Week 3 Discussion Questions and Participation Questions Essay

Week 3 Discussion Questions and Participation Questions - Essay Example Group data refers to data that is illustrated in the form of a range such as 20-50. Ungrouped data shows single numbers such as 20,21,30,42. A good graphical technique to illustrate the prices of homes in a particular region is a bar graph. The bar graph can illustrate the different prices of homes in the area. The reason I choose a bar chart is because it reflects categorical data. Below is an example of a bar chart with five home prices ($100000, $150000, $200000, $175000, and $250000). The basic formula used in a regression analysis is y = a + bx. In this formula the y represents the dependent variable. This variable is subject to the independent variables to find the result of the equation. The dependent variable cannot be controlled, but the result is influenced by the values of the independent variable or variables. If the formula illustrated above had multiple independent variables the regression formula would be a multiple regression. â€Å"In mathematics the independent variable is one whose value does not depend on any other variable† (Wisegeek, 2010). In the formula mentioned above the X represent the independent variable. B is the slope of the regression line, while A represents the intercept point of the regression line and the y axis. Regression analysis is a tool that is very useful due to the fact that it allows managers to forecast information. Once the regression equation is created the user can alter the independent variable in order to fore cast something based on the model. The slope tells us how inclined is the regression line. An application that managers can use is forecasting its sales. The manager would have to input the sales of the company for multiple past periods such as ten years. Once the data is input into the linear regression the manager can forecast the future sales of the company. Regression analysis can be extremely useful to forecast any type of business data. Managers have a need to forecast the future due to the fact

Marketing strategy Essay Example for Free

Marketing strategy Essay Nike Inc. founded in 1964 by Bill Bowerman and Philip Knight is global leader in sportswear and footwear industry. With Nike occupying around 45% of global market share in footwear and apparels and moving further ahead, much of the organisational success can be credited to its marketing strategy that have helped the organisation achieve revenue worth billions every fiscal year ($18 billion being in 2008). Nike Inc. UK has a major market in the UK for fitness trainers and shoes provided for health and fitness purpose benefits to the consumers. Nike understands the importance of market analysis and marketing strategy based upon those analytical processes. Considerable amount of research and analysis have been carried on in understanding consumer needs, UK’s environment and potential opportunities. This report consists of situational analysis SWOT of Nike in UK and also presents situational analysis suggestion of ways in which competitive edge can be gained against its rivals with segmentation, targeting and positioning of the products. The importance of marketing objectives has also been highlighted in the report and thus provides Nike with a glimpse of marketing environment in UK and the expectations with role of marketing mix (4P’s). Introduction Nike has predominantly been successful in shoe manufacturing and distribution among the shoe manufacturers with its superior quality, high tech, ultramodern shoes that meet on going demand of the market and its trends. From professional athletics to most common need for fitness trainers, Nike has got fitness shoes and trainers in all shape, sizes and colours. Some of the most famous Nike trainers and fitness shoes are Nike + (spelled as plus), Air Jordan, Nike Shox, Nike Lunar glide, Nike Air Zoom, Nike 360 and many more. Nike is the sole distributor of Nike trade mark represented on each of these and many of its fitness trainers sold globally. High quality material, design and cut and technological enhancement of the shoes as per requirement of various activities thus make Nike the best choice for fitness trainers and shoes. Marketing Analysis and strategic evaluation of a company is an important component of any organisational success. Without well-structured marketing strategies and road maps to planning and achieving them, no organisation can be at the point where they want to be. Nike in UK covers a fair amount of market share and revenue for the organisation. The huge market diversity, brand awareness in market and consumer base loyal to high quality products therefore help to its cause. On the other hand, UK market is generally health conscious and trendy. Trainers and fitness shoes are therefore in much demand over last few years within the country itself. Marketing Audit (Nike Inc. UK) Nike Inc. UK follows management strategies that combine with six of the most important external factors that can have an impact on the organisation. PESTLE is a situational analysis tool that can be used by firms to determine their position against possible external influences such as politics, economy, society, technology, environment and law. Nike and its positional stand against background of UK market can therefore be analysed in the following way: Political Factors Nike Inc. has a considerably stable political environment and an economy welfare provided by the state. Considerable amount of legal requirements were accomplished by Nike during its entry in the UK as an organisation completing all political alignments. Considerable amount of fitness shoes and trainers are imported in UK which is sold all over. However, Nike might have to face challenges if government drafts policy or quotas on Nike shoes that can be imported from its production sites such as Asia-Pacific. Economic Factors UK economy has been unstable in recent years. The double dip recession few years back, inflation rate fluctuating abnormally, growing living costs, income tax rate increments and other economic factors directly or indirectly affected Nike’s performance in the UK with comparatively weak sales figure. Economic balance, employment rate and PDI all must be stable and firm enough in the economy to help a business sustain. Nike therefore needs strategic move that can guarantee its sustainability in such circumstances. Social Factors UK market comprises of people from multiple culture, religion and ethnic backgrounds. Therefore, Nike needs to understand the social system and practice of all these people whenever approaching them. Sales and marketing of the fitness shoes should be therefore based upon social acceptance of methods, people’s lifestyle and their way of thinking. For instance, consumers in UK who purchase fitness trainers are pretty health conscious and the numbers are growing as well. Hence, Nike needs to provide more health benefitting shoes and apparel. Similarly, social responsibility image of Nike has to be significantly boosted with accusations of running sweatshops in Nike factories in Asia which it has tried to improve with facilities, factory improvements and commitment towards further improvement. Technological Factors Technological factors are an important aspect that needs to be considered by Nike Inc. UK . Technological advancements in fitness shoes need to be updated and research and development of such apparels have to be advanced. With fitness shoes that are designed such for injury prevention, sole strengthening, speed sports, less sweating and many other features the advancement has been unimaginable. UK customers are updated and spend good time researching on features and quality of the product they want. Nike therefore has to be technologically capable of providing customer satisfaction. Environmental Factors Nike needs total understanding of UK market as consumers are concerned about how products they purchase can make an impact upon environment. Production materials, process and sites can be harmful to environment in many ways. This can be a grave concern for environmental activists and hence persuade consumer thoughts. Nike has to be able to inform the consumers in UK with their continuous efforts in making Nike shoe production environment friendly and use of raw materials and the production process least harmful to nature. Legal factors Nike has to oblige with all the legal regulations and in relevance with companies operating in the UK. They must consider their business privileges as well as legal responsibility in concern with marketing, promotion and sales in the Kingdom. Some of the legal acts that they need to consider are regarding press, trade acts, acts on sales and supply of goods, adverts and campaigning, television adverts, environmental acts and so on. Without its compliance of local laws and acts Nike would suffer a huge blow in gaining consumer trust as they cannot operate with efficiency. SWOT ANALYSIS FOR NIKE FITNESS SHOES Strength: Nike is a global leader in shoe manufacturing and has been in market for very long time. There is a considerable amount of customer trust and loyalty based upon the very fact that Nike has been able to provide highest quality fitness shoes with modern techniques and design over years. The research and development investment in Nike is huge. The very reason has pioneered Nike in producing ultra-modern technology in fitness shoes. Shoes with air compressed soles for low pressure on soles, ankle protecting designs, speed boosting trainers etc. have all been Nike’s brilliant ideas in meeting with modern demands of consumers. Beside innovations, Nike also provides consumers with choice of designing their own shoes in the UK. Nike has a global presence and their revenues are worth billions . Distribution channels for Nike are well established and it has diverse range of products to cater the consumers with. Weakness: Nike Inc. UK has had to compete fiercely against several of its competitors in recent years with economic downfall regarding price of the product. Several of Nike’s fitness trainers are comparatively expensive than other brands. With buyers focusing their mind on cost efficient purchase, Nike prices are a thought for many. On the other hand, Nike’s sweatshop factories in Asia which are not owned by Nike themselves but subcontracted had tarnished Nike image among many people. Nike has considerably put much effort in improving the working condition and lives of its workers thereby. Opportunity: UK market has lots of potential opportunities for the Nike. With numerous amounts of health conscious people and growing sport enthusiastic generation of youngsters, Nike has the opportunity to grab market by launching shoes and trainers as per the consumer needs. Use of internet is wide and common in the UK and e-commerce has been developing in a tremendous pace. Nike can use this opportunity to promote, inform and cater its consumers with its fitness trainers. Threats: Nike has been competing fiercely with rival companies such as Adidas, Puma, Asics, Umbro and others for fitness shoe production and distribution in UK market. Besides, challenges from competitors, forged Nike footwear relatively cheap and of low quality are circulated by counterfeiters in market which has hampered Nikes reputation and brand. On the other hand growing economic uncertainty, government cuts and rising inflation have been challenging Nike sales. COMPETITIVE ADVANTAGE Competitive advantage can be defined as strategic advantage a company holds against the competitors in the industry. It can be marked as the positional state of company when it is able to create a benchmark in terms of profit in the industry. Nike has the competitive advantage over its rivals through wider market coverage, higher gross revenue and customer loyalty as well. Nike fitness trainers with their high quality design and attributes have been able to outperform other shoe makers. Nike therefore wants to hold this competitive advantage over its rival sustainably. Competitive advantage can be achieved either by, Cost advantage techniques when production is made in massive quantity and products sold in relatively cheaper price or differentiation techniques of producing unique featured products against competitors and providing relative value to the good priced. In 2003, Svend Hollenson provided seven key factors that provide organisations with competitive advantage. Nike with all these consideration and seven key factors can boost its performance therefore in market. The seven factors are: Economy of scale: Economies of scale refers to the term when production cost of a company is relatively lower than its sales revenue and earnings made are from massive sales. These companies produce goods on regular basis and avoid shortage in the market. Economy of scope: Economies of scope relates to the idea that cost of production can be further reduced by other organisational means such as joint administrative firms for different products, similar storage for different goods and cost effective methodologies used in production to distribution. Strategic thinking: The core competence of any business to succeed in modern business world is strategic thinking. With enormous amount of competition and impediments that can affect the business, Nike should be able to analyse its internal and external environment, assess operational lapses so as they can provide effective strategy to eradicate arrears and achieve their objectives. Use of local market: Global companies such as Nike have ample opportunity to provide their range of products to local market in the UK. With well informed and health conscious consumers growing on daily basis, Nike can exploit the opportunity to provide its trainers in all parts of the country. Nike’s product range and standards are well accepted and with more quality products coming in it can boost with learning of local market and advantages it can take from. Ability to provide global services: Nike has been able to provide its product and service throughout the globe. With communication, transportation and various technological developments that have made international trade reliable, company such as Nike have been able to market and cater their business worldwide. Use if information technology in global service is an essential tool which has been used by Nike to deliver its goods and services. Competitive advantage (Company specific): Every organisation should have a distinct and unique feature which provides a competitive edge over its rival companies. Nike has been providing high quality footwear from their founding days. Superior technology, design and features of Nike footwear are second to none. This very reason has made Nike achieve higher market share globally than its competitors by building excellent customer relationship. Human resource (competitive advantage): Nike and its success can be credited on high level to the employees of Nike who with their commitment, skills and attitude have made tremendous development and market coverage for them. Human workforce is an essential element of any business where firm should be able to provide the employees with business specific skills. This helps organisation achieve most out of the available workforce. SEGMENTATION, TARGETING AND POSITIONING (STP) The marketing strategy of a company starts from mission and vision statement to selection of market and then positioning of the plans and objectives of the product in the market. Philip Kotler (1994) provided segmentation, targeting and positioning as the essence of strategic management for any organisation. Here, in terms of Nike Inc. UK, we can suggest following steps to be followed for strategic move: Segmentation: Research on existing market, types of customers and distribution of similar market should be carried out. Targeting: A target market (generally mass and more productive) which has to be served has to be analysed. Positioning: The plans are carried out to be performed in the target market and all the activities positioned. Nike Inc. UK should be able to research and develop the segments within UK market where consumers with similar characteristics can be served. The three approaches of market segmentation such as differentiated, undifferentiated and concentrated can be used to determine segments and plan accordingly by Nike. Nike can distinguish its market with several features and variables which determine the general concept about products that Nike offer, fitness shoes in this case. Socio-demographic variables such as age, gender, occupation, income and family etc. can be considered. It may also be based on geographic information such as area, area density, household and neighbourhood, market size and more. Behavioural data can be assessed to determine customer loyalty, buying trends, user choice and others. Psychographic studies would help Nike understand consumer lifestyle, fashion choices and many more. Nike and its segment targeting approach in the UK Socio demography: Nike Inc. UK provides fitness shoe and trainers in wide range and designs to offer different kind of customers. Trainers and shoes come in all shape, size, specification and quality. Trainers in multiple ranges for men, women and kids are available in the UK market. Sizes are marked effectively for fit in purpose and available readily in all the sales stores. Fitness trainers for men range from ? 38 least for Nike Zoom to ? 120 highest for Nike Trainer 1. Women have wide range of choice as well from Nike Air Cardio designs costing mere ? 28 to ? 140 for Nike Air Max+ 2011 id. Kid products range from ? 18 to ? 100. Geography: Nike has made its presence felt in all the major towns and cities in the UK. The points those are most likely to be consumer targeted have been covered as market by Nike. However, reaching the country sides would be a challenge and point of thought if Nike wants to expand its business all over the nation. Nike provides point of sale services in London, Birmingham city, Glasgow, Manchester city, Edinburgh and many other cities. However, internet usage is the only medium for other geographic parts to purchase Nike trainers. Customer Behaviour: It can be important for Nike to realise the importance of customer behaviour in UK. To learn more about consumer preferences and expectation, it is important to communicate with them and share their experiences. Customer loyalty can be earned by providing customers with benefits and services such as after sales, exchange facilities, warranty and making them feel cared for. Nike has to develop such credentials to learn more about customer status and capacity. Consumer psychograph: Nike has so far been successful in providing trainers and fitness shoes to varying demands of consumers that are available in the UK. Prices of the trainers range from ? 28 to ? 140 which shows that Nike has its focus on all sets of customer status. Some exclusive products are also sold in the market that focuses on trendy, fashionable and youthful nature of trainers and fitness shoes for the consumers. POSITIONING OF MARKET Nike Inc. has been very successful in positioning itself as a global leader in athletic footwear market. Even in UK, Nike has been really successful in covering huge market, enormous amount of consumer trust and therefore considerable amount of revenue for the company itself. Technological advancement, high quality materials, innovation and design in Nike footwear are what even the competitors try to imitate. Even though several European brands provide Nike with stiff competition in the UK, Nike has been efficacious in fending off challenges and come up with even better trainers and footwear as per the demand of demanding health conscious population. With a very competitive pricing strategy that is in concern with market expectations, Nike provides footwear of different sizes, design and price for different market segments. Nike has invested considerable amount of time and money on research of UK market since years which has made it one of the most trusted and loved brand in the UK. Such strong position and market share therefore is a positive sign for Nike in days to come. NIKE AND ITS MARKETING OBJECTIVES AND GOALS IN THE UK Nike has been established as a reputed business enterprise in the UK for years now. Their capability and product effectiveness are reflected in choice of people in using Nike fitness trainers before any available option. SMART based goals and objectives which relate to features of objective setting such as specification, measurement, attainment, realisation and time are necessary for Nike to implement in their strategies. Here, we analyse how Nike’s objectives can be related to the SMART approach. SPECIFIC: Nike is the leading women fitness provider in UK with revenue grossing worth 200 million dollars in 2010. Nike Inc. wants to double the gross amount by the fiscal year of 2014. MEASURABLE: Nike targets revenue of $27 billion by the end of 2015 as well as cumulative cash flow increment to $12 billion. ACHIEVABLE: Nike wants to provide UK consumers with 100% cotton used fitness trainers based upon consumer survey in coming years. Nike Inc. has plans to endorse its own athletics footwear during the 2012 summer Olympics in London by sponsoring all the American athletes participating in the games. REALISTIC: Nike Inc. UK wants to increase its market coverage in the UK which is 18% now to 25% within 2013 as Nike footwear have had tremendously appreciated response and promotional endorsements are to be boosted during Olympic games. TIME BOUND: All afore mentioned plans and objectives of Nike Inc. UK are to be completed in certain time allocated for each objective completion. MARKETING STRATEGIES AND PROGRAMS OF NIKE INC. UK Nike Inc. UK would have to define its objectives and the process of determining the achievement of those goals. Out of various strategic plans available, Nike Inc. UK can use growth strategies using both product and market. Figure source: http://highn. me/ansoffs-matrix-planning-for-growth/ Nike Inc. UK can develop its strategies by using various methods of strategic moves such as Market Penetration: by providing competitive prices against others, promotional campaigns, enhancing customer support and care etc. Market Development: by getting into newer geographic area, building newer distribution channels, creating new product dimension, creating new market segment etc. Product Development: by producing exclusive products, creating a new trend, using technological advancements in product, diversifying product ranges etc. Diversification: by producing new merchandises than usual for instance sweat free socks for Nike trainers, or other products to match Nike footwear and apparels such as caps, jogging scarfs etc. THE MARKETING MIX (4P’S) FOR NIKE INC. UK Nike Inc. UK and their marketing strategies may be subject to changes from external forces of environment such as politics, economy, society, technology, environment and law. The company however has no control on these factors and have to make adjustments on several occasions. The 4 p’s are variables that the organisation can control within its own marketing strategy and is generally known as 4 p’s of marketing mix. Here, we analyse Nike Inc. and its marketing mix. Product: Nike should be able to provide product variety to the consumers in UK. With people interested in different sports, Nike can make an impact on market here. The quality and features of the new trainers have to be of highest quality, design and durability. Latest trends and technology used in performance enhancement, accident prevention and safety of athletes should be made available in Nike trainers. Sizes and shapes have to come out in all different ways and the products need to be attractively packaged as well. Price: Nike needs to focus on all kinds of customer and research on the customer behaviour or purchasing pattern in the UK. Though Nike already provides trainers from as cheap as ? 28 to ? 140 and more, the prices need to be justified. List of the prices and their features marked with products can be helpful. Price discounts on times can be helpful for boosting business. Place: Nike should focus on locations where footwear can be retailed, distributed or sold more efficiently. Study of market is necessary to determine where Nike can make best out of its sales. Placement in this case may be stores around sport clubs, distribution to other sellers and others. Information technology has covered almost the whole part of UK which can be utilised by Nike to exploit the market and attract the customers. Promotion: Nike Inc. has used several of global athletes as brand ambassadors for the company. Their very link with the company and attachment has provided lime light to the Nike trainers as well. The company can advertise its trainers through media; create sales promotion from time to time and even sponsor future sport events to promote their products as well. Conclusion/Recommendation: Marketing Strategy is an important aspect in achieving the organisational goals and objectives. Only with considerable investment in analysing Nike Inc. ’s strength, weakness, opportunity and threats can the organisation implement marketing strategies. Nike enjoys good market presence and customer loyalty in the kingdom and thus can improve further. From the report, we can recommend some of the following aspects for Nike; The emerging youth culture and trend is an opportunity for Nike to market its products. More technological use in trainers, design can be improved so as to promote fitness trainers. Health benefits associated with fitness Nike trainers should be made aware to the consumers. Use of information technology can be great way to market coverage for Nike trainers and their distribution.

Criticism of Jack Londons To Build a Fire :: London To Build a Fire Essays

Criticism of Jack London's To Build a Fire In her critique of "To Build a Fire" Jill Widdecombe assesses the personality and motivation of the unnamed man in the story. Widdecombe suggests a story of mystery, intrigue, and rationalization. I see it as a story about inner conflict and submit the mans inner conflict parallels Widdecombe's analogy of imagination versus rationalization. The conflict in the story is two-fold; the man struggles between his will and reasoning and second with the man's desires and abilities. The story places the man at odds with the elements, it is a conflict each of us may have encountered at one time in our lives. London in his writing attempts to simplify the ageless struggle by fashioning a tale that is understandable regardless of age. The tale is told by a mysterious narrator, centering on a nameless man and a nameless dog. In fact the story could be about anyone attempting virtually anything pitting themselves against the forces of nature and disregard of sound advice. I do not see the man as a egotist however I do see a lack of cognitive reasoning. The protagonist sets out in weather conditions far more severe then he could have imagined. He travels alone, except for the dog; ironically he is told by an old native to never travel alone when the weather is below fifty below. Disregarding the advice and reasoning while it is cold, it is bearable and appropriately dressed, the conditions are not life threatening. Unfortunately the weather and elements are the antagonist he faces. Somewhere past the midpoint of his trek the man breaks through the ice and his legs and feet become wet. Knowing he must dry his socks and boots or he will freeze to death he builds a fire. While attempting to light the fire he begins to realize just how cold it must be yet he attempts to rationalize the situation and stay focused. The man is quickly becoming disoriented and struggles onward to build a fire. After apparently succeeding he is devastated when snow warmed by the fire falls out of the tree he built it under and extinguishes the flame. Realizing his folly he moves his kindling and realizes his ability to function in the elements is quickly fading.

Justification of Punishment! :: Philosophy Philosophical Essays

Justification of Punishment ABSTRACT: Both utilitarians and the deontologists are of the opinion that punishment is justifiable, but according to the utilitarian moral thinkers, punishment can be justified solely by its consequences, while the deontologists believe that punishment is justifiable purely on retributive ground. D. D. Raphael is found to reconcile both views. According to him, a punishment is justified when it is both useful and deserved. Maclagan, on the other hand, denies it to be justifiable in the sense that it is not right to punish an offender. I claim that punishment is not justifiable but not in the sense in which it is claimed by Maclagan. The aim of this paper is to prove the absurdity of the enquiry as to whether punishment can be justified. Difference results from differing interpretations of the term 'justification.' In its traditional meaning, justification can hardly be distinguished from evaluation. In this sense, to justify an act is to say that it is good or right. I differ from t he traditional use and insist that no act or conduct can be justified. Infliction of punishment is a human conduct and as such it is absurd to ask for its justification. I hold the view that to justify is to give reason, and it is only a statement or an assertion behind which we can put forth reason. Infliction of pain is an act behind which the agent may have purpose or intention but not reason. So, it is not punishment, but rather statements concerning punishment that we can justify. Regarding the justification of punishment philosophers are not of the same opinion. According to the utilitarian moral thinkers punishment can be justified solely by its consequences. That is to say, according to the utilitarian account of punishment 'A ought to be punished' means that A has done an act harmful to people and it needs to be prevented by punishment or the threat of it. So, it will be useful to punish A. Deontologists like Mabbott, Ewing and Hawkins, on the other hand, believe that punishment is justifiable purely on retributive grounds. That is to say, according to them, only the past fact that a man has committed a crime is sufficient enough to justify the punishment inflicted on him. But D.D. Raphael is found to reconcile between the two opposite views. According to him, a punishment is justified when it is both useful and deserved.

Tulips by Sylvia Plath

Tulips by Sylvia Plath Tulips, by Sylvia Plath seems to be a poetic expression of depression. The speaker who I assume is Plath is describing the psychological effects after a surgical procedure,which I feel is the time when sadly Plath miscarried her baby. The poem was written through her own view in a hospital room, where the reader is given an insight to the inner thoughts of a woman who has gone through a terrible ordeal, and the objects around her which influence her mentality. The poem follows Plath's admission into hospital and the heart-rendering account of her attempt to recover.There are nine stanzas in the poem, each with five lines, there is no evident rhyme pattern and there is little structure to the poem, although the lack of organization in each stanza seems to be a reflection of the confusion and the loss of control that Plath feels, the only structure shared between the stanzas is the abundance of punctuation, creating a slow rhythm throughout the poem, although Pla th uses alliteration to increase fluency in parts of the poem, â€Å"plastic-pillowed†, â€Å"water went† and â€Å"light lies on white walls†.Plaths tone is serene throughout the poem, however there is a sarcastic tone when she says â€Å"The tulips are too excitable, it is winter here†. The tone of the poem starts out as depressed and bleak then changes into more dynamic and hopeful and the imagery more surreal: â€Å"the mouth of some great African cat†. In the first two stanzas, Plath talks about the situation and her surroundings, whereas the rest of the stanzas reveal her feelings.The most symbolic item in the poem is the tulips, their colour is the first contrast brought to light, they are red and they clash with the white room, they drink in her oxygen and fill the room with life, she describes how nice it had been before the tulips came in and robbed her peaceful isolation. Their redness reminded her of her wound and the tulips lightly bre athing through their white swaddling reminds her of the baby she has lost. In the end the flowers win and begin to overtake the dull whiteness that Plath once found so peaceful. the walls, also, seem to be warming themselves. Another contrast to the red tulips is Plath's use of white as a symbol. The imagery described in the first two stanzas is all white, meaning the absence of colour, which is figurative for the lack of life. â€Å"How white everything is†, â€Å"white walls†, â€Å"white lids†, â€Å"white caps†, she is propped between the white pillow and the white sheet, white is clean and pure and the contrast between the white, sterile surroundings and the red of the tulips is too distracting.Plath uses colour imagery to manifest the themes of life, the red of the tulips is symbolic for life, the colour of blood, and tulips are associated with spring which is a contrast to the winter outside. It is customary to send flowers to a funeral or when som ebody dies, they symbolise a tribute to the life of the one who has died, â€Å"I didn't want flowers† she did not want to be reminded that her baby would never have a life for her to pay tribute to, the tulips were an intrusion on her grief and since they were given as a loving gesture, she looks at them in contempt. â€Å"Nobody watched me before, now I am watched. †Plath includes several references to water, â€Å"my body is a pebble to them, they tend it as water tends to the pebbles it must run over. † â€Å"Water went. † â€Å"The way a river snags and eddies. † The water is symbolic of the tears she has shed over her loss. The interactions between Plath and the nurses are portrayed as cold and impersonal, they do not regard her as an individual, her body is compared to a â€Å"pebble†, an inanimate object with no identity. There is no communication between the nurses and Plath, they simply deliver her medication: â€Å"they bring me numbness in their bright needles, they bring me sleep†, they come to relieve her pain.She seems to relate most things back to her illness, using similes to compare her overnight case to a black pill box. â€Å"They have swabbed me clear of my loving associations†, this could be an indication of what depression does to a person, it robs them of joy In life that comes from loving associations. Even her own family are a cruel reminder of what she has lost: â€Å"My husband and child smiling out of the family photo; Their smilies catch onto my skin, little smiling hooks. † although Plath has no desire for life it is her family and the tulips that are keeping her from letting go, retaining her from sinking.She wants to be free to just be, but the tulips remind her that she has people who love and need her Electroshock treatment, recovery from a suicide attempt and miscarriage were only a few of the times Sylvia Plath was hospitalised. Plath was diagnosed with a combin ation of severe depression, acute insomnia and bipolar disorder (Griffin) the time she spent in hospital and her mental illness are reflected in her poetry. Plath's description of the hospital setting may be a reflection of her own experiences when hospitalised, this would explain why she is so detached from the medical staff.The entire point of the poem is simply how these flowers show her that she can never truly be free from her pain, There will always be something there to remind her of it, sadly we all know the outcome of Sylvia Plaths life and how sad it seems today that Sylvia Plath had to face her mental illness at a time when no one knew the truth about how to treat it. This poem reflects the same depth, grief and creativity that was expressed within the life of Sylvia Plath, and because of her beautiful mind we are left with the gifts she left behind, and Tulips is one of them.

How Many Questions Can You Skip for a Good SAT Score

How Many Questions Can You Skip for a Good SAT Score SAT / ACT Prep Online Guides and Tips Every year students fight to get the SAT score they want. For manystudents, completing all the questions before running out of time is a serious challenge. If you're one of those who struggles to finish the test in time, skipping can be a real asset. But how many questions can you skip for a good score on the SAT? In this article, I’ll let you know how many questions you can skip or get wrong for 1280 out of 1600. I qualify 1280 as a good score since it is approximately between the 81st and 85th percentile for all test-takers. However, exactly what a good score is for you depends on what college you hope to attend. For guidance on how to determine what SAT score you should shoot for, check out our guide to calculating your target score. Even if your goal isn't exactly 1280, this guide can help you understand how many questions you can afford to skip to achieve the score you want. How Is the SAT Scored? To calculate how many questions you can skip for 1280, you need to know how the SAT is scored.Below, I’ll provide a short explanation, but if you’re interested in reading a more in-depth explanation, check out our guide tohow to calculate SAT score. NOTE: The essay is not factored into your composite SAT score (400-1600 scale), so I will not discuss it further in this article. However, for more information on the new SAT essay, read our other guide. On the new SAT, there is no penalty for incorrect answers (no minus points), so skipping or answering a question incorrectly results in the same score. You get one point for every right answer since there is no wrong answer penalty, soyou should bubble something in for every question. When Idiscussskipping in this article, I really mean guessing randomly because you should not leave any bubble blank. For the Math section, you simply get a raw score, which is just the number of questions answered correctly (if you answered 40 correctly, your raw score is 40). For the Evidence-Based Reading and Writing section, you get two raw scores: one for the Reading portion and one for the Writing and Language portion. Again, your raw scores are just the number of questions answered correctly. Each raw score is then converted into a scaled score- the exact conversion varies by test date. However, the College Board provides this example chart from their SAT practice test as an estimate: Once you convert your Math raw score to scaled score using the conversion chart, you have your final section score. For example, if you got a raw score of 53 in Math, your final section score would be 740. Evidence-Based Reading and Writing is slightly more complicated. You first need to convert your two raw scores into scaled scores using the chart. For example, if you had a raw score of 44 in Reading and 41 in Writing, your scaled scores would be 35 and 37, respectively. You then take these scaled scores add them together and multiply by tento get your section score: (35 + 37) x 10 = 72 x 10 = 720 Now that we have covered the basic scoring, let’s return to the original question. Bonus: Want to get a perfect SAT score? Read our famous guide on how to score a perfect 1600 on the SAT. You'll learn top strategies from the country's leading expert on the SAT, Allen Cheng, a Harvard grad and perfect scorer. No matter your level, you'll find useful advice here - this strategy guide has been read by over 500,000 people. Read the 1600 SAT guide today and start improving your score. How Many Questions Could You Skip/Get Wrong and Still Get 1280 if You Got All of the Others Right? NOTE: As I mentioned earlier, since there is no penalty for wrong answers, skipping or answering a question incorrectly results in the same score. Therefore, you can skip or answer incorrectly the same number of questions to receive 1280. Also, as I said before, each test date has a unique conversion scale from raw to scaled score, meaning each test date has a different answer, so the answer to this question is not exact. To find the typical number of questions you can skip for 1280, I analyzed eight real SAT practice tests and found the number of questions you could skip to get 640 in each section. I put my findings in this table: Section Math Reading Writing Total Test 1 15 13-14 9-10 37-39 Test 2 18 12-13 9 39-40 Test 3 19 13-14 43-44 Test 4 21 -12 10- 42-44 Test 5 16 10- 10- 36-38 Test 6 16 10 37 Test 7 14 -12 9-10 34-36 Test 8 18 9-10 9 36-37 From the above table, the average number of questions you can skip/get wrong to get 1280 is 38. However, it is important to note that the number of questions you can skip/get wrong to get 1280 depends on the section in which you are skipping the questions. For Evidence-Based Reading and Writing, you can skip/answer incorrectly on average 9 questions on the writing portion and 12 questions on the reading portion. For Math, you can skip/answer incorrectly on average 17 questions between the calculator and no-calculator sections. REMEMBER, this is if you got every single other question correct, which is very difficult. I don’t recommend you skip this many questions, as you can’t guarantee you get every other question correctly. I’ll explain more about this strategy below. What Does This Indicate About Skipping/Answering Questions Incorrectly? If you’re not seeing improvements in your SAT prep and are barely finishing the sections in time, just bubbling in random answers for certain questions may be a better strategy for you. You also can create an exact plan of attack according to your strengths and weaknesses. For your unique plan, consider what section you are struggling the most in whether it is Math, Reading, or Writing. Try to skip the maximum number allowed in that section. Make sure you always bubble in a random guess for those questions (you’re not penalized for guessing, and if you randomly guess right, you get free points!). Make sure you plan to skip/bubble in the harder questions in that section: If you struggle in Math, you should know on the Math section that the multiple-choice questions are ordered from easy to hard, and the grid-ins restart with easy questions and then move towards harder questions at the end of the section. You should try to spend your time trying to answer the easier questions in Math correctly (the beginning questions of the multiple-choice and grid-ins), and consider just bubbling in a random answer for the harder questions (since you’re not penalized for guessing). Make sure if you use this strategy that you’re answering enough questions to get your score desired score. For example, if you’re aiming for 1280 (640 in Math), I’d recommend answering at least 50 questions and then bubbling in random answers for the other eight questions. This way you give yourself a cushion; you can answer five questions wrong and still get 640. As I said, answer the easier questions, and bubble in the harder questions (end of multiple-choice) and consider skipping the end of the grid-ins (since you won’t be able to guess on those since they’re not multiple choice). On the Reading test, you should spend your time trying to answer easier questions correctly and consider just bubbling in a random answer for the harder questions. Make sure if you use this strategy that you’re answering enough questions to get your score desired score. For example, if you’re aiming for 1280 (640 in Evidence-Based Reading and Writing), you can afford to skip five hard questions and just bubble in random answers for the harder questions. If you answered four or five incorrectly, you’d still get a 640. On the Writing test, you should also spend your time on easier questions first and bubble in at least a few of the harder questions randomly, rather than spending the time to think them through. If you use this strategy, you need to double check that you’re answering enough questions to get your score desired score. For example, if you’re aiming for 1280 (640 in Evidence-Based Reading and Writing), you can afford to skip four hard questions and just bubble in random answers. Even if you answer three or four other questions incorrectly, you’ll still get a 640. WARNING: You need to incorporate this strategy into your preparation! Do not just plan to skip the day of the exam without practice. In your practice, start by trying to skip/bubbling in randomly the maximum number allowed and see how it affects your score. If the first result is positive, and you see score improvement, simply continue skipping that amount of questions. If at first you get a lower score, try skipping half the number of questions allowed and see how that shifts your score. Keep adjusting until you find the maximum number you can skip to get your desired score. Focus on getting the questions you do answer right! If your section score is under 500, it’s well worth skipping a substantial chunk of questions. Want to improve your SAT score by 160 points or more? We've put our best advice into a single guide. These are the 5 strategies you MUST be using to have a shot at improving your score. Download this free SAT guide now: What’s Next? Trying to get a perfect score? You should check out our SAT study guide. Taking the test in the next month and need to improve your score in a hurry? Read our cramming guide. Aiming for the Ivy League? Read our guide to getting in! Want to learn more about the SAT but tired of reading blog articles? Then you'll love our free, SAT prep livestreams. Designed and led by PrepScholar SAT experts, these live video events are a great resource for students and parents looking to learn more about the SAT and SAT prep. Click on the button below to register for one of our livestreams today!

GAUTHIER Surname Meaning and Family History

GAUTHIER Surname Meaning and Family History Gauthier is a surname often given to lumbermen, originating from the Old French gault and Gaelic  gaut, meaning forest. 2) From the germanic elements wald meaning  to govern, and hari, meaning armed. Surname Origin: French Alternate Surname Spellings:  GAUTIE, GAUTHIE, GAUTHIEZ, GOTHIER, GAUTIER, GAULTIER, GAULTHIER, LES GAUTHIER, LE GAUTHIER Famous People with the GAUTHIERSurname David Gauthier  - Canadian-American philosopherThà ©ophile Gautier -  French poet and authorClaude Gauthier  - French-Canadian singer-songwriterMylà ¨ne Jeanne Gautier - French-Canadian singer-songwriter  Mylà ¨ne Farmer Where is the GAUTHIERSurname Most Common? According to surname distribution from Forebears, Gauthier is the 21st most common surname in Canada and the 38th most common surname in France.  WorldNames PublicProfiler  indicates that within Canada, the name is most common in Prince Edward Island, followed by Quebec and the Northeast Territories. In France, the name is most prevalent in central France, with the highest density in the departments of Jura and Loir-et-Cher.   Genealogy Resources for the Surname GAUTHIER Meanings of Common French SurnamesUncover the meaning of your French last name with this free guide to the meanings and origins of common French surnames. How to Research French AncestryIf you are one of those people who have avoided delving into your French ancestry due to fears that the research would be too difficult, then wait no more! France is a country with excellent genealogical records, and it is very likely that you will be able to trace your French roots back several generations once you understand how and where the records are kept. Gauthier  Family Crest - Its Not What You ThinkContrary to what you may hear, there is no such thing as a Gauthier  family crest or coat of arms for the Gauthier surname.  Coats of arms are granted to individuals, not families, and may rightfully be used only by the uninterrupted male line descendants of the person to whom the coat of arms was originally granted. GAUTHIER  Family Genealogy ForumThis free message board is focused on descendants of Gauthier  ancestors around the world. FamilySearch - GAUTHIER  GenealogyExplore over 360,000 results from digitized  historical records and lineage-linked family trees related to the Gauthier  surname on this free website hosted by the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. GAUTHIER  Surname Mailing ListFree mailing list for researchers of the Gauthier  surname and its variations includes subscription details and a searchable archives of past messages. DistantCousin.com - GAUTHIER  Genealogy Family HistoryExplore free databases and genealogy links for the last name Gauthier. GeneaNet - Gauthier  RecordsGeneaNet includes archival records, family trees, and other resources for individuals with the Gauthier  surname, with a concentration on records and families from France and other European countries. The Gauthier  Genealogy and Family Tree PageBrowse genealogy records and links to genealogical and historical records for individuals with the Gauthier  surname from the website of Genealogy Today.- References: Surname Meanings Origins Cottle, Basil.  Penguin Dictionary of Surnames. Baltimore, MD: Penguin Books, 1967. Dorward, David.  Scottish Surnames. Collins Celtic (Pocket edition), 1998. Fucilla, Joseph.  Our Italian Surnames. Genealogical Publishing Company, 2003. Hanks, Patrick and Flavia Hodges.  A Dictionary of Surnames. Oxford University Press, 1989. Hanks, Patrick.  Dictionary of American Family Names. Oxford University Press, 2003. Reaney, P.H.  A Dictionary of English Surnames. Oxford University Press, 1997. Smith, Elsdon C.  American Surnames. Genealogical Publishing Company, 1997. Back toGlossary of Surname Meanings Origins

The Aztec Calendar Stone - Not a Calendar After All

The Aztec Calendar Stone - Not a Calendar After All The Aztec Calendar Stone, better known in the archaeological literature as the Aztec Sun Stone (Piedra del Sol in Spanish), is an enormous basalt disk covered with hieroglyphic carvings of calendar signs and other images referring to the Aztec creation myth. The stone, currently on display at the National Museum of Anthropology (INAH) in Mexico City, measures about 3.6 meters (11.8 feet) in diameter, is about 1.2 m (3.9 ft) thick and weighs more than 21,000 kilograms (58,000 pounds or 24 tons). Aztec Sun Stone Origins and Religious Meaning The so-called Aztec Calendar Stone was not a calendar, but most likely a ceremonial container or altar linked to the Aztec sun god, Tonatiuh, and festivities dedicated to him. At its center is what is typically interpreted as the image of the god Tonatiuh, within the sign Ollin, which means movement and represents the last of the Aztec cosmological eras, the Fifth Sun. Tonatiuhs hands are depicted as claws holding a human heart, and his tongue is represented by a flint or obsidian knife, which indicates that a sacrifice was required so that the sun would continue its movement in the sky. At Tonatiuhs sides are four boxes with the symbols of the preceding eras, or suns, along with the four directional signs. Tonatiuhs image is surrounded by a broad band or ring containing calendrical and cosmological symbols. This band contains the signs of the 20 days of the Aztec sacred calendar, called Tonalpohualli, which, combined with 13 numbers, made up the sacred 260-day year. A second outer ring has a set of boxes each containing five dots, representing the five-day Aztec week, as well as triangular signs probably representing sun rays. Finally, the sides of the disk are carved with two fire serpents which transport the sun god in his daily passage through the sky. Aztec Sun Stone Political Meaning The Aztec sun stone was dedicated to Motecuhzoma II and was likely carved during his reign, 1502-1520. A sign representing the date 13 Acatl, 13 Reed, is visible on the surface of the stone. This date corresponds to the year 1479 AD, which, according to archaeologist Emily Umberger is an anniversary date of a politically crucial event: the birth of the sun and the rebirth of Huitzilopochtli as the sun. The political message for those who saw the stone was clear: this was an important year of rebirth for the Aztec empire, and the emperors right to rule comes directly from the Sun God and is embedded with the sacred power of time, directionality, and sacrifice. Archaeologists Elizabeth Hill Boone and Rachel Collins (2013) focused on the two bands which frame a conquest scene over 11 enemy forces of the Aztecs. These bands include serial and repeating motifs that appear elsewhere in Aztec art (crossed bones, heart skull, bundles of kindling, etc.) which represent death, sacrifice, and offerings. They suggest that the motifs represent petroglyphic prayers or exhortations advertising the success of the Aztec armies, recitations of which might have been part of the ceremonies which took place on and around the Sun Stone. Alternative Interpretations Although the most prevalent interpretation of the image on the Sun Stone is that of Totoniah, others have been proposed. In the 1970s, a few archaeologists suggested that the face was not Totoniahs but rather that of the animate earth Tlateuchtli, or perhaps the face of the night sun Yohualteuctli. Neither of these suggestions has been accepted by the majority of Aztec scholars. American epigrapher and archaeologist David Stuart, who typically specializes in Maya hieroglyphs, has suggested that it may well be a deified image of the Mexica ruler Motecuhzoma II. A hieroglyph at the top of the stone names Motecuhzoma II, interpreted by most scholars as a dedicatory inscription to the ruler who commissioned the artifact. Stuart notes that there are other Aztec representations of ruling kings in the guise of gods, and he suggests that the central face is a fused image of both Motecuhzoma and his patron deity Huitzilopochtli. History of the Aztec Sun Stone Scholars surmise that the basalt was quarried somewhere in the southern basin of Mexico, at least 18-22 kilometers (10-12 miles) south of Tenochtitlan. After its carving, the stone must have been located in the ceremonial precinct of Tenochtitln, laid horizontally and likely near where ritual human sacrifices took place. Scholars suggest that it may have been used as an eagle vessel, a repository for human hearts (quauhxicalli), or as a base for the final sacrifice of a gladiatorial combatant (temalacatl). After the  conquest, the Spanish moved the stone a few hundred meters south of the precinct, in a position facing upward and near the Templo Mayor and the Viceregal Palace. Sometime between 1551-1572, the religious officials in Mexico City decided the image was a bad influence on their citizens, and the stone was buried facing down, hidden within the sacred precinct of Mexico-Tenochtitlan. Rediscovery The Sun Stone was rediscovered in December 1790, by workmen who conducted leveling and repaving work on Mexico Citys main plaza. The stone was pulled to a vertical position, where it was first examined by archaeologists. It stayed there for six months exposed to the weather, until June of 1792, when it was moved into the cathedral. In 1885, the disk was moved to the early Museo Nacional, where it was held in the monolithic gallerythat journey was said to have required 15 days and 600 pesos. In 1964 it was transferred to the new Museo Nacional de Anthropologia in Chapultepec Park, that journey only taking 1 hour, 15 minutes. Today it is displayed on the ground floor of the National Museum of Anthropology, in Mexico City, within the Aztec/Mexica exhibition room. Edited and updated by  K. Kris Hirst. Sources: Berdan FF. 2014. Aztec Archaeology and Ethnohistory. New York: Cambridge University Press. Boone EH, and Collins R. 2013. The Petroglyphic Prayers on the . Ancient Mesoamerica 24(02):225-241.un Stone of Motecuhzoma IlhuicaminaS Smith ME. 2013. The Aztecs. Oxford: Wiley-Blackwell. Stuart D. 2016. The Face of the Calendar Stone: A New Interpretation. Maya Decipherment: June 13, 2016. Umberger E. 2007. Art History and the Aztec Empire: Dealing With the Evidence of Sculptures. Revista Espaà ±ola de Antropologà ­a American 37:165-202 Van Tuerenhout DR. 2005. The Aztecs. New Perspectives. Santa Barbara, CA: ABC-CLIO Inc.

European Union should stop supporting Airbus Essay

European Union should stop supporting Airbus - Essay Example with manufacturing costs, the company has managed to grow its market share and improve its manufacturing to the point where Boeing now claims dominance in market share and revenues worldwide. Airbus has taken in over US$13 billion in subsidies since its founding, yet the company continues to ask its government shareholders for more subsidies to continue to compete against its rival. Subsidies cost the European taxpayer, and support the airlines which buy planes. Each Euro which is taken from European taxpayers could be better employed by direct consumption or investment in private enterprise, which would result in the application of market reasoning to funds usage. The reasoning used to support Airbus is the same as the Common Agricultural Policy—that farmers (or aircraft employees) cannot be competitive on their own, and need to have subsidisation in order to maintain employment and compete on world markets. The reasoning used by both is the same: both are â€Å"bridge† financings, and should not have to be made all the time, just during an ‘adjustment period.’ In fact, Airbus, as with European farmers, has grown used to government subsidisation, and has not adjusted its policies to improve its competitive position. Governments justify their continuing support in Airbus on the basis of the number of jobs created or maintained. They do not mention the opportunity cost of employing that capital in other industries, or of giving investors the capital in order to make rational business decisions. The governments of Germany and France, far from aiding Airbus and its ability to compete with Boeing, have placed conditions which make it impossible for the company to be as cost- or capital-effective as the company from Chicago. Boeing has been able to accelerate development and production of its 777 and 787 aircraft by seeking the best industrial partners from around the world. It has thus reduced its own capital requirements in new models by off-loading

Globalization and trade Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Globalization and trade - Essay Example The main drivers of international trade are: Exchange rates Regimes This is the most significant factor affecting international trade. Various nations have implemented the use of different rates of exchange regimes. The picking of the rate of exchange has been in a way controversial without agreements upon the one considered most effective rate of exchange regime in the process of minimising protectionism. The demand and supply for the currencies as well as the resultant relative values can impact the demand for exports and imports. As demand and supply for currencies vary, the values of the same currencies also vary. If the currency is strong then imports are less expensive, and that leads to increased demand for imported products and vice versa. Figure 1: Market price for foreign currency P2 S Price of foreign currency P1 in U.S Dollars D2 D1 D1 Q1 Q2 Historical analysis shows us over time nations used following types of exchange rate regimes. The fixed rate of exchange regime the given central bank ensures maintenance the rate of exchange (Mundel 1963). In the regime of floating rate of exchange; the responsible central bank often never comes into intervention. (Fleming 1962)The controlled exchange rate, when exchange rate is determined by interaction between the intervention of the state and the relationship between demand and supply. (Burr 1960)

England during the 1700s Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

England during the 1700s - Essay Example Although these higher-ranking officials were usually more loyal to the English interest than other members of a settlement may have been, their word was not final: in a court, for example, a judge ruling in accordance with English precedent could have his say overturned by a colonial jury. On paper, the British governed the colonies, but in practice the English government was overrun with colonial legislation, as well as the aftermath of its seventeenth-century civil war. Even when the Crown attempted to interfere directly with colonies, for example to combine them, this failed, and even had the opposite effect – colonies split, such as Delaware and Pennsylvania in 1704, and the North and South Carolinas in 1712. British rule was more often than not ineffective, and could easily be swayed according to the wishes of the colonies. 2. What was the theory of mercantilism and its application to British colonies in North America? The theory of mercantilism, which can be strongly lin ked to ideas of nationalism, was a facile but nonetheless popular form of economics; it had a stronghold on economic thought from the Renaissance to the nineteenth century.

Do you agree that Realism has got the big things right' Essay

Do you agree that Realism has got the big things right' - Essay Example This essay argues that realism has helped in setting the big things right within the international arena. Realism is a school of thought that derives the concept of things as they are, regardless on the way people may want them to be, with a tendency to be practical and more pragmatic. This idea juxtaposes with the idea of idealism which refers to the conception of things as they should be and the way people would want them to be. In the international relations theory, there has evolved a big controversy on which concept best describes how nations relate and how conflict among international states can be resolved. The concept of classical political realism evolved in the early 431 BC during war between Sparta and Athens (Monten, 2006). When Thucydides witnessed this war, he made a historical analysis of the war defying the popular belief of Gods during this period. He argued that war can be analysed by considering the facts of the war, hence defying the idealistic approach that the people used at this time. In this period, people had an idealistic mentality and they believed in gods and that everything happened as it should be. Thucydides pointed out that history should be analysed from an objective perspective bearing in mind that nations are monarchs that are always seeking for economic and political power. He stated that it was only practical that the strong nations should always rule the weaker nations. Political realism has three important tenets that apply within the international relations theory. First, realism describes the concept of ‘statism’ and describes states as the major role players in international politics. Unlike the liberalism theories that consider the role of non-states sectors within the international politics, realism theory is state-centric. Another important concept of realism is that international politics is a tag of war as anarchic states

Write a paper of approximately 1500 words examining a topic of your Essay

Write a paper of approximately 1500 words examining a topic of your choice - Essay Example However, smoking is rapidly becoming unpopular in the society today. Sensitization campaigns have been lodged and bills pushed by legislators to bring to end the laws that legalize smoking, especially cigarette. Smoking in many regions can be associated with social classes and people smoke to feel a part of a given social class. Smoking brings a â€Å"feel good† sensation that is associated with less stress. This paper seeks to examine in details the social and health effects of smoking. Smoking is dangerous to almost all body organs and puts a person at a greater health risks. Female smokers have reduced chances of conceiving compared to their non smoking counterparts. In the case of pregnant women, smoking affects the health of their babies, whether before or after birth. Such cases as early deliveries (premature birth), babies dying before they are born, babies weighing less at birth, sudden death syndrome in infants have been reported from smokers. In men, smoking reduces the sperm counts, which may lead to infertility, miscarriage or birth defect risks. Banning smoking can boost fertility and healthy children and parents free from smoke related complications (Anderson, 2004). If the waxy substance forms inside the arteries that take blood to the limbs and organs, a condition known as Peripheral Arterial Disease will arise. This will affect the kidneys and the stomach. It is also a major cause of stroke (Anderson, 2004). There is a chance that many people suffering from pain and numbness in the legs and death of the tissues have Peripheral Heart Disease. If the kidney is affected its role of purifying the blood will not be done well and one can end up with impure blood. Severe kidney problems lead to kidney failure, which will lead to either kidney dialysis or a kidney transplant. Smoking has adverse consequences on immunity as well as inflammation. Women who have reached menopause but smoke are more likely to experience bone breakage due to their

Do you agree that Realism has got the big things right' Essay

Do you agree that Realism has got the big things right' - Essay Example This essay argues that realism has helped in setting the big things right within the international arena. Realism is a school of thought that derives the concept of things as they are, regardless on the way people may want them to be, with a tendency to be practical and more pragmatic. This idea juxtaposes with the idea of idealism which refers to the conception of things as they should be and the way people would want them to be. In the international relations theory, there has evolved a big controversy on which concept best describes how nations relate and how conflict among international states can be resolved. The concept of classical political realism evolved in the early 431 BC during war between Sparta and Athens (Monten, 2006). When Thucydides witnessed this war, he made a historical analysis of the war defying the popular belief of Gods during this period. He argued that war can be analysed by considering the facts of the war, hence defying the idealistic approach that the people used at this time. In this period, people had an idealistic mentality and they believed in gods and that everything happened as it should be. Thucydides pointed out that history should be analysed from an objective perspective bearing in mind that nations are monarchs that are always seeking for economic and political power. He stated that it was only practical that the strong nations should always rule the weaker nations. Political realism has three important tenets that apply within the international relations theory. First, realism describes the concept of ‘statism’ and describes states as the major role players in international politics. Unlike the liberalism theories that consider the role of non-states sectors within the international politics, realism theory is state-centric. Another important concept of realism is that international politics is a tag of war as anarchic states

Improving Construction Safety in Saudi Arabia Dissertation

Improving Construction Safety in Saudi Arabia - Dissertation Example 1 Introduction It is rather unfortunate, but true, that the construction industry around the world had developed a reputation for being the industrial sector that presents higher statistics for industrial accidents, fatalities and deaths than any other (Coble, 2000, Pp. vii - viii). United States Department of Labour for the year 2006 indicated that construction fatalities represented about 21% of the total work force fatalities (Lambeck, 2009, Pp. 72 – 74). However, efforts directed towards continuous improvement in construction safety in many countries, including Japan, South Korea, China, etc. demonstrate that it is possible to reduce the incidence of occupational injury, serious accidents or deaths (Poon, 2008, Chapter 1). Statistics for construction industry accident frequency rates per million of men hour worked for Singapore suggest that with an accident frequency rate per million man hours of 3.5 for the construction sector in comparison to 1.9 for all other industries help to illustrate the notoriety of the construction sector (Poon, 2008, Chapter 1). However, results for Japan, Korea and Hong Kong demonstrate improvement with effort. Reports about the construction sector in Saudi Arabia suggest that it is possible to do more to bring about an improvement in health and safety for those working in the construction sector (Al Omani, 2008, â€Å"Does Saudi Arabia need a health and safety boot?†), (Migrant Rights, 2011, â€Å"FAQ†) and (Construction Week, 2010, â€Å"Construction sector must embrace safety culture†). Like in any other industry, accidents in construction lead to injury, possible loss of life, additional work and added costs (Li Wai Chung, 2006, Chapter 3). Time losses for the injured, delays in completion of construction, medical expenses, damage to... The intention of this study is the term ‘safety’, which refers to an absence of danger, as often partnered with the term ‘health’ within the context of work in general and for construction work. Because human health and welfare are of concern to the society, a corporate responsibility exists to ensure that minimal risks exist to the health and safety of employees so that individuals, families and the society at large receives protection and remains free from catastrophe. Thus, the legal system in England and in many other nations emphasises a duty to care, an absence of negligence and criminal responsibility for injury to ensure that those who use employees for business do so in a manner that will minimise harm to these individuals, especially when the business motive is to present profits. The law reflects values in a society and without values that emphasise health and safety it is likely that the risks associated with occupations will present undue harm t o individual members of a society and to society itself. Hence, a global concern exists for health and safety in construction and many nations around the world have enacted laws and regulations to emphasise health and safety in occupations, based on recommendations of international organisations, including the International Labour Organisation (ILO) and national values. However, a need exists to ensure that laws and regulations are effective and practical.

Historical experience leader was not trusted Essay Example for Free

Historical experience leader was not trusted Essay Terry finished from college as an engineer with excellent grades. He got jobs with several companies within the space of two years after graduation. He decided to change job because of harsh environment conditions of the location of the companies. After staying at home for three months, he got another job with a university as an IT assistant, in charge of networking and system repairs. He was enjoying himself in this company: a young university graduate with bright future. He was very dedicated to the discharge of duties. Because of dedication to duty, he was loved by all and sundry. He actually also had good human relationships. During his stay in the company, he had three major plans: settle down for a family with his girl-friend. He wanted to continue his education by bagging a postgraduate degree in Information and communication technology. He also had a business plan to accomplish that would be open the door for his self-employment and own his company. Because of these, he was ready to get as much experience as possible. He was poised to learn as mush as would come his way. And he did. However, he started developing problems with his Unit director who felt he was outshining him in the Unit. They argued on several occasions about they had to do on network problems affecting the University Internet access. At last, he got a sack letter. He left the company. He did not particularly see the sack as a major problem: it was an opportunity for him to actually work on his plans. So, he set forth. He drew up his business plan: got fund from the savings and investments he had made while gainfully employed, from friends and family members. He got a vantage position for his IT Company that provides information and services on Website designs, PC sales and repairs, Internet access and Computer training. He got started with a number of hardworking staff. He made them understand that since the business is new, they had to see themselves as part of a team that must work hard to see that customers are satisfied, their requirements met and services delivered effectively. These workers understood and dedicated their time and energy to the progress of the Company. They trusted his knowledge and managerial skills. They were also ready to make sacrifices for the Company. I got employed into the company as a Customer Service agent in charge of customer relations and keeping a journal of order delivery status. I noticed that Terry had a problem with his girlfriend and he had to break up. This affected his mood and outlook to work in the office. During this time, he lost his vigor and strength. We got talking about many things, including our personal lives. He was articulate and intelligent. But he could not keep to schedule nor meet appointments. A lot of customers and some members of staff complained on this. He promised to change. But he did not. Apart from this, he refused to pay salaries for the first two months. This was not surprise to us as we knew that the Company was getting up and we understood that a lot of money had to go into the running of a new company. After the third month, we met to discuss why salaries had not been paid. The Accounting unit reported that the Company could pay its workers. Against his will, they also told those present that some people have been selectively paid. This got the ‘unpaid’ workers annoyed and seriously vexed. We demanded for an explanation form the Boss. He was ready, as usual to give excuse and sweet-tongued us into this same old story: the Company is just catching up, and soon, all will be well. He supported his point with facts and figures convincing those paid are on special contract. He also used the opportunity to chastise workers who had not been working, especially those he had proposed to and they refused his advances. It later dawned on us that the company leader was making advances to many female workers in the office; those who agreed got paid and those who did not were chastised for their disobedience and were also not paid salaries. I was disappointed to come to this conclusion. I was learning a lot on the job, so I did not want to leave. After five months of endurance, we were paid for three months. I make proposal to opt out of the company because the situation grew worse daily. I called him several times to advise him but he would tell me I was young and had limited experience. Complaints by staff intensified daily. He sacked some, and others opted out willingly . The Situation became embarrassing: virtually everybody in the company knew about the ordeal. After series of threats, all salaries were paid. By then, he had lost a lot of resourceful workers. I also left the Company but not without lessons: little disappointments add up to big distrust. Trust is a major tool that makes communication effective. Anyone that loses this all-important trait is building a castle on sand, it would not last. It’s only a matter of time: it would fall. The company no longer exists. It has now been closed down. Terry had to get a paid job to pay his debts.

Role and Impact of Micro Finance Institutions

Role and Impact of Micro Finance Institutions INTRODUCTION The strong economic growth is bound to create employment opportunities and therefore it will reduce unemployment. The evidence provided by the Labor Force Survey 2005 (First two quarters) clearly supports the fact that economic growth has created employment opportunities. Since 2003-04 and until the last half of 2005-06, 5.82 million new jobs have been created as against an average job creation of 1.0-1.2 million per annum. Consequently, unemployment rate which stood at 8.3 percent in 2001-2002 declined to 7.7 percent in 2003-04 and stood at 6.5 percent during July-December 2005.The rising pace of job creation is bound to increase the income levels of the people. Agriculture, housing and construction, IT and telecom sector, and SME are the sectors, which have created relatively more jobs. The estimation of poverty line enables the policy makers to further identify and group the population into various poverty bands such as extremely poor, vulnerable and non-poor etc. The current growth rates however need to be strengthened to arrest the current growth in poverty levels. Macro stabilization, governance reforms and re-profiling of external debt stock have created prospects for growth in future. The government has indicated its willingness to speed up the pace of structural reforms to meet the major challenges of: Reducing poverty, Improving governance and administration, Improving the fiscal and balance of payments positions, Restoring investor confidence, Achieving higher growth on a sustainable basis, and Improving social indicators. 1.1 MICROFINANCE SECTOR Microfinance in Pakistan is relatively a new concept as compared to other countries in the region. The NGOs and Rural Support Programs has been the major player in the sector since early 1980s covering about 5% of more than 6.5 million poor households in the country. Recognizing microfinance as an important poverty alleviation tool, the Federal Government has adopted a microfinance policy that mainstreams the concept of sustainable microfinance, recognizes the private sectors role in poverty reduction and encourages its entry into banking with the poor. It has enacted a legal framework, the MFIs (Micro Financing Intermediaries) Ordinance 2001, for establishing Microfinance Banks in private sector and also facilitated establishment of Khushhali Bank, a public private partnership, with twin objective of substantially increasing outreach of microfinance services in the medium term and giving a model institution to the private sector to follow. The MFIs Ordinance 2001 inter alia stipulates the functions, capital requirements, ownership structure, terms and conditions for establishing Microfinance Banks/Institutions in the country, audit and disclosure requirements and winding up procedures. The provisions of the ordinance are applicable on microfinance institutions mobilizing savings from public to finance their operations. The operations of NGOs and other programs providing micro credit and allied services through sources other than public deposits/savings are not covered under the ordinance. The framework allows establishment of three categories of formal microfinance banks in the country via: Nation wide MFBs minimum paid-up capital of Rs.500 million Province wide MFBs minimum paid-up capital of Rs.250 million and District wide MFBs minimum paid-up capital of Rs.100 million 1.2 EVOLUTION OF MICROFINANCE IN PAKISTAN The microfinance movement in Pakistan followed a unique evolutionary path over the last decades. The proceeding paragraphs present the three development phases of the sector. Each phase represents entry of new institutional forms and structures in the Pakistani microfinance sector. Some of the highlights of this 30 year old history are as follow: Phase-1: 1970s, Government directed credit. The use of finance (mostly credit) as a development tool has a history in Pakistan in the form of government directed/subsidized credit schemes particularly in rural areas. In recent years Small Business Finance Corporation (SBFC), Youth Investment Promotion Society (YIPS), Self Employment Scheme (SES) and Yellow Cab Scheme are typical examples. While SBFC and YIPS represent a direct institutional intervention through use of public funds and institutional structures, SES and Yellow Cab schemes represent indirect government pressures on financial institutions, both public and private; to engage in politically motivated directed credit. In the last two initiatives, the government literally forced commercial financial institutions (mostly public sector) to provide concessionary financing especially to unemployed youth and business start-ups. The loan defaults associated with these schemes affecting the financial institutions profitability has been extensively reported in the popular press. Phase 2: early 1980s to mid 1990s philanthropy of finance. The emergence of the Pakistani microfinance sector is usually traced to two pioneering development institutions The Aga Khan Rural Support Program (AKRSP) and the Orangi Pilot Project (OPP). The early pioneers was established in 1982 by the Aga Khan Foundation (http:// www.akdn.org/), AKRSP was the first Integrated Rural Development Program of its kind, outside the government domain. It has focused its development interventions on the Northern Areas of Pakistan. The later day Rural Support Programs (RSPs), initiated by the government, were inspired by the AKRSP model of rural development. The first large scale practical implementation and conceptualization of development frameworks such as social mobilization and group lending methodology can be traced to AKRSPs microfinance model initiated in 1982. While AKRSP pioneered development service provision in the rural, agrarian frontiers of north Pakistan, OPP took up the challenge of tackling urban poverty in the biggest slum settlement in Pakistans port city and commercial capital Karachi. OPP was established by Akhtar Hameed Khan, considered to be the father of rural development in Pakistan. OPP was established in 1987 and its development services include housing, sanitation and education. The RSP model, AKRSP formulated and implemented integrated development approach whereby rural population was organized into Village Organizations (VOs) and the needs prioritized by these community organizations were provided for through a broad range of development services such as education, health, sanitation as well as financial services (microfinance). AKRSP endeavored to develop human, social and financial capital of the communities it worked with. This integrated approach was replicated by government initiated development organizations called Rural Support Programs (RSPs). By 2004, RSPs were working with more than 43,000 community organizations comprising of more than 1,000,000 households. Sarhad Rural Support Program (SRSP) was the first RSP to be established in 1989 as a replication of AKRSP model in the North-West Frontier Province of Pakistan. In the same year a Pak German development project was restructured as an RSP and renamed as Balochistan Rural Support Program (BRSP). Later on Punjab Rural Support Program (PRSP) was also launched by the Government of the Punjab province. The establishment of National Rural Support Program (NRSP) (www.nrsp.org.pk) in 1992 has a special significance. While SRSP and BRSP had provincial focus, NRSP was meant to be the largest national RSP with development interventions including a very ambitious microfinance program all over Pakistan. The rural focused microfinance operations of NRSP have expanded into urban areas as well under its Urban Poverty Alleviation Program (UPAP). With the above mentioned perspective, the microfinance strategy during the early 1990s has certain common elements; the word micro credit was used instead of microfinance symbolizing provision of only loans (and compulsory savings) as a social service equivalent to other development needs such as education, health, sanitation etc. Microfinance best practices as we know them today were still in their formative stages and had not crystallized into a coherent set of principles and frameworks even at the international level. Phase-3: late 1990s till the present entry of the specialist MFI. The later part of 1990s saw the entry of regulated financial institutions such as commercial banks and leasing companies in the microfinance arena. Mostly urban based microfinance only programs also came up in major cities of Pakistan. Regulatory structures started taking shape, spawning a new microfinance institutional structure The Microfinance Bank (MFB). 1.3 VIABILITY OF PROPOSED MICROFINANCING BANK (MFB) IN THE COUNTRY In the light of the above scenario the establishment of the proposed micro financing bank (MFB) in the country raises many doubts about its effectiveness to reduce poverty, sustainability to survive in the long run, and opportunity cost of resources diverted from other potential projects towards the MFB. The banking sector in the country has a long history of poor targeting and high default rate in the economy. The past experience of cooperative societies in the country is also that of a disaster. Million of rupees were lost in these schemes on the name of credit. Mainly their borrowers as well as defaulters are from the high-income group and influentials in the society. An evaluation of the pilot project for micro financing of the National Bank of Pakistan (NBP) for the future establishment of the proposed MFC is also not very encouraging. The bank does not have any mechanism to identify the poor regions and poorest in the country to provide micro credit. There are no poverty profiles that can indicate, which regions are the poorest and which villages or localities are severely impoverished in different provinces of the country. Therefore, the loans are mainly provided on the basis of subjective criteria which increase the chances of poor targeting of the scheme. Similarly, the bank does not have the experience, culture and environment for providing microcredit to poor in the country. The procedure for credit and collateral requirements of the bank is so complicated that it not only excludes the poorest from the scheme but it also increases the chances of leakage in the scheme. In fact, during a field visit by the author in one of the pilot project areas in Sindh, it was observed that the bank borrowers are paying extra charges/commission for receiving the inputs from the bank recommended dealers. Ironically, there is neither women staff nor woman borrowers in the pilot project area of NBP, whereas one major objective of the program is the empowerment of women through micro financing and women should be 33% among the borrowers. Other major NGOs providing micro financing in the country are Agha Khan Rural Support Program (AKRSP), National Rural Support Program (NRSP), Sarhad Rural Support Program (SRSP), Orangi Pilot Project (OPP), SUNGI Development Foundations, Kashf Foundation (Kashf), Sindh Agricultural Forestry Workers Cooperative Organization (SAWFCO), Thardeep Rural Development Program (TRDP). Moreover some international donor agencies like OXFAM and Save the Children Fund (SCF) also provide providing microfinance through intermediary NGOs in different parts of the country (www.spdc.com.pk) 1.4 PROBLEM STATEMENT Studies illustrated that poverty exerts a significant impact on education, health status, savings and the real GDP. For example; the evidence on reducing vulnerability however, is somewhat clearer. The provision of micro credit has been found to strengthen crises coping mechanisms, diversify income earning sources, build assets and improve the status of women (Hashemi et al, 1996); H0 : Micro financing has not reduced the poverty. H1 : Micro financing has reduced the poverty. This hypothesis suggests that as micro financing affects poverty in a positive manner, as a result, education, health status, saving and real GDP of the household has a positive relationship with the micro financing. The existing evidence on the impact of micro credit on poverty is not clear-cut. There is a work that suggests that access to credit has the potential to significantly reduce poverty. (Khandker, 1998); On the other hand, there is also a research which argues that micro credit has minimal impact on poverty reduction, (Morduch, 1998); Being a finance student the motivation was previous research which was very broad but not specific to the chosen statement. A broader perspective was present but the absence of narrower contexts compelled me to undertake this research. The study has many aims. The main purpose was to address the problem of poverty and apply it to the national scenario. Efforts are directed to utilize and process all available data, avoid bias and error, and generate important results. 1.5 OBJECTIVE OF THE STUDY The specific objectives for the study are outlined as follow: 1. To assess the role and impact of micro-finance institutions on the livelihood of poor. 2. To assess factors that hinders the rural poor from participating in Micro finance Institutions 3. To draw conclusion and give some policy recommendations for the successful implementation and development of micro financing programs. Rest of the project is organized as follows. In chapter two we have provided literature review, in chapter three we have defined data and methodology, in chapter four the results have been explained and in chapter five we have concluded the project with some recommendations. CHAPTER NO.2 LITERATURE REVIEW In the past few years there is an increase in research in the area of Micro Financing. Micro finance or micro credit, by providing small loans and saving facilities to those who are excluded from commercial financial services has been promoted as a key strategy for reduction or combating poverty. Access to these facilities is seen as away of providing the client that are economically active with opportunities for self reliance through entrepreneurship, cushioning them against economic shocks, and providing a mean of social empowerment for poor women and men in their communities. Yet although microfinance programs are often driven by a moral imperative to alleviate poverty, the extent to which they are able to reach the poor with their services and likely economic and social impacts continue to be issues of debate. Binswanger and Landell-Mills (1995) states that constraints in relation to suppliers.i.e. Private Banks excludes the poor because small transactions are unprofitable. Providing financial services to the poor and women is not easy. Many borrowers are not credit worthy and dont have profitable projectors. Thus, that the need for micro financing is an undeniable fact. According to Yanor, Benjamin and Pipren (1997), the issue that should be raised in this context is the importance of the informal sector in LDCs economy and its constraint to develop by lack of credit. On top of that, Salad vine and checkering (1991) confirmed this fact by noting that, the informal sector which contributed about 35% to 65% and 20% to 40% to employment and GDP in most LDCs respectively, is constrained by lack of credit. The provision of micro credit has been found to strengthen crises coping mechanisms, diversify income earning sources, build assets and improve the status of women (Hashemi et al, 1996); Coleman (1999),in his study of a village-banking program in Thailand, advances the literature by expanding on this concept to control for self-selection biases and introduces both observable village characteristics and village fixed effects to control for program placement bias. Utilizing data on 455 households, including participating and non-participating households in treatment villages where a village bank is already offering micro credit, and selected future participants and non-participants in control villages that have been identified to receive a village bank program but have not yet actually received funds, Coleman uses a difference-in-difference approach that compares the difference between income for participants and non-participants in program villages with the same difference in the control villages, where the programs were introduced later. Zaman (1999); explored the relationship between micro credit and the reduction of poverty and vulnerability by focusing on BRAC, one of the largest micro credit providers in Bangladesh. He concluded that micro credit contributes to mitigating a number of factors that contribute to vulnerability, whereas the impact on income poverty is a function of borrowing beyond a certain loan threshold and to a certain extent contingent on how poor the household is to start with. His empirical analysis also suggested that micro credit has the greatest on female control over assets and also on her knowledge of social issues controlling for a host of other characteristics. The Need For Micro-Financing According to Khandker (1998), the alleviation of poverty requires diverse measures. The most important being those, which expand the income and employment opportunities of the poor, enabling them to enhance their living standards providing the poor with access to financial services is one of the many ways to increase their income and productivity. Micro financing programs are developed to fill this gap. The rural poor in LDCs are in desperate needs of credits, microfinance programs are supposed to make available this credit needs and keep the poor to increase their living standard. Lack of saving and capital make it difficult for many poor people who want jobs in the formal and informal sectors to become self employed and to undertake productive employment generating activities, providing credit seems to be a way to generate self-employment opportunities for the poor. In this regard, MFIs in relation to other financial intermediaries has special role and distinguishing features which are given as follows: The primary objective of MFIs is to address the credit needs of those who are willing and ready to reduce their chronic poverty by engaging in farming and small scale production and service activities (Getahun, 2001). Besides provisions of credit facilities, MFIs render managerial, marketing technical and administrative advise to borrowers by reaching borrowers at there place of work.(ibid) MFIs do not require collateral to extend credit in cash or kind to peasant farmers and small entrepreneurs. Instead peer group-leading scheme, character based loans and the promise of subsequent loans is main motivations for repayment (Marguerite, 2001). Saving requirement is introduced as a compulsory feature of lending activity and this saving requirement seems to serve as a motivator for repayment of loan since borrowers choose to repay the loan than losing the amount they saved (Getahun, 2001) 2.2 Country Experiences on Micro-financing 2.2.1 Experience of Bangladesh Why it is that micro-finance becomes a great concern for the whole world as an instrument for poverty reduction in rural areas? It seems because it has recorded success in countries where it has been implemented Abiy (2000). A brief look at this success stories is as follows. One of the most successful countries often mentioned in the development of microfinance is Bangladesh. Micro finance organizations like Grameen Bank, Bangladesh Rural Advancement Committee (BRAC), Proshika (PK), Association for Social Advancement (ASA), largest 20 credit NGOs (not including Grameen Bank), and Bangladesh Rural Development Board (BRDB) are operating in the country mentioned For instance, the Grameen Bank, which was established in 1983 as a challenge to existing collateral-based financial system, has had a promising result. It operates exclusively for the poor on the promise that rural people, who won too little land, support themselves as farmers, can never the less make productive use of small loans and repays them on time. The bank also promotes social development by making the poor accountable to individually and socially. Such intermediation improves productivity and income of the poor. This, in turn, also improves their loan payment rate and hence contributes to the Grameen Banks financial Viability. As the result it is the most successful credit program for poor and this may be seen from the outreach status and loan recovery so that the banks loan recovery rate has consistently remained above 90 percent Pit and Khandker (1998). 2.2.2 Experience of some African Countries Formalized micro finance institutions in Africa is a more recent phenomenon. The 1950s and 1960s led to a proliferation of rural leading programs that focused on the provision of subsidized credit by government development banks. After this period in 1980s, the replication of Bangladeshs Grameen Bank began to be tested using primary donor funds to provide credit to a wide number of solidarity group members (Paxton and Fruman, 1998). For our purpose, however, we will look only two countries Kenya and Burkina Faso- the former representing relatively densely populated region and the latter is less densely populated. For example, in Kenya KREB (Kenya Rural Enterprise Bank) is a micro finance institution serving the poor in rural and urban areas of Kenya. It was established as an intermediary NGO to provide financial and technical assistance to NGOs in Kenya that are involved in developing or promoting the development of micro and small enterprises. Since 1990, KREB has successfully transformed grants from its development partners into loan capital for nearly 30,000 businessmen and women. It has been able to do so at a positive return since 1994. KREB has distributed over Kenyan shilling 300 million each year since 1995 and has never run short of new customers. The PPPCR (Le project de promotion du petit credit rural) has been particularly innovative in adopting the Grameen style of group lending to the conditions in Burkina Faso. Certainly the sahelian region represents one of the most challenging environment for micro finance due to the combinations of failed prevails efforts low population density, poverty and illiteracy. To overcome some of these obstacles, PPPCR has departed from a pure Grameen replication and has adapted its own financial services and organization. Like the Grameen Bank, PPPCR has grown quickly, but cannot be compared in member of clients. By the end of 1994, PPPCR had served 10,000 clients, and two years later it had reached about 25,000 clients. Despite all of the careful modifications of the Grameen model to the Burkina Faso context, the provision of micro finance services has proved to be quite costly in the Sahel. The reasons for these high costs are more related to the environment (low population density, poor infrastructure, poverty, illiteracy etc.) than to the methodology of group lending itself. The PPPCR has experienced greater efficiency in the past couple of years as it continues to learn from its early experience achieves economies of scale. Generally, the results in this study have shown that none of the institutions have been able to cover the cost of subsidies despite in roads towards financial viability. Most of micro finance institutions limit their ability to achieve high volumes of loan advances and savings. In sum, the most important lesson is that a wide variety of market niches exist in the field of micro finance. In a more recent study, James et al, (2001) estimated the impact of an urban credit program in Zambia on business performance and on a range of indicators of household well-being. They found that borrowers who obtained a second loan experienced significantly higher average growth in business profits and household income. The Bolivian experience indicates that all the institutions studied had, on balance, positive impacts on income and asset levels. (Mosley 2001); In Pakistans context, Khan (2001); estimated the economic impact of the support program on rural households. He concluded that the economic impact of the support program on rural households is substantially large and probably makes a significant difference to the households close to the poverty line. However, he qualified this conclusion by arguing this conclusion holds particularly for those rural households that participate on a sustained basis over a long period. However, international experience strongly suggests that microfinance projects do not reach all segments of poor. Even the minimal or no collateral requirements potentially exclude the poorest from the schemes. In Bangladesh, for example, only one forth of all microfinance clients is among the hard-core poor. The UNDP report (2000) claims that the hard-core poor having few assets are reluctant to take on the risks of credit, and when they do, it is usually for emergencies and consumption, not for production. Extending fin ancial services to the poorest requires innovations which go beyond those that have been developed so far. Morduch (1999); argued, The promise of micro finance should be kept in context. Even in the best of circumstances, credit from micro finance programs help find self employment activities that most often supplement income for borrowers rather than drive fundamental shifts in employment patterns. It rarely generate new job for others, and success ha been especially limited in regions with highly seasonal income patterns and low population densities. The best evidence to date suggests that making a real dent on poverty rates will require increasing overall levels of economic growth and employment generations. Micro finance may be able to help some households take advantage of those processes, but nothing so far suggests that it will drive them. The experience of micro finance in Pakistan is not that different from other countries, it is generally recognized that the present micro financing framework is characterized by low coverage (an inability to reach the poor), targeting inefficiency (the poorest are left out, inadequate of support (insufficient loan sizes), a low degree of ease of lack of self financing (dependence on donors). Rodriguez-Meza (2001); studies strategic defaults in microfinance. More specifically, he evaluates the effect of different contract designs on borrower repayment behavior for both individual and joint liability contracts. Rodriguez-Mezas model shows that lenders willing to grant loans large enough for borrower to achieve their optimal level of investment may face sustainability problems, as borrowers may find it optimal to default under these circumstances. He finds that clients can default on their loans even when they have the ability to repay due to the absence of perfect collateral. His results have serious implication for the viability of MFOs and their role in economic development. In addition to these studies, practitioners, donors and academics concerned about the negative effects of client exit on the overall sustainability of MFOs have conducted several descriptive studies on the issue (Hasan and Shahid, 1995); Khan and Chowdary, 1995; ASA, 1996; Kashangaki, 1999; Maxima Bali, 1999; Painter and MKNelly, 1999; Simanowitz, 1999; Wright et al, 1999; Churchill, 2000; Kuwik and Mashaba, 2000; Churchill and Halpern, 2001; Schreiner, 2001;.Overall, they found that most people are pushed out of MFOs, especially in Africa, due to adverse push factors, such as client maturity and competition, also play a role in pulling clients away from MFOs, especially in Latin America and Asia, where the micro finance industry is more developed and competition is more intense. The governments goal of poverty reduction is to be realized through a comprehensive approach that takes into account the interaction of economic, social and governance dimensions. The approach is outlined in the interim poverty reduction strategy paper (IPRSP).Expenditure and budgetary allocations for poverty reduction measures have been enhanced. The poverty alleviation program of the government has five elements: Small infrastructure projects, Social safety net, Food support program, Improving social indicators and Expanded access to MF and skills development services through grassroots Organization such as NGOs and village organizations. Greater private sector involvement in poverty reduction is envisaged. The social action program phase two (from January 1997 to June 2002) aims to improve access to basic social services like primary education, primary health care, population welfare services, potable water, sanitation and middle schooling. The government has also responded to growing unemployment, with a series of scheme including the mass self employment program. The incidence of poverty is to be reduced from 33% of population to be target kevel of 15.1% be end 2008. To enhance outreach of MF, the government has adopted a comprehensive approach to address issues and constraints through a conductive policy framework, appropriate supervisory and regulatory infrastructure, institutional capable of outreach to the poor and finally, investments in social intermediation and basic infrastructure. The government has plans to restructure DFIs.Emphasis will be placed on good governance, sustainability, and public private partnership, community based services delivery through NGOs, Pro-poor focus and gender concerns. This strategy complements the effort of the PPAF and other MF suppliers and provides the basic for a concerted effort to enhanced outreach in a grossly underserved market. Gender focus will be emphasized in the strategies and underlying activities in various government programs. A permanent commission on the status of women has been formally announced to protect womens rights. The IPRSP also recognizes the gender dimension of poverty and proposes reform of discriminatory laws and measures to coordinate policies. Within the IPRSP framework, a review and modification of economic and social policies to incorporate gender perspectives is planned. Strengthening of gender focal points in federal and provincial women development departments and identification of targets for the implementation of the National Action Plan (Ministry of Women Department) have been envisaged. On the basis of the literature reviewed, we have developed the following conceptual framework. Fig 2.1 DEVELOPMENT OF CONCEPTUAL FRAMEWORK Poverty Micro financing in education, health status, savings and real GDP Dependent variable Independent Variable P= f (EDU, HS, SAV, RGDP) Where, EDU = Education HS = Health Status SAV = Savings RGDP = Real Gross Domestic Product. CHAPTER NO.3 DATA METHODOLOGY This part of the report illustrates the methodology that will be used to conduct this study. The conceptual framework for the study is depicted in Fig 2.1. We want to study the dependence level of the dependent variable and its association with the independent variables. Pool regression analysis is a well recognized methodology to analyze relationships and dependence among different variables. The research instruments used in this study were ordinary least square multiple regression analysis, Granger causality test. In view of the limited time frame of the study the sample size was restricted to thirty one. This study was descriptive in nature and deals with the most important and alarming issue of Micro financing. REGRESSION ANALYSIS: In statistics, regression analysis is a collective name for techniques for the modeling and analysis of numeri