Author: chris

Research Proposal

Introduction

The paper is a report of the challenges that are facing the Obama administration in their quest of war on terror in Afghanistan. The war, which started a few months after the September 11 2001 terrorist attack, has not stopped ever since. The key cause for the war however was the suspected harboring of the key suspect in the war, Osama Bin Laden, by the Afghan government. This also led to the removal of the Taliban government. The Taliban government however, was given a choice by America to either give up Osama or be attacked, they chose not to so they were attacked. The Taliban government dissolved then re-assembled and the war against them by America has been going on ever since. The US has been facing numerous challenges since the inception of the war and with clear thought and cooperation from the Afghans, a solution can be reached.

Problem Statement

Due to the problem stated above, there is need to find out if among the objectives of the American invasion on Afghanistan was to make sure the Taliban and the Al-Qaeda did not get shelter and protection in the country, and to ensure the Taliban did not overthrow the Afghan government. There is also the need to find out if the strategy being followed is one aimed at reducing the insurgency in Afghanistan to capacitate the Afghan government to build. The research shall also be concerned with the challenges faced by the US mostly inherent challenges that are characterized in a war torn state and if the high insurgency rate in the country is a challenge for the US. In addition, it will state if the insurgents get shelter from neighboring countries. The research shall also be aimed at finding out if there is a challenge of lack of sufficient funding for the war, and if this lack of funding came from the congresses reviewing of the budget downwards. The research shall also find out if the partners in the coalition have pulled their support and if this has resulted in a strain for the US government in terms of funding, military resources and personnel.

The research shall be also aimed at finding out if Pakistan, is aiding the insurgents, and if they are cooperating with the US. It shall also focus on the local forces on the ground in Afghanistan to find out if they have adequate resources and training and if they have the capacity to tackle the problem of insurgency. The research shall entirely be based on finding out if there shall be results from the war or shall the US government continue to use taxpayer money without results. The endangering of the lives of military personnel without good cause shall also be a topic of interest in the research. The research shall also attempt to find out if the American Government is facing internal wrangles over the war and if it has limited resources for the military.

Methodology

The main method to be used shall involve the use of state documents and scholarly articles that are published about the issue. These shall shed light on finding out if there are solutions that can be used. Another method shall be conducting of interviews with key agents of the government who can shed some credible light on the issue. This shall involve the collaboration with the press who shall have information on the issue including interviews that have already been done.

Conclusion

The research shall follow all the objectives and utilize available resources to achieve the final goal. The evaluation plan shall have good follow up procedures with formative evaluation that shall enable me to evaluate if the project is going according to plan.

Works Cited:

Knox, Olivier. “US lawmakers beat back Afghan war challenge after leaks.” News.theage.com. Web. 5 Feb 2010. This is a scholarly web article, which systematically examines the afghan war and how the congress is dealing with the issue. The article gives credible insights on the actions that the US government are willing to take to combat the insurgents in Afghanistan. On this research, it gives the information on the budget allocations and the reasons as discussed in the congress.

Whitehouse.gov. Homeland Security, 2010. Web. 5 Feb 2010.This is a scholarly web article, which provides a brief summary and outline of the whole operation going on in Afghanistan. It gives the information on how the issue is affecting America’s national security and what the public demands of the government concerning the issue. The article is used in the paper to state the public’s demands.

Gill, Moses. “Obama’s Strategy for Afghanistan and Pakistan, March 2009”. Cfr.org. Web. 5 Feb 2010.In addition, this scholarly web article provides a brief summary and outline on President Obama’s strategy concerning the war in Afghanistan. It includes talks and agreements that have transpired since he took over. In the paper, it is used to highlight the recommendations made and the new strategies to be laid down.

Hecktkopf, Kevin. “Obama’s Plan For Afghanistan And Pakistan”. cbsnews.com. Web. 5 Feb 2010.This web article is from a credible news agency that gives press statements and interviews with President Obama where he talks about the Afghanistan issue. It is used in the paper to give the recommendations suggested and to give the general plan and new course of action in the country.

 

Paragraph 1

Contrary to what some may believe, the population of a place does not determine its food production. Hunger is caused by poverty, inequality and lack of access to food and land. Though there has been an increase in the production of food, many poor people find it hard to buy the available food. Biotechnology is not the answer to the problem. If people are given equal opportunities to farm and produce food, the problem of hunger can be solved. Researchers and scientists have not conclusively established the safety of the genetically modified organisms and most companies, which are advocating for the use of these foods, only want to make a profit.

Questions

1. Is there a relationship between food production and human population?

There has been no conclusive evidence to show that densely populated regions are more prone to hunger. For every densely populated country that is experiencing food shortage situation, there is another sparsely populated country that has the same problem.

2. What are the causes of hunger?

The world produces more food today than it has in a long time. Lack of resources causes many people to go hungry. Inequality, lack of land and poverty are some of the causes of hunger.

3. What is the solution to the problem?

If the people in hunger stricken areas were given suitable land for farming, the problem would not arise.

4. Is the biotechnology industry sincere in ending the hunger problem?

Most of the biotechnology industries are driven by the need to make a quick profit.

Paragraph 2

Genetically engineered foods are not free from risks since they can act themselves as allergens or toxins. They alter the metabolism of the plants and animals that produce food leading them to produce new allergens. The genetically modified foods also lose the nutritional quality or value. Important nutrients are removed in an aim of making crops resistant to pesticides. People are consuming genetically modified foods without their knowledge because these foods are not labeled. It is not easy to now where these foods come from because the companies making them cannot be traced. Not all scientists are in agreement concerning the transgenic crops. They tend to create uniformity, which is not good for the crops or the environment. Single crop varieties are susceptible to pathogens and pests. Enough funds should be devoted to test the effects of monoculture, particularly where transgenic crops are used.

Questions

1. What are the effects of eating genetically engineered foods?

Genetically engineered foods do not have the same nutritional value as the foods grown organically or those that are non-engineered. The foods also act themselves toxic and alter the metabolism of plants and animals causing them to produce new allergens.

2. Why is it not easy to distinguish between genetically engineered foods and those that are not modified?

The foods manufactured genetically are not labeled and so consumers eat them without knowing.

3. Why are some groups in the government opposed to the idea of using genetically modified foods?

Some scientists have noted that the use of transgenic crops create genetic uniformity. Variety is needed to avoid vulnerability to pathogens and pests and to avoid environmental risks.

4. What is the major disadvantage of monoculture?

Monoculture discourages biodiversity, which causes social and environmental problems.

 

Organizational Learning

Organizational learning is defined as the vibrant process of creating, acquiring and integrating knowledge with the aim of developing the assets and capabilities that give better organizational performance. Based on the assumption that organizational learning is a process aimed at developing the organization by creating new technological, productive or commercial initiatives, the process shall require devising new methods of making knowledge stream into the organization and influence the business performance. All industries and companies undergo some changes caused by the change in customer preference, competitor innovation or technological advances (Murray & Donegan, 2003, pp. 57). The changes create pressure on the business to update and improve their products and services in order to increase their competitiveness in the market or to retain their customers. For a company to achieve this, they have to be always ahead of the customer and learn faster than them.

Organizational learning is a complex non-transferable capability that results from the evolution and history of a firm. It is also dependent of experience and the knowledge involved is generated from social collaborations and interactions aimed at understanding complex problems. This being the case, the learning contributes positively both to innovation and competitiveness since interaction is encouraged and ideas are exchanged that lead to a healthy competition across the board. The learning also creates a link between the environment and the firm that enhances pro-active trends. The knowledge acquired from here creates a better understanding of the environment and therefore an improvement in their capacity of response. The learning also makes the firm yearn to know more about the customers and other key stakeholders, together with how to develop healthy and productive relationships with them (Tippins & Sohi, 2003, pp. 750).

Due to the flexibility created by the knowledge, the learning organizations are able to re-calculate their moves and re-allocate their resources on the important opportunities and threats while also focusing on conflict resolution. The ability to learn is important because of the speed of the frequency in which changes in the market and technology occur. It is also important because it aids the firm acquire anticipatory skills and make their policies impossible to imitate. In agreement with the views that have been laid down, I would say that learning is a perfect facilitator of behavioral change and it aids in the improvement of performance. Organizations that have the capability of learning about their customers and other key stakeholders are better placed to sense and act with regard to the trends and events in the market.

Organizational learning is also important to the customers of the organization since it concentrates on the understanding of not only how to satisfy their needs but also of how to produce new products’ services and methods of conducting business. The results of this for the firm are better product performance in the market, good customer retention, and unshakable quality and in the end significant growth and profitability. Organizational learning is the most fundamental source of establishing a competitive advantage within the business world (Lopez, Peon & Ordas, 2005, pp. 230). The capacity to learn at a higher pace than the customers and other key stakeholders is the best way to sustain a firm’s competitive advantage.

In conclusion, it is correct to say that organizational learning greatly affects innovation and competition positively and it affects economic and financial outcomes positively. It is also correct to state that there is a positive relationship between innovation and competition and the financial results of an organization. Therefore there is need to improve the learning in organizations. This can be done by developing an instrument that measures the firm’s ability to learn. The instrument can in the future be used to conduct research and expand the understanding of the learning.

Bibliography:

LOPEZ, S. P., PEON, J. M. M., & ORDAS, C. J. V. (2005). Organizational Learning as a Determining Factor in Business Performance. Learning Organization. 12, 227-245.

MURRAY, P., & DONEGAN, K. (2003). Empirical Linkages between Firm Competencies and Organisational Learning. Learning Organization. 10, 51-62.

TIPPINS, M. J., & SOHI, R. S. (2003). It Competency and Firm Performance: Is Organizational Learning a Missing Link? Strategic Management Journal. 24, 745-761.

Pamper Your-Self Chef Service

Target Market

The market is complex and composite, consisting of a wide range of clients with different needs. A business should aim at meeting a specific need in the market they hope to venture into. The market comprises people who differ in terms of gender, income level, education background, age, among other demographic variables. It is based on the variables that the marketer will divide the market, a process known as market segmentation (Kotler & Armstrong, 2010). By segmenting the market, the marketer is able to identify his or her target market, in addition to their specific needs as well as how to meet those needs.

The gap existing in the market is the need for a wide variety of recipes prepared by top-notch chefs and presented in an appealing way. There have often been complaints on the sub-standard services provided by present-day caterers. Pamper Yourself Chef Service aims to fill this gap by providing catering services targeting those who wish to hold family events such as weddings, birthdays, farewell parties, and other similar events. The chef service will prepare a wide range of cuisines and drinks, and the target market will be high-end income earners in the age bracket of twenty-four and above. The target market chosen is highly lucrative and since it comprises of high-income earners who like holding social gatherings, the profitability is quite high. The market is also sustainable because the members of the target market also fit in the corporate category. This means that for business events the clientele shall remain the same. The clients can enjoy themselves as food is catered to them in a more personalized setting.

The larger market can also be segmented to target small social groups such as the gay and lesbian community. This group feels isolated from the rest of society and constantly holds gatherings to strengthen their position in society. Pamper Yourself Chef Service recognizes this fraternity’s need, and what better way to crown their meetings than with a well-prepared meal. The marketer’s role will be to get in touch with their leaders and acquire a schedule of their meetings- the time and place, and furnish them with a menu of the food prepared by the chef service. They shall also enjoy a more personalized service.

Pricing

The number of clients Pamper Yourself Chef Service will pull and retain depends on the price, which in turn is determined by the method of pricing used. Generally, low prices will pull more customers, while high prices will capitalize on its high price rather than sales volume to meet the target revenues. The business has four methods of pricing at its disposal; the cost-plus pricing, target return pricing, value-based pricing and the psychological pricing method (Kotler & Armstrong, 2010). The Chef Service objective is to stand out from other catering service providers by offering the highest quality of service.

In this regard, the most appropriate method for pricing will be the value-based pricing. Value-based pricing is based on the value it adds to the customer. The customer will attribute the price they pay to the high standards of service they receive, the principal being value for money (Kotler & Armstrong, 2010). In addition, because the business will target high-income earners, it can afford to charge high prices. This method will be the best in helping the business to be a leader in the catering industry. The price will be an indication of the high quality of services it provides. Value pricing will also enable the business to recover most of its costs.

Another consideration for Pamper Yourself Chef Service is how to introduce its prices to the market, either through skim pricing, or by penetration pricing. The latter aims to maximize revenue based on large sales volume and low prices. This is used in the case of price-elastic demand, where the demand will largely depend on the level of prices, or where there is a lot of competition. Skim pricing will be the most applicable for Pamper Yourself Chef Service, which targets customers who are less sensitive to price, and are more focused on the value of service provided. From a marketing point of view, Pamper Yourself Chef Service shall be a great target for clients who prefer private parties and small family gatherings and more so events with a personal touch to them.

Channels of Distribution

For the service (or goods) to get from producer to the consumer, it follows a distribution channel. The goods or services must reach the customer or client when and how they ordered them through retailers, agents, wholesalers, merchants, advertising or selling directly to the consumer (Dent, 2008). For the Chef Service, a service provider, the best channel of distribution will be selling directly to the client. Services are non-transferrable, therefore cannot be delivered to the client through retailers, agents, wholesalers and merchants who deal with tangible goods. Another aspect of selling to the client is the direct link required between the chef service and the client.

A direct link will foster good and lasting business-client relationships, and consequently the business will attract more clients. In addition, it is easier to know the exact needs of the client as well as how to fulfill them because of the direct relations. The business will also incorporate advertising into its distribution channel. It can do so via the internet, the media, and most importantly, through its already existing client base. Pamper Yourself Chef Service must ensure that its services are consistently high in quality. The satisfied client will then publicize the business to other potential clients. Due to the nature of the business, other channels are not required thus the customer has to be the one to please so as to gain a mutual success and ensure they shall represent the product (the service provided) after the delivery of the service.

If the business does well, it can open other branches in different parts of the country. The challenge will in ensuring management and co-ordination to maintain the high standard of quality set by the original business. The returns however will far outweigh the challenges. One, the business will be known nationwide, as opposed to operating in the local neighborhood. The second advantage will be the dramatic increase in revenue owing to a wider customer base. Another option to consider in distribution is to operate Pamper Yourself Chef Service as a franchise; however, this will only be possible once the business is well established.

Activities to be undertaken by the chef service in distribution are procurement of foodstuffs from agricultural products suppliers, transformation of the produce to the form desired by the client, delivery of the service to the client on time, and finally, getting feedback from the client. Where it is complemented, the business should continue to perform the way it does. However, Pamper Yourself Chef Service should also welcome criticism to improve the quality of its services to the clients’ expectations.

 

 

References

Dent, J. (2008). Distribution Channels: Understanding and Managing Channels to Market. London, UK: Kogan Page Publishers.

Kotler, P., & Armstrong, G. (2010). Principals of Marketing. New Jersey, NJ: Pearson.

The Battle of San Pietro

Introduction

The film depicts the grueling battle between Allied Forces and the Italian and German Armies. It is shot in the thick of the battle itself and depicts actual combat and scenes of the events as they took place. Due to the time when it was shot, the movie is in black and white and the sound is of gunfire and the narrator’s, Huston’s, voice. His narration is reserved and solemn and so is the music. His voice, by me, is meant to convey a sense of danger and urgency. The film’s perspective is to show the viewers the actual events as well as an unwavering sternness to show the reality on film. This, Huston does, ignoring the blood, cruelty and darkness of the situation. The voice of the narrator is critical and thorough in addressing the precarious lives of the soldiers in the war, the sheer brutality of the battle and the devastating consequences of the war.

Discussion

Huston is not shy about filming the ground combat. The movie shows all the grittiness in an honest and vivid show. In the scene of the first assault, we see a man, who was shot dead and then there is a corpse followed by many corpses. We also see bodies of the wounded and dying, and the dead being wrapped in bags. The camera from the movie is placed at eye level meaning that it was being shot in real time. It puts the viewer right in San Pietro in the war and in the crossfire. The camera actually is affected by blasts as seen in the movie when it spirals around and faces the trees. This shows that the cinematographer either has been shot or has fallen down.

The ‘Voice of God’ effect used in the movie means that the narrator is not only in complete control of the telling of the story but of how and what information is being relayed to the viewer. The perspective of the movie, one to show the true occurrences is reinforced by the voice over by the narrator since he describes the scenes matching to what is showing in the pictures. The tone of his voice is subtle and distinct to show the seriousness of the matter, which he is discussing. In addition, being in the midst of the war itself, he is fearful for his very life. This is also heard in his voice.

            The voice of the narrator is accompanied by the map of the San Pietro area showing the peaks of the mountains surrounding the area. Next, the movie talks about the natives of the San Pietro area, their economic activities and their total population. As this is being said, the pictures of the San Pietro area are being shown where we see the Saint Peter church and its remains and as this is being shown, the narrator gives a brief history of the area dating back to the fourteen hundreds.

As the narrator gives the importance of the infantrymen to the war, the images being shown are of helmeted soldiers assembling their rifles and marching probably towards the battlefield. The expression on their faces is not one of joyfulness probably because they foresee the danger, blood and anguish that lay ahead of them in the mountains of San Pietro. The narrator then guides the viewer through the map of the area, systematically, explaining the strategy that was laid down by the American army. This shows how well he understood the area and the strategies that the American army was using.

The daily life of any soldier in a war I would imagine is a very traumatizing and horrible life. The life is characterized by seeing dead bodies of people who you knew and were with few moments earlier, carrying and burying of dead comrades, killing them for survival and living not knowing whether you are going to see your family again or not. Uncertainty in ones future is the most basic and common thing in the life of a soldier at war. Their lives are shown in the movie where we see them in helmets marching towards the battlefield. They are also depicted where we see them carrying dead bodies of their comrades and bagging them, loading them on a truck to be taken to the mass grave cites. The soldiers do not know if they are soon to follow those that have gone.

The brutal nature of battle is also depicted in the movie. This is seen in many scenes including the one where a soldier gets shot and falls immediately. Though it is a quick scene, the soldier falls down like a sack and does not get up again. The brutality of the war is also seen when the American soldiers are firing missiles and throwing grenades at the Italian and German soldiers. The brutality of the war is also seen where in the movie the rubble remains of the town are shown and where we see a body being pulled out of the debris. This shows how the war does not discriminate and kills all, whether innocent or guilty.

The psychological consequences of a war are usually very brutal. From the movie, in the scene where the remaining soldiers are being shown, the narrator says that those you watch are soon to die. Here, I think the narrator means that the survivors of the war did not have such a long life to live also because America was still at war. Their faces show a part of them shall never recover and they show that they went in the war as innocent men and left changed men, forever. The visions of the war and the dead people shall echo in their minds for a very long time to come.

When the American soldiers finally took over the town, the shot of the camera was facing upwards, a shot that depicted conquering, victory and heroism of the soldiers. The voice of the narrator also changes and as he speaks of the triumph and the happiness of the people for getting their town back, the images we see are of mothers who are seated freely, bare breasted while suckling their young ones with children smiling and running happily through the debris. In the same scene, we see a woman carrying a coffin on her head. This shows the casualties that were involved and that she probably lost a close family relative who was an adult.

This is because the coffin was not in the size of a child. As the narrator gives the story of the villagers happy to get their freedom back, we see a girl with a little boy seemingly her little brother smiling while gazing at the camera. We also see a malnourished boy who does not look too happy to see the camera probably indicating the extent of his loss. Moreover, we see the villagers receiving food from the soldiers and the expressions on their faces were those of happy and thankful people.

Huston’s narration and the use of the Voice of God narration is a simplified prose that is at one point beautifully toned and is significant in the delivery of the documentary. It is then spoken with some finely concealed irony that is equally free of optimism and bitterness. He uses wordiness in the film so well that it earns its way through the movie. The movie then takes a sad turn when we see the dead being buried and shots of soldiers’ dog tags being nailed onto some pieces of wood meant to be grave markers. We then see the survivors wearing weary smiles, but the voice of the narrator interferes with the relaxed moment stating how many among those staying there have joined their brothers-in-arms’ ranks and commenting how a thousand more San Pietros lay ahead.

Conclusion

The Battle of San Pietro stands as the best documentary in the history of documentary filmmaking that I have ever seen. It presents the battle in the Liri Valley as a costly campaign rather than a remarkable victory for the Americans. It is also the only movie with a complete record of an infantry or foot soldiers battle. The Voice of God effect of the narrator’s voice matches with the events in the images so perfectly. The narrator also explains using maps of the region about the tactics that the American army was using. The words uttered by the narrator match perfectly with the images associated with them in the movie. They seem to fall in together piece by piece and word by word as the story progresses. This makes the story captivating and highly educational.

Learning and Technology

A         The technology field is an ever-changing field filled with many challenges. These challenges are divided into two, there are the critical issues and there are the problems. In a school setting it would be difficult to impart the technology knowledge and especially to students who might not view the information as relevant. In addition, there would be a problem of creating a teaching guide to enable the teachers, university professors and other critical staff related to the technology education, pass their message.

B         A research shall be conducted to ascertain the position of the individuals in charge of teaching in the technology field on the problems and issues they face and their students. The research shall also be made to find out how the problems can be solved and what resources need to be employed to cater for the problem. The research question for the research shall be; what critical issues and problems do the students and the teachers in the technology education field encounter? The research hypothesis therefore shall be; to find out what critical issues and problems students and teachers in the technology education field encounter.

The goals of the study shall be to help teachers in the field cope or curb the problems they experience. Another goal shall be to help students cope or stop the problems they face in their technology studies. The importance of the study is to find a solution to the problems faced by the students and the teachers alike, in their classroom relationship in the technology studies (Walliman, 2005).

The role of the researcher shall be to obtain information, which is standardized, from the people with the most knowledge about the topic. The roles of the participants shall therefore be to relay relevant information according to the questions asked or the required instructions that they shall be given. The types of data collected shall be divided into two broad categories, that of the teachers and the students. On the teachers’ bracket, the data collection criteria shall then be split into, problems and issues involving teaching materials and problems and issues involving the delivery methods. On the students’ bracket, the data collection criteria shall be split into, problems and issues involving understanding of the teaching materials used and, problems and issues involving understanding the teachers. The data shall then be quantified according to every category. This means that the students and teachers fitting to every category shall be counted. Then the data collected shall be compiled and later analyzed.

The data shall be collected using interviews of the entire technology faculty; this means interviewing the teaching staff and the students and determining who falls under which category. The instrument used and most relevant to this kind of research shall be a sample surveys from the population census conducted annually in every faculty to determine the problems and issues the teachers and students face (Creswell, 2003).

C         A research shall be conducted to find out why the problems and issues faced in the technology education department arise. The research shall also be carried out to find out how to curb or control the rise of these problems in this department. The research question for the research shall be; why do critical issues and problems encountered by the students and the teachers in the technology education field arise; and how can they be stopped? The research hypothesis therefore shall be; to find out why critical issues and problems faced by the students and teachers in the technology education field arise.

The goal of the study shall be to help the management of learning institutions find out how the problems experienced by the technology education department arise and how to stop them. The importance of the study is to find out how the problems faced by the students and the teachers alike arise, and how to stop them. The role of the researcher shall be to collect relevant standardized information from the most knowledgeable relevant sources. The participant’s roles shall therefore be to offer answers to relevant questions asked by the researcher. The type of data collected shall be limited since most of the materials required are going to be found in records. The methods used are going to be as per the instruments outlined below.

The instruments used shall be case studies, in-depth interviews and group interviews of the entire technology studies faculty, collection and qualitative analysis of the documents in record from previous surveys.

D         A research shall be carried out to find out why the problems and issues in the technology faculty occur, how they occur and how to control their occurrence. The research shall be quite extensive due to its active nature. The question shall be; how do the problems encountered in the technology studies faculty occur and how can their re-occurrence be controlled? The hypothesis therefore shall be to how the problems encountered in the technology studies faculty occur and how their re-occurrence be controlled?

The goal and importance of the study shall be to find out how the problems and issues in the technology education field can be solved. The role of the researcher here shall include sourcing for assistance from other parties since the coverage intended shall be extensive. The team of researchers shall carry out thorough and extensive person-to-person interviews of all the members of the technology education faculty; they shall ask relevant questions and use questionnaires where necessary. The participants have the sole role of offering honest and credible information to be used in the research (Blaxter, Hughes & Tight, 2006).

The types of data to be collected shall include the number of students with problems and issues in the faculty, what they believe the source of their problem to be and what they believe to be the problem with their teachers. The other type of data shall be the teachers’ problems with the students, what they believe the problem to be, and what they believe the source of the problem to be. The main method and instrument of data collection shall be total population data collection.

E          Since the research shall take time and the researcher shall be based on the school, the best method shall be the last one, the action research method since it shall be detailed and shall contain more updated and credible facts to work with. This research method shall also provide enough material to be documented in the thesis of a master’s paper in the future.

F          ‘How to research’ is one of the books by Blaxter, Hughes and Tight that talks about the three methods of research illustrated on the paper and how each is used. Creswell, in his book ‘Research design: qualitative, quantitative, and mixed method approaches’’ also discusses what type of research to be used in what type of research. ‘Your research project: a step-by-step guide for the first-time researcher’ is a book by Walliman that describes the methods of research required for every type of research work.

 

References

Blaxter, L., Hughes, C., & Tight, M. (2006). How to Research. New York, NY: McGraw-Hill International.

Creswell, J. W. (2003). Research design: qualitative, quantitative, and mixed method approaches. New York, NY: SAGE.

Walliman, N. S. R. (2005). Your research project: a step-by-step guide for the first-time researcher. New York, NY: SAGE.

747 JET

Since its inception in the early sixties, the Boeing 747 has had a significant part to play in the aircraft industry. The plane has had inspirational effects on its rivals in the plane manufacturing industry. The effect was to make them think of better ways to develop their own planes, an accomplishment that few designers have managed. The plane was the first of its kind and was able to carry a record number of passengers, a record it has held for more than three decades. The ingenuity behind the aircraft’s design made it top in cost-effectiveness. This is due to its fuel efficiency and speed. The aircraft could make long journeys in record-breaking time and this led to the increase in the number of destinations it travelled. The plane also had a huge capacity thus greatly cutting the flying costs for airline companies and the consumers (Mecham, 2010). Many more designs of aircrafts have come up since the 747 each having its own significant impact on the industry.

The competition in the market is increasing everyday and the challenges facing the 747 increasing with it. One of the challenges is the declining economy in many parts of the world. Another challenge is where airline companies have increased the number of destinations and thus they have resulted to investing in smaller aircrafts due to the frequent stops. However, there is still hope for the 747 evidenced by the recent stagnation in re-inventions in the aircraft industry (Boeing.com, 2011). The stagnation however is not expected to hold for long due to the recent technological advances that are being made in the plane manufacturing industry and the economic situation, which is expected to improve. Moreover, for the plane to have a guaranteed future, Boeing has to work day and night to improve its performance and cost effectiveness, the same way it did more than thirty years ago. The increasing cost of jet fuel is becoming an alarming concern among the airliners and each company is sourcing for the planes with the highest fuel efficiency (Boeing.com, 2006)

The company is planning to improve on the designs of the current aircraft that shall enable it to carry more passengers, consume less fuel and carry more fuel to enable it fly further. The new budget is intended at ten billion dollars almost triple what was the budget five years ago. Currently, the production is being marked down from seven planes a week to five planes a week since the company says that its customers are reducing their demand. This is due to the harsh economic times the world is experiencing (Norris & Wagner, 1987).

Each model in the 747 range of planes has its own unique design. The engineers create new designs to improve previous ones. For instance, the 747-8, which is an improvement of the 747-400 has a larger and more efficient wingspan and design and has better engines. This has improved the planes fuel efficiency and has greatly lowered its operational costs (Boeing.com, 2009). Boeing’s engineers have a plan underway of changing the materials used in manufacturing the aircraft. This is with the hope that the total weight of the aircraft shall reduce and thus increase the speed and mileage capabilities of the aircraft. The engineers have also incorporated a digital flight deck in addition to having an upper deck that shall reduce the number of cabin members to only two (Gillie, 2011). This has greatly improved its popularity among airline companies, which fly long distance routes.

The 747 plane’s design technology is set to be improved by the company’s engineers in the future. This shall mean that the big plane shall be preferred by airline companies more than the smaller planes. It shall also mean an increase in demand for the plane. This shall also place the plane in a better position among its competitors and improve customer confidence in the company and the plane. The plane is going to reduce the number of gadgets on its cockpit in the future. This shall be a drop from nine hundred and seventy one to three hundred and sixty five only. This shall also mean a significant reduction in the crew required to operate the plane from three to two.

Boeing, in an eco friendly gesture, has come up with a design of a less noisy plane and one with fewer emissions thus avoiding air and sound pollution. However, Boeing is not the only company concerned about environmental issues. Other plane manufacturing companies have come up with designs that they hope will be environmental friendly and decrease the jet exhaust diameter, incorporate the use fuel cells to power the electrical system, minimizing the expansion of the engine’s diameter, using ceramic composites and nanotechnology.

In the general physical design of the plane, many changes are bound to occur in the future. These include an increase in the maximum physical number of passengers from four hundred and fifty two to five hundred and fifty four, an increase in the total amount of fuel it can carry from approximately one hundred and eighty three litres to two hundred and seventeen liters. The future design is expected to carry about three hundred and ninety seven tons as the maximum weight when taking off, an increase from three hundred and thirty three tons. This shall mean increased luggage capacity.

The 747 has had a big and positive impact in the aircraft industry. The plane has always been a step ahead of the others in terms of technology and design. Boeing’s rivals have always been tasking the company to come up with better designs for the 747, a task that Boeing has not laid back on since it keeps setting the trends by improving the various 747 models (Boeing.com, 2006). Challenges in technology and the uncertainty in the economic future have made the company consider the environment as a base for innovative improvement. This has made other industry players anxious and they have all gone back to the drawing board.

The future plane shall also be able to cover approximately eight thousand four hundred miles, which is an increase from five thousand three hundred. The general cruising speed at a maximum altitude of thirty five thousand feet shall have the smallest increase from five hundred and fifty five miles per hour to five hundred and sixty five miles per hour. The planes controls shall also shift from analog to digital while also increasing the wingspan. The length, height and cabin width of the plane shall remain the same even in the future.

The cost of manufacture of the plane is expected to increase considerably in the future to allow the incorporation of all the changes in design. This shall be important since the company shall need to remain competitive in the market as the technology keeps on advancing. Small plane manufacturing industries, including Boeing itself, shall be affected in a way as to reduce their sales since the bigger plane, the 747 series, shall have grown more efficient in the job of ferrying not only goods but also passengers. In other companies that only produce the small planes, it shall mean a reduction in sales and revenue altogether (Norris & Wagner, 1987).

The companies that manufacture the different parts used to put the plane together, shall have to also advance technologically and produce state of the art parts or face closure due to lack of competitiveness in the market. This is because they are expected to be innovative as the time goes by. They are also supposed to device better and newer equipment to be fitted on the new ultramodern planes. Most of the parts manufacturing companies shall also in the future be expected to merge with Boeing to enable them access funding for carrying out extensive research on ways to manufacture better and more advanced machinery (Boeing.com, 2006). The small plane manufacturing companies shall be largely affected by this move since most airlines shall prefer the bigger and more cost effective planes. The companies might face huge losses or even closure.

The 747’s uses are also expected to increase. Previously, the plane was used as a shuttle carrier by NASA, it was also used by the United States government as the Presidential transport and modified versions of it were used by the military to ferry either goods or soldiers (Reals, 2010). This was before the advances that are expected in the future. Therefore, the plane shall acquire more interests by more groups in the future due to its advances. Competition shall remain present from other large plane manufacturers but it shall play the part of a healthy motivator and not threaten the operations and production of the state of the art 747 series planes by Boeing.

References

Boeing.com. (2006). Boeing contracts Spain’s Aernnova for engineering services on 747-8 program. M2PressWIRE. Retrieved from EBSCOhost.

Boeing.com. (2009). Boeing Assembles First Set of 747-8 Wings. M2PressWIRE. Retrieved from EBSCOhost.

Boeing.com. (2011). Everything you wanted to know about the Boeing 747, history, pictures and news. Retrieved From: http://www.boeing-747.com/everything-about-the-boeing-747-8/Boeing-747-8 new-wing-design.html

Gillie, J. (2011, January 19). Boeing will debut its new 747-passenger jet Feb. 13 [The News Tribune]. Retrieved January 25, 2011, from http://blog.thenewstribune.com/business/2011/01/19/ boeing-will-debut-its-new-747-passenger-jet-feb-13.

Mecham, M. (2010). Freight Forward. Aviation Week & Space Technology, 172(9), 42-45. Retrieved from EBSCOhost.

Norris, G. & Wagner, M. (1987). Boeing 747: design and development since 1969. Minneapolis, MN: Motorbooks International.

Reals, K. (2010). Four teams submit future aircraft designs to NASA. Retrieved 18 January 2011, from http://www.flightglobal.com/articles/2010/08/13/346132/four-teams-submit-future-aircraft-designs-to-nasa.html

Schofield, A. (2010). Qantas Capacity Crunch. Aviation Week & Space Technology, 172(41), 32. Retrieved from EBSCOhost.

Confidentiality in the Medical Practice

Introduction

Doctors and medical personnel need the health records of their patient’s in order to provide efficient health care. In the same way, Physicians have the duty to keep the information about patient confidence to protect them from harm (Sullivan & American Bar Association, 2004). This is to allow the patient to reveal important information freely. In the past, the confidentiality of the health records was compromised as they passed from one physician to another for consultation. For that reason, the United States congress enacted ‘The Health Insurance Portability and Accountability act’ (HIPAA) in 1996. Conversely, the compliance period of the confidentiality imperative was April 2003. This act is designed to safeguard the manner in which sensitive patient records are handled. The main intention of the act is to enhance the value and efficacy of health records structure by developing the electronic dealings. In addition, it seeks to preserve the safety and confidentiality of personal medical information. HIPAA has gone a long way in promoting the transformation of information technology in the health sector. However, the adoption of the systems associated with HIPAA is taxing. Failure to meet the rules and regulations set by HIPAA may lead to serious implications such as sanctions and penalties. HIPPA legislation has had a large impact on the way that confidentiality is addressed in the Medical Practice.

Discussion

Advantages of HIPAA legislation

Initially, the act was enacted to reduce fraud but extra benefits have been realized (Doscher & American Medical Association, 2002). HIPAA protects the health records of all patients regardless of the gender, size and education background. Patients are now free to reveal personal information that may aid the medical personnel in providing excellent health care. In the past, settling medical bills was the greatest threat to confidentiality because the health records had to be viewed by researchers, insurance companies besides the medical staff. The Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act need professionals in the medical institutions and other affiliated institutions to protect the privacy of the patient (Sullivan & American Bar Association, 2004). The act has empowered patients because of the power they hold on their health record. Similarly, health records are more secure as errors are eliminated. Patients have the right to observe and request for a change in the information presented. Other advantages of HIPAA include streamlined information, minimum information exchange and patients right to the knowledge contained in their health record.

Streamlined information

HIPAA has been cut out to restructure the transactions and activities of medical institutions in order to protect patient records (Sullivan & American Bar Association, 2004). This requires an approach that is different from the traditional medical practices. The medical industry has gone through a transformation as they implement the necessary measures required. Physical safeguards have been installed in several institutions to store and retrieve confidential information. This includes duplicated hardware and backup systems. Correspondingly, the general security procedure such as installation of antivirus on all the computers is currently a necessity. The safeguard of electronic health information has been improved. Institutions have introduced automatic logoffs and sign-in systems on their databases. Passwords and smartcards have been introduced to verify authenticity. Another area that HIPAA has addressed to streamline information is the administration. The act has dealt with the administration guidelines, practices and measures that are used to safeguard the patient records. The staff and executives have been trained to uphold an appraisal trail that ensures accountability. All these aspects adopted by the medical industry in order to comply with HIPAA have enabled the streamlining of information.

Minimum information exchange

The HIPAA security regulation regulates the access of restricted health information. The classified information may only be disclosed in case of treatment; this allows the physician and nurses to provide diagnosis and medication (Doscher & American Medical Association, 2002). When settling the bills, the patient may share information to receive help. Additionally, the information can be shared to obtain medical care and use the facilities of a particular medical institution. An individual has the right to authorize the admission of the information. While in charge of the protected information, medical personnel should be careful in order to make known only the necessary sections. In the same way, if a patient prefers to be contacted at his business premises as an alternative to home, then the physician is obligated to comply (Ferrell, 2001). These regulations have allowed minimum information exchange. The administration or management of a medical institution is obligated to adopt a secure procedure of accessing information. For example, the management can employ a confidentiality administrator whose role is to train other employees in the area of privacy and supervise the handling of personal health information. This system eliminates the chances of an unofficial party accessing classified health information from the database.

 Patients have rights to knowledge about their record

All the patients have the right to the information contained in their health record (Ferrell, 2001). They have the right to observe and obtain duplicates of their health records. Furthermore, patients can now demand for a change or revision of any information that they consider unfinished or incorrect. They also have the right to appeal for a restraint in the use or disclosure of their information (Sullivan & American Bar Association, 2004). Whenever a physician reveals the patients information for consultation or to offer better treatment, the physician must let the patient know. The use of advanced technology introduced by HIPAA helps the patient access information at their convenience.
Disadvantages of HIPAA legislation in the Physicians Office

HIPAA compliance requires planning and specialized knowledge. Most of the medical institutions are slow to adopt modern technology, so taking into consideration the limited assets and finances available, implementing the HIPAA requirements has been difficult. The rules and regulations set by HIPAA are costly to implement and maintain (Doscher & American Medical Association, 2002). Compliance to the act means additional funds and workload for the organization. The medical industry has been full of bustle as management tries to keep up with the implementation of each section of the act. For example, medical institutions providing services to a large number of people are expected to employ an administrator to supervise the training of personnel. There are several costs associated with the act like penalties. Management is advised to evaluate their financial position carefully before complying with the regulations.

Costs

The costs connected with the implementation of the HIPAA can be substantial or intangible. These costs range from hiring new personnel to purchasing of the modern information systems. The cost incurred by the administration cannot be ignored. These are the costs needed by the management to cover the change needed by the organization. It comprises of the funds needed to continue the business while adopting the new policies (Arora & Pimentel, 2005). For example, the cost of employing a consultant who has the expertise required. Other administrative costs include the cost of printing notices to remind or inform both the employees and the patients about the HIPAA regulations. For organizations that participate in the awareness week, the event brings additional costs (Arora & Pimentel, 2005). The organization further needs to monitor their employees and the position of the reception and management offices. The additional technical systems required such as networks and software makes up the technical costs. Sanctions and fines incurred for failure to comply with the HIPAA policies can also be included in the organization budget.

Training of staff

The cost of training staff makes up a significant portion of the entire cost. It includes hiring a personnel and conducting training. HIPAA has a policy that requires all personnel to receive training in the area of safeguarding the patient’s personal information (Arora & Pimentel, 2005). Training is significant to assist the employees in exercising restraint and caution as they handle classified information. It is essential for the exercise to be documented for evidence. HIPAA requires management to employ a privacy administrator who supervises confidentiality and security details. Organizations that prefer to appoint existing employees have the task of training them.

Conclusion

Other privacy laws enacted for privacy of patient information

There are other laws that were enacted before the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability act. Such laws include the American recovery and reinvestment act. It was enacted in 2009 and it expands and amends the provisions made in HIPAA. Similarly, the comprehensive alcohol abuse and alcoholism prevention act implemented in 1968 seeks to protect the privacy of patients.

References

Arora, R., & Pimentel, M. (2005). Cost of Privacy: A HIPAA perspective. Retrieved from http://docs.google.com/viewer?a=v&q=cache:u3ME43LUZHkJ:lorrie.cranor.org/courses/fa05/mpimenterichaa.pdf

Doscher, M., & American Medical Association. (2002). HIPAA: A short- and long-term perspective for health care. Chicago, CH: AMA Press.

Ferrell, T. (2001). Impact of HIPAA Security Rules on Healthcare Organization. Retrieved from

http://:www.sans.org/reading_room/whitepapers/policyissues/impact-hipaa-security-rules-healthcare-organizations

Sullivan, J. M., & American Bar Association. (2004). HIPAA: A practical guide to the privacy and security of health data. Chicago, CH: American Bar Association, Health Law Section.

Accounting and Auditing

Part 1

1. The company shall report the potential costs due to the discovery of a possible product defect as a loss or a liability since the defect on one of its products was probable, and the asset-inventory had been impaired as at the date of preparation of the financial statements, and because the company can reasonably quantify the amount of the loss.
   2. Skinner shall report the claim for the damages on the notes in the financial statements since, according to the convention of conservatism and the revenue recognition criteria, the gain in contingencies should not be accrued, and therefore shall not appear in the financial statements but rather they shall be disclosed in the notes to the financial statements.
   3.         The 40% of the coupons that was actually redeemed shall be reported as an incurred expense and the 30% shall be reported as an accrued expense, thus a liability. This is because the first 40% was actually incurred during the financial year and affects the asset-cash in the current year by reducing it, the remaining 30% has not yet been incurred but is probable that it shall be paid in the following year, and thus reported as current liability.

Part 2

1. The major authorization principles an auditor should investigate regarding cash management and investments in marketable securities are,
2. a) Authorizations from the Board of Director for both cash and or investment purposes: This is because most organizations have it in their policies that the Board is required to approve significant investments. The Board is also required to delegate duties to various officers in the firm like the Treasurer to make daily investments and cash transfers. The Treasurer then has the power to in turn, delegate for investments of minor amounts to other employees.
3. b) Verification of authorization: This verification is very important especially in the case of electronic transfer of funds since the organization shall make transfers of large amounts of money with electronic signatures such as passwords only.
4. c) The control of signature plates such as those used for signing of checks is also important.
5. d) The auditor shall also investigate the organizational policies that are used to determine the types of investments that the organization can make. This shall include the level of risk of investments that can be incurred.
6. The major elements of an internal control over property, plant, and equipment are a listed below:-
7. a) Control over the approval process for capital expenditures
8. b) Control over the determination whether expenditure that is planned is capitalized or expensed
9. c) Control over purchasing and accounts payables systems and making sure, they are correctly applied
10. d) Control over components of capital and making sure their appropriate useful life and salvage values are determined
11. e) Control over the depreciation expense and making sure it is correctly calculated and applied in each period
12. e) Control over property tax reports and making sure they are filed with tax jurisdictions
13. f) Controls over insurance coverage and making sure they relate directly to asset exposure

Part 3

The FASB’s accounting for leases generally treats a sale-leaseback as one financing transaction where any profits or losses on the sale are deferred and later amortized by the lessee who is the seller.

References

Pany, K., & Whittington, R. (2010). Auditing. Los Angeles, CA: Irwin.

Whittington, R., & Pany, K. (2004). Principles of auditing and other assurance services. Los Angeles, CA: McGraw-Hill/Irwin.

Systematic Literature Review

Distributional Effects of Income Tax in Peru Compared with the Rest of South America

Income and distributional inequality in Latin America has been a significant problem in terms of economic progression warranting the revisions of tax policies and systems in a bid to overcome the problem (Jimenez, Juan, & Andrea, 2010). However, it has been noted that the tax reforms have done little in the alleviation of these inequalities with Peru being the worst hit of all nations. Latin America has adopted a progressive system of taxation that charges different levels of income tariffs to its natives. Progressive taxation institutes a fixed percentage of tax on an individual’s income level such that low earning individuals tend to be charged low levels of tax while high-income earners contribute more taxes to the government. However, equity is achieved in that the charges maintain a similar proportional charge transversing across all income level groups. Unlike the other Latin American nations, Peru’s income tax is presently highly unequal as it conforms to a regressive pattern as opposed to the desired progressive nature of discriminatory taxation. Mahon (2009), notes that the regressive nature of Peru’s taxation system is because of its Value Added Tax (VAT) and other indirect forms of taxation.

Theoretical evidence traces the problem to the late twentieth century period, with the taxation systems being retrogressive in nature. Latin America adopted tax reforms initially in the 1960s with the focus being the “expansion of the value-added tax (VAT), significant cuts in trade tariffs, and the strengthening of tax administration…with these reforms, redistribution became a secondary goal of tax design rather than a primary one,” (Mahon, 2009, p.3-4). This strategy only ensured income redistribution equality on a horizontal setting where equity was only achieved in households that shared the same levels of income. Vertical (progressive) equity that ensures an association across various income levels was sidelined during the reforms. Fiscal policies used during this period therefore aimed at achieving higher redistribution revenue levels through enhanced parallel households’ equity that would ensure economic liberalization.

To achieve horizontal equity, the Peruvian government focused on indirect taxes that up to date constitute to the highest revenue avenues. Note that, personal income taxes as compared to corporate (indirect) income taxes achieve a higher redistribution as they are achieved by a higher populace than the latter. This has been the root problem of Latin American as the reliance on indirect taxes has only realized very limited distributional effects as in the long-term period the resource base has diminished considerably (Haughton, 2005). Peru has a peculiar trend with regard to its fiscal policy as unlike the other regions of Latin America, it has combined both its direct and indirect income taxes in its economy only to result into enhanced inequality. The theoretical framework to be used in this study will therefore offer an in-depth discussion and analysis of the origin of the Peruvian income distributive problem. Additionally, we shall review how this problem relates to its poor fiscal policy management and implementation.

The dissertation’s aims and objectives will relate to the theme of the discussion and the methodology to be employed is a literature review. This means that the adapt used will be acquired from secondary peer-reviewed sources that contain earlier research material on the study topic and the subsequent conclusions that will be of significant help to the background of the problem and the relevant advances that have been made to avoid repetition and information redundancy. Haughton’s publication, Tax and Expenditure Incidence in Peru, is a very helpful resource for thesis direction as it offers a systematic methodology that revolves under the Peruvian economy and the different areas in which the government acquires tax. Additionally, the distributive aspects of each tax are reviewed providing a deeper analysis into the subject. Cubero and Ivanna’s (2010) publication offers a good format that can be combined with a different set of data for the thesis.

References:

Bargain, O., & Tim, C. (2010). Analysing the Effects of Tax-benefit Reforms on Income Distribution: A Decomposition Approach. Journal of Economic Inequality, 8 (1), 1-21.

Cubero, R., & Ivanna, V. H. (2010). Equity and Fiscal Policy: The Income Distribution Effects of Taxation and Social Spending in Central America. IMF Working Paper, WP/10/112. Retrieved from www.imf.org/external/pubs/ft/wp/2010/wp10112.pdf

Haughton, J. (2005). Tax and Expenditure Incidence in Peru. Retrieved from www.comunidadandina.org/economia/fiscal_Haughton.pdf

Jinemez, J. P., Juan, C. G. S., & Andrea, P. (2010). Tax gap and equity in Latin America and the Caribbean. Public Finance and Administrative Reform Studies, 16, 1-44.

Mahon, J. (2009). Tax Reforms and Income Distribution in Latin America. Latin America Studies Association. Retrieved from lasa.international.pitt.edu/members/congress…/MahonJames.pdf