Intuition and Decision-Making Essay

This paper basically talks about intuition and leadership and takes into account the intuitive decision making that the leaders take into account while making decisions where adequate knowledge is not available or where there are time constraints. There are a lot of arguments regarding this intuitive decision making by leaders where some people argue that it should not be like that as they may turn out to be wrong and others hold to the fact that at times intuitions lead to the right decision as leaders have this ability to analyze all the available information and make the decision on it along with using their past experience and expertise. The paper will first start by defining what actually intuition is and what makes leaders to promote or prevent decision making using intuitions. Then the paper will take a leaders point of view regarding decision making and how they bring in account all the available information to come up with a decision. In the end, the report will compare decisions made on intuitions with the decisions made upon logical reasoning in order to give a better knowledge to the readers regarding the two concepts and terminologies. Defining Intuition Starting with the report, we all know what decision making is, however, it will be helpful for us to know what exactly intuitions are on which leaders tend to make their decisions on. Intuitions are basically the ability of a person to actually judge or perceive an appropriate outcome without using reasoning and adequate information for that. The word is actually derived from a Latin word that means to â€Å"look inside† and that is exactly what we are talking about in this report. While using intuitions, leaders are able to look into the matters, problems or situations without even making an effort to gather or probe into the matter or its complexities (Aqor, 1986). With intuition, leaders actually tend to break into the thickness of the surface reality through their gutt-feeling, a feeling from inside that may be based on their past experience, a fear based interpretation or the actual leadership quality in their personality. What promotes or prevent leaders from using intuitions Moving on, as we have realized that intuitions are feelings, emotions or responses that are based on your own abilities, thus, it is not always true that they are right, they can also be wrong. A leader may be good in doing so in a lot number of instances but still, he is not sure whether his next intuitive decision will actually lead to the same positive results. Every important matter has its own requirements to mitigate risks and probing into complexities, thus for that purpose leaders do need appropriate information in order to come up with their decisions. However, many leaders fear this because of the fact that there personal bias in shape of their previous good or bad experience to a similar problem can actually influence their decision to a great extent. This personal bias or personal judgment that we are talking about is basically based on personal abilities or past experiences and has very less to do with analyzing the current information that is available (Williams, 2001). Thus, leaders do fear with their intuitive decision making that it can actually make them make a wrong decision. On the other hand, there are instances, where leaders have to take charge of the matter and make decisions on just a small amount of information or at times no information. These are situations where there time and resource constraints and decisions have to be taken. There, the best thing a leader can do to save time and resources in gathering all the relevant information and risk factors is to use intuitive decision making approach. A leader is a qualified team member who is chosen because of his ability to look at things with a broader and a next level thought process, thus team members also tend to conform with their this ability and promote them to take such decision. An example of such decisions can be taken as sales predictions after a natural calamity or a sudden fall in the stock market. Although, the demand would fall due to these circumstances, but it might be the other way round for a leader who is looking at the matter with a different approach using his intuitive decision making ability. Role of decision-making to a leader’s position Moreover, a leader is the person who is actually held responsible for all the actions of his team. His team basically conforms to his decisions and relies on his orders and directions because they also accept him as more capable in decision making and his abilities to solve problems and handle situations. Thus, with all this responsibility, a leader has to make sure that his decisions are correct and the best interest of the project and the team he is looking after. Any false decision can cost him and his team a failure of project. When we talk in management terms, we see that one thing that is always argued is the fact that decisions made upon inadequate information are mostly wrong. However, when we look into the practical world of leaders, can we say that leaders always have the right amount of information at the right time and at the right place? Obviously not is the answer to this question because of the fact that if all information would have been made available to the team, then there was no need of a leader to make decisions. In that case just a checker or manager would have done the job of a leader (Aqor, 1986). But, when we look at the decision making role of a leader, he has to make a large number of decisions everyday for which he might not have all the information and which won’t allow him much time to think upon them otherwise he will have to compromise all other important things that he and his team has to complete. A leader, as we have already discussed is chosen because of his special abilities, and this intuitive decision making skills is a part of them. Although on the surface we might say that while intuitively making decisions, a leader does not takes into account all the information, but he is actually thinking with a different angle and approach using his abilities that other team members cannot(Bealer,1998). Difference between decisions made with logical reasoning and decisions made with intuition In the last part of this report we will now discuss the difference between logical decision making and intuitive decision making. Logical decision making involves a high level of reasoning and data that is analyzed in order to come up with a decision. this approach is mostly advocated by most of the critics because of the fact that through this type of decision making, a leader tends to take into account and mitigate a large number of threats and risks which he might not through intuitive decision making. However, this type of a decision making approach may require more time and resources to come up with the decision (Williams, 2001). Also these decisions are mostly based on the theoretical knowledge and proven facts. For example, as we have seen in a number of stock markets that when people with logical reasoning were un-holding their stocks with losses, there were some others as well who were actually earning by using their intuitive knowledge. On the other hand, as we have discussed above that while making intuitive decisions, a leader might not take much time to make those decisions as they are usually made in circumstances where there are time constraints. Moreover, a leader uses his abilities to reconcile his past experiences and trends to come up with the decision rather than core number, figures and theoretical knowledge only.  Another major difference between the two is that both the types of decisions can actually go in the opposite directions as well as we have already discussed above in the stock market example(Giannini & Rhodes,1978). Conclusion Thus, the report will conclude the discussion with an argument that no one can actually say whether intuitive decision making is good or bad. It all depends on the situation. Yes, it is true that when there is adequate time and resources, the leader should also take into account the other approaches as well but in constraints of time, a leader may take these decisions depending on his abilities. Also we cannot also say which one of the two types of decision making is good or bad for the project because it again depends on the situation that the organization is in. however, as we know that intuitive decision making involves personal bias of leaders as well and may also reflect their personality traits such as risk taker or risk averse, it is recommended that whenever possible, a leader should take into account the logical reasoning approach and compare it with his intuitive perspective before taking any decision as it might make him realize a number of risks that he may have ignored in the first thought.

Boys don’t cry versus the teena brandon story Essay

I have chosen to write about the difference between fact and fiction between a documentary and a docudrama. Between how important getting information out to the public and what sells to the viewing public for entertainment. I would like to state that I feel quite fortunate that I watched the documentary, â€Å"The Teena Brandon Story†, first then I watched the movie, â€Å"Boys Don’t Cry†. I had viewed the movie years ago; I had heard that this movie was a true story based on fact from the documentary. In my second viewing from an analytical standpoint, let me just say I was quite floored about how could they call, â€Å"Boys Don’t Cry† a docudrama when there were so many important facts that were excluded from this film. Both film and documentary did receive Academy Awards. â€Å"The Teena Brandon Story,† is a documentary about Brandon Teena (aka Teena Ray Brandon), a transgendered person, who was murdered along with Lisa Lambert and Phillip Devine in 1993 in Falls City, Nebraska. The story is told through interviews with the people who loved and hated Brandon for his difference. Recorded interrogation and trial transcripts, all of which showed that Brandon’s girlfriends thought he was a male. All talked about how he was the best boyfriend and so in tune with their feelings and so giving. Brandon Teena’s police tape, photographs, and file film footage. â€Å"Boys Don’t Cry†, is a film based on actual events. Brandon Teena is the popular new guy in a tiny Nebraska town called Falls City. He hangs out with the guys, drinking, cussing, bumper surfing, and becomes quite the ladies’ man in town. He has been warned by his cousin that â€Å"they† do not play like that down there. Brandon ignores the warning and becomes one of the guys and dating the local hometown beauty. He has forgotten to mention that he is wanted in his hometown of Lincoln for forgery, grand theft auto, stealing and most importantly that Brandon Teena was actually a born a woman named Teena Ray Brandon. When his friends find out they feel betrayed and lash out violently with murder. Trauma is the focus of â€Å"Boys Don’t Cry† and community is the focus of â€Å"The Teena Brandon Story†. The differences stems from narrative and documentary. Narrative creates a story around a character while a documentary creates an argument around a historical incident. Both films use the same material and they were released a year apart, although the character portrayal is negative in both films the narrative was sued for slander. The documentary displayed Lana Tisdel as white trash and in the film she was portrayed as white trash. The family sued the filmmakers and I believe why is because the documentary showed the actual Lisa Tisdel in her interviews and the filmmakers were sued because they captured her likeness maybe because it showed her as a druggie and alcoholic. â€Å"Boys Don’t Cry† and â€Å"The Teena Brandon Story† made sure to refer to Teena Brandon as Brandon and to call her â€Å"him† they did not follow the wishes of his mother and call him â€Å"she†. The suspicion that they were lesbians was not okay in the documentary and the film; it seems that they were more okay with her having a sexual identity crisis. Both pieces expose a core of homophobia among not only the killers but Brandon himself he insist that he is not a â€Å"dyke†. There was an attitude that she is going to get a sex change operation and that was â€Å"okay,† for some reason. One of â€Å"Boys Don’t Cry† biggest copycat moments of the documentary is the opening scene of the movie begins with the start of a long dark and lonesome road and flashing lights with a single line going down the pavement and â€Å"The Teena Brandon Story† begins the same way. Brandon Teena was murdered by John Lotter and Tom Nissen. When they found out that Brandon was actually a girl passing as a boy and dating their good friend Lana Tisdel the men became and enraged and killed her. The documentary tells the events of Brandon Teena leaving Lincoln, Nebraska and going to Falls City, Nebraska since people did not know him there. Too many people in his hometown started finding out that he was a girl and problems were arising more frequently. The documentary gave you a reason and a time frame of why and when Brandon left Lincoln and went to Falls City. The movie did this weird transition and maybe the only reason why I noticed it was because it was all so fresh in my mind and I was looking for differences but, â€Å"Boys Don’t Cry† did the transition of when Brandon went to Humboldt by showing him, I guess in the bar where Candace, also known as Lisa Lambert worked as a bartender. A barroom brawl breaks out and in to help him fight is John Lotter and that is how the friendship of him along with Tom Nissen began. They showed Brandon ending up in Falls City because John Lotter suggested they go to a party which Candace points out is seventy miles away. This is where he meets Lana Tisdel, the love of his life. The movie gave you the impression that Brandon was going to return to Lincoln until everyone in Falls City, Nebraska was accepting of him and did not know his secret. The movie gave off a feeling of a love story in a sense with certain circumstances gone bad, kind of like a Romeo and Juliet spin off rather than about someone passing for a man and getting into trouble all the time back home for passing as a man. In â€Å"The Teena Brandon Story†, all of the real names were used in the documentary and the parents gave permission and also gave testimony as well. In â€Å"Boys Don’t Cry†, the names were all used except for the female victim Lisa Lambert and her son. Their names were changed to Candace and Tanner, which poses the question of rights in the docudrama. This crime was actually a triple homicide not a double as they so blatantly portrayed in the movie. The people that were murdered were Brandon Teena, Lisa Lambert and Phillip Devine. Phillip Devine was a young black guy that was visiting Lisa Lambert at the time. He was in the wrong place at the wrong time. In my opinion, they did not see the relevance of mentioning the third murdered victim in this horrific incident. I feel that it was a cheap rip off in my eyes.

Example of Resume and Practical Application Letter Essay

On behalf of the School of Business and Economics, I submit herewith an application for the student mentioned below to conduct his/her industrial training under your esteemed organization. The industrial training program is one of the course requirements for student to complete their Bachelor of Business (with honors) degree at University Malaysia Sabah. For your information, the placement should last for 3 months from 24 June 2013 to 13 September 2013. The main objective of this placement is to expose the student to the working environment in the corporate world, of which can be explained further by the attached â€Å"Program Objectives’’. The following student (enclosed CV) is majoring in Entrepreneurship: 1. BB1011xxxx ALIA UMAIRA BINTI MOHD RAFI (I/C NO: 901228-01-xxxx) For further information, please do not hesitate to contact any number of the practicum coordinator during office hours. In addition, below are few other objectives with regard to practical training: o To brief the trainees the roles and task performed as well as to prepare daily/weekly schedule. o To improve the trainees understanding on the company’s roles and contribution towards the industry. o To provide opportunity for trainees to be involved in the organization operation management and other activities such as briefing/seminars, workshops, exhibition and etc. o To improve communication and public relation techniques in order to enhance better relationship within the company as well as the customers.

Human and Addiction Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Human and Addiction - Essay Example Television Addiction It is satirical that many people globally are mostly harmed with what they love most. Things that lead people to addiction and eventually land them to problems are not basic things, but luxury things. It is not compulsory for people to take alcohol especially those who do not have control of it because they know that they will eventually land into problems. Strong desire of things is not only associated to physical substances. Those obsessed to gambling find it to be uncontrollable while those who are addicted to sex find it to be fanatical. Globally people are addicted to televisions, when somebody does not have appetite of a certain meal or he does not want to share in a discussion, they usually take the remote control to get consolation from the television. Parents are bothered with how their children are watching television yet they too have the same problems. Researchers have concluded that people who are addicted to television usually engage in conversation s while their eyes are stuck to the television. It does not matter whether the conversation is important, these people cannot turn their eyes away from the television (Kubey and Csikszentmihalyi 1). ... They usually have a strong desire to watch the television, albeit they wish to stop watching the television excessively, but they usually fail to control themselves. These people continue watching television despite the consequences it accompanies. These characteristics are mainly connected to people who watch television frequently. It should be noted that watching television is not challenging because it entertains, educates and informs people. The problem usually sets in when the individual has a strong desire of watching the television and he cannot control it. The amount of time spent in watching television is unbelievable because many people save their time of work and others even sacrifice their sleep to watch television. Due to these trends, people who are age eighty have watched television for ten good years. Many broadcasters argue that people who watch television do it out of their own will but what is not understood is why this people usually complain on their watch to the television. When explorations were carried out, more than half of the populace complained of disproportionate TV watching (Kubey and Csikszentmihalyi 2). Various researches have been carried out to detect people reactions in watching television with the use of highly sophisticated equipments in the laboratory. The work of these machines is to detect how the brain, skin and heartbeat react to watching television. Another method that was used to detect reactions of watching television in normal life apart from the controlled environment in the laboratory was Experience Sampling Method. In this method, the participants were required to carry around a beeper in their pockets and they were alerted six to eight times so as they could write what they were doing

Drinking ages Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Drinking ages - Essay Example These laws encompass an extensive range of actions and issues associated with alcohol consumption; they clearly indicate when and where alcohol can be imbibed. However, the legal age for consumption of alcohol can be different from the legal age for purchasing of alcohol (Kindelberger 197). Furthermore, these laws are variable among different countries and many laws have room for exemptions under special circumstances; and most laws only restrict the imbibing of alcohol in public places, with no imposition of restriction on alcohol consumed at home. Many countries have different age restrictions for different kinds of alcoholic beverages. The United Kingdom is the only country that has set a minimum age restriction for imbibing alcohol at home. Whereas, in some countries minors are not restricted to consume alcohol, but the alcohol can be seized, and some restrict selling of alcohol to minors. Although the National Minimum Drinking Age Act of 1984 clearly specified that individuals of 21 years of age or older are allowed to purchase and consume alcohol, there have been intermittent debates whether the drinking age should be 21 or be lowered to 18. Scientists supporting either side come with substantial evidence. However, popular sentiment tells that there are more people supporting the legal drinking age of 21 than those supporting 18 years of age. The arguments from both sides are primarily centered on adults of age 18-21, and college and university students (Kiesbye 57). A large number of college and university officials have sparked debates that current alcohol drinking laws have poorly failed; that instead of drawing students away from alcohol, they have simply forced students to take underage drinking in secrecy toward dangerous extremes, and it has established a wide-spread culture of clandestine drinking among young adults,

Modern European History (1789-present) Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3250 words

Modern European History (1789-present) - Essay Example 84 and the Primerose League collected great support and laid strong foundation for the conservatives .With the advent of Benjamin Disreli from [1874-1880] resorted Conservatism to modern reforms ,0peeped out their influence as a result of the imperialistic and electoral plans of Disreli. Socialism stands for an economic theory and cooperation among all classes of people . It came out as a reaction to bring social and economic change as an effect of the Industrial revolution .Conservatism concerns with the social and political changes as an effect of the French Revolution. Radicalism is concentrated in maintaining radicalism principles in economic and social circumstances . It paved the way for protest against hunger and want .It also paved the way for betterment of the society.The new right refers to different categories in different ststes.In United kingdom it refers to neo-liberalism , in France it refers to new thinking in political aspects ,declaring their thought to be the right . Q 4 .IN CONTARAST TO THE NATIONALIST LIBERATION STRUGGLE OF THE FIRST HALF OF THE NINETEENTH CENTURY, A NUMBER OF HISTORIANS ARGUED THAT GERMANY UNIFIED THROUGH WAR AND DIPLOMACY. SUPPORT OR CHALLENGE THIS STATEMENT. DESCRIBE OTHER SOLUTIONS OR PROPOSALS TO THE QUESTION OF UNIFICATION THROUGHOUT THE NINETEENTH CENTURY. The unification of Germany has been one of the major political events. When we talk of thee unification , we should be aware of the facts that Germany played a very important role in the post - cold war .Europe’s participation was an ever green sight for the politicians and economists. Bismark had deep conservative monarchist and aristocratic observations. He was the one who worked out the diplomatic ideologies and created war fronts to get Germany united. He was strictly obsessed with Prussia . He does not want Prussia to be an individual province , to be more precise , he wanted Prussia to come under the German constituency. He took the rewards of the

Modern Civil Society Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Modern Civil Society - Essay Example He believed that success meant leading a state of nature to civil society; however, the idea of combining every man who is free creates an agreement between people, and thus government is needed. Rousseau believed that people should give up some of their liberties and be governed in order to provide their own safety and other social benefits, yet Arendt has explained the disadvantages of government who have taken total control of their people. While Arendt and Rousseau both agree that slavery is an inhumane system, they have different views on people being controlled by the government. According to Arendt, the Nazis dehumanized and exterminated Jews by having the idea that everything is possible and everything is permitted. Once the idea had been formed, the purposes of concentration and extermination camps were designed to exterminate and reduce a kind of human being into an almost nonexistent species. Under total terror power control, these people who were in the camps often consid ered keeping themselves alive instead of fighting for freedom, which led them to start losing their thinking skills and began building up their abilities to obey. After the victims began losing their human behavior and their own personalities, they had been trained as â€Å"Pavlov’s dog, which, as we know, was trained to eat not when it was hungry but when a bell rang (Arendt 124)†. In the essay, Arendt stated that under the terror, those human beings had been turned into a â€Å"mere thing, into something that even animals are not (124)†. In other words, Arendt stated that by classifying human beings, Nazis saw Jews as trifling matter who have been â€Å"treated as if they no longer existed, as if what happened to them were no longer of any interest to anybody, as if they were already dead (132)†. They did not treat Jews as human beings, and surely they disregard Jews’ lives. Rousseau had a similar idea, arguing that no one is born to be a slave, and every human being is born equally and only they can choose their destiny: Far earlier, Aristotle, too, had maintained that men are not by nature equal, but that some are born to be slaves, others to be masters. Aristotle was right: but he mistook the effect for the cause. Nothing is more certain than that a man born into a condition of slavery is by nature. A slave in fetters loses everything—even the desire to be freed from them. He grows to love his slavery (61). According to the Greek philosopher Aristotle, some people are naturally slaves; however, others are naturally masters. In other words, a slave is born to be owned by another human being, and has no freedom; they even lose their opportunity to be set free from their owner. However, by defining the word â€Å"natural†, Rousseau explained that the nature for a human being is the idea that all men are born free, which means that all people have natural liberty, including slaves. He claimed that it is ridicul ous for a newborn human being to spend a lifetime as a slave, which might mean being locked up with the owner in poor conditions and forced to work for hardly any profit. Furthermore, Rousseau believed that a man could be born in the position of a slave, but the man must have his natural liberty that belongs to himself and only he has the right to decide his destiny. Arendt and Rousseau both had similar ideas that racism and slavery are inhumane actions that should not

What Impact the Policy of Implementation of Performance Based Funding Research Proposal

What Impact the Policy of Implementation of Performance Based Funding will have on Historically Black Colleges and Universities in Louisiana - Research Proposal Example As the paper outlines the stated objective behind such funding is to provide quality education in such institutions at nominal costs. State funding to Historically Black Colleges and Universities is being provided with a White House initiative set in motion by President Jimmy Carter1 in 1980 with the objective of, ‘overcoming the effects of discriminatory treatment and to strengthen and expand the capacity of historically black colleges and universities to provide quality education’. President Reagan subsequently established the ‘White House Initiative on Historically Black Colleges and Universities’ in 1981. As a result the state of Louisiana saw emergence of public institutions like Grambling State University; Southern University and A&M College; Southern University at New Orleans; Southern University at Shreveport together with couple of private institutions. Today, products and services are objectively assessed from the point of view of their functionali ty, value proposition and the overall performance. Market forces have now acquired a predominant role while limiting the roles of the respective governments to that of a facilitator. Educational institutions too are now expected to come out with matching results and professional approach in imparting education. Therefore now we hear about suggestions for ‘performance based funding’ to educational institutions and take necessary punitive action if any institution is found to be drifting in its duties and responsibilities and resulting in below par performances.

TSA Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

TSA - Essay Example They also check and verify passengers’ travel documents. They keep a check on cargo buildings of companies that ship items on planes when there are no passengers aboard. A TSO cannot perform shift maintenance on equipment. He is trained three weeks in a classroom setting and needs to complete 80 hours of on-the-job training to become a TSO. Without TSOs, the security checkpoint could not be run properly and efficiently. The TSOs are only accountable for their own selves, whereas LTSOs and STSOs are held responsible for other officers in addition to their own actions. The next category is the Lead Transportation Security Officer (LSTO). He is the go-between for the TSOs and STSOs. LSTOs train entry level TSOs for their 80 hours of on-the-job training. LTSOs are the head of the exit lane. They keep the supplies stocked for the day for every security lane. They check planes making sure that there are no threats before the passengers board the plane. They can do all basic maintenance on equipment that is used daily, for example, they perform maintenance on the Explosion Trace Detector (ETD) to make sure it is detecting explosives. LTSOs report to the operation center any issues regarding the equipment that may raise doing the course of the day. An LTSO deals with passenger issues that a TSO could not have resolved. They are responsible for everyone on their lane such as they control and supervise passengers without using physical restraint. An LTSO cannot complete the daily operational paperwork as they do not have access to employee personal files. The last category is the Supervisory Transportation Security Officer (STSO) who is held accountable for every officer. STSOs are trained at TSO level because they are responsible for making sure that all officers are doing their job correctly. All officers get daily briefing from STSOs before going to their respective shifts. STSOs must complete all daily

The Black and Decker Corporation Case Study Essay

The Black and Decker Corporation Case Study - Essay Example Case Study Synopsis A. Company Overview; Dissecting the Case The Black & Decker Corporation is an American firm that manufactures and markets power tools, power accessories, fastening systems, products for home improvements, and hardware. It manufactures its products in eleven countries spread worldwide, and markets those in a hundred plus countries. Its biggest markets are the United States, which accounted for 55 percent of all revenues in 2008, and Europe, for 25 percent in the same year. 2008 revenues were US 6.086 billion dollars, while gross margins were 32.8 percent for that year. By product group contribution, power tools contributed 73 percent of all revenues in 2008, at US 4.3 billion dollars, followed by hardware and products for the improvement of the home, at US 900 million dollars, making up 15 percent of all revenues. The balance was made up for by revenues from fastening systems, which was the smallest product group by revenue for that year, accounting for 12 percent of all sales, valued at US 700 million dollars (Black and Decker, n.d., pp. 1-14). By way of a look forward, by 2012 the Black & Decker Corporation had ceased to be an independent firm, having been bought out by Stanley Works in 2010, so that the merged entity had come to be known as Stanley Black & Decker Inc.(Google Finance, 2012; Stanley Black & Decker Inc., 2012; Black and Decker, n.d.; Reuters, 2012 (b)). ... The hypothesis is that the traditional market strengths of the original Black & Decker Company had something to do with this share price appreciation(Reuters, 2012; Google Finance, 2012; Reuters, 2012 (b)): Image Source: Google Finance, 2012 B. Business Groups and Market Segments Three product groups serve as the organizing principle of the organization. These product groups are, as already mentioned earlier, power tools, product for home improvement and hardware, and fastening systems. Of the three, as has been noted earlier, power tools make up the bulk of the revenues (73 percent), followed by home improvement at 15 percent, and fastening systems at 12 percent of all revenues. Absolute profits rankings are the same, with power tools contributing the most to profits, followed in the same order by the two other product groups (Black & Decker, n.d., pp. 1-14). Three different market segments for the power tools product group, the largest product group, have differing characteristics, defined along customer type. As discussed earlier, these are industrial users, general consumers, and professionals. Of the three, the company has had success with industrial users and general consumers, while as noted earlier, prior to the launch of the DeWalt brand, the corporation had suffered anemic following among professionals, owing to the market perception that the company's products were inferior (Black & Decker, n.d., pp 3-5). Moreover, the three market segments also differ in some other profound ways. Industrial users are the most demanding, requiring that products show resistance to wear and resilience, even as the rewards include long-lasting relationships with buyers, and large and frequent orders. Professionals, using the products as essential trade tools,

A Man That Holds My Heart Essay Example for Free

A Man That Holds My Heart Essay Many people have ways of influencing others. Most people use words to affect other people. An amount of individuals would utilize their gift of persuasion to convince others of their causes or maybe arguments, while some use authority to force people to do as they are told. These several differences can apply to fathers as well. Not all fathers are similar when it comes to educating their children. Many are gentle, while some are more dominant. Randy T Caldwell, a somewhat young spirited middle aged man. Dark skinned with black Gucci frames to accommodate his big brown eyes. Standing 5’11, board shoulders, happy, loving, man of Christ and always seen with a look upon his face that means business falls under those descriptions of a father. My father is a man of many words. He is a very talkative man, somewhat quiet but only when listening to someone of when needed. He is not a very persuasive person like others, nor does he use authority to get his message across. All the lessons I’ve learned from my father were never taught in lectures or by long stories. Instead, he gave me real life examples for me to follow. I learned everything I needed to know from my father, through his own life. It was the way he lived his poverty stricken and fearful life which taught me how to live a more effective, goal reaching, non-poverty stricken live. Indeed, my father was a man of many words and was a man of many words but yet he had a soft heart. My father has simple interests. He is very fond of watching college football, and often watches when he can. When he has time he would go hiking occasionally. However, his favorite thing to do is go fishing. At such a young age, I was very fascinated with the fact that he would bring home huge, 10 foot long, stinky fish but I always loved it. Aside from being an outdoor, outgoing , talkative man ; my father was a man of Christ. Just like on the man that are always, dressed up , Stay Adams , the best pen striped suit, at the front of the church serving communion on first Sundays . That’s My Father! Even though he had a horrible, poverty stricken, gangster life as a child he is a firm believer in Christ. He has not preached about his faith even though he is very talkative; he has never given lessons on religious and mortality. He just simply lived by example. Whenever faced with difficulty, he simply thinks about what Christ would do in a situation as such. It was one the most remarkable things I find remember able about him. In one instance, I went fishing with my father. I’m not really fond of the outdoors like he was, but I loved spending time with him. It had been raining earlier that morning, so the fishing area was wet. He insisted we go to is regular spot so we did. It was under an old rugged beat down bridge that was covered with green algae. By the time we were done fishing we both were hungry. We proceeded to the nearest fast food place, which happened to be McDonald’s. As I ate my lunch it began to rain very badly; I than begin to look out the window at an old man whose clothes torn with the look of death in his eyes, standing in the middle of the parking lot. As my father made his way to the table where I was dining he caught my gaze. He immediately re packed his Big Mac fully made all the way everything on it , his supersized fry, and even his drink and went right out the door. Just as hungry as he was he gave the old man his meal. On the way home my father said nothing. Again, he taught me a lesson through his own example. My father can be described as many things talkative, outgoing, loving, caring, and firm believer in Christ. But one thing he will always be described as to me would be the man that has taught me to be the best I can be. My father is a good father, he is rather different than other fathers; but that’s what makes him the best.

Teen Curfews are Ridiculous Essay Example for Free

Teen Curfews are Ridiculous Essay Earl Manning, my life-long mentor, says, Teen curfews are quite possibly the best thing ever. Teens are evil, corrupt beings and a curfew is all the world needs to cage up teen crime. Though most of Earls wise teachings are true and insightful, on this subject he is terribly mistaken. Teen curfews are not the right solution to the problem of juvenile crime because they enroach on the rights of teens and parents, are ineffective, and there are much better solutions. First of all, how can teen curfews be a good solution if they enroach on the rights of teens and their parents? Civil rights groups, such as the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) stand up for the rights of Americans as given to them by the Constitution of the United States. Teen curfews violate First Amendment rights, particularly the right to assemble. According the time line taken from Milestones in Teen Curfews in the United States, the courts agreed in 1989. U.S. District Judge Charles Richey blocked the implementation of a Washington DC curfew, essentially calling it unconstitutional. He said the ordinance would raise serious constitutional claims for teens. Curfews constitutionality was again questioned in November 1995 when the ACLU filed a lawsuit in U.S. District court. Then again in July 2000 the rights of American teens prevailed when a federal district court judge found that Indianas 1945 curfew violates the Fourth Amendment of the U.S. Constitution. Advocates of juvenile rights and upholding the Constitution also make it clear that curfews invade on the rights of parents to raise their children. Laws exist to protect citizens, not suppress their basic freedoms as guaranteed by the Bill of Rights in the Constitution. A primary reason curfews are not the right solution to the problem of juvenile crime is that they are not, have not been, and will not be effective. According to the article Teen Curfews, 146 of the nations 200 largest cities now enforce teen curfews, yet juvenile crime rates nationwide remain largely higher than in the past. If teen curfews really are effective, then it would be assumed that there would be a decrease in the juvenile crime rate, or at least a maintenance of status quo. Statistics show that most juvenile crime occurs between the hours of 3 P.M. and 6 P.M.  Thus it would be fruitless to enact curfews that do not attack the problem head on. As James Alan Fox, the dean of the College of Criminal Justice at Northeastern University, says, The problem with curfew laws is that most kids, the good, the bad and the tired, are asleep at midnight. Past curfews faced these same problems. The time line shows that many cities had passed curfew laws by the 1980s, yet the juvenile violent-crime rate surges upward. Then in the 1990s there was a resurgence of teen curfews to combat juvenile crime, but according to the article the juvenile violent-crime rate.. has climbed [over the past four years], except in 1995, when curfews met resistance from the ACLU. In June 1998, a study on the impact of curfews on juvenile crime in California, released by the Justice Policy Institute, finds that curfews are more a public relations gimmick than an effective crime-fighting tool. The future of curfews looks equally grim and ineffective. According to John DiIulio Jr., a leading crime expert, The large population will give rise to a new and more vicious group of predatory street criminals than the nation has ever known. Arthur Spitzer, the legal director of the ACLU, says, I find it very hard to believe that a curfew would have any significant effect on teenagers who are selling drugs, stealing cars or carrying a gun, which DiIulio suggest is the future of American youth. In February 2000, a survey released by the National League of Cities concludes that curfews do little to reduce hard core gang activity. Lastly, there are better, more effective solutions than teen curfews. The conflict of teen curfews could be avoided all together if such actions were taken. The problem of juvenile crime should be stopped at its source, not nudged in the shoulder by curfews. There have been numerous attempts to combat juvenile crime through positive means and many have been successful. In 1936, the Police Athletic League (PAL) was founded in New York City. PAL worked effectively to give teens a positive alternative to juvenile crime. In 1953 Boys and Girls Clubs of America are established. These offer social, educational, career and leadership programs to disadvantaged youths. In 1974 the Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention Act established the Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention (OJJDP) which gave funds to states to take on juvenile crime. With more  funding and proper management of funds, more programs could be created and those that exist could be expanded and improved. According to the article, Many say that after-school programs and organized sports leagues work to reduce crime. Alfred Blumstein, a leading criminologist, says that curfews must be augmented by community centers. However, teen curfews could be eliminated all together with the expansion of better, more effective solutions. In conclusion, juvenile crime is a pressing matter that demands action. However, the rectification of the problem must not include teen curfews. Curfews infringe on the rights guaranteed by the Constitution and are ineffective. Other solutions are much better, more effective, and eliminate the need for curfews.

Need for Universal Social Security and Pension Schemes

Need for Universal Social Security and Pension Schemes Securing Old Age Abstract Pension system aims on poverty release, consumption smoothing, and insurance coverage in respect of ageing population. In India, most of the old age citizens are not covered under any social security program. A miniscule number of Government employees and few private sector workers retire with pensions. Majority of the total workforce is engaged in the unorganised sector with no access to old age income security. The issue of old-age security is gaining importance and it is now high on the public policy agenda. The developed countries generally provide pension to those who contribute for pension whereas in majority of the developing countries pensions are provided in a discretionary manner which reduces the coverage of pension. The article discusses the need for a universal pension scheme that will help the working population in the unorganized sector with increased coverage of pension. Key words: Pension scheme, Old age, social security Introduction The increased rate of the aged people in the total population has created a substantial demand for old-age social security. Thus it has become important to provide social security to its elderly people. Pension is one of the major component of old age social security. Developed countries have a good pension system with highly organised formal labour markets. Indian old-age income security is not well developed. India, being a welfare State, has taken upon itself the responsibilities of extending various benefits of Social Security and Social Assistance to its citizens. As per the reports out of an estimated work force of about 397 million, around 28 million workers are having the benefit of formal social security protection in India. Rest of the workers are in the unorganised sector. A well organised social security system for the workers in the unorganised sector will help in improving productivity, contribute to the harmonious labour relations and thus contribute to socio and economic development. Social security is a system of protection of individuals who are in need of such protection by the State as an agent of the society. Such protection is relevant in contingencies such as retirement, resignation, retrenchment, death, disablement which are beyond the control of the individual members of the Society. The current study attempts to examine the need for a universal social security and pension scheme. And a non-contributory pension scheme can guarantee a regular income in old age to all residents of the country, regardless of their earnings or occupation. It explains the scope for implementing a universal pension scheme which will increase the pension coverage and ensures proper income security to the old. The findings suggest that a reasonable increase in the amount of the pension and streamlining the delivery mechanism would significantly help to reduce old-age vulnerabilities. The paper concludes with policy directions for reforming the Indian pension system. The coverage of formal old age security is low, as majority of the population belonging to the informal sector of the developing countries is deprived of old age security. Indian pension system could potentially influence policy decisions in other developing countries with similar reliance on the national provident fund system. Indian provident fund schemes are low coverage and under performance schemes due to the investment restrictions. Majority working populations are engaged in the unorganised sector and have no access to any formal system of old age economic securities like provident fund and pension fund. Public sector employees are privileged with a vast pension provisions while private sector employees are aggrieved with low returns from their benefit schemes. Old age and social security The disappearance of large family system in India that took care of the social security needs of all members has necessitated provision of social security for senior citizens. For the senior citizens, social security can works like a protection cell which provides security through the medical benefit and old age pension plan. Social security pensions are meant to help disadvantaged sections of society such as the elderly, widows and disabled persons to live with basic financial security. Social security has gained paramount importance in the changed economic scenario. Social security programmes are actively undertaken even in developed nations. Social security is the financial assistance provided by the Government to the needy citizens such as disabled persons, aged persons, widows, unemployed youths, survivors of the deceased workers to promote their welfare by enabling them to access to food, shelter, health etc. social security acts as safety net for the disadvantageous sections of the society. Social security has gained paramount importance in the changed economic scenario. India also has enacted many social security measures for its needy citizens. In order to protect the welfare of unorganized workers the legislative measures namely minimum wages Act, 1948, the employees compensation Act, 1923, the maternity benefit Act, 1961, the bonded labour system (Abolition) Act, 1976, the contract labour (Regulation Abolition) Act, 1970, the inter-state migrant workmen (Regulation of Employment and Conditions of Service) Act, 1979, the building and other construction workers (Regulation of Employment and Conditions of Service) Act, 1996, etc. were implemented. In India, the elderly population is projected to reach 116 million in 2016 and 179 million in 2026. This raises the need for an effective system of pension. Population in India across Different Age Groups (million) Source: Census of India Percentage Distribution of Population by Broad Age Groups, Sex and Residence, 2012 Source: Sample Registration System (2012). Old age social security plays a pivotal role in a welfare state and one of its’ major components is pension. Pension provides a long-term income security in old age. Need for Pension scheme Need for Pension arises because of: à ¯Ã¢â‚¬Å¡Ã‚ · One is not as productive in the old age as in youth. à ¯Ã¢â‚¬Å¡Ã‚ · The rise in the nuclear family system as compared to earlier joint family system. à ¯Ã¢â‚¬Å¡Ã‚ · Migration of younger earning members as they are no longer interested in their family business. à ¯Ã¢â‚¬Å¡Ã‚ · Rapidly growing informal and unorganized sector. à ¯Ã¢â‚¬Å¡Ã‚ · Rise in cost of living. à ¯Ã¢â‚¬Å¡Ã‚ · Urbanization andimproved standard of life à ¯Ã¢â‚¬Å¡Ã‚ · Increase in the life span because of good medical facilities. à ¯Ã¢â‚¬Å¡Ã‚ · Bringing unorganized sector into formal scheme of pension. Unlike most of the developing countries, India did not have a universal social security system for the old aged people. As there is no formal pension scheme in India for the newly appointees, a need was felt to have a scheme so that people can save for their future when they are no longer working. Pension is a financial tool for old-age income security. These are generally defined as monthly payments made on superannuation to an individual to enable her/him maintain a decent standard of living post retirement and in old age. The developed countries generally provide pension to those who contribute for pension whereas in majority of the developing countries like India, pensions are provided on a discretionary basis which reduces the overall coverage of pension. The National Social Assistance Programme (NSAP) was introduced in India in 1995. Currently, five schemes come under the NSAP: the IGNOAPS, the Indira Gandhi National Widow Pension Scheme (IGNWPS), the Indira Gandhi National Disability Pension Scheme (IGNDPS), the National Family Benefit Scheme and the Annapurna Scheme. The central government makes a diminutive contribution of Rs 200 per month per person to old-age pensions, raised to Rs 500 per month under IGNOAPS, for persons aged 80 years and above. The patterns of usage of the pension are indicative of its importance in the lives of the benefi ciaries. The accepted defined benefit pension system, which was the broader goal of a welfare state, is slowly giving way to the defined contribution system where risk is borne by the final beneficiaries. Pension reforms in India in the last decade have seen three major initiatives a paradigmatic shift in the civil servants pension scheme, the National Pension Scheme for all citizens and the New Pension System Lite for the economically disadvantaged sections with small savings. Pension system in India Pension plansprovide financial security and stability during old age when people dont have aregular source of income. Retirement plan ensures that people live with pride andwithout compromising on their standard of living during advancing years. Pension scheme gives an opportunity to invest and accumulate savings and get lump sumamount as regular income through annuity plan on retirement. The history of the Indian pension system dates back to the colonial period of British-India. The Royal commission on civil Establishments, in 1881first provided pension benefits to the government employees. Government of India Acts of 1919 and 1935 made further provisions and expanded the retirement benefits to the entire public sector workforce. Several provident funds were set up after the independence to extend the coverage to private sector employees. Indian pension system largely hinges on financing through employer and employee participation. It denied the vast majority of the unorganised workforce’s access to formal channels of old age economic support. A common objection to social security pensions is that they might displace or undermine family support for widows and the elderly. Traditionally, joint family structures in India worked as a hedge against old-age economic crisis and a support network that precluded the need for third-party pension instruments. Universal Social Security and Pension Schemes Table: Details of Pension Beneficiaries of Selected Pension Schemes Source: Economic Political Weekly and Government of India. Universal pension schemes are often criticized for high fiscal costs. Recently Government of India announced a slew of low-cost pension and insurance schemes, in the budget for 2015-16. It includes least half-dozen social security schemes like Atal Pension Yojana and Universal Social Security scheme that will lead to a universal social security system for all, especially the poor and the underprivileged. Atal Pension Yojana will provide defined pension according to contribution. Of this, 50 percent contribution would be made by the government The government proposes to work towards Universal Social Security for all Indians. These social schemes reflect the intention that no person suffers from avoidable pain due to illness, old age. In countries like Canada and New Zealand, a progressive income tax system taxes the pensions for higher income individuals, making even the universal pension system relatively targeted. However, most of the lower income countries which might institute a universal pension system may not have a progressive income tax structure and may find it difficult to use the tax system to make the universal pension more targeted. Depending on the income distribution within the country, making the pension small enough may be sufficient for higher income individuals to not bother with collecting the pension. Such is the case in Nepal where higher income Nepalese often do not collect the very low universal benefits. A second set of issues arise regarding the service delivery for a universal pension. In the case of Namibia, despite a mandate for a universal pension, many rural elderly were not receiving the pension. The reasons ranged from lack of access to the pension distribution network and difficulties with verifying age and eligibility to different types of fraud. However, the administrative cost of the system was raised. Since poorer regions are harder to reach, the poorest may still not be reachable with a universal pension without a sizable investment in administrative capacity. This service delivery issue applies to all types of social pensions, not just the universal type. Some countries as noted above, offer universal pensions to all residents above a certain age regardless of income or assets. Even non-citizens who have fulfilled a minimum residency requirement in the country are often eligible. Universal pensions are clearly the best way to drastically reduce old age poverty since all the elderly, regardless of work or contribution experience, are eligible to receive some benefit. However, as with any universal benefit, many people who will be receiving it will not be poor. As a result, in terms of poverty reduction achieved per dollar spent, the expenditure may not be wholly effective. Furthermore, in the countries where such programs have been adopted, such as Namibia13 and Mauritius, cost considerations are forcing the governments to move toward means-testing and other methods of providing old age security. Universal pensions systems involve less administrative apparatus and administrative costs than targeted systems, but the actual benefits, since they are received by the nonpoor as well as the poor, cost more. A large proportion of Indias population is without insurance of any kind, health, accidental or life. Worryingly, as the young population ages, it is also going to be pension-less. Conclusions The current study attempts to examine the need for a universal pension for the elderly. Indian financial sector reforms have made significant progress in the spheres of banking and capital market. But sectors like insurance and pension are still hitherto untouched sectors. India has low coverage pension and the pension system is unable to fulfil its purpose. Since independence, many reforms have been initiated. The introduction of a universal pension scheme will facilitate social security and also helps in assuring the young that in old age there would be national savings to take care of any difficulties, implying that over-accumulation is not necessary during the younger days. The introduction of a universal pension scheme will enhance the welfare of the working cohorts of India majority of whose future lies in uncertainty.

Individualistic and Traditionalistic Cultures in Texas Essay -- Politi

Texas is an intricate state with deep roots embedded in limited government authority. Almost all, Texans, favor the limited government between citizens and state. The two most important cultures in Texas are individualistic and traditionalistic culture. Individualistic views are summoned by limited government and that politics are the root of malicious acts, and is usually responded with negative reactions from the community. The individualistic cultures’ vision is egotistical for ones self-interest. The individualistic culture is viewed as priority in private independent business rather that those of the community as a whole. Unlike individualistic views, traditionalistic culture is motioned by conservatism. This cultures vision is supported by the common wealth of society’s privileged. Its beliefs are usually of distrust in its bureaucracy. Traditionalistic culture maintains an obligation to its family hierarchy. The traditionalistic subculture has a lower vo ting turn out rate compared to the opposition. These distinctive cultures were bestowed upon Texans in the 1800’s, when Texas was changing into a diverse and demographically society. Individualistic and traditionalistic cultures are the outline of ideology and certainty to the way Texas government is administrated. This has a huge impact on the way the Texas structures its government and why people support such a structure. And Texas is viewed as both subcultures. Individualistic subculture was based out of the â€Å"Middle East Atlantic states (Elazar)† and migrated towards the west in hopes of establishing a limited government course and eventually settling in Texas. Texas is a prominent state that stays true to its strict views about reduced government. So it i... ...neth M. Goldstein, and William G. Howell. "Chapter 20 The Social and Economic Milieu of Texas Poltics." Understanding American Politics and Government. Texas ed. New York: Longman, 2010. 690-93. Print. Elazar, Daniel. "Explaining Policy Differences Using Political Culture." Reading. West Texas A&M University. Political Culture Handout. Dr. Dave Rausch, Teel Bivins Professor of Political Science. Web. 23 Mar. 2011. Newell, Charldean. "Inflexibility, Traditionalism, and Partisanship: The Texas Response to New Federalism." Review. Annual Review of American Federalism 12 (1981 (1983): 185-95. Publius. Oxford University Press. Web. 23 Mar. 2011. "Texas Politics - Texas Political Culture." Welcome to Texas Politics. University of Texas at Austin, 2011. Web. 15 Mar. 2011. .

Vietnamization (real Version) Essay -- essays research papers fc

Vietnam Controversy   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  It’s January 27th, 1973 and the Vietnam War is over. Peace agreements were signed in Paris by the South Vietnam Communist forces, North Vietnam, South Vietnam and the United States. The meeting lasted for several hours and in that time they agreed on many objectives, including: that U.S. troops would gradually withdraw from Vietnam and all prisoners of war would be released, South Vietnam had the right to choose their own future (whether or not to unite with North Vietnam), and North Vietnamese troops were given the right to remain in South Vietnam with idea that the troops could not be reinforced (â€Å"Vietnam War†). Even after the peace talks, fighting continued between the North and South Vietnamese. After the majority of American soldiers had left, North Vietnam went against all that was agreed on at the peace talks. On December 13, 1974 North Vietnam had started the invasion on the south. By April 30th, 1976, North Vietnamese tanks had occupied Saigon, the capital of South Vietnam, with no trouble, and an evacuation began (see picture 1 & 2). On July 2nd, 1976, the country was united as the Socialist Republic of Vietnam (â€Å"Vietnam War†). If the U.S. had stayed to finish the Vietnamization, there might have been a South Vietnam today. I feel that the U.S. should have never been involved in the war in the first place, however, under the unavoidable circumstances we should have stayed in South Vietnam and helped the country defend themselves on something we made them believe in. We poured so many resources into the war fighting for a cause that many Americans and people in general did not believe in, and to retreat from the South Vietnamese when they needed America’s help the most was very unfair. The Perspectives By comparing the views of Von Don’s Our Endless War Inside Vietnam and some views of â€Å"In Our Times†, I was able to conclude that some of the views from the 1970’s and some of the views of the 1990’s are very alike. Von Don saw differently than the average American, and had incredible insight as to what went wrong towards the fall of South Vietnam. The book seemed to back up everything that Von Don seemed to have a perspective on. I can at least say that the two statements did not conflict. Personal Conclusions Through reviewing both perspectives I came up with several conclusion about t... ... learn. Works Cited Brigham, Robert K. â€Å"The Fall of South Vietnam.† American Journey. Online.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  15 March 2000. â€Å"Debate Between Sen. William Proxmire (D-Wisc.) And Sen. Barry   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Goldwater (R-Ariz.) over Aid to South Vietnam.† U.S. Congress, 1974.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  American Journey. Online. 15 March 2000. â€Å"Part Six: Vietnam.† In class handout. â€Å"Protest note from the Government of the Republic of Vietnam (South   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Vietnam) to the government of the Democratic Republic of Vietnam   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  (North Vietnam).† Embassy in Washington Press. Washington Press.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Release No. 15/73, September 10, 1973. Rosenberg, Norman L. & Emily S. In Our Times: America Since World War  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   II. Prentice Hall, Upper Saddle River, New Jersey. 1999. Van Don, Tran. Our Endless War Inside Vietnam: Memoir of South   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Vietnamese General. 1978. â€Å"Vietnam War.† Encarta 1998. CD-ROM. Redmond, WA: Microsoft, 1993 –  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   1997.

Essay --

Acetaminophen (Tylenol) is an analgesic medication. Its overdose occurs when someone accidently or intentionally takes more than the normal or recommended amount of this medication. Acetaminophen overdose is one of the common poisonings worldwide. If this poisoning occurs, need to call local emergency number (911) or poison control center. Acute acetaminophen overdose is defined as an ingestion of toxic amount of acetaminophen occurring within a period of eight hours or less. In adults acetaminophen toxicity occurs following ingestion of greater than 7.5-10gms over a period of eight hours or less. Chronic acetaminophen overdose occurs following ingestion of toxic amount over a period greater than eight hours. The mechanism of liver injury is related to the fact that small amounts of acetaminophen are converted to a toxic metabolite. The toxic metabolite binds with liver proteins to cause cellular injury. The amount of toxic metabolite produced and the ability of the liver to remove this metabolite before it binds to liver protein influence the extent of liver injury. Pathophysiology: Oral acetaminophen is rapidly absorbed from the stomach and small intestines. The serum drug concentration peaks 1-2 hours once after ingestion. Peak plasma level occurs within 4 hours of post ingestion of over dose of an immediate release preparation. Therapeutic levels are 5-20 Â µg/ml. Acetaminophen primarily metabolized by liver to non toxic, water soluble form that is eliminated in the urine. Overdose leads to formation of hepatotoxic reactive metabolite causes an ensuring cascade of oxidative damage and mitochondrial dysfunction. This subsequent inflammatory response propagates hepatocellular injury and death. Similar enzymatic reaction occurs i... ...dressed some recommendations to acetaminophen based medications, are safe daily dose for healthy individuals, patients with chronic renal failure, patients who concurrently drink alcohol and appropriate dose needed to be efficacy. It also imposed package size restrictions. Prevention: People supposed to take some steps to avoid acetaminophen overdose. Always securely close the acetaminophen containers and use child proof bottles. Keep all the medication out of the reach of children. Know the correct dose and amount of drug before administration. Never mix the both medications if those contain the acetaminophen. Keep all the medications away from the family member who are being showed suicidal ideations and seek medical attention immediately. Patient should not be taken acetaminophen if he has consumed three alcoholic beverages per day as it leads to hepatotoxicity.

British Petroleum Analysis Essay

Introduction William Knox D’Arcy founded BP plc, formerly known as British Petroleum, in 1909, they are a global company specializing in oil and gas, headquartered in London, England. BP has continued to grow since its inception, and now employs over 80 thousand people in 70 countries worldwide (Company History,N.D.para1). According to CNN money BP is ranked number six among other global 500 companies (Fortune Global 500.BP.n.d.). Its key strengths are in oil and gas exploration and production; the refining, marketing and supply of petroleum products; and the manufacturing and marketing of chemicals. It supports all its businesses with high quality research and technology (Company History, N.D.para3). External Environment Economic Trends Knowledge is power and the more aware you are of trends within the economy, the more successful you will ultimately be. BP is just one of many companies in the oil and gas industry making an impact on environmental trends. A common goal amongst competitors within this industry is to locate oil and bring it to consumers, due to some of the economical trends this goal is also shifting. The economy is more favorable to lower gas prices, lower carbon emissions, and fuel efficiency. Companies within this industry have to balance the needs of development and the needs of the economy while trying to protect the environment. BP has two main areas of operation, one being the exploration and production of oil and the other being refining and marketing (BP,PLC(BP), N.D.para1) Currently BP like many others in the industry are focusing on ways to lower carbon emissions, and finding new resources of low-carbon energy. One of the ways BP is helping bring these goals and trends into fruition is the utilization of shale oil. Shale oil resources are being discovered all throughout the United States. Shale oil has helped lower gas prices (Oil and Gas,2013.,para3). BP recently purchased Chesapeake Energy Corp’s position in the Woodford Shale-gas play in Oklahoma for 1.75 billion; with this purchase they can expand into shale gas and are hoping to add 200 million cubic feet into production (Major Oil, Meet Shale. 2008,para2) According to BP they are taking various steps in finding ways to reduce the amount of carbon dioxide emissions. One of the ways BP is reducing carbon dioxide emissions is through solar energy, since solar power is carbon free. BP is one of the worlds leading companies within the solar industry, offering various products for consumer’s homes and businesses. BP recently started working with Home Depot to offer solar lighting. BP is also focusing on natural gas, which is making up about 40% of BP’s Portfolio and they are continuing to expand to areas that have a high dependency on carbon, such as the United States, Mexico, and parts of Korea. Wind farms are also sparking debate as BP is looking to expand into this area as well to offer carbon free electricity (What Is BP Doing. N.D.para 23-27). Another economic trend that affects BP as well as the gas and oil industry as a whole is interests rates, exchange rates, and the rate of inflation. There are many factors to consider when looking at the relationship between these rates and gas prices. For example, if these rates were to be raised it would affect the consumers and the manufacturing costs, which would lower the amount of time and money people spend driving, creating less demand for oil, causing the prices to drop. The same would work if the rates lowered, establishing an influx for consumers, which would result in more traveling and higher demand for gas, causing the price to rise (Parry,P.,2013.Para4). Political/ Legal There are several factors in the oil and gas markets that are affected by politics and legalities. One of the main factors is political unrest in the Middle East. The ongoing efforts in Iraq and Afghanistan have driven the gasoline prices to all-time highs. More recently the civil war attacks in Syria are causing problems with development of Iraq’s gas and oil supplies. The Syrian forces have focused these attacks on the energy sector in an  attempt to take away their wealth since oil is main revenue. Due to this focus the attacks have been primarily on oil export pipelines, power generation and transmissions. Luckily, most of the attacks are not occurring in the southern parts of Iraq where the largest supplies of oils are found (Iraq: Syria War Spillover Hinders Oilfields, Pipelines.2014.para3-4). Oil spills into the oceans are a major factor on the politics side of the oil and gas industries. One of the major spills by BP’s Deepwater Horizon drill in 2010, not only took its toll on the company and the industry, but tourism, wildlife, and beaches were all heavily affected in the Gulf areas. Due to the Deepwater Horizon disaster BP is on a five-year probationary period, and there are new safety measures being implemented across the industry, there are new training procedure, risk management processes and equipment (BP gets record fine for Deepwater Horion, 2012.para2). Demographics Demographics refer to a company’s consumers as well as employees. The oil and gas industry consumer base can be related to just about everyone, with the retail aspect of the gas station including gum, drinks, snacks, etc. Gasoline in general is targeted to people that are of age to purchase gasoline generally public over the age of 16, which is the legal driving age. According to the BP website they offer careers in various fields such as business infrastructure, commercial, engineering, operations, sales and support, and technology just to name a few. BP has employees in Europe, Africa, the Middle East, Asia and North and South America (Career Areas.N.D). Employee talent within the oil and gas industry can impose a problem industry wide. Since training employees in these fields can be very costly, it is expensive to train new employees, and industry leaders generally offer top level pay and incentive packages to retain their employees. (Vogt,C. ND.Talent Retention in the Oil & Gas Industry.para1) Technological Trends Technology is the center focus of all companies within the gas and oil industries. Technology affects everything from safety operations, locating resources, and converting products to lower-carbon products. The main focus of technology within BP is safety, and has been since the Deepwater Horizon drill spilled 4.9million barrels of oil into the water of the Gulf of Mexico killing 11 men (BP gets record fine for Deepwater Horizon,2012. Para2). Due to Global warming BP along with their competitors are searching for ways to minimize greenhouse gas emissions. Carbon Capture is a popular method amongst the companies in this industry. Carbon Capture focuses on capturing waste carbon dioxide from sources such as fossil fuel power plants that have an excess of waste. Once the carbon waste has been captured it is transported to storage sites to be released where it cannot re-enter and damage the atmosphere (Sadler, T., 2013.para7). The Keystone Pipeline is another way technology can help the United States achieve energy and independence. The Keystone Pipeline will run from Alberta, Canada down through the Midwest United States ending in Texas. The Keystone Pipeline project has the goal to prove all oil produces in the US access to oil refineries, which in the long run would cut out the Middle East as our biggest supplier (Kalen, S.2012.para2.). Socio/Cultural There are several social and cultural impacts on the oil and gas industry. The main factor is the rising domestic energy prices. Gasoline prices are high resulting in the consumer paying more for gas, in turn reducing the amount of money available for other consumption, meaning people are driving less (McKillop,A.2012.para1). Another factor is government assistance with fuel bills. There are numerous resources to provide help with electric and heating bills, these programs are provided on the federal and state levels for most of the United States. These programs help suppliers such as BP to receive payment for the services, instead of uncollected bills. The Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP) receives funding from the Federal Department of  Health and Human Services (DHHS). There are several sources available such as weatherization assistance program and the home energy assistance program (HEAP). Although most of these programs receive funding from the state and federal government, there are not enough sources for everyone who needs them. Global BP is an international company specializing in the oil and gas industry. BP no longer just deals with oil and gas as shown by their main business activities which include the exploration and production, refining and marketing and the distribution of energy as well as BP alternative energy. BP is ranked in the top tier of the their competitors such as Exxon, Anadarko, Chevron, Conoco Philips and Shell. Within this industry BP owns several labels as well including, Castrol, Arco, Aral, AM/PM and Wild Bean Cafà © (Our Brands.N.D.para1). BP is the third largest publically traded oil company ranking behind two of its major competitors: Exxon and Shell. BP is the largest gas producer in the United States with fifteen processing plants; they are also considered a top refiner (BP at a glance.2013.para1). Porters Five Forces Barriers to Entry The Barrier to Entry level for the oil and gas industry is high. The oil and gas industry is very difficult to enter just because of the start up costs alone. Some of these start up cost would be the drills, trucks, gas station locations, employees and the technology used to locate the resources in the ground or the oceans. Entering into the industry as a specialist such as offering drilling services to the major companies is more common and feasible. The major barrier to entry into this industry is funding, the majority of companies within this industry have been around for a very long time, such as BP, which was established in 1909. Brand loyalty is a huge factor in high barrier entry, since most of these large companies have a loyal customer base. BP is a very well established company and has been building their large customer base for decades. As defined by Hill and Jones brand loyalty is a consumer preference for products by a certain company (Hill, C., Jones, G. 2012pg58.para2) Suppliers Bargaining Power The bargaining power of suppliers is the ability suppliers have to raise input prices or to raise the cost of the industry. In BP and the oil and gas industry the suppliers bargaining power is high, because there are realistically no substitutes of the product (Hill, C., 2012pg65.para2). There are a variety of oil and gas companies globally, however a few companies dominate the industry: BP, Shell, Exxon, etc. Buyers Bargaining Power According to Hill and Jones the bargaining power of byers is their ability to negotiate lower prices charged by companies within an industry. They also can raise costs by demanding better services and higher quality products (Hill. C. Jones., G. 2012.page63-64). Right now in the oil and gas industry the balance of power is resting in the hands of the buyer because of economic crisis and oversupply of product. Since oil is considered a commodity and generally all companies within the industry use the same methods for drilling, the buyer is able to seek the lower prices and more rewarding contracts. Substitute Product Threats Substitute product threats include the products provided by companies or industries as a whole that can meet the needs of customers. The oil and gas industry does not just mean fuel to run our vehicles, which would mean substitutes would include fuels such as gas, coal solar and wind power, nuclear energy and hydroelectricity. Although there are many areas concerning oil and gas, the threat of substitute products are low, there really are no other sources to compare. Competition The companies in the oil and gas industry operate in a consolidated industry, where the industry is dominated by a small number of companies. BP’s biggest competitors are Exxon, Anadarko, Chevron, and Phillips anytime any of these companies make a move within the industry it warrants a response movement from its competitors. The competitions of the oil and gas industry have high exit barriers, because the demand for the product is static due to the face that all refineries can do the same thing†¦. produce and refine products. Firms Strategies Business Strategy According to Hill and Jones the business level strategy â€Å"encompasses the businesses overall competitive theme, the way it positions itself in the marketplace to gain a competitive advantage and the different positions strategies that can be used in different industry settings, for example; cost leadership, differentiation, focusing on a particular niche or segment of the industry or some combination of these† (Hill, C., Jones, G., 2012 pg.10). According to BP they compete in both business to business and business to consumer markets with a customer base in over 70 countries. BP uses differentiation in several ways but the major use of this method was the use of technology to transform oil rigs to digital platforms. BP strives to ensure the best quality and safety standards, and also modified their safety standards after the Deepwater Horizon drill disaster in 2010. BP is considered a leader in the marketplace. They are ranked as the 6th largest company by market capitalization. (Facts and Figures.n.d.) has competitive prices with other companies in the industry, the prices as a whole usually are pretty even across the board and usually only fluctuate by a few cents. Corporate Level Strategy Corporate level strategy deals with what areas companies should be dealing with in order to maximize profitability (Hill,C 2012. Page10 para3). According to BP they try to create a platform for growth and increased value over long periods of time while continuing to grow and explore new venues. They will continue their research to develop top-level safety and risk management standards, and continue to develop technology to locate and access hydrocarbons and ways to properly extract them. BP will continue to make its presence in the industry known by exploring alternative energy, spending about one billion per year for this research. The current CEO of BP, Tony Hayward, stated at BP’s annual strategy presentation that he â€Å"would be surprised if we saw opportunities at the corporate level†¦it is not something I am terribly focused on† (Crooks, E.2010 para#12) Technology Strategy Technology is at the center of everything BP does, it is used in safety precautions discovery, recovery, efficiency and low carbon future development. According to BP they employ over 500-safety and risk specialist working with managers in the field to help improve decision-making regarding standards (BP and Technology.N.D.para1). BP uses a technology called seismic imaging, which is at the forefront of technology in the industry. Through the use of seismic imaging, sound waves are used to determine where oil reserves are in the ground. This procedure gives BP a major head start in discovering oil and gas and pinpointing where to drill. With a focus on a lower carbon future BP’s main area of growth focusing on wind and biofuels because they have the most potential. Firms Competences Tangible Resources BP’s human resource management gives its employees opportunities to see many ways to excel within the company. Throughout their career human resource management personnel will benefit from a broad base of support and training. Personal support is also available through team leaders, mentors, and fellow employees. Among these employees BP also has teams of engineers developing new and safer means of creating energy. BP has employees that deal with safety measures within the company along with the environment. BP’s employees will also act as an essential partner to the business. The employees will also work on real world projects helping the company reach goals in improving organization and human capital resources. BP’s physical resources were used during the massive oil spill in 2010. The physical resources that were used during this time were mainly manpower. The man-power used were numerous employees, volunteers, and other organizations. Since the oil spill happened in the middle of the ocean, the toxins within the oil spread throughout the Gulf, along with making its way to the US. Over 30,000 people responded to this major oil spill working to collect oil, clean up beaches, take care of animals and plant life effected, and performed other various duties. Another physical resource that BP uses is the natural resource of oil and gases. BP is currently in the production The  Chirag Oil Project. This project has started operations, increasing production from a giant oil field in the Azerbaijan sector of the Caspian Sea. Its major physical resource would have to be its massive oilrigs and pipelines. These rigs and pipelines help extract and transport the oil and gases that have been found and gathered. According to the NASDAQ Annual Income Statement, BP has gone up 29% since 2009 to 2012 in its Current Liquidity Ratio, and the Cash Liquidity Ratio has gone up about 12% from 2009 to 2012. The reason BP’s liquidi ty ratio has risen the past years is due to the current liabilities. The company’s income has lowered after the massive oil spill. The company has lost large amounts of income due to the spill by having to provide cleaning crews, settlements to the people affected by the spill, and the loss of business from consumers. The loss of consumers came due to the negative view of the company after the oil spill in the Gulf. Since, the Gulf oil spill, the company now stresses the importance of development without polluting the environment. Finding alternative forms of energy like solar and hydrogen is part of that vision. This development also brings in more funds to the research and development. The liability caps and the role they may have played in encouraging moral hazard. Just as bank deposits are guaranteed by government deposit insurance, and large banks themselves are probably to big to fail, liability for property damage from oil spills off US waters is limited to $75 million (plus cleanup costs), based on a 1990 law passed after the Exxon Valdiz spill. This presumably mitigates drillers’ incentives to manage environmental risk. Indeed, oil companies enjoy a very cozy relationship with their ostensible guardians; as the NY Times noted, â€Å" decades of law and custom have joined governmen t and the oil industry in the pursuit of petroleum and profit.† The federal agency that oversees drilling, the Minerals Management Service, rakes $13 billion a year in fees in what amounts to a public-private partnership. The business benefits of applying a consistent approach to knowledge management have been significant. BP business managers attributed hundreds of millions of dollars of added value as a direct result of using this approach. A practical example of this has been in the cost reduction in the construction of European retail sites. At the beginning of 1998 a challenge is set of reducing the build costs of retail sites in Europe by 10%. The Alliance (a joint venture between BP and  Bovis) is responsible for the management of these activities in Europe. The Alliance was engaged in the benefits of knowledge management and invited the BP KM Team to help them achieve this outcome. Step change in costs was delivered in 1998 (savings of $74 million) due to the harvesting and sharing of knowledge between the project engineers in Europe. This gave BP Downstream Retail competitive advantage in the Mature European Marketplace. Project engineers in Venezuela, China, Poland, and Japan are now also leveraging this knowledge on a global scale. Similar examples of increased performance have come from BP’s KM application in speeding up business restructuring, developing new oil & gas fields, improving plant productivity and accelerating new retail market entry. Intangible Resources BP has a negative reputation among consumers and other people throughout the world. Due to the massive oil spill and the company almost going bankrupt, its CEO and board of directors have tried to bring a more positive look to the company, by searching for new forms of clean energy. The company has always been known for its big production of oil for numerous countries worldwide. Since the oil spill the company has been implementing a higher and more intense safety standard. Although, BP has a negative reputation, it has a well-known name in the oil and energy business. Some may think that BP is too large to fail due its name and some government backing and funding. BP has been in the oil industry since 1909, starting out drilling in Persia. Along with BP having the largest pipeline in the world has brought solar power to remote villages in the Philippines due the hard work of its employees. BP has used technology throughout its business to keep up with the changing times and the demand for fuel and energy. It has scientist finding new forms of low-carbon energy while reducing BP’s own contributions to carbon in the atmosphere. Under this new banner BP took bigger and bigger steps towards addressing climate change. It installed solar panels at its service stations, brought solar power to remote villages in the Philippines, helped bring hydrogen-fuelled buses to London and introduced new, cleaner types of motor fuel. It created a unit, BP Alternative Energy, devoted to making from all the various types of low-carbon energy viable, large-scale and profitable business. These low-carbon energy sources are solar, wind, natural gas, and biofuels. Along with these new low-carbon  energy sources being made, BP has also unveiled a new way of extracting oil, producing more oil and extending the life span of its oilrigs. The new technology would be beneficial for oilfields worldwide. The company is using new technology everyday as they find new and safer ways to create energy extract, and store oil. The company has used innovations to help with its image in the public eye. They have begun turning used oil and gathered oil from the massive spill to asphalt to be used on roads. Proof-of-concept testing confirmed that the product could meet technical requirements. BP worked with transportation and environmental officials from several states to conduct tests on using the material for highway paving projects. Along with the reuse of oil to asphalt, there has been a movement in the restoration of the Gulf Coast with hard and soft containment booms as well as segregated plastics also were gathered in staging areas along affected area and then sent to waste-to-energy facilities or recycled into new plastic products. One program developed during the Deepwater Horizon incident resulted in routing skimmed fluid s to oil reclamation facilities. The fluids were then sent through a recovery process, which was able to reclaim and convert some of them into marketable petroleum products. Value-Added Chain BP’s inbound logistics activities are comprised of a series of many pipelines, oil tankers, and other forms of transportation that move the extracted crude oil to refining plants worldwide. The company’s massive global operations make efficient and effective logistics that help keep the costs of transporting crude oil low. This efficient global network of transporting crude supply makes more cost advantage for BP in the long run. Light transport is BP’s way of outbound logistics as it utilizes its global networking to perform this logistic. The large supply and distribution logistics network allows BP to perform its light transport and distribution of refined oil with great efficiencies, which help in lowering costs for BP. By lowering the costs of transport of refined oil BP would be able to conduct more research and upgrading the low-carbon energy research. Also this would give the company bigger budget to expand its new technology for creating a safer drilling process. BP’s main operation is refining crude oil brought in from throughout the world. The refining activities of this  company are distributed strategically around the world, with close proximity to its demand markets. With its refineries strategically placed BP has the ability to reach maximum efficient balances between its inbound and its outbound logistics. BP positions its refineries to have proximity to their oil and gas fields while also being to those energy markets. The company markets its oil and gas through its vast global retail network, which is made up of mainly its BP Service Stations. BP has excelled in sales due to its advertising campaign by using the latest social media and television commercials. Another form of advertising many people have seen from BP is though the news stations, by doing positive actions BP is making a better name for itself, which markets BP’s commitment to sustainability and cleanliness in the biotic area in spite of its past failures. The company has rebranded itself as to appear more-green friendly in today’s energy market. It has went as far changing its name from British Petroleum to BP, by which inferring but not stating it stands for â€Å"Beyond Petroleum†. This campaign includes a new look that asserts the company’ commitment to sustainability. The advertised commitment to sustainability and green energy has created a competitive advantage for BP. Competitive Advantage Factors If it is these resources and capabilities, in all their various forms, that create the potential for competitive advantage, the question about how they can actually create it remains. The initial answer is that they must be developed, coordinated and then deployed in such a way that the company can provide goods or services more economically than others or be able to satisfy customers’ needs and wants better than rivals, the ideal being a combination of the two. Whether such competitive advantage yields good profit streams, however depends on a second set of judgments and decisions. The actual products/services to be provided are: the nature and size of the customer market chosen, and the competitive nature of that marketplace. The ability to repeatedly get this right is another set of capabilities. If this is done correctly, the ensuing competitive advantage and its profit stream may not be sustainable. Competitors, anxious to share in the profitable opportunity, the company has uncovered will seek to follow suit. BP has two basic ways of doing this, either directly imitating the product/service or by providing a good/better alternative. In the product/market arena there  are myriad ways of achieving this. Products may be reverse-engineered to discover their component parts and how they were made. Service delivery can be sampled repeatedly until the key elements are identified, and then replicated. Marketing expenditure can be matched, alternative distribution channels found. Even in-company resources and capabilities can be readily emulated or copied. Good competitor analysis can rapidly identify anything from newly installed IT systems to specialist machine tools that have provided a competitive edge. It can uncover new sales or marketing techniques, component sourcing arrangements, specialized service training, supplier partnerships, outsourcing deals and even which alliances or joint ventures are providing new knowledge. All provide keys to imitation or substitution. Widespread recognition of this has led many companies to despair of achieving sustainable competitive advantage. For example, during the 1980s, many financial institutions spent billions on IT systems that would give them a market edge, only to watch rivals buy better, newer, faster equipment that negated any brief advantage they had. In the 1990s, retailers launched credit and loyalty cards to build marketing databases, only to watch rivals do the same. Each apparent advantage quickly turns into just another entry ticket to play in the game. SWOT Analysis A SWOT analysis of BP will show their strengths, weakness, opportunities, and threats. BP is one of the largest vertically integrated oil and gas companies in the world (Research and Markets, 2010A). They are investing millions in research and development. Times and demand are changing, more and more consumers are going green, and to stay in competition with other companies they need to come up with something different. In 2010, BP is the company behind the Gulf of Mexico oil spill. Because of this crisis the company needed to do something to gain the peoples trust. In the past BP has made serious communication mistakes with its stakeholders. BP’s crisis communication was a weak link in its crisis management strategy (Valvi & Fragkos, 2013). Strengths The strength of the company comes from demand, marketing, brand, and research and development. The company’s operations primarily include the exploration and production of gas and crude oil, as well as the marketing  and trading of natural gas, power, and natural gas liquids (Research and Markets, 2010B). BP is ranked at the world’s 3rd largest energy company and is positioned as a multinational oil company headquartered in London (Essay UK, 2013A): Since 2012 BP will have invested $500 million into marketing in the US in an attempt to revamp its brand (Bhasin, 1012, para 1) As I sit here watching the 2014 winter Olympics, I have seen several commercials about BP partnering with the United States, part of its marketing campaign. BP is the number one leading vertically integrated company, involved in upstream, midstream and downstream oil businesses (Bp, plc swot analysis, 2013, pg.5). BP upstream technology programs, involves investing in incremental improvements and new technology that can transform the industry. The new technology will strengthen in exploration, deepwater, giant fields, and gas value chains (â€Å"Our major technology,† N.D, para1). Many people today are concerning themselves with the environment. BP is developing alternative energy, including solar. BP has invested in solar, wind, and biofuel power, trying to provide power without harming the environment (Hitchcock, 2012). Because of upstream technology flagships, BP has been able to maximize resources, increase recovery rates; real-time data technologies are enabling safety, reliability and efficiency across operations (â€Å"Our major technology, N.D., para2). The company began construction of a new high-performance computing (H PC) center in Houston (Bp,plc swot analysis, 2013, pg.4). BP was awarded a contract to unlock high pressure oil and gas resources in deep water, and planned on investing $100 million over 10 years to set up the International Center for Advanced Materials (ICAM) to fund research into fundamental understanding and use of advanced materials, from self-healing coatings to membranes, across the energy industry The advantages that BP has with being a vertically integrated businesses allows them completive advantage from other companies in the global oil market, It provides control over the entire value chain, enabling the company to produce products which are used at different stages in the value chain (Bp,plc swot analysis, 2013,  pg.5). Weakness Between the years 1965 and 2010 BP has spent millions from the many problems endured: ranging from oil rigs capsizing, hazardous substance dumping, refinery explosion, corrosion in pipelines resulting in insulating agent leakage propane price manipulation, North sea helicopter accident, and finally Deepwater Horizon well explosion (Andrews, 2010). From these problems many died, while others were injured. The Deepwater Horizon well explosion was the worst. Congress accused the company â€Å"of withholding data from the ocean floor and blocking efforts by independent scientists to com up with estimates of crude flowing into the Gulf each day†. The US government has named BP as the â€Å"responsible party† for this incident (Andrews, 2010, pg. 20). In November 2012, BP reached an agreement with the US government to pay $4 billion to resolve all federal criminal claims arising out of the Gulf of Mexico incident, leaving BP with a bad reputation, burdened cash flow, which could impede its ability to invest in new opportunities, and deliver long-term growth (Bp,plc swot analysis, 2013, pg.6). The company has experienced a decline in profits. FY2012 recorded operating profit was $19,733 million, a decrease of 50.4% compared to FY2011. The net profit was $11,582 million, a decrease of 54% compared to FY2011. The decrease in the operating and net profits of the company affected the overall profitability of the company (Bp,plc swot analysis, 2013, pg.7). You would think this was the straw that broke the camels back. Not only did it affect the company but it also compacted several states. How would BP ever recover? They will be paying for many years to come. Opportunities BP has been disposing many of its assets to concentrate more on its strengths. So far they have sold $38bn worth of assets since the Deepwater Horizon catastrophe, and plan to sell of approximately $10bn more of assets by the end of next year (BBC News, 2014 para 17 & 19). BP has several external opportunities, including by acquisition in the North Sea area, BP’s  future profit by acting in the suitable boundaries area in the Russia region, implement plan to achieve alternative energy methods insist of Hydrogen, natural gas, wind and solar investment (Nhid, 2011, pg. 9A). Not to mention numerous investments. Threats Many of BP’s threats are external, mainly from the Deepwater Horizon reputation, other threats are: environmental activist, legal and political issues, which will increase the cost of operations for the company investment (Nhid, 2011, pg. 9B), and ethics. The oil, gas, and petrochemicals industry is highly competitive. High competition puts pressure on accessing new opportunities, license costs, and product prices, affects oil products marketing, and requires continuous management focus on reducing unit costs and improving efficiency, while ensuring safety and operational risk is not compromised. The implementation of group strategy requires continued technological advances and innovation including advances in exploration, production, refining, and petrochemicals manufacturing technology (Bp,plc swot analysis, 2013, pg.9). Conclusion In conclusion, BP start up company was British Petroleum, providing gas and oil. The company is evolving with research and development in other avenues. BP has had its ups and downs in the company, the latest being Deepwater Horizon oil spill. From this catastrophe they needed to take a step back and look at things in a new light Through all of this they are ranked number six among other global companies specializing in oil and gas, the third largest publically traded oil company, the world’s third largest energy company, and the number one leading vertically integrated company, who employs over 80 thousand people. Since the cost of training top-level employees is expensive, BP offers an attractive incentive package to keep them with the company. As gas prices soar, and transportation changing the company needs to also change with the demand. BP is in the process of finding new resources of low- carbon energy to lower carbon emission. BP is one of the worlds leading companies within the solar industry, working with Home Depot offering solar lighting. Within the industry BP owns several labels. BP doesn’t have an official mission statement, but provides several different statements called: â€Å"what we do†, â€Å"What we stand for† & â€Å"What we value† (â€Å"Mission statement of,† 2013 para 1) â€Å"What we do: †¨We find, develop and produce essential sources of energy. We turn these sources into products that people need everywhere. The world needs energy and this need is growing. This energy will be in many forms. It is, and will always be, vital for people and progress everywhere. We expect to be held to high standards in what we do. We strive to be a safety leader in our industry, a world-class operator, a good corporate citizen and a great employer. We are BP. What we stand for: †¨Above everything, that starts with safety and excellence in our operations. This is fundamental to our success. Our approach is built on respect, being consistent and having the courage to do the right thing. We believe success comes from the energy of our people. We have a determination to learn and to do things better. We depend upon developing and deploying the best technology, and building long-lasting relationships. We are committed to making a real difference in providing the energy the world needs today, and in the changing world of tomorrow. We work as one team. We are BP. What we value: Safety Respect Excellence Courage One Team† (â€Å"Mission statement of,† 2013 para 2-4) With the amount of money the Deepwater Horizon disaster costs the company, BP had to figure out how they were going to survive. Through SWOT analysis, and research and development they are coming up with ways to help the future grow the company. Recommended Strategic Action People in the U.S. who weren’t aware of BP, before 2010, their brand became well known after the Deepwater oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico. It left BP with a bad reputation. BP needs to continue to re-build their image. Although there are many environmental challenges, BP is adapting to the  needs of a more sustainable society, wanting to be an energy company, rather than an oil company, they need to continue to keep the consumer in mind. BP R & D team continues to come up with new ideas and ways to improve the environment by providing solar, and wind energy, hydrogen, and natural gas. They have sold many assets, continue to sell more, and invest in various projects, they may want to look donating to private organizations to help communities. In their mission, BP claims they value safety; they need to use scenarios before starting a project with safety top priority. Reference: Andrews, P. (2010). Bp where did it all go wrong?. Andrews UK: AUK New Authors. BBC News. (2014, February 4). Bp boss warns of uncertainties due to scottish vote . Retrieved from http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business Bhasin, K. (1012, February 3). Silverpop official site. 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