensures all electronic files are appropriately scanned for viruses. Users are not authorized to turn off or disable virus checking systems. D. Access Controls: Physical and electronic access to PHI, Confidential and Internal information and computing resources is controlled. To ensure appropriate levels of access by internal workers, a variety of security measures will be instituted as recommended by the Information Security Officer and approved by ORGANIZATION XYZ. Mechanisms to control access to PHI, Confidential and Internal information include (but are not limited to) the following methods: 1. Authorization: Access will be granted on a â€Å"need to know† basis and must be authorized by the immediate supervisor and application owner with the assistance of the ISO. Any of the following methods are acceptable for providing access under this policy: . Context-based access: Access control based on the context of a transaction (as opposed to being based on attributes of the initiator or target). The â€Å"external† factors might include time of day, location of the user, strength of user authentication, etc. b. Role-based access: An alternative to traditional access control models (e. g. , discretionary or non-discretionary access control po licies) that permits the specification and enforcement of enterprise-specific security policies in a way that maps more naturally to an organization’s structure and business activities. Each user is assigned to one or more predefined roles, each of which has been assigned the various privileges needed to perform that role. c. User-based access: A security mechanism used to grant users of a system access based upon the identity of the user. 2. Identification/Authentication: Unique user identification (user id) and authentication is required for all systems that maintain or access PHI, Confidential and/or Internal Information. Users will be held accountable for all actions performed on the system with their user id. a. At least one of the following authentication methods must be implemented: 1. strictly controlled passwords (Attachment 1 – Password Control Standards), 2. biometric identification, and/or 3. tokens in conjunction with a PIN. b. The user must secure his/her authentication control (e. g. password, token) such that it is known only to that user and possibly a designated security manager. c. An automatic timeout re-authentication must be required after a certain period of no activity (maximum 15 minutes). d. The user must log off or secure the system when leaving it. 3. Data Integrity: ORGANIZATION XYZ must be able to provide corroboration that PHI, Confidential, and Internal Information has not been altered or destroyed in an unauthorized manner. Listed below are some methods that support data integrity: a. transaction audit b. disk redundancy (RAID) c. ECC (Error Correcting Memory) d. checksums (file integrity) e. encryption of data in storage f. digital signatures 4. Transmission Security: Technical security mechanisms must be put in place to guard against unauthorized access to data that is transmitted over a communications network, including wireless networks. The following features must be implemented: a. integrity controls and b. encryption, where deemed appropriate 5. Remote Access: Access into ORGANIZATION XYZ network from outside will be granted using ORGANIZATION XYZ approved devices and pathways on an individual user and application basis. All other network access options are strictly prohibited. Further, PHI, Confidential and/or Internal Information that is stored or accessed remotely must maintain the same level of protections as information stored and accessed within the ORGANIZATION XYZ network. 6. Physical Access: Access to areas in which information processing is carried out must be restricted to only appropriately authorized individuals. The following physical controls must be in place: a. Mainframe computer systems must be installed in an access-controlled area. The area in and around the computer facility must afford protection against fire, water damage, and other environmental hazards such as power outages and extreme temperature situations. b. File servers containing PHI, Confidential and/or Internal Information must be installed in a secure area to prevent theft, destruction, or access by unauthorized individuals. . Workstations or personal computers (PC) must be secured against use by unauthorized individuals. Local procedures and standards must be developed on secure and appropriate workstation use and physical safeguards which must include procedures that will: 1. Position workstations to minimize unauthorized viewing of protected health information. 2. Grant workst ation access only to those who need it in order to perform their job function. 3. Establish workstation location criteria to eliminate or minimize the possibility of unauthorized access to protected health information. 4. Employ physical safeguards as determined by risk analysis, such as locating workstations in controlled access areas or installing covers or enclosures to preclude passerby access to PHI. 5. Use automatic screen savers with passwords to protect unattended machines. d. Facility access controls must be implemented to limit physical access to electronic information systems and the facilities in which they are housed, while ensuring that properly authorized access is allowed. Local policies and procedures must be developed to address the following facility access control requirements: 1. Contingency Operations – Documented procedures that allow facility access in support of restoration of lost data under the disaster recovery plan and emergency mode operations plan in the event of an emergency. 2. Facility Security Plan – Documented policies and procedures to safeguard the facility and the equipment therein from unauthorized physical access, tampering, and theft. 3. Access Control and Validation – Documented procedures to control and validate a person’s access to facilities based on their role or function, including visitor control, and control of access to software programs for testing and revision. . Maintenance records – Documented policies and procedures to document repairs and modifications to the physical components of the facility which are related to security (for example, hardware, walls, doors, and locks). 7. Emergency Access: a. Each entity is required to establish a mechanism to provide emergency access to systems and ap plications in the event that the assigned custodian or owner is unavailable during an emergency. b. Procedures must be documented to address: 1. Authorization, 2. Implementation, and 3. Revocation E. Equipment and Media Controls: The disposal of information must ensure the continued protection of PHI, Confidential and Internal Information. Each entity must develop and implement policies and procedures that govern the receipt and removal of hardware and electronic media that contain PHI into and out of a facility, and the movement of these items within the facility. The following specification must be addressed: 1. Information Disposal / Media Re-Use of: a. Hard copy (paper and microfilm/fiche) b. Magnetic media (floppy disks, hard drives, zip disks, etc. ) and c. CD ROM Disks 2. Accountability: Each entity must maintain a record of the movements of hardware and electronic media and any person responsible therefore. 3. Data backup and Storage: When needed, create a retrievable, exact copy of electronic PHI before movement of equipment. F. Other Media Controls: 1. PHI and Confidential Information stored on external media (diskettes, cd-roms, portable storage, memory sticks, etc. ) must be protected from theft and unauthorized access. Such media must be appropriately labeled so as to identify it as PHI or Confidential Information. Further, external media containing PHI and Confidential Information must never be left unattended in unsecured areas. 2. PHI and Confidential Information must never be stored on mobile computing devices (laptops, personal digital assistants (PDA), smart phones, tablet PC’s, etc. ) unless the devices have the following minimum security requirements implemented: a. Power-on passwords b. Auto logoff or screen saver with password c. Encryption of stored data or other acceptable safeguards approved by Information Security Officer Further, mobile computing devices must never be left unattended in unsecured areas. . If PHI or Confidential Information is stored on external medium or mobile computing devices and there is a breach of confidentiality as a result, then the owner of the medium/device will be held personally accountable and is subject to the terms and conditions of ORGANIZATION XYZ Information Security Policies and Confidentiality Statement signed as a condition of employme nt or affiliation with ORGANIZATION XYZ. H. Data Transfer/Printing: 1. Electronic Mass Data Transfers: Downloading and uploading PHI, Confidential, and Internal Information between systems must be strictly controlled. Requests for mass downloads of, or individual requests for, information for research purposes that include PHI must be approved through the Internal Review Board (IRB). All other mass downloads of information must be approved by the Application Owner and include only the minimum amount of information necessary to fulfill the request. Applicable Business Associate Agreements must be in place when transferring PHI to external entities (see ORGANIZATION XYZ policy B-2 entitled â€Å"Business Associates†). 2. Other Electronic Data Transfers and Printing: PHI, Confidential and Internal Information must be stored in a manner inaccessible to unauthorized individuals. PHI and Confidential information must not be downloaded, copied or printed indiscriminately or left unattended and open to compromise. PHI that is downloaded for educational purposes where possible should be de-identified before use. I. Oral Communications: ORGANIZATION XYZ staff should be aware of their surroundings when discussing PHI and Confidential Information. This includes the use of cellular telephones in public areas. ORGANIZATION XYZ staff should not discuss PHI or Confidential Information in public areas if the information can be overheard. Caution should be used when conducting conversations in: semi-private rooms, waiting rooms, corridors, elevators, stairwells, cafeterias, restaurants, or on public transportation. J. Audit Controls: Hardware, software, and/or procedural mechanisms that record and examine activity in information systems that contain or use PHI must be implemented. Further, procedures must be implemented to regularly review records of information system activity, such as audit logs, access reports, and security incident tracking reports. These reviews must be documented and maintained for six (6) years. K. Evaluation: ORGANIZATION XYZ requires that periodic technical and non-technical evaluations be performed in response to environmental or operational changes affecting the security of electronic PHI to ensure its continued protection. L. Contingency Plan: Controls must ensure that ORGANIZATION XYZ can recover from any damage to computer equipment or files within a reasonable period of time. Each entity is required to develop and maintain a plan for responding to a system emergency or other occurrence (for example, fire, vandalism, system failure and natural disaster) that damages systems that contain PHI, Confidential, or Internal Information. This will include developing policies and procedures to address the following: 1. Data Backup Plan: a. A data backup plan must be documented and routinely updated to create and maintain, for a specific period of time, retrievable exact copies of information. b. Backup data must be stored in an off-site location and protected from physical damage. . Backup data must be afforded the same level of protection as the original data. 2. Disaster Recovery Plan: A disaster recovery plan must be developed and documented which contains a process enabling the entity to restore any loss of data in the event of fire, vandalism, natural disaster, or system failure. 3. Emergency Mode Operation Plan: A plan must be developed and documented which c ontains a process enabling the entity to continue to operate in the event of fire, vandalism, natural disaster, or system failure. 4. Testing and Revision Procedures: Procedures should be developed and documented requiring periodic testing of written contingency plans to discover weaknesses and the subsequent process of revising the documentation, if necessary. 5. Applications and Data Criticality Analysis: The criticality of specific applications and data in support of other contingency plan components must be assessed and documented. Compliance [ § 164. 308(a)(1)(ii)(C)] A. The Information Security Policy applies to all users of ORGANIZATION XYZ information including: employees, medical staff, students, volunteers, and outside affiliates. Failure to comply with Information Security Policies and Standards by employees, medical staff, volunteers, and outside affiliates may result in disciplinary action up to and including dismissal in accordance with applicable ORGANIZATION XYZ procedures, or, in the case of outside affiliates, termination of the affiliation. Failure to comply with Information Security Policies and Standards by students may constitute grounds for corrective action in accordance with ORGANIZATION XYZ procedures. Further, penalties associated with state and federal laws may apply. B. Possible disciplinary/corrective action may be instituted for, but is not limited to, the following: 1. Unauthorized disclosure of PHI or Confidential Information as specified in Confidentiality Statement. 2. Unauthorized disclosure of a sign-on code (user id) or password. 3. Attempting to obtain a sign-on code or password that belongs to another person. 4. Using or attempting to use another person's sign-on code or password. 5. Unauthorized use of an authorized password to invade patient privacy by examining records or information for which there has been no request for review. . Installing or using unlicensed software on ORGANIZATION XYZ computers. 7. The intentional unauthorized destruction of ORGANIZATION XYZ information. 8. Attempting to get access to sign-on codes for purposes other than official business, including completing fraudulent documentation to gain access. — ATTACHMENT 1 — Password Control Standards The ORGANIZATION XYZ Information Security Policy requi res the use of strictly controlled passwords for accessing Protected Health Information (PHI), Confidential Information (CI) and Internal Information (II). See ORGANIZATION XYZ Information Security Policy for definition of these protected classes of information. ) Listed below are the minimum standards that must be implemented in order to ensure the effectiveness of password controls. Standards for accessing PHI, CI, II: Users are responsible for complying with the following password standards: 1. Passwords must never be shared with another person, unless the person is a designated security manager. 2. Every password must, where possible, be changed regularly – (between 45 and 90 days depending on the sensitivity of the information being accessed) 3. Passwords must, where possible, have a minimum length of six characters. 4. Passwords must never be saved when prompted by any application with the exception of central single sign-on (SSO) systems as approved by the ISO. This feature should be disabled in all applicable systems. 5. Passwords must not be programmed into a PC or recorded anywhere that someone may find and use them. 6. When creating a password, it is important not to use words that can be found in dictionaries or words that are easily guessed due to their association with the user (i. e. children’s names, pets’ names, birthdays, etc†¦). A combination of alpha and numeric characters are more difficult to guess. Where possible, system software must enforce the following password standards: 1. Passwords routed over a network must be encrypted. 2. Passwords must be entered in a non-display field. 3. System software must enforce the changing of passwords and the minimum length. 4. System software must disable the user identification code when more than three consecutive invalid passwords are given within a 15 minute timeframe. Lockout time must be set at a minimum of 30 minutes. 5. System software must maintain a history of previous passwords and prevent their reuse.

Chapter 3 the Marketing Environment

GENERAL CONTENT: Multiple-Choice Questions 1. The most commercially influential demographic group in history is _____. a. Generation X b. baby boomers c. Generation Y d. seniors e. infants (Answer: b; p. 70; Easy) 1. All of the groups within a company are called the _____. a. culture b. diversity c. internal environment d. climate e. range (Answer: c; p. 66; Moderate) 2. Which of the following do suppliers not provide marketers within your firm? a. Resources to produce products and services. b. Insight into trends and competitors. c. Partners in creating and delivering customer value. . The funding for your paychecks. e. B and C (Answer: d; p. 67; Moderate)3. Which of these firms help companies to stock and move goods from their points of origin to their destination? a. Financial intermediaries. b. Physical distribution firms. c. Marketing service firms. d. Resellers. e. Modified rebuyers. (Answer: b; p. 67; Easy) 4. Banks, credit companies, insurance companies, and other businesses that help finance transactions or insure against the risks associated with the buying and selling of goods and services are referred to as _____. a. financial intermediaries b. physical distribution firms c. arketing service agencies d. resellers e. wholesalers (Answer: a; p. 67; Moderate) 5. Percy Original caters to a market of individuals and households that buys goods and services for personal consumption. What do we call this market? a. Business. b. Reseller. c. Government. d. Consumer. e. Marketing intermediary. (Answer: d; p. 67; Easy) 6. What is the name of the market that buys goods and services for further processing or for use in the production process? a. Business. b. Reseller. c. Wholesale. d. Consumer. e. Retail. (Answer: a; p. 67; Easy) 7. Rachel Patino works for a wholesale company called Distributors Unlimited.She is responsible for buying and selling goods at a profit to small retailers. What is her market? a. Business. b. Reseller. c. Wholesale. d. Consumer. e. Ret ail. (Answer: b; p. 67; Moderate) 8. A company’s marketing environment includes various _____ that consists of any group that has an actual or potential interest in, or impact on, an organization’s ability to achieve its objectives. a. teams b. audiences c. markets d. publics e. intermediaries (Answer: d; p. 68; Moderate) 9. This type of public is a radio station that carries news, features, and editorial opinions about your area. What is it? a. Financial. b. Media. c. Citizen-action. . Local. e. Regional. (Answer: b; p. 68; Easy)10. A consumer organization, environmental group, or minority group have challenged your firm’s stand on a local issue. This is the _____ public. a. general b. local c. government d. citizen-action e. media (Answer: d; p. 68; Challenging) 11. Your marketing environment is currently researching the size, density, location, age, and occupations of your target market. What is this environment? a. Demographic. b. Psychographic. c. VALS. d. Geographic. e. Product use. (Answer: a; p. 69; Moderate) 12. Statisticians have projected the world’s population to reach _____ billion by the year 2030. . 6. 5 b. 6. 9 c. 7. 5 d. 7. 9 e. 8. 1 (Answer: e; p. 69; Easy) 13. The three largest age groups in America are the baby boomers, Generation X, and _____. a. seniors b. Generation Y c. teens d. toddlers e. infants (Answer: b; p. 70; Moderate) 14. You distribute coupons to every person in America. Sooner or later, you will reach all _____ million people in this country. a. 267 b. 277 c. 287 d. 296 e. 297 (Answer: d; p. 70; Easy)15. Research has shown that the most important demographic trend in the United States is the _____. a. changing age structure of the population b. mobility of people c. slowing birth rates d. ncrease in professional jobs e. aging population (Answer: a; p. 70; Moderate) 16. Some baby boomers are referred to as â€Å"DINKs. † What does this stand for? a. Dependable income, no-kids couple. b. Donâ €™t work, intelligent, no-kicks. c. Dual-income, no-kids couple. d. Doing it and not knowing. e. None of the above. (Answer: c; p. 70; Easy) 17. Baby boomers were born between the years 1946 and _____. a. 1954 b. 1960 c. 1964 d. 1970 e. 1980 (Answer: c; p. 70; Easy) 18. This demographic age group is approaching life with a new stability and reasonableness in the way they live, think, eat, and spend.They are _____. a. Generation X . Generation Y c. baby busters d. baby boomers e. teenagers (Answer: d; p. 71; Easy) 19. Which group includes urban professionals that likely prefer an apartment to a house in the suburbs? a. Generation X. b. Generation Y. c. Baby boomers. d. Baby busters. e. All of the above. (Answer: a; pp. 71–72; Easy) 20. This group shares new cultural concerns, cares about the environment, and responds favorably to socially responsible companies. Who are they? a. Generation X. b. Generation Y. c. Generation Z. d. Baby boomers. e. Teenagers. (Answer: a; p. 71 ; Challenging) 21. Who are the echo boomers? a. Generation X. b. Generation Y. c.Generation Z. d. Baby boomers. e. Baby busters. (Answer: b; p. 72; Moderate) 22. This group has created large kid and teen markets. Who are they? a. Generation X. b. Generation Y. c. Generation Z. d. Baby boomers. e. The Elderly. (Answer: b; p. 72; Easy) 23. Recently you read a marketing research report that mentioned _____ has (have) utter fluency and comfort with computer, digital, and Internet technology. a. Generation X b. Generation Y c. the elderly d. preschool children e. baby boomers (Answer: b; p. 72; Moderate) 24. Defining people by their birth date may be less effective than segmenting them by their _____ or _____. a. ncome; occupation b. lifestyle; occupation c. lifestyle; life stage d. occupation; life stage e. gender; sexual preference (Answer: c; p. 74; Challenging) 25. It is interesting to note that about _____ percent of American households contain married couples with children. a. 24 b . 28 c. 32 d. 34 e. 41 (Answer: d; p. 75; Moderate) 26. The three groups of baby boomers include leading, _____, and trailing. a. core b. general c. secondary d. central e. primary (Answer: a; p. 74; Moderate) 27. _____ households are now growing faster than _____ households. a. Traditional; nontraditional b. Large; traditional c. Nontraditional; smaller d.Nontraditional; traditional e. Male-dominant; female-dominant (Answer: d; p. 74; Moderate) 28. In 1950, women made up 30 percent of the workforce; now they make up _____. a. 35 percent b. 40 percent c. 43 percent d. 46 percent e. 60 percent (Answer: e; p. 74; Moderate) 29. Americans are very mobile. Over the past two decades, the U. S. population has shifted toward the _____ states. a. Midwest b. Western c. Sunbelt d. Southeastern e. New England (Answer: c; p. 75; Easy) 30. Within given regions, the population is moving from large cities to ______. a. farming communities b. rural areas c. foreign countries d. suburbs e. coastal to wns Answer: d; p. 75; Moderate) 31. Nearly 40 million Americans are working out of their homes with electronic conveniences. They are called the _____ market. a. telecommuters b. SOHO c. mobile d. work-at-home e. lazy (Answer: b; p. 75; Challenging) 32. Population shifts interest marketers because people in different regions _____ differently. a. eat b. think c. buy d. act e. all of the above (Answer: c; p. 75; Easy) 33. The Facts For You research firm has just released a report that one of these groups of workers has declined during the last 20 years. Which one is it? a. White collar. b. Blue collar. c. Service. d. Unemployed. e.Restaurant employees. (Answer: b; p. 76; Moderate) 34. Marketers need to know that almost everyone in this country is a native. Which country is it? a. China. b. Bolivia. c. Japan. d. Korea. e. The United States. (Answer: c; p. 76; Easy) 35. Because of increased _____, Americans will demand higher quality products, books, magazines, travel, personal compute rs, and Internet services. a. income b. family size c. education d. social class awareness e. none of the above (Answer: c; p. 76; Easy) 36. It is important for marketers to know that the _____ population growth is 12 times greater than the Caucasian growth rate. a. Hispanic b. minority . Asian d. African American e. Pacific Islander (Answer: b; p. 77; Challenging)37. Most large companies know they must now target specially designed _____ and _____ to ethnic groups in the United States. a. advertising; services b. services; promotions c. products; promotions d. services; labeling e. TV commercials; newspaper ads (Answer: c; p. 77; Moderate) 38. Which members of this group are more likely than the general population to have professional jobs, own a vacation home, own a notebook computer, and own individual stocks? a. Yuppies. b. Gays and lesbians. c. Baby boomers. d. Echo boomers. e. Environmentalists. (Answer: b; p. 7; Challenging) 39. This group of Americans totals 54 million. Who are they? a. Baby boomers. b. People born in American. c. People with disabilities. d. People with foreign-born parents. e. None of the above. (Answer: c; p. 78; Moderate) 40. The _____ environment consists of factors that affect consumer purchasing power and spending patterns. a. social-cultural b. political-legal c. technological d. economic e. natural (Answer: d; p. 79; Easy)41. Marketers would do well to take heed of the fact that this group is somewhat careful about its spending but can still afford the good life some of the time. Who are they? a. Lower class. . Lower-middle class. c. Middle class. d. Upper class. e. Lower-upper class. (Answer: c; pp. 78–79; Easy) 42. The group of expenses that use up most household income are _____. a. food, housing, retirement planning b. housing, insurance, taxes c. food, housing, transportation d. housing, taxes, transportation e. food, travel, electronics (Answer: c; p. 79; Moderate) 43. Ernst Engel’s laws generally have been supported by recent studies. He discovered that as family income rises, the percentage spent on _____ declines and the percentage spent on _____ remains about constant. a. food; clothing b. clothing; recreation/entertainment c. ood; transportation d. food; housing e. recreation/entertainment; retirement planning (Answer: d; p. 80; Challenging)44. One of the major concerns for marketers about the natural environment is the _____. a. number of protestors against misuse b. shortages of raw materials c. increases in recycling d. offshore oil exploration e. none of the above (Answer: b; p. 80; Easy) 45. The natural resources that are needed as inputs by marketers or that are affected by marketing activities are referred to as the _____. a. raw material market b. natural environment c. endangered environment d. green movement e. factors of production (Answer: b; p. 0; Easy) 46. As a marketer of pesticides, you should be concerned about all of the following natural environment trends ment ioned in your text except _____. a. shortages of raw materials b. increased pollution c. increased government intervention d. government subsidies e. increased acid rain (Answer: d; p. 81; Challenging) 47. What movement has spawned the marketer’s awareness of environmentally sustainable strategies? a. EPA. b. Black market. c. Green movement. d. Deregulation. e. Green intervention. (Answer: c; p. 81; Moderate) 48. Which of the following represents the most dramatic force shaping a marketer’s destiny? a.Technological environment. b. Natural environment. c. Legal-political environment. d. Deregulation. e. Partnership marketing. (Answer: a; p. 81; Easy) 49. New technologies create new opportunities and new _____. a. products b. services c. markets d. means of financing purchases e. headaches (Answer: c; p. 82; Moderate) 50. Which country leads the world in research and development spending? a. England. b. Germany. c. Sweden. d. Japan. e. The United States. (Answer: e; p. 8 4; Moderate) 51. Marketers are aware of laws, government agencies, and pressure groups that influence or limit various organizations and individuals in a given society.Not only are the baby boomers wealthier, which has likely influenced trends in the lake area, but the population is better educated that has allowed people to demand more from the market. (p. 70; Moderate) 162. Among some of the older patrons of The Landing was negative talk about Casey’s converting his business into a bar. What are two examples of social responsibility that Casey could embrace in an effort to offset that negativity? Casey could sponsor local ball teams, for example, or he could contribute to or help with the Witmer Lake Enhancement Committee. p. 85; Moderate) 163. What possible shifts in cultural values may once again impact Casey’s mission at The Landing? Casey will likely continue to track preferences of the baby boomers because this population group has been the primary driver of his business. As more baby boomers retire and age and choose to spend more time with grandchildren, life at the lake may again become a focal point in the baby boomers’ lives. (p. 87; Challenging) 164. What current characteristics of Casey’s business indicate that we have moved from a â€Å"me society† to a â€Å"we society†?The Landing is now merely surviving as a bar indicates that more people want to â€Å"be with others,† as the text indicates. (p. 88; Challenging) 165. What might allow Casey Brickly to now take a more proactive stance in responding to the marketing environment? Casey has owned The Landing for more than four decades; therefore, he may have a more innate sense of how to deal with his market. In addition, he understands who his primary customers have been; therefore, he could be able to better predict their preferences. (p. 90; Moderate)