Lubbock Christian University Admissions ACT Scores...

With an acceptance rate of 95%, Lubbock Christian University is generally open to all applicants. Interested students can apply through the schools website, and will need to submit scores from the SAT or ACT as part of the application. While the majority of applicants submit ACT scores, both tests are equally accepted by the school. Additional requirements include high school transcripts. A campus visit is not required but is always encouraged. Visit LCUs website for more information (or contact the admissions office) for detailed instructions and important deadlines. Admissions Data (2016) Percent of Applicants Admitted: 95%Test Scores - 25th / 75th PercentileSAT Critical Reading: 450 / 620SAT Math: 450  / 570SAT Writing: - / -What these SAT numbers meanACT Composite: 19 / 25ACT English: 18 / 25ACT Math: 17  / 25What these ACT numbers mean An Overview of the University   Located in Lubbock, Texas, Lubbock Christian University was founded in the  1950s. It is affiliated with the Churches of Christ and was originally started as a junior college. Students can choose from over 50 bachelor degree programs (or 14 graduate programs), with top choices including business, nursing, education, psychology, ministry, and criminal justice. Academics at LCU are supported by a solid 13 to 1 student/faculty ratio. High-achieving students can join the LCU honors program. Outside of the classroom, students can join a range of clubs and organizations, ranging from intramural sports to religious clubs to performing arts ensembles to academic honor societies. In athletics, the LCU Chaparrals (and Lady Chaps) compete within the NCAA Division II Heartland Conference. Popular sports include basketball, soccer, track and field, volleyball, softball, golf, and cross country. Enrollment (2016) Total Enrollment:  1,912  (1,471 undergraduates)Gender Breakdown: 40% Male / 60% Female86% Full-time Costs (2016  - 17) Tuition and fees: $21,166Books: $1,100 (breakdown of college books costs)Room and board: $7,260Other expenses: $4,658Total cost: $34,184 Lubbock Christian University  Financial Aid (2015  - 16) Percentage of new students receiving aid: 100%Percentage of new students receiving types of aid:Grants: 98%Loans: 89%Average amount of aid:Grants: $10,473Loans: $11,144 Academic Programs Most popular majors:  Business Administration, Nursing, Elementary Education, Physical Education, Social Work, Youth Ministry, Psychology, Criminal Justice Transfer, Graduation and Retention Rates First-year student retention (full-time students): 65%Transfer out rate: 43%4-year graduation rate: 29%6-year graduation rate: 39% Intercollegiate Athletic Programs Mens sports:  Baseball, Soccer, Track and Field, Basketball, Golf, Cross CountryWomens sports:  Soccer, Volleyball, Basketball, Cross Country, Golf, Softball, Track and Field Source National Center for Educational Statistics

The Resurgence Of The Kkk - 944 Words

The Resurgence of the KKK Racism has been deep-rooted in American history. Racism that arose in the 1920s involved infamous race riots, lynching, the Sweet Case, and the rise of the Ku Klux Klan. However, out of all these other factors, the Ku Klux Klan has left a huge impact on American history. To begin, there were many ways to show racism but, race riots were most common. One of the most famous race riots happened in Tulsa, Oklahoma. On the thirty first of May till the first of June in 1921, a handful of white people attacked an African American community. The Tulsa Riot started in an attempt, by the city s African American community, to prevent lynching. The Tulsa Riot lead us to other race riots in which whites stormed into African American neighborhoods and proceeded to burn, loot and kill whoever they, the whites, could get their hands on. Unlike the riot in Tulsa, most took place in northern cities. Race riots were then followed by lynching. Lynching occurred continually in areas where African Americ ans resided. The number of lynching that took place in the South were greatly motivated by race and economic strains. For example, inflation, low cotton prices and economic strains shown to have influenced the higher rate of lynching frequencies. White supremacists bore the responsibility of all the lynching related to African Americans. White supremacists were a part of a pure Americanization organization that goes by the name of the KKK. In the 1920s, the KKK, alsoShow MoreRelatedExplore the Reasons for the Resurgence of the Klu Klux Klan in 1920s America1535 Words   |  7 PagesExplore the reasons for the resurgence of the Ku Klux Klan movement in 1920s America and the political changes it caused. In the 1920s North America experienced a huge rise in immigrants from black, Hispanic and Jewish backgrounds. For the most part they settled in slums, took on poorly paid work and lived lives far removed from most white middle class families. Many traditional northern and southern white Americans were uneasy with this sudden influx and it helped create social tension, particularlyRead MoreThe Ku Klux Klan And The Civil Rights Movement1411 Words   |  6 PagesFounded in 1866, the Ku Klux Klan (KKK) extended into almost every southern state by 1870 and became a vehicle for white southern resistance to the Republican party’s reconstruction-era polices aimed at establishing political and economic equality for blacks. Its members waged an unseen war of intimidation and violence directed at white and black republican leaders. 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My Travels Abroad Essay Example For Students

My Travels Abroad Essay English 110130 January 2004I am a former United States Navy Sailor and a Disabled Veteran with fourteen years of proud service to my country. When friends ask me about my military service, they often ask me about the places and countries I have visited. After sailing the Seven Seas with my fellow shipmates, I now realize that I have seen more of the world than most people has ever dreamed of seeing. My journey began in the Summer of 1981, when I enlisted in the United States Navy. Shortly thereafter I completed boot camp at the Naval Training Center in Orlando, Florida. I then went on to Hospital Corpsman technical training at San Diego, California. In the Fall, of that same year, I received my first set of travel orders assigning me to the aircraft carrier USS Forrestal in Jacksonville, Florida. After months of intense training exercises in the frigid weather of the North Atlantic, our ship along with the rest of the 6th Fleet received orders to deploy immediately to the Mediterranean region. It took four horrendous days to cross the raging twenty foot waves of the North Atlantic Ocean. Despite the turbulent weather, we finally arrived into the beautiful blue waters of the Mediterranean Sea. My shipmates and I were so full of excitement to see where and when our first port visit would be. The purposes of port visits are to show our presence, be ambassadors of goodwill, and show proudly that we are interested in fostering stronger ties with each country we visit U.S. Sailors bring messages of peace, friendship and an opportunity to find common ground. After the first couple of months of extensive exercises outside Lebanon, our ship was finally granted liberty calls in the following ports: Naples, Italy; Istanbul, Turkey; Barcelona, Spain; and Athens, Greece. Following a couple weeks of fun and relaxation it was time to continue our mission. Our ship received orders to travel through the Suez Canal which divided the countries of Syria and Egypt. Upon completing our transit through the Suez Canal and entering the Indian Ocean, our ship returned to the Mediterranean Sea. Before exiting the Suez Canal our ship made a port visit to Alexandria, Egypt. Finally, in the last couple of months of our busy deployment, our ship steamed into the ports of Beinidorm, Spain; Toulon, France; Marseille, France. The experiences I encountered during my visits to these wonderful and mysticalcountries was overwhelming. I visited many historical locations throughout Europe during my travels abroad. Among my visits to these fabulous countries, I would sayItaly was my favorite place. The Italians are quick to laugh and make friends. Theylove their food and wine. Naples is home to spaghetti and pizza. Being Catholic myself, I feel I have a spiritual bond to the Vatican in Rome. It is full of legends and miracles. For the traveler, the history of the world can be experienced and re-lived through the buildings and artifacts found all over the world. After returning from overseas, I realized that I have acquired a vast amount of experience and knowledge of other cultures. Speaking for myself, I have been married to a beautiful French girl for fourteenwonderful years. To this day I still love to speak of my travels abroad.

Marketing and Strategy Market Segmentation

Question: Discuss about the Marketing and Strategy for Market Segmentation. Answer: Introduction: It has been found that the company GoPro targeted mainly young, active and extreme sports enthusiastic customers. It has been found that, the company has mainly positioned its camera for audacious and passionate people who are keen to share their exciting features with the world. It includes adventurous dreamers, surfers and sky divers. The company mainly competes in the action cam marke with the help of niche segmentation strategy. According to the manager of the company GoPro Companys offer and image can be developed in such a way that it can occupy a distinct and value place in the target customers mind. The anatomy of brand positioning for the company GoPro are brand heritage, brand domain, brand personality, brand inflection, brand assets and brand value. The products of Gopro are mainly developed for extreme sport heritage (brand heritage). The company characterized the customers according to their passion and habits. The company has targeted its products for a specific buying situation If you go on a trip or adventure, how would you immortalize those precious moments (Gopro 2016). Mainly two segments of customers are targeted by the company. Extreme sports people and enthusiastic people who are eager to share their exciting experiences. Dolnicar Sara and Leisch (2014) mentioned that brand value of the company GoPro can simulate passion and excitement among consumers. According to the manager of GoPro We are passionate about the idea of what we can actually do in this world. Be a Hero! Versatility and durability of GoPro products help it to get best position in the market. It helps to satisfy traditional values of love, freedom, sharing and modern values like entertainment. In order to discuss the brand inflection the manager of the company stated It can improve your social status and help you to fulfill your dreams. Our products can help our customers to become master of our life and help them to enjoy every second. Sincerity, excitement, competence, sophistication and ruggedness are the brand personality of the company that can help its products to get sustainable position in the market (Del Vigna 2013). In recent years market segmentation has become an important part of marketing strategy for all companies. GutiĆ¡ Dragutin and PetriĆ¡ (2012) stated Market segmentationis amarketing strategywhich involves dividing a broadtarget marketinto subsets ofconsumers,businesses, orcountries that have, or are perceived to have, common needs, interests, and priorities, and then designing and implementing strategies to target them. Market segmentation strategies are generally used to identify and further define the target customers, and provide supporting data for marketing plan elements such aspositioningto achieve certain marketing plan objectives. Businesses may developproduct differentiationstrategies, or anundifferentiated approach, involving specific products orproduct linesdepending on the specific demand and attributes of the target segment. It has been fund that there are mainly five types of market segmentations strategies are used by different companies. They are li ke Geographic, demographic, behavioral, psychographic and occasional segmentation. It has been found that the company GoPro mainly focuses on niche segmentation or psychographic segmentation. It is often known as lifestyle segmentation (Joppe and Luc 2013). It can be measured by studying Activities, Interests and Opinions (AIO) of consumers. In this segmentation strategy, the company needs to consider how people use to spend their leisure. Dolnicar Sara and Leisch (2014) indicated psychographics as important part of segmentation. Psychographics identify the personal activities and targeted lifestyle the target subject endures, or the image they are attempting to project (Dolnicar Sara and Leisch 2014). It has been found form various research works that the company GoPro mainly targets young, enthusiastic customers, who are extreme sports lovers (Maricic Branko and Djordjevic. 2015). The company develops high quality cameras for audacious and passionate people, who are eager to share their exciting experiences with the world such as surfers and sky diver. The company tries share energy, propulsion and freedom with the help of its brand elements. The slogan of the company Be a hero is meaningful, memorable, likeable and justified with the market segment as this desire transcends categorical and geographical boundaries (GutiĆ¡ Dragutin and PetriĆ¡ 2012). The company has provided different unique features in the products that help the company to establish a strong brand following. They are such as Night mode features for optimal low light performance, digital zooming and high quality microphones. The company mainly focuses on action cameras to position itself against major competitors such as Panasonic, Canon, Nikon and Olympus. The company has captured 90% of the action camera market (Dolnicar Sara and Leisch 2014). The company thrives to become a media company in order to develop a strong ecosystem and thwart off the future competition. There is graph given below to indicate the increase of revenue and number of unit sold for the company GoPro from 2011 to 2014. Figure 1: History of revenue for the company GoPro (Source: McDonald Malcolm and Ian Dunbar 2013) Zervou Anastasia (2013) mentioned that GoPro entered the camera industry, discovering a new market in the needs of consumers who were looking for something that was not yet available. The company has developed a value proposition to establish a meaningful relationship with the customers (Dolnicar Sara and Leisch 2014). The company provides efforts to establish new means to capture personal, amateur and professional experiences in versatile manner. It has been found that GoPro has adopted a sustainable strategy to position itself against the competitor. It has been found that the competitors of the company GoPro are only competing against tangible products (action camera). They are not been able to challenge the company against intangible assets that make the company more desirable. As Joppe and Luc (2013) stated that, switching to competitors product is less desirable for customers as they will lose accessibility to social media platforms, support channels and most of all the online global community that has been established (Dolnicar Sara and Leisch 2014). In order to describe the competitive rivalry, Dolnicar Sara and Leisch (2014) mentioned he competitiveness within the action camera industry has increased; however, there are only a hand full of competitors that can produce the same quality as GoPro. The quality standard within the industry can very well be defined by GoPros innovation that has set the quality standards of all action cameras. Innovation has become the focal point of competition and marketing strategy for the company GoPro (Joppe and Luc 2013). Reference Del Vigna, Matteo. "Financial market equilibria with heterogeneous agents: CAPM and market segmentation."Mathematics and Financial Economics7, no. 4 (2013): 405-429. Dolnicar, Sara, and Friedrich Leisch. "Using graphical statistics to better understand market segmentation solutions."International Journal of Market Research56, no. 2 (2013): 97-120. Gopro,.. "Gopro | World's Most Versatile Camera | HERO4 Black Edition".Gopro.Com. https://gopro.com/. (2016) GutiĆ¡, Dragutin, and Tomislav PetriĆ¡. "consumer attitudes in market segmentation."emc review-Ä asopis za ekonomiju3, no. 1 (2012). Joppe, Marion, Statia Elliot, and Luc Durand. "From ski market to ski traveller: a multidimensional segmentation approach."Anatolia24, no. 1 (2013): 40-51. MariÄ iĆ¡, Branko R., and Aleksandar Ä orÄ‘eviĆ¡. "Strategic market segmentation."Marketing46, no. 4 (2015): 243-251. McDonald, Malcolm, and Ian Dunbar. "Market segmentation."How to Profit from(2013). Zervou, Anastasia S. "Financial market segmentation, stock market volatility and the role of monetary policy."European Economic Review63 (2013): 256-272.

The Hit of a Lifetime free essay sample

I was starting varsity at second base and contributing to my team in any way. I was doing what I needed to do. Our team was a force to be reckoned with In this state, and we knew It. Our first test was the MASC. championship game, a home game. The cards were laid out great for us. We were hosting Princeton High, who later became the 2012 state champions. The day came, but we only played a few Innings before the skies unleashed on us with rain and lightning. The players, coaches, umpires, and a few dedicated fans tried to Walt out the storm. We waited until around 1 1 p. , when the umpires decided to postpone the game until the next day. The agony of waiting can play mind games with you. All night and all the next day, you wait and anticipate that championship game. The time finally came, and Mother Nature was finally a baseball fan. We will write a custom essay sample on The Hit of a Lifetime or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page The skies were a beautiful blue, the sun shining perfectly, and even a few birds chirping. You could smell baseball in the air. The game started and went back and forth many times. At this point, we were taking anything we could get, scraping and clawing for any type of spark.As the game went on, our endurance was tested, and the score was tied at the end of the 7th inning. Our first extra inning we fought on to keep the score tied. We were up to bat last, since we were the home team. I got the chance of a lifetime, a moment that could define my rather short life up until then. I came up to bat with two outs in the bottom of the 9th inning. The first pitch was high and outside. The second pitch was released, a survivable on the outer side of the plate. I put every ounce of effort and will into the swing and watched it pop off my bat.I darted running and was stunned to see the ball sail over the left field fence. I had hit the game winning homerun in the championship game, and when I came around heading to home my baseball family mobbed me at the plate. It was quite a moment, a moment In which my life was defined. I have always worked hard In athletics because Im not one of the naturally gifted athletes. Vive accepted this fact and I love the challenge to make myself better. Vive done It my whole life. On this day, my athletic life was defined and changed forever. I saw firsthand that hard work eventually pays off.I vowed to make myself better every day that I had the opportunity. I started Lifting weights over the summer and watching exactly what kind of food I was eating to make It as efficient as possible. This moment has changed my athletic life forever, and has overall defined my life. The Hit of a Lifetime By estates most athletes can only dream. My defining moment is a once in a lifetime happening in a lifetime event. A moment in which I never dreamed would become a reality. My was a force to be reckoned with in this state, and we knew it.Our first test was the came, but we only played a few innings before the skies unleashed on us with rain and lightning. The players, coaches, umpires, and a few dedicated fans tried to wait a moment in which my life was defined. I have always worked hard in athletics because Im not one of the naturally gifted done it my whole life. On this day, my athletic life was defined and changed forever. I day that I had the opportunity. I started lifting weights over the summer and watching exactly what kind of food I was eating to make it as efficient as possible.

Free Essays on The Implications Of Culture On Developmental Delay

The Implications of Culture on Developmental Delay As a teacher, I feel it is necessary for me to try to understand to the best of my ability the culture(s) of my students and their families. It is only within that context can one begin to discuss developmental delay and/or disability. Despite teaching for over a year, I do not feel I am fully cognizant of the individual nuances of the different cultures of my students. I also personally do not feel comfortable with labeling students (or people, for that matter) nor do I feel it necessary or even helpful to attach labels; what is most important is to identify specific areas where remediation is can be both helpful and provided. As the article points out, disability is a social and cultural construct. What I view as a disability may be viewed as a spiritual phenomenon or only temporary. Unless I am able to recognize my own assumptions when speaking with parents as well as the culture of my student, I may, in fact, be viewed as the irrational person. I must develop a cultural self-awareness to facilitate conversations with parents about their child and identify the family’s goals, priorities and visions for their child. However, I do not think it necessary to attach labels; what is important are the specific implications and symptoms and remediation of those needs to the extent that allow them to flourish in the world without negating their own cultures. I believe it is necessary to identify the cultural values when discussing my interpretation of a student’s of a student’s difficulties or in the recommendation for service. I should find out, to the extent possible whether the family members value my assumptions and, if not, how their views differ from mine. For example, I may feel it is necessary for a child to learn how to learn new information independently while individuality and independence may not be highly valued in the family’s culture. As the Dunn and Dun... Free Essays on The Implications Of Culture On Developmental Delay Free Essays on The Implications Of Culture On Developmental Delay The Implications of Culture on Developmental Delay As a teacher, I feel it is necessary for me to try to understand to the best of my ability the culture(s) of my students and their families. It is only within that context can one begin to discuss developmental delay and/or disability. Despite teaching for over a year, I do not feel I am fully cognizant of the individual nuances of the different cultures of my students. I also personally do not feel comfortable with labeling students (or people, for that matter) nor do I feel it necessary or even helpful to attach labels; what is most important is to identify specific areas where remediation is can be both helpful and provided. As the article points out, disability is a social and cultural construct. What I view as a disability may be viewed as a spiritual phenomenon or only temporary. Unless I am able to recognize my own assumptions when speaking with parents as well as the culture of my student, I may, in fact, be viewed as the irrational person. I must develop a cultural self-awareness to facilitate conversations with parents about their child and identify the family’s goals, priorities and visions for their child. However, I do not think it necessary to attach labels; what is important are the specific implications and symptoms and remediation of those needs to the extent that allow them to flourish in the world without negating their own cultures. I believe it is necessary to identify the cultural values when discussing my interpretation of a student’s of a student’s difficulties or in the recommendation for service. I should find out, to the extent possible whether the family members value my assumptions and, if not, how their views differ from mine. For example, I may feel it is necessary for a child to learn how to learn new information independently while individuality and independence may not be highly valued in the family’s culture. As the Dunn and Dun...

John Gerard Ruggie Article Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

John Gerard Ruggie - Article Example with Regard to Human Rights and secondly the author’s mandate on the issue of human rights that he presented as a special representative of the united nations. The norms drafted by the UN were said to be a pioneering measure to ascertain the provision of basic human rights in a business setup on an international level. Even though it was accepted by the United Nation’s Sub-Commission for the Promotion and Protection of Human Rights, its parent body, the human rights commission UN failed to accept it. According to the author, this norm had several loopholes that could have resulted to this case. Firstly, the norms included all other business enterprises and not just the transnational. With 77000 transnational firms all over the world, globalization encourages them to spread its operations and supply chain all over the world. However, every country has a different and completely new system of socio political environment and a set of laws. The issue debates whether an international law binding is enough for the subsidiaries operation in different countries as a lapse on the subsidiary’s part may hold the parent company responsib le. In the general obligations section of the draft norms, the human rights laws are proposed in detail incorporating aspects like discrimination, security, even debated areas like environmental rights and indigenous community’s rights. However, it failed to propose the scope of the spheres of influence under which these need to be practiced. Neither did it mention the primary and secondary nature of state and corporate duties respectively. The author took into account these pitfalls of the draft norms and proposed in his mandate measures that incorporated existing international corporations, their practices in order to decrease the gap between human rights and corporate activities internationally. The proposed strategies by the author strengthen the draft norms by correcting the existing pitfalls. Firstly, making corporations

Branding Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Branding - Assignment Example This of course depends on the reputation of the brand, which refers to how it has appealed to consumers in the grocery sector in the past and how it has served them. The literature review highlights previously researched concepts of branding and its effects on buyer behavior. The literature review's aim is to establish the range of concepts and theories associated with branding's effects on buyer behavior in the grocery sector. This is by reviewing a wide range of books, journals, business publications, and periodicals. The chapter begins by tracing the development of the branding concept through to key theoretical models associated with its application. The review then concludes on the brands' principles of importance in business-to-consumer emotional relations. Methods of research employed, need to be as equally balanced as possible. Therefore, a balance of qualitative and quantitative data needs to be considered. This means that books, journals, websites and reports will be considered as important sources of data. In addition to these sources, a survey will also be conducted in order to gather first hand information from individuals regarding the operations of corporations that have shareholders as their principal. In order to find out the answers to research questions, a survey with a qualitative technique is used. Qualitative research methods aim at understanding the rich, complex and idiosyncratic nature of human phenomena. This is important particularly for understanding the manner in which each individual behaves when he/she has a role to play in an important position. This is important to consider because of the fact that while researching the effect branding on consumer's buying behaviour, elements like trust and integrity play a significant role. Literature Review Brief History of Branding: For the past 4000 years, symbolism - a form of branding, has been used as means of ownership, recognition, and identification. The Ancient Romans and Egyptians identified their livestock with symbols and signs. These activities, ideologies and practices were the very early concepts of identification and recognition. Yet, the theoretical published material on branding from a businesses perspective only emerged

Demon Lover Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Demon Lover - Essay Example The aura of this story is psychological because the mysterious letter is a physical element with mental and emotional implications. We all have demons; the skeletons in Mrs. Drover’s closet in this story happen to be real. The man Mrs. Drover was intended to marry, before he was sent to war told her he did not know how long he would be gone, but she had nothing to do to await his return. Months after his departure he is reported missing, presumably killed. For years she goes unnoticed and un-admired by men. When her mother and sister fear she is past all hope, at 32 she secures the affections of William Drover. They marry and have three children. Her fiancà © is the incarnate ghost of her past which has been haunting her since she attempted to her live her life after his disappearance. She struggles with the fact that she doesn’t know why she agreed to marry a man who was not kind to her. She still sees it as a suspension she was in and was not able to get out of. Something that still haunts her and makes her think of him, whether as a threat or as a person she left or could not wait for. She may feel guilt but it may be at her own actions. Guilt of feeling emotion for a man who did not treat her the way she wanted to be treated. When Mrs. Drover is described in her house, a house boarded-up and damaged by war, it’s painting for the reader an image of her life as affected by her long-lost fiancà ©; like her house, she’s damaged though emotionally, and boarded up and abandoned. She also described as living in the country-side, away from the house and with her new family. If one were to see the story this way, we could also see her in the house presently to clean out the remnants of her feelings for her fiance, or to begin the final battle to get him out of her mind. This is supported by the description of the weather as we’re introduced to the deserted house: overcast, as if preparing to storm and later, we hear rain. This description has nothing to do on her doubts of her fiance’s disappearance; it just helps describe her journey in a clear way, though on her, a physical sign of her war is seen through a nervous twitch of her mouth. We should realize the fact that psychological st ories such as this one are made for the reader, so we need to pay attention to the fact that Elizabeth Bowen is trying to direct our minds down certain path, especially when introducing us to the house. She is trying to set a mood that is bleak, sinister and warning of something darker being imminent. The neighborhood being described as war-torn makes the area seem tormented, â€Å"Against the next batch of clouds, already piling up ink-dark, broken chimneys and parapets stood out† (Bowen, 1). This mood is also set by the weather in the beginning of the story where Bowen is trying to build an atmosphere of tension. This story is psychological because Mrs. Drover’s evils are either a figment of her imagination, or they’re products of her ex-fiance’s threats, which are both physical and emotional. The letter she finds in her house is the first example of a physical threat, whether it is from him or not, she perceives the letter to be a threat in the way tha t the writer makes this whole story affect the reader: through controlled vagueness which causes the imagination of the recipient run wild and cause damage. The other physical reminder of her lover is the scar on her hand from

Return on Investment for Emergency Obstetric Care Training

Return on Investment for Emergency Obstetric Care Training Social Return on Investment for Emergency Obstetric Care Training in Kenya Dedication â€Å"To philanthropy and all those contributing to making the world a better place† List of tables Table 1‑1: Summary table of social impact assessment methods Table 2‑1: WHO emergency obstetric care signal functions.. Table 3‑1: Krlev et al. 12-point quality assessment framework Table 3‑2: Sources of retrieved SROI studies. Table 3‑3: Criterion quality scores of health SROI studies across the 5 dimensions Table 3‑4: Health interventions that have been measured with SROI Table 3‑5: Summary table describing application of the SROI methodology in Health Table 3‑6: Summary of duration of health SROI analysis. Table 4‑1: Outputs of the current phase of the Making it Happen programme Table 4‑2: Content of the LSS-EOC NC. Table 4‑3: Distribution of Kenyan population across age groups. Table 4‑4: Kenyan Key development indicators.. Table 4‑5: EmONC indicators in Kenya compared to UN standards. Table 5‑1: Description of SROI principles. Table 5‑2: MiH outcome and output data indicators relevant for SROI analysis Table 6‑1: Stakeholder analysis of the EmONC training component of the Making it Happen programme Table 6‑2: Primary and secondary data required from the included stakeholders List of figures Figure 1‑1: Types of Social Return on Investment Studies Figure 2‑1: Annotation of the logic model (version 1). Figure 2‑2: Annotation of the logic model (version 2). Figure 2‑3: DFID 3Es + CE framework for Value for Money.. Figure 3‑1: Schematic representation of the conceptual framework underpinning the review Figure 3‑2: PRISMA flow diagram summarising the search process. Figure 3‑3: Mean quality scores of health SROI studies since 2005. Figure 3‑4: Number of public health SROI articles published since 2005. Figure 3‑5: Number of health SROI studies published by year, showing countries where the methodology was applied Figure 3‑6: Distribution of countries conducting SROI studies Figure 4‑1: Map of Kenya showing the eight provinces and the surrounding countries Figure 5‑1: SROI process map Figure 5‑2: Methods to be used within the SROI data collection stages.. Figure 6‑1: Analysis of stakeholders related to EmONC training in Kenya List of appendices Appendix 1: Search strategy Appendix 2: Systematic review results Appendix 3: Ethics Appendix 4: Materials relating to Making it Happen Appendix 5: Questionnaires Abbreviations ACAFIAtkisson Compass Assessment for Investors AIDSAcquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome BACOBest Available Charitable Option BEmOCBasic Emergency Obstetric Care BEmONCBasic Emergency Obstetric and Newborn Care BoP Base of Pyramid BScBalanced Scorecard BVABlended Value Accounting CAQDAS CEmOCComprehensive Emergency Obstetric Care CEmONCComprehensive Emergency Obstetric and Newborn Care CBACost Benefit Analysis CEACost-Effectiveness Analysis CMA Cost-Minimization Analysis CMNHCentre for Maternal Newborn Health CRTCluster Randomised Trials CSOCivil Society Organisation CUACost-Utility Analysis DALYs Disability-Adjusted Life Years DFIDDepartment for International Development DHDepartment of Health DHS Demographic and Health Survey EEEconomic Evaluation EmOC Emergency Obstetric Care EmONCEmergency Obstetric and Newborn Care EOC NCEssential Obstetric Care and Newborn Care FGFocus Group FGDFocus Group Discussion GRIGlobal Reporting Initiative HCPHealth Care Providers HEFCEHigher Education Funding Council for England ICPIntegrated Care and Prevention IDIIn-Depth Interview KHSSIP Kenya Health Sector Strategic and Investment Plan KIIKey Informant Interview KPIKey Person Interview LADSILabour and Delivery Satisfaction Index LATHLiverpool Associates in Tropical Health LEMLocal Economic Multiplier LMICsLow and Middle Income Countries LSS-EOCNCLife Saving Skills – Essential Obstetric Care and Newborn Care LSTMLiverpool School of Tropical Medicine MARPMost At Risk Population MDG-ScanMillennium Development Goal Scan MICSMultiple Indicator Cluster Survey MIFMeasuring Impact Framework MiHMaking It Happen MMRMaternal Mortality Ratio MNHMaternal and Newborn Health MOHMinistry of Health MOMSMinistry of Medical Services MOPHSMinistry of Public Health and Sanitation MSCMost Significant Change nefNew Economics Foundation NGOsNon-Governmental Organisations OASISOn-going assessment of Social Impacts OVCOrphan and Vulnerable Children PLHIVPeople Living with Human Immuno-deficiency Virus PLHWAPeople Living With AIDS PSIAPoverty and Social Impact Analysis PTOPerson Trade-Off QALYsQuality-Adjusted Life Years QIQuality Improvement RCOGRoyal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists RCTRandomised Controlled Trials REDFRoberts Enterprise Development Fund RFRoberts Foundation ROIReturn on Investment SAASocial Accounting and Auditing SBASkilled Birth Attendant SCStakeholder Consultation SCBASocial Costs-Benefits Analysis SDRSocial Discount Rate SIASocial Impact Assessment SIAASocial Impact Analysts Association SRASocial Return Assessment SRHSexual and Reproductive Health SROISocial Return on Investment SSQSix Simple Questions STDsSexually Transmitted Infections SVAStakeholder Value Added TBLTriple Bottom Line ToCTheory of Change TSOThird Sector Organisation UKUnited Kingdom UNUnited Nations UNICEFUnited Nations Children’ Fund VfMValue for Money WBWorld Bank WHOWorld Health Organization 1 Introduction 1.1 Purpose of the chapter This chapter introduces the social return on investment methodology – its definition, history as well as strengths and weaknesses of its application. It then proceeds to identify examples of previous applications of the method, explores any previous intersection of the methodology with the maternal and newborn health field and provides the rationale for the study. Finally, the objectives of this research and an overview of the thesis are provided. 1.2 What is Social Return on Investment? The first definition of Social Return on Investment (SROI) is â€Å"a simple financial assessment of socio-economic value. SROI compares a project’s net benefits to the investment required to generate those benefits over a certain period of time† (Emerson and Cabaj, 2000). Over time, this definition has been modified. In the most recent SROI methodology guidance, SROI is defined as â€Å"a framework for measuring and accounting for the much broader concept of value. It seeks to reduce inequality and environmental degradation and improve wellbeing by incorporating social, environmental and economic costs and benefits† (Nicholls et al., 2012). This definition is most commonly referred to in the literature, when authors define SROI, probably because it is stated within the SROI guidance. New Economics Foundation (nef) also defines SROI as â€Å"an analytic tool for measuring and accounting for a much broader concept of value, taking into account social, economic and environmental factors† (nef, 2014). SROI measures change from the perspective of stakeholders that experience or contribute to a particular activity, intervention, project, programme or policy. â€Å"It tells the story of how change is being created by measuring social, environmental and economic outcomes and uses monetary values to represent them† (Nicholls et al., 2012). Data collection and subsequent analyses allow calculation of a benefits-to-costs ratio. For example, a ratio of 4:1 indicates that an investment of  £1 delivers  £4 of social value. There are two types of SROI (Nicholls et al., 2012) [Figure 1-1]: Evaluative SROI: This retrospectively measures outcomes that have already happened. Forecast SROI: This estimates how much social impact will be generated if the activities to be conducted meet their intended outcomes. Figure 1.1: Types of Social Return on Investment Studies 1.3 History of SROI A review of the development of the SROI methodology would aid understanding of the initial considerations of those who developed the tool and the capabilities and potentials of the tool. This understanding is critical for this research as it provides a foundation upon which the application of the SROI framework in the maternal and newborn health (MNH) area can be better understood. Roberts Foundation (RF) developed the initial SROI framework in 1996, presented in a report titled New Social Entrepreneurs: The Success, Challenge and Lessons of Non-profit Enterprise Creation (REDF, 1996). The purpose of the first SROI report by REDF was to demonstrate the blend of financial, social and environmental value that all the social enterprises within REDF’s funding portfolio were producing compared to the total investment the organisation was making. This first SROI did not attempt to account for all benefits accrued from a programme, but estimated the cost savings or revenue contributions that are attributed to the programme. The framework utilised a modified discounted cash flow analysis for this calculation to demonstrate impact (Emerson and Cabaj, 2000; Emerson et al., 2000). In 1997, the RF, under its new initiative Roberts Foundation Enterprise Development Fund (REDF) updated the framework so to have the capacity to account for total organisational social return on investment and adjusted to be able to account for actual performance that could be continuously updated. REDF recognised more limitations in the methodology (Emerson et al., 2000), but has since not produced any further SROI reports or guidelines. However, the concepts that underpinned the development of this initial framework have been built upon in the subsequent development of the methodology over the past two decades (Tuan, 2008). Guidelines for SROI application have been produced in year 2000 (Emerson and Cabaj, 2000), 2004 (Lingane and Olsen, 2004) and 2006 (Scholten et al., 2006). In 2008, the United Kingdom (UK) Office of the Third Sector (Now referred to as Office for Civil Society (Civil Society Media, 2010)), which is responsible for charities, social enterprises and voluntary org anisations in the Cabinet Office (UK Government, 2014) launched the Measuring Social Value project (Arvidson et al., 2010) and this led to the development of an updated guideline in 2009 (Nicholls et al., 2009) and the production of another revision three years later (Nicholls et al., 2012). These revisions have over the years integrated the initial REDF SROI methodology, which was essentially a social impact measurement tool with principles and processes normally used in economic evaluations and financial return on investment to build a framework that captures social, economic and environmental impacts of interventions (Rotheroe and Richards, 2007). This concept of capturing the broader impacts is widely referred to as the â€Å"triple bottom line† (Norman and MacDonald, 2004), which is in itself encapsulated within the â€Å"blended value accounting† theory (Emerson, 2003). Furthermore, through this evolution, a more detailed stakeholder analysis is now included, shorter time frames are used for estimations and a process to adjusts the results for outcomes that may be attributable to different organisations has been incorporated into the calculation of the SROI ratio (Tuan, 2008). Discussions on how best to structure the methodology are on-going and networks such as the European SROI Network (ESROIN), formed in 2004, the SROI Network (international), formed in 2008 and subsequently affiliated networks formed in Sweden, Canada and Australia, are constantly leading and shaping this process (SROIN, 2014a). The methodology is gradually gaining interest in Africa and Asia too. The drive to develop the methodology has come from within and without the third sector, as third sector organisations (TSOs), such as not for profit organisations, charities and voluntary organisations, are increasingly getting involved in delivering public services and are viewed as development partners who need to show ‘value for money’ (Netten et al., 2010). On one hand, TSOs are pushing to become better in being accountable and demonstrating the value of their activities to donors. On the other hand, the focus of funding organisations has shifted from â€Å"output† to â€Å"outcome† and â€Å"impact† and from â€Å"generous giving† to â€Å"accountable giving†, through which they can demonstrate that evidence-based decisions have informed their choice of funded interventions, projects or programmes (Leat, 2006). 1.4 Application of the SROI methodology The application of the SROI framework can vary from measurement of the impact and social value generated by a project to a programme or indeed to an entire organisation (Millar and Hall, 2013). A rapid search of academic databases does not retrieve substantial amounts of research work that have used the SROI methodology, however the methodology is very popular within the third sector and has been widely embraced by the Office of the Civil Society, donors, commissioners and the public sector (Ainsworth, 2010; Heady, 2010). Its wider practice-based use but limited application within academia restricts its development and could potentially be the reason for its minimal uptake (Arvidson et al., 2010; Ebrahim and Rangan, 2010). Since its first use by REDF in 1996 (Emerson and Cabaj, 2000), the SROI methodology has been broadly applied to many organisations and within many industries. Examples of its use across different sectors include agriculture, where it was used to account for impact of care farming (Leck, 2013); environmental, where it was used to account for impact of a natural regeneration project (Weston and Hong, 2012); energy, where it was used to account for impact of energy efficiency of homes in Germany (Kuckshinrichs et al., 2010); social, where it was used to account for impact of providing training and employment for blind people (Sital-Singh, 2011), transport, where it was used to account for impact of a co-ordinated shared transport service which provides access to workplace, training and childcare in rural Scotland, where no alternative transport is available. (Wright et al., 2009) and indeed health, where amongst other examples, has been used to account for impact of a community-based pa ediatric asthma programme and provision of highly nutritious breakfast for school children in Sydney, Australia (Bhaumik et al., 2013; Varua and Stenberg, 2009). As regards its application in health [described in detail in Chapter 2: systematic review of SROI application in health], It is worth noting that in 2009, the UK Department of Health (DoH), with the support of the Cabinet Office, commissioned an action research project on which five health focused social enterprises were supported to conduct SROI analysis (Department of Health, 2010). This research demonstrated the relevance of the SROI methodology to the health sector and proved that there were additional benefits of using the methodology (Millar and Hall, 2013). However, to the best of our knowledge, though relevant and appropriate, there is no reported evidence of the application of the SROI methodology in the field of maternal and newborn health. 1.5 Difference between SROI and other related methodologies As mentioned above, the SROI methodology has evolved from a combination of social impact assessment tools and economic evaluation tools. It is therefore important to understand how SROI differs from these existing tools and identify what innovative approach it actually offers. When compared to other social impact measurement tools, there are subtle differences. There are several tools that have been previously or are currently being used in measuring and accounting for social impact (Acumen Fund, 2007; Brest and Harvey, 2008; Brest et al., 2009; Centre for High Impact Philanthropy, 2008; Clark et al., 2004; Emerson et al., 2000; Maas and Liket, 2011; Maas, 2008; Maughan, 2012; Nicholls et al., 2012; Owen and Swift, 2001; Schaltegger et al., 2004). Table 1‑1: Summary table of social impact assessment methods Method Primary application to Date Process Outcome Impact Monetisation Non Profit For Profit Government Acumen Scorecard à ¯Ã¢â‚¬Å¡Ã… ¸ à ¯Ã¢â‚¬Å¡Ã… ¸ à ¯Ã¢â‚¬Å¡Ã… ¸ à ¯Ã¢â‚¬Å¡Ã… ¸ Atkinsson Compass Assessment for Investors (ACAFI) à ¯Ã¢â‚¬Å¡Ã… ¸ à ¯Ã¢â‚¬Å¡Ã… ¸ à ¯Ã¢â‚¬Å¡Ã… ¸ à ¯Ã¢â‚¬Å¡Ã… ¸ Balanced Scorecard (BSc) à ¯Ã¢â‚¬Å¡Ã… ¸ à ¯Ã¢â‚¬Å¡Ã… ¸ à ¯Ã¢â‚¬Å¡Ã… ¸ Benefit-Cost Analysis à ¯Ã¢â‚¬Å¡Ã… ¸ à ¯Ã¢â‚¬Å¡Ã… ¸ à ¯Ã¢â‚¬Å¡Ã… ¸ à ¯Ã¢â‚¬Å¡Ã… ¸ à ¯Ã¢â‚¬Å¡Ã… ¸ Best Available Charitable Option (BACO) à ¯Ã¢â‚¬Å¡Ã… ¸ à ¯Ã¢â‚¬Å¡Ã… ¸ à ¯Ã¢â‚¬Å¡Ã… ¸ à ¯Ã¢â‚¬Å¡Ã… ¸ Base of Pyramid (BoP) Impact Assessment Framework à ¯Ã¢â‚¬Å¡Ã… ¸ à ¯Ã¢â‚¬Å¡Ã… ¸ à ¯Ã¢â‚¬Å¡Ã… ¸ à ¯Ã¢â‚¬Å¡Ã… ¸ à ¯Ã¢â‚¬Å¡Ã… ¸ Cost per Impact à ¯Ã¢â‚¬Å¡Ã… ¸ à ¯Ã¢â‚¬Å¡Ã… ¸ à ¯Ã¢â‚¬Å¡Ã… ¸ à ¯Ã¢â‚¬Å¡Ã… ¸ Expected Return à ¯Ã¢â‚¬Å¡Ã… ¸ Global Reporting Initiative à ¯Ã¢â‚¬Å¡Ã… ¸ à ¯Ã¢â‚¬Å¡Ã… ¸ à ¯Ã¢â‚¬Å¡Ã… ¸ Local Economic Multiplier (LEM) à ¯Ã¢â‚¬Å¡Ã… ¸ à ¯Ã¢â‚¬Å¡Ã… ¸ à ¯Ã¢â‚¬Å¡Ã… ¸ Measuring Impact Framework (MIF) à ¯Ã¢â‚¬Å¡Ã… ¸ à ¯Ã¢â‚¬Å¡Ã… ¸ Millennium Development Goal Scan (MDG-Scan) à ¯Ã¢â‚¬Å¡Ã… ¸ à ¯Ã¢â‚¬Å¡Ã… ¸ Most Significant Change à ¯Ã¢â‚¬Å¡Ã… ¸ à ¯Ã¢â‚¬Å¡Ã… ¸ Ongoing Assessment of Social Impact (OASIS) à ¯Ã¢â‚¬Å¡Ã… ¸ à ¯Ã¢â‚¬Å¡Ã… ¸ à ¯Ã¢â‚¬Å¡Ã… ¸ à ¯Ã¢â‚¬Å¡Ã… ¸ Poverty and Social Impact Analysis à ¯Ã¢â‚¬Å¡Ã… ¸ à ¯Ã¢â‚¬Å¡Ã… ¸ à ¯Ã¢â‚¬Å¡Ã… ¸ à ¯Ã¢â‚¬Å¡Ã… ¸ à ¯Ã¢â‚¬Å¡Ã… ¸ Social Accounting and Auditing (SAA) à ¯Ã¢â‚¬Å¡Ã… ¸ à ¯Ã¢â‚¬Å¡Ã… ¸ à ¯Ã¢â‚¬Å¡Ã… ¸ Social Costs-Benefits Analysis (SCBA) à ¯Ã¢â‚¬Å¡Ã… ¸ à ¯Ã¢â‚¬Å¡Ã… ¸ à ¯Ã¢â‚¬Å¡Ã… ¸ à ¯Ã¢â‚¬Å¡Ã… ¸ Social Return Assessment (SRA) à ¯Ã¢â‚¬Å¡Ã… ¸ à ¯Ã¢â‚¬Å¡Ã… ¸ à ¯Ã¢â‚¬Å¡Ã… ¸ Social Return on Investment (SROI) à ¯Ã¢â‚¬Å¡Ã… ¸ à ¯Ã¢â‚¬Å¡Ã… ¸ à ¯Ã¢â‚¬Å¡Ã… ¸ à ¯Ã¢â‚¬Å¡Ã… ¸ à ¯Ã¢â‚¬Å¡Ã… ¸ Stakeholder Value Added (SVA) à ¯Ã¢â‚¬Å¡Ã… ¸ à ¯Ã¢â‚¬Å¡Ã… ¸ Theories of Change à ¯Ã¢â‚¬Å¡Ã… ¸ à ¯Ã¢â‚¬Å¡Ã… ¸ à ¯Ã¢â‚¬Å¡Ã… ¸ [Table 1-1] shows the key characteristics of these different social impact measurement tools described in the literature, identifying the tools that monitor efficiency and effectiveness of outputs, indicators or variables (process); tools that relate outputs and outcomes and to substantiate incremental outcomes above what would have occurred if the intervention was not implemented (impact) and tools that monetize outcomes and/or impact by transforming them to monetary value (monetization). Finally the table details the sector(s) in which the method has thus far been applied – non-profit (third sector), for profit (commercial) or public sector (government). Of these tools, SROI appears to have gained wide acclaim because of its involvement of all stakeholders, who independently define the value they have experienced because of the intervention. In addition, SROI monetises costs and benefits and also ticks all the boxes of the logical framework, as it accounts for processes, outcomes and impact (Arvidson et al., 2010; Nicholls et al., 2012). The other similar methodologies to SROI are Economic Evaluation (EE) tools. These compare two or more alternative interventions in terms of their costs and benefits (Drummond et al., 1997). Economists have distinguished four types of economic evaluation: Cost-minimization analysis (CMA), Cost-effectiveness analysis (CEA), Cost benefit analysis (CBA) and Cost-utility analysis (CUA). While the definition of cost remains the same, the manner of accounting for the benefits differs across the types (Drummond et al., 2005). These different types of EE are described below: Cost-minimization analysis (CMA): In which, there is proven evidence that equivalent effectiveness of the comparators in question. Thus the more cost-effective option would be the cheaper one (since both options have similar outcome). Cost-effectiveness analysis (CEA): Effectiveness is measured in ‘natural units’ such as life years gained. Cost benefit analysis (CBA): Costs and benefits are monetised, with the cost-effective option being the one that results in a lower monetised ratio. Cost-utility analysis (CUA): Outcome is measured in Quality-adjusted life years (QALYs) or Disability-adjusted life years (DALYs), which is a composite metric of both length and quality of life. When compared to the SROI methodology, whereas a large focus of economic evaluation tools is on the microeconomic evaluation of the impact of any intervention, SROI accounts for not just economic value, but social and environmental impacts. It has been described as an extension of the cost-benefit analysis that incorporates broader socio-economic outcomes (Westall, 2011). In addition, SROI focuses on stakeholders, uses financial proxies, is more of a management tool, is more likely conducted by organisations themselves, while CBAs are usually conducted by external agents and the most up to date guidance does not recommend comparing estimated SROI ratios, unlike CBAs that are designed to be comparable. However, these differences appear to be largely based on â€Å"the style of each approach, rather than the true substance† (Arvidson et al., 2010). 1.6 Strengths and limitations of the SROI methodology 1.6.1 Strengths of the SROI methodology Practitioners and previous authors have identified some of the key strengths of the SROI methodology. Firstly, the fact that the SROI process generates a singular ratio that captures the broader impact (positive and negative) of an intervention is perceived as a key strength (Millar and Hall, 2013). One other strength is its meaningful engagement of stakeholders and its representation of their benefits in ways that are unique to the stakeholders themselves (Millar and Hall, 2013). More so, the fact that this benefits experience or impact experience is being explained from the perspective of the stakeholder is a unique characteristic of SROI, and this important stakeholder view is often neglected in conventional impact evaluation tools (Rauscher et al., 2012). In addition, the method provides a platform for social enterprises to leverage and/or effectively communicate their impact. This ultimately promotes better communication amongst all partners, whether they are beneficiaries, funders or implementers (Mdee et al., 2008). The SROI process also strengthens accountability and transparency systems of social enterprises (Arvidson et al., 2010). Finally, the SROI process is a very useful auditing tool to aid management decisions and service improvement (Social Ventures Australia (SVA) Consulting, 2012). 1.6.2 Limitations of the SROI methodology However, there are limitations of the methodology, just as there are of other impact evaluation methodologies (Arvidson et al., 2010). Some methodological limitations that have been raised include the difficulty of attaching financial values to â€Å"soft outcomes† that require subjective evaluation to generate â€Å"financial proxies† (Lingane and Olsen, 2004) such as self-esteem or confidence (Bertotti et al., 2011). Albeit still in developmental stage, is the Wiki Values, Outcomes and Indicators for Stakeholders (VOIS) database of the SROI Network is an attempt are to standardise such outcomes by recommending indicators and values of such outcomes that can be used to account for them (Rauscher et al., 2012). An example of a health related outcome on WikiVOIS is â€Å"change in incidence of abortion†. Contributors to the database have suggested that â€Å"cost of medical termination of pregnancy† can be used to value this outcome in Canada (The Global Value Exchange, 2013). In addition, the methodology needs an estimation of â€Å"what would have happened anyway† to calculate the value that can be attributed to the specific organisation, programme or intervention, however, this counterfactual data is seldom available (Cordery, 2013; Heady, 2010). Furthermore, the lack of comparability of SROI ratios across different organisations and/or interventions is perceived as a limitation (Ryan and Lyne, 2008). On practical grounds, SROI methodology is adjudged to be cost-intensive and requires the expertise and know-how of professionals and in some cases training, some of which small organisations cannot afford (Wood and Leighton, 2010). 1.7 Rationale for the study Though applicable and relevant, to the best of our knowledge, there is no documented application of the SROI methodology in the area of maternal and newborn health. For most MNH interventions, the key beneficiaries are the women and their families. There is currently no tool that captures the perspectives of all these stakeholders on impact of any intervention in one summary figure. This underscores the need to explore the use of primary data that will include inputs of those benefiting from MNH interventions, as this may potentially be useful in identifying the most complete estimate of the impact of these interventions. To buttress this, some authors have pointed out that this complete evaluation of MNH interventions needs to include identification of the most culturally appropriate intervention for each local setting and peculiar issues unique to the setting. Those who are the major beneficiaries of the intervention are better positioned to identify these culturally appropriate in terventions. Thus the call for culturally sensitive impact evaluations, which attempt to identify specific causes of problems, rather than basing decisions on â€Å"superficial† indicators such as maternal mortality rate, which is only quantitative and does not capture softer outcomes that also demonstrate impact of an intervention (McPake and Koblinsky, 2009; Pradhan, 2008). Secondly, data used as maternal health indicators are usually generated from relatively credible sources such as the Demographics and Health Survey (DHS), Multiple Indicator Cluster Survey (MICS) and World Development Indicators, but the problem of lack of uniformity in the process by which the indicators were generated remains (Pradhan, 2008). This is complicated by the fact that a large number of developing countries, that receive aid, do not have accurate or complete secondary data to base impact evaluation on (WHO,

Analysis of The Astronomers Wife by Kay Boyle :: Astronomers Wife Kay Boyle Essays Papers

Analysis of The Astronomer's Wife by Kay Boyle In the "Astronomer's Wife" by Kay Boyle, something as simple as a conversation with a plumber about a stopped elbow is enough to trigger an awakening in Mrs. Katherine Ames. When Mrs. Ames realized that the plumber was talking about something she understood (the stopped elbow), she realized that her marital problems were not the result of a division betwwen the sexes; instead, she realized that some men, like the plumber, are as practical as she is, and that some other men, like her husband, scorn people like her because they are intellectually inclined. Previous to this discovery, Katherine did not realize that there were different kinds of men, and therefore she did not realize that she and her husband were mismatched. Furthermore, in her awakening, Mrs. Ames also discovers that she, like the plumber, occupies as valuable a place in society as the astronomer, for she does the "dirty" work to free people like her husband to have time to think and to discover. The scene in question takes place after Mrs. Ames has already noticed that the plumber has a few physical characteristics that match her own (such as blond hair), and she is talking to him as he descends into the earth. The scene begins immediately after the plumber says "I think something has stopped the elbow", because this phrase was one of the few things that a man has ever said that Mrs. Ames has understood. After the plumber has descended into the ground before the scene, Mrs. Ames is the only one left. She spends the entire duration of this scene sitting on the grass, silently thinking and revealing her thoughts to the audience. During her course of thinking, Mrs. Ames makes the important discovery that there is a whole race of practical people like herself, men and women alike. She knew that "when her husband spoke of height, having no sense of it, she could not picture it nor hear", but strangely enough, when another man who happened to be a plumer spoke of his work, "madness in a daily shape, as elbow stopped, she saw clearly and well". Mrs Ames finally realized during these thoughts that these were two men with two different ways of life, and perhaps her way of life suited the plumber's more than the astronomer's, in that she too could identify only with daily concerns. The division between people in her mind was no longer just between men and women; it was now the working and the thinking, those who "had always gone up, [and] others who went down, like the

Investigation of the Probiotic Properties of Bacterial Strains from Two Probiotic Drinks and Their Survivability in Artificial Gastric Juice

Investigation of the probiotic properties of bacterial strains from two probiotic drinks and their survivability in artificial gastric juice ABSTRACT: Two probiotic drinks were investigated in vitro to test their ability to survive acidic conditions and their probiotic factors. Both the products: Actimel and Yakult contain gram-positive bacteria, but Actimel also has a gram-negative bacteria. The ability to survive was investigated by adding artificial gastric juice to the products and incubating at different times.Actimel and Yakult were both able to survive the gastric juice. Actimel produced more colonies than Yakult but they both lost the same percentage of viability. The longer the time incubated the more the loss of viability. Introduction: In recent years health promoting functional foods has entered the global market as a result of increased prevalence of lifestyle related diseases (A. A. Aramide et al, 2009). People use functional foods and diet to maintain optimal health. C onsumption of probiotics is one of the ways someone could reach and maintain their optimal health.A probiotic is â€Å"living microorganisms, which upon ingestion in certain numbers, exert health benefits beyond inherent basic nutrition† (Todd R. Klaenhammer, 2000). According to the WHO/FAO report 2001 these probiotics can help prevent disorders associated with the gastrointestinal tract, diarrhoea caused by certain pathogenic bacteria and viruses, inflammatory diseases, allergies and a lot more. Actimel and Yakult is a couple of the said probiotic drinks. They claim to increase your body’s natural defences by fighting off the â€Å"bad† bacteria. Actimel is a yogurt-type drink produced by a company called Danoneâ„ ¢.It has three strains of bacteria, two traditional yoghurt cultures: Lactobacillus bulgaricus  and  Streptococcus thermophiles and a third one called L. casei Imunitass ® (http://www. actimel. co. uk/About/-WhatIsActimel. aspx, Accessed Feb, 28, 2010). Lactobacillus is a genus of bacteria that aid in the conversion of lactose to lactic acid hence increasing acidity in the stomach making it hard for harmful bacteria to survive (http://en. wikipedia. org/wiki/Lactobacillus, Accessed Feb 28, 2010). Actimel contains 10 billion L. casei Imunitass ® bacteria per 100ml bottle.This bacterial strain works under a wide range of pH and temperature hence able to survive the acidic conditions in the stomach. This ensures that the bacteria reach the gut alive and active. It helps by topping up the good bacteria in the stomach and making it hard for the germs to survive. The bacteria also aids in strengthening the gut wall so that only certain nutrients can pass. In 2004 a trial carried out to find the effect of Actimel on the immune response of subjects under academic examination stress showed that Actimel was able to control the number of lymphocytes and CD56 cells in subjects under academic examination stress.Other studies also show that the Actimel bacterial strains can be used in treating allergic rhinitis, prevention of diarrhoea and induce immune responses. On the other hand Yakult is milk based probiotic and contains only one strain of bacteria: Lactobacillus  casei  Shirota. It is produced and distributed by Yakult Honsha Co. Ltd. It contains 6. 5 billion L. casei Shirota per 65ml bottle. A variety of scientific studies have shown that Yakult has an effect on the human NK-cell activity, intestinal micro flora and immune parameters in humans.As a guideline a probiotic microorganisms should be resistant to gastric juices and be able to grow in the presence of bile under conditions in the intestines. The aim of this experiment is to measure the survivability of the strains in artificial gastric juice and to identify the bacterial strains said to be in the product. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Gram Stain: Firstly the bacteria were heat fixed according to the instruction in the lab manual. After heat fixing , crystal violet stain was added to the bacteria for 2 minutes, then washed in water and Lugol’s iodine for 30 seconds.The bacteria were decolorised by adding 95% alcohol for 15 seconds followed by a water wash and counter stain with safranin for 1 minute. This was then washed with water and examined under high power (x100) using oil immersion. A picture of these strains each from Actimel and Yakult directly and pure culture was taken. DNA Extraction: To extract the DNA, 1 ml of culture was centrifuged for 5 minutes. The pellet was re suspended in 480 ? l of 50mM EDTA with 60 ? l of 10mg/ml lysozyme then incubated at 370C for 45 minutes, centrifuged for 2 minutes and re suspended in 600 ? of nuclei lysis solution and incubated at 800C for 5 minutes. After cooling down 3 ? l of RNAase was added and left to incubate at 370C for 30 minutes. The mixture was left to cool and 200 ? l of protein precipitation solution was added, left on ice for 5minutes followed by high speed (13000 rpm) centrifuging for 5 minutes. The supernatant was then added to 600 ? l of isopropanol and mixed until DNA â€Å"threads† were formed and centrifuged for 15 minutes. The DNA pellet was washed with 200 ? l of 70% ethanol and centrifuged for 2 minutes. The ethanol was then removed and the DNA left to air dry and then re suspended in 50 ? of sterile water. PCR of chromosomal DNA: A 2 ? l of the DNA was added to 1 ? l of AmpF primer(GAGAGTTTGATYCTGGCTCAG), 1 ? l of AmpR (AAGGAGGTGATCCARCCGCA) primer, 2 ? l of dNTP’s, 10 ? l of x10 PCR buffer, 83 ? l of water and 1 ? l of Taq polymerase was added. This mixture was placed in the Promega Wizard Chromosomal DNA preparation kitâ„ ¢ and run according to the manufacturer’s guidelines. PCR Purification: The PCR reaction contents were added to a 1. 5 ml Eppendorf tube with 500 ? l of buffer PB1. This was centrifuged at high speed in the spin column for 30 seconds.A 750 ? l of buffer PE was added to the spin column and centrifuged for 1 minute. The spin column was then placed in an Eppendorf tube and 50 ? l of water was added and centrifuged for a further 1 minute. A 15 ? l of this PCR product was added to 5 ? l of Gel loading buffer and was run at 50 V for 2 hours. 20 ? l of the PCR product was then sent to the John Innes sequencing service for sequencing. Media Preparation: To media was prepared by adding 37g of Brain Heart Infusion (BHI) to 1 litre of distilled water and mixed using a magnetic stirrer.This was then added to a conical flask with 3g of agar and autoclaved at 1210C, 15 psi for 10 minutes. The media was then microwaved and poured onto petri dishes with Bunsen burner going, to sterilise the air around. Survival Studies: For carrying out the survival studies, 5 ml of the product was added to 25 ml of artificial gastric juice and left to incubate at 370C for 30, 60 and 90 minutes. The product was taken from different bottles to ensure replicates. After incubation the mixture was then diluted to 10-5 for Yakult and 10-7 for Actimel. This was spread onto a petri dish and was left to incubate.The plates were then counted and the number of CFU/ ml was calculated. RESULTS: Culturing bacteria: Firstly the number of colony forming unit (cfu) per ml was worked out by culturing the bacteria from the probiotic products and counting the number of colonies formed. This was then used to work out cfu/dose by using the volume they are produced in, which are 100 ml and 65 ml of Actimel and Yakult respectively. Table 1: Class data of cfu/ml and cfu/dose of bacteria in the product Yakult(cfu/ml)| Yakult(cfu/dose)| Actimel(cfu/ml)| Actimel(cfu/dose)| 4. 21. x 109| 2. x 1011| 4. 36 x 109| 4. 36 x 1011| 4. 14 x 109| 2. 86 x 1011| 2. 6 x 108| 2. 6 x 1010| 9. 7 x 10 9| 7. 8x 1010| 2. 1 x 109| 2. 1 x 1011| 1 x 109| 6. 3 x 109| 7. 5 x 108| 7. 5 x 1010| 1. 6 x 109| 6. 5 x 1010| 5. 5. 2x 108| 5. 5 x 1010| 9 x 107| 5. 8 x 109| 1 x 1010| 1 x 1012| 7 x 107| 4. 5 x 109| 2. 5 x 109| 2. 5 x 101 1| 4. 6 x 109| 2. 99 x 1011| 1. 21x 109| 1. 21x 1011| 1. 68 x 108| 1. 09 x 1010| 4. 3 x 1010| 4. 3 x 1012| 4. 02 x 108| 2. 61 x 1010| 1. 18 x 109| 1. 18 x 1011| 9. 1 x 107| 5. 9 x 109| 2. 89 x 108| 2. 89 x 1010| 1 x 108| 6. 5 x 109| 2. 7 x 109| 2. 7 x 1011| x 108| 3. 2 x 1010| 3. 6 x 109| 3. 6 x 1011| 3. 4 x 107| 2. 2. x109| 2. 7 x 109| 2. 7 x 1011| 2. 39 x108| 1. 5 x 1010| 3. 78 x 109| 3. 78 x 1011| 9. 7 x 107| 6. 3 x 109| 5. 0 x 1010| 5. 0 x 1012| 1 x 108| 6. 5 x 109| 1. 4 x 109| 1. 4 x 1011| 1 x 108| 6. 5 x 109| 2. 6 x 109| 2. 6 x 1011| To compare the mean differences between these two products an independent t test was carried out assuming equal variance. Table 2: Independent t-test of the class data for cfu/dose on Actimel and Yakult Independent t-test| | | Mean| Standard Deviation| SE Mean| P Value| cfu/dose| Actimel| 7. 9 x 1011| 1. 45 x 1012| 3. 41 x 1011| 0. 056| | Yakult| 6. 29 x 1010| 1. 04 x 1011| 2. 46 x 1010| | The mean shows that Actimel contains 10 times more bacteri a than Yakult on average. But only the mean is not significant to come to a conclusion as this could be because of sample variation. The P value from the t-test is 0. 056 which is greater than 0. 05 (P>0. 05) hence the difference between the mean of the two products are not significantly different from zero at the 5% confidence level. Gram Stain: Figure 1 shows the gram stain images from Actimel (i) and Yakult (ii).Figure 1 shows the gram stain images from Actimel (i) and Yakult (ii). Gram stained slides of both Actimel and Yakult were captured onto a computer at x1000 magnification. From the images you can see that Yakult is stained all in one colour but the Actimel contains two different coloured stains. Survival studies: To test the survivability of the bacteria they were incubated with artificial gastric juice for 30 60 and 90 minutes. The colonies were then counted Table 3: Viable counts of survival studies at different time and different replicates | Actimel|Time/min| 1| 2| 3| Mean| CFU/ml| CFU/dose| 0| 329| 69| 1088| 371. 5| 3. 72 x 1010| 3. 72 x 1012| 30| 321| 39| 880| 322. 5| 3. 23 x 1010| 3. 23 x 1012| 60| 309| 28| 740| 286. 8| 2. 87 x 1010| 2. 87 x 1012| 90| 204| 24| 642| 238. 8| 2. 39 x 1010| 2. 39 x 1012| | Yakult| | 1| 2| 3| Mean| CFU/ml| CFU/dose| 0| 312| 135| 53| 125. 0| 1. 25 x 108| 8. 13 x 109| 30| 190| 134| 11| 96. 3| 9. 63 x 107| 6. 26 x 109| 60| 159| 130| 11| 92. 5| 9. 25 x 107| 6. 01 x 109| 90| 149| 84| 8| 81. 5| 8. 15 x 107| 5. 3 x 109| The table shows that colonies on both Actimel and Yakult decrease over time in all the replicates.Both the products decreased to about 65% of its original count. A graph (Figure 2) was plotted with the CFU/dose against time on a log scale and it showed a linear decline over time in both the products. DNA Extraction: Figure 3 shows the Chromosomal DNA gel image. Figure 3 shows the Chromosomal DNA gel image. The DNA from the bacteria was extracted and gel electrophoresis was carried out to ensure that a DNA was obtained from the extraction procedure. Lanes 3 and 4 have migrated towards the positive side showing that chromosomal DNA was obtained.PCR Purification: After the DNA underwent the PCR process, the PCR product was purified and run on a gel electrophoresis to check if PCR product has been obtained. Figure 4 shows the image of PCR product run under electrophoresis. Figure 4 shows the image of PCR product run under electrophoresis. As the image shows there is a PCR product obtained as there is a distinct band in lanes 2 and 3. DNA Sequencing: The PCR product was then sent to the John Innes centre for sequencing and the following sequence was obtained.Actimel: GGGTCGGGGCGGGTGCTATACATGCAGTCGAACGAGTTCTCGTTGATGATCGGTGCTTGCACCGAGATTCAACATGGAACGAGTGGCGGACGGGTGAGTAACACGTGGGTAACCTGCCCTTAAGTGGGGGATAACATTTGGAAACAGATGCTAATACCGCATAGATCCAAGAACCGCATGGTTCTTGGCTGAAAGATGGCGTAAGCTATCGCTTTTGGATGGACCCGCGGCGTATTAGCTAGTTGGTGAGGTAATGGCTCACCAAGGCGATGATACGTAGCCGAACTGAGAGGTTGATCGGCCACATTGGGACTGAGACACGGCCC AAACTCCTACGGGAGGCAGCAGTAGGGAATCTTCCACAATGGACGCAAGTCTGATGGAGCAACGCCGCGTGAGTGAAGAAGGCTTTCGGGTCGTAAAACTCTGTTGTTGGAGAAGAATGGTCGGCAGAGTAACTGTTGTCGGCGTGACGGTATCCAACCAGAAAGCCACGGCTAACTACGTGCCAGCAGCCGCGGTAATACGTAGGTGGCAAGCGTTATCCGGATTTATTGGGCGTAAAGCGAGCGCAGGCGGTTTTTTAAGTCTGATGTGAAAGCCCTCGGCTTAACCGAGGAAGCGCATCGGAAACTGGGAAACTTGAGTGCAGAAGAGGACAGTGGAACTCCATGTGTAGCGGTGAAATGCGTAGATATATGGAAGAACACCAGTGGCGAAGGCGGCTGTCTGGTCTGTAACTGACGCTGAGGCTCGAAAGCATGGGTAGCGAACAGGATTAGATACCCTGGTAGTCCATGCCGTAAACGATGAATGCTAGGTGTTGGAGGGTTTCCGCCCTTCAGTGCCGCAGCTAACGCATTAAGCATTCCGCCTGGGGAGTACGACCGCAAGGTTGAAACTCAAAGGAATTGACGGGGGCCCGCACAAGCGGTGGAGCATGTGGTTTAA Yakult: TAGGAGTGGGCGCGTGCCTATACATGCAAGTCGAACGAGTTCTCGTTGATGATCGGTGCTTGCACCGAGATTCAACATGGAACGAGTGGCGGACGGGTGAGTAACACGTGGGTAACCTGCCCTTAAGTGGGGGATAACATTTGGAAACAGATGCTAATACCGCATAGATCCAAGAACCGCATGGTTCTTGGCTGAAAGATGGCGTAAGCTATCGCTTTTGGATGGACCCGCGGCGTATTAGCTAGTTGGTGAGGTAATGGCTCACCAAGGCGATGATACGTAGCCGAACTGAGAGGTTGATCGGCCACATTGGGACTGAGACACGGCCCAAACTCCTACGGGAGGCAGCAGTAGGGAATCTTC CACAATGGACGCAAGTCTGATGGAGCAACGCCGCGTGAGTGAAGAAGGCTTTCGGGTCGTAAAACTCTGTTGTTGGAGAAGAATGGTCGGCAGAGTAACTGTTGTCGGCGTGACGGTATCCAACCAGAAAGCCACGGCTAACTACGTGCCAGCAGCCGCGGTAATACGTAGGTGGCAAGCGTTATCCGGATTTATTGGGCGTAAAGCGAGCGCAGGCGGTTTTTTAAGTCTGATGTGAAAGCCCTCGGCTTAACCGAGGAAGCGCATCGGAAACTGGGAAACTTGAGTGCAGAAGAGGACAGTGGAACTCCATGTGTAGCGGTGAAATGCGTAGATATATGGAAGAACACCAGTGGCGAAGGCGGCTGTCTGGTCTGTAACTGACGCTGAGGCTCGAAAGCATGGGTAGCGAACAGGATTAGATACCCTGGTAGTCCATGCCGTAAACGATGAATGCTAGGTGTTGGAGGGTTTCCGCCCTTCAGTGCCGCAGCTAACGCATTAAGCATTCCGCCTGGGGAGTACGACCGCAAGGTTGAAACTCAAAGGAATTGACGGGGCCCGCACAAGCGGTGGGA Figure 5 shows the graphical summary of â€Å"strong† hits in the database of Yakult (i) and Actimel (i). Figure 5 shows the graphical summary of â€Å"strong† hits in the database of Yakult (i) and Actimel (i).This sequence was then run through the BLAST analysis to identify the probiotic isolate. Discussion: A Probiotic must be able to survive the conditions of the stomach and pass through to the gu t without significant loss. The bacteria found in the probiotics are cultured on petri dishes to test the amount of colonies present in the product. As mentioned above Actimel contains 10 billion per 100 ml and Yakult contains 6. 5 billion per 65 ml. From the t-test there was no significant difference in the content of the two products (Table 1). This was due to the fact that they both contain 100 million bacteria per ml of product. From the gram stain images both Actimel and Yakult was stained with the same conditions.But Yakult had only one stain whereas Actimel had two different stains. This is due to the fact that there is more than one species of bacteria in Actimel. The colour of the staining represents two different types of bacteria: gram-negative and gram-positive. All species of the lactobacillus genus are gram-positive. Gram-positive organisms retain the stain when they are stained with crystal violet but gram negative organisms lose their purple/violet stain when washed with alcohol but when retain safranin stain. Therefore the Yakult contains only gram positive bacteria (L. casei Shirota ®) while Actimel contains both gram positive and gram negative bacterium (Figure 1). From the survival studies we can

Avoid Run-On Sentences in Your Business Writing

Avoid Run-On Sentences in Your Business Writing This statement contains an error. Find and correct it: The next few weeks will be busy. Both the website update and the app launch have deadlines in December.Huang is our most diligent employee, I would like him on my team. Run-on sentences and sentence fragments are becoming more and more common, and seem to be a tricky area for many people. I certainly have been guilty of all of these before, particularly when I am texting. While I think it is somewhat inconsequential to have a grammatical mistake in a quick text dashed off to a friend, these types of mistakes become problematic when they spill into more formal business contexts such as emails, letters, and memos. In fact, run-on sentence construction (also called fused sentences) is the #1 most common business writing grammar error we see in client writing. Fragmented sentences is the #2 error, and they are very related. Let's back up a step or two (we have to go back to middle school grammar class now) and look at the difference between Independent and Dependent Clauses. The difference between these two is the foundational reason that run-on sentences and sentence fragments are wrong. First of all, what is a clause? A clause is a group of words with a subject and a verb. There are two main types of clauses: Independent and Dependent. An Independent Clause can stand alone as a complete sentence. Ex. John is a highly intelligent business man. Ex. Suzette was recognized for her contributions. A Dependent Clause can't stand alone, and therefore it must be connected to an Independent Clause. A Dependent Clause usually happens when you add a dependent marker word. These words are often conjunctions or adverbs, and leave us with a question. Ex. Because John is a highly intelligent businessman, Ex. When Suzette was recognized for her contributions. You should notice that by adding the dependent marker word to these clauses, they become incomplete sentence fragments, and you are essentially left hanging; what happened when Suzette was recognized? What happened because John was a highly intelligent businessman? To fix this situation, you need to connect those Dependent Clauses to Independent Clauses. Ex. Because John is a highly intelligent businessman, his company is very profitable. Ex. When Suzette was recognized for her contributions, she was given a promotion and a corner office. Connecting a dependent clause to an independent clause helps us to avoid sentence fragments. But what about the more common run-on sentences? Run-on sentences occur when we connect two independent clauses without using proper punctuation. Ex. Huang is the most diligent employee, I would like him on my team. There are many ways to fix the sentence above: Huang is the most diligent employee; I would like him on my team. (You could also add a transition here if you would like: Huang is the most diligent employee; therefore, I would like him on my team.) Huang is the most diligent employee. I would like him on my team. (Like the sentence above, you could also add a transition here: Huang is the most diligent employee. As a result, I would like him on my team.) Huang is the most diligent employee, and I would like him on my team. Because Huang is the most diligent employee, I would like him on my team. Simple clear language is the key to good business writing, soit is typically best to simply split the run-on into two complete sentences, as shown in number 2: Huang is the most diligent employee. I would like him on my team. Run-on sentences and sentence fragments are easy mistakes to make, and are just as easy to fix. Start by asking yourself this question: Does this clause express a complete thought? If not, connect it to another clause that answers the unanswered question. If it does, make sure that it isn't connected to another complete thought with a comma (use a period or a semi-colon instead). This one question should make it easy for you to find the run-on sentences and sentence fragments in your business writing, and fix them on your own. If you want additional support in this area, Instructional Solutions offers business writing courses that include detailed, individualized instructor feedback on your business writing.

Angelas Ashes With Comparison to Pip essays

Angela's Ashes With Comparison to Pip essays Frank McCourt, the narrator of Angela's Ashes, seems to be a very strange fellow. He spends much of his day dreaming about what it would be like to be rich and have a father who does not drink the dole money away every week. He plays with his little brothers and makes them laugh when they are too hungry to play anymore. Frank even steals food from the stores and people's doorsteps to make sure that his family has enough food for the night. In reality, he has taken over the job of "man of the house" from his drunken father. "They scream at me and tell me I'm filthy. I try to explain to them that Mam has the disease and that I'm worn out trying to make ends meet, keeping the home fires burning, getting lemonade for Mam and bread for my brothers. There's no use telling them about the marmalade for they'll only scream again." Malachy McCourt, Frank's father, comes from the North of Ireland. Malachy claims he was in the Irish Republican Army and is forever bragging about how he "did his part" for Ireland. Because he is from the "Protestant" North, he is viewed with distrust by the Catholic citizens of Limerick Because of his accent, It is hard for him to get a job. He also suffers from the "Irish Problem" he is an alcoholic. When he does get a job, he works very hard until Friday. On Friday he gets his wages and goes to the pub, gets drunk, comes home singing "Kevin Barry" or "Roddy McCorley", sleeps until noon the next day, and is fired for being late. He leaves the family during World War II to work in an English factory. He sends no money home because he drinks it all in the pubs. He never comes back after the war has ended. One song that Malachy would sing is this:Up the narrow street he stepped There's never a tear in the blue eyes ...

APEC impact on China's economy Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

APEC impact on China's economy - Essay Example ipation in APEC meetings, China wants to demonstrate its desire for maintaining the regional economic stability that can bring prosperity to the member countries of Asia Pacific region. The resistance to the temptation of Yuan devaluation and announcement of tariff rates reduction by Chinese government at a meeting of APEC in Osaka has confirmed this. Through this action, China perceives the opportunity to deal with United States by joining hands with East Asian countries, which are also members of APEC.(Yang & Huang 70) As APEC was the first international economic conference to member nations, under the Chinese leadership of president Xi Jinping, China has used this platform in an efficient manner, in the direction of seeking bigger economic role, globally. This combined with the fact that Chinese economy is the world second largest gives the required advantage to China for countering US economic domination. In this direction, China has announced the established of US Dollar forty million fund for improving the trade and economic links among Asia-Pacific countries. The emerging image of China being the top trading partner of South Asian countries from South Korea to Australia would definitely help in the erosion of American influence on these countries. (McDonald & Lee) Earlier APEC could not prove to be result-oriented for the members, as it failed to improve the economic relations among the Asia-Pacific nations in a substantial manner. However, when China hosted the APEC conference, it made clear to the member nations that the country was prepared to share the fruits of its economic development with neighbors in the region. For ensuring that APEC remained a successful platform to deliver the results. China made many announcements, which include the commitment from China to donate ten million US Dollars towards supporting the capacity building and institutional activities of APEC, apart from establishment of Silk Road fund for undertaking the infrastructure

Forecasting Techniques In Aviation Industry Essay

Forecasting Techniques In Aviation Industry - Essay Example The company developed and implemented a global supply chain solution. This enabled the company to deliver on board customer services as one of the largest airline firms of the world. The company is first to personalize the service for the valued customers. The technology partners of the company are industry matematik International (IMI), Manugistics. One of the most valued strength of the company is committed and professional people in the staff. The majority of the staff in BA is willing to own a problem and is capable of chasing it exemplary. 1 The British Airways demonstrated the compatibility of pleasure and profits. The organization in the company presented its culture as the explanation for the transformation. The organizational environment at the time of transformation resulted in structural changes observing the impact of them in the long term. The organizational structure of the firm exhibited no corporate friction. In general the corporate friction targets to promote positive attitudes by increasing employee's area of responsibility. This system will align financial interests. BA's organizational structure targeted employee attitudes and aimed at secure commitment. The structure did not resign behavioral compliance as staff has common vision in working together. 2 1.2 Problem definition and analysis: The problem conside... When the items are slow moving, generally they are not available readily and the maintenance of those parts by the company can be a burden of inventory. As airlines are a service industry, the maintenance of an inventory to avoid shortage of spare parts is not cost effective practice. One of the possible solutions is the forecasting techniques for the shortage of spares. The forecasting of the problem helps in acquiring the required parts in a particular period of time for the aircrafts of the firm. The all zero, several levels of demand lumpiness, demand variation and ordering, holding and shortage cost are the few models that can be useful in fore casting the shortage of spares in the airlines firm. The evaluation of the forecasting methods by three measures of forecast error and other measures by inventory cost is recommended. All zero forecasts yield the lowest cost when the lumpiness is high. The bid lumpiness also requires the zero forecasts when the shortage cost is more than the holding cost. The maintenance of the spares in the form of inventory should be termed as cost effective when the cost incurred on the company due to shortage is more than the holding cost of the spares in the form of inventory.3 2. Literature Review 2.1 Forecasting demands and Challenges: A.A. Ghobbar in 1994 stated that the most accurate forecasting method on the basis of demand pattern fluctuation in the industry. The average mean absolute percentage error can help in selecting the forecasting methods. The average inner demand interval categorisation can establishes the validity of the factor ranges as a crucial finding. This will simplify and segment the results obtained by evaluating the forecasting methods and

Building Construction for the Fire Service Research Paper

Building Construction for the Fire Service - Research Paper Example This need highlighted the importance of having building codes and standards so that a uniform design approach and criteria should be followed by everyone. Hence no risk is to be taken. As we are aware of the fact that there are two phases of the establishment of the any facility or building, firstly it is the design of the structure and second is the construction or execution phase of the design. In the modern day the different building codes and standards restricts the builder and designer to make structures safe. It is also observed that when ever I collapse is seen these building codes and standards are reviewed for any mistakes and error and consequently they are changed and amended. If we scrutinize the building codes and standards we come to a conclusion that they are consider worst conditions in loading such as dead loading, live , wind and even earth quakes but fire loading was not seriously considered as a probable cause of collapse of the structure until collapse of the Wor ld Trade Center in New York terrorist attack. But now the latest codes consider the fire as an equally probable cause of collapse of structure. In this paper I would go about the problem in the similar manner as engineers and designers did when drafting the codes and standards against the fire and its impact loading, where I will focus on the following . 1. General building design and Construction methodologies 2. Causes Of Collapses Of Structures 3. Progressive Collapse Analysis 4. Fire-Induced Progressive Collapse 5. Impact of collapses on the Building codes and standards General building design and Construction methodologies As far as the fire protection is concerned the building design and type of construction the National Fire Protection Association, (NFPA 220, 2006) has classified into two types, and firstly there are those buildings where the construction material is combustible (wood, steel) and secondly noncombustible for instance concrete and bricks. On the other hand the Association has divided it into five sub categories according to the fire resisting rating and construction methodologies of the structure as a whole. Type I is fire-resistive construction this type of construction mainly consist of non combustible materials and have a fairly good fire resistance rating that is it can resists fire for about 3-4 hours and this category include materials such as precast concrete slabs, concrete columns and beams. Type II is Noncombustible type, it consists of building having steel beams and girders, which are low on fire resistance rating, and are prone to large deformation and resulting into ultimate failure. Type III is the ordinary construction which comprises of mixed construction material which used in combination of steel, wood and concrete. The older this type of construction gets the more will be the risk of fire and hence more chances will be there of a complete structural collapse. Then comes the Type IV which is Heavy Timber structures, as the name depicts that these building types consists of heavy wood and almost all the structural elements are of wood, which we all are well aware very much prone to fire but at the same time these type of structures burns for a longer time and hence no sudden collapse is seen and some time is given to the inhabitants to escape the facility. Lastly it is Type V which is Wood Frames these are those building types which have a wooden frame as main skeleton of the structure but

The tragic Hero Essay Example for Free

The tragic Hero Essay Oedipus, the classic Greek tragedy by Sophocles, is one in which the protagonist is portrayed as a tragic hero. The author does this by combining the elements of irony, personal tragedy and heroism. In the play, Oedipuss character evokes pity because of his misfortune appears to be greater than he deserves hence the reader is left to empathise with him. His actions are controlled by fate and the reader is left to wonder why such a terrible thing is happening to such a good man. Power corrupts but absolute power corrupts absolutely. Humans seem to have a common running trait, and that is one of power and heroism. The quest for heroism becomes the basis of Oedipus the Kings demise. If this power however gets into ones mind, the results could be detrimental, and Oedipus the King is a living testimony of this. Since his actions are controlled by fate, no matter how hard he tries, he cannot prevent good or bad things from happening to him. Since fate is cannot be prevented from taking its course, his actions are quite futile. Aristotle said A tragic hero evokes our pity and terror if he is neither thoroughly good nor thoroughly evil but a mixture of both. The tragic effect is stronger if the hero is more mortal than we are. Oedipus is a mixture of both good and evil. In the opening scene he is seen as a compassionate king who is intelligent and caring. Oedipus prides himself on his intelligence and it is this along with his questioning personality that lead to his downfall. These are his good sides with his evil side being that is guilty of killing King Laois and sleeping with his own mother. Oedipus tries his best to be morally upright with everything that he does, which is more than the average person does. Aristotle also goes on to say the tragic hero suffers a change in fortune from happiness to misery because an error in judgement which leaves the tragic hero to ignore or violate a divine warning or moral law. In the play, Oedipus runs away form Corinth to Thebes and solves the riddle of the sphinx and is thus made the king of Thebes. He however marries the widowed queen and has children with her thus violating a moral law. His fortune changes from happiness to misery when he realises what he has done. A tragic hero evokes our pity because he is not evil and his misfortune is greater than he deserves. He evokes our fear because we realise we are fallible and could make the same error said Aristotle. Oedipus is flawed in many ways and as a result comes out as imperfect since he has a balance mixture of both good and evil. His fortune in saving Thebes becomes his downfall when he fulfils the oracle by sleeping with the queen, who unknown to him is his mother. Oedipus is imperfect and this is seen through his moral and physical flaws. He limps as a result of his feet being pinned together when he was quite young. Unknowingly sleeping with his mother and killing his father is his moral flaw. Thus, combining the heroism of Oedipus with his flaws makes him imperfect though higher than the ordinary man in many ways. Sophocles portrays the result, a classic example of a tragic hero in this play. Sophocles use of irony throughout the play brings to bear on the reader the gloom of Oedipuss situation. We constantly find Oedipus trying to escape the Oracle, but in doing so, ends up fulfilling it. This is seen when he says in the opening scene Everybody everywhere knows who I am. This ironic statement is said in the opening scene of the play when Oedipus comes out to meet the people. His true identity is unknown to him but he exclaims that everyone else knows who he is. Also, since he is such a great riddle solver, you would think he would be able to solve the riddle of his identity but he is unable to in the sight of overwhelming evidence, which is quite ironic. An example of the irony of his fate is when his parents try to prevent the oracle form being fulfilled by sending him away to be killed. He however returns and on his way fulfils the oracle by killing his father and later on marrying his mother. It seems strange to the reader that Oedipus is not more careful about what he does. For example, when he killed king Laois at the crossroads, he should have realised with the oracle in mind that anybody he kills is likely to be his father. He however reacts carelessly by succumbing to his emotions when the King annoys him. Oedipus returns to Thebes and saves it by solving the riddle of the sphinx. However, he leads to its destruction since he is the cause of the plague. It is destroying themes. Thus his fortune tends to be his misfortune. These examples show how Oedipus fulfils the oracle even though he is trying to escape. The reader gets a haunting glimpse into the mindset of Oedipuss wife and mother. This is portrayed to the reader through the actions that she takes. She is a woman who after all who wanted want to kill her son to prevent the oracle from being fulfilled only to find out years later that she is married to him, which leads her to commit suicide later on. She expresses her disbelief in the oracles by telling Oedipus that they are powerless, however, in the next scene she is praying to the oracles to help Oedipus to stop his strange behaviour. Also in this scene, a messenger brings news from Corinth that Polybos is dead and Oedipus should return to Corinth. Though Oedipus is pleased about the kings death since he proves that the oracles dont come true. Yet still he refuses to return because Merope is alive. His fear is that he will fulfil the prophecy since his mother is alive. Oedipus, remains a mystery to both the reader and himself. He does not know his true identity and this becomes the source of his demise. He comes to find out his true identity, but in doing so, his sudden tragic end is brought closer. The reader at this point is left to wonder, what is the way out. Unfortunately, the answer as we come to realise in the latter parts of the book is one that is not easy. Fate has already chosen Oedipuss destiny and nothing can change it. A feature of tragic plays by Shakespeare. The writer connotes a certain sombre picture and depressing mood, which is characteristic of most of Shakespearean tragedies. The employments of understatements that lead to humour are also evident in most parts of the text, and this makes for an interesting reading. For example throughout the play, there are references to sight such as, you cannot see, yet you know the nature of this plague and light, o light, light now everything is clear which are ironic because Oedipus blinds himself later on. Also, the blind prophet Teireseis knows about Oedipususs true identity but Oedipus who isnt physically blind does not know his true identity. His servant Kreon whose name means king is also an irony since he turns form a messenger to a king. Throughout the play, there are references to sight such as, you cannot see, yet you know the nature of this plague and light light, light now everything is clear which are ironic because Oedipus blinds himself later on. Also, the blind prophet Teireseis knows about Oedipususs true identity but Oedipus who isnt physically blind does not know his true identity. His servant Kreon whose name means king is also an irony since he turns form a messenger to a king There are three hero archetypes that suit the character of Oedipus; The quest, the initiation and the sacrificial scapegoat. Oedipus delivers Thebes by solving the riddle of the sphinx and thus fulfils the first archetype which is that of a hero who who solves an unanswerable riddle to save his kingdom. He does this on his journey to discover his true identity. The second archetype is that of the phase of separation. This happens when he leaves Thebes, is transformed and returns to become king and save his kingdom. The third archetype is when in order to save Thebes he has to banish himself from the kingdom to restore it back to fruitfulness. This has the elements of a tragedy because no matter the decision he makes he it is going to be detrimental to him. Even though Irony plays a crucial role, other elements such as heroism and tragedy come in the text. We find Oedipus entangled by his own principles. He is always in that twilight zone, one between acceptance of the harsh reality and total rejection of the things he goes through. The choice of the latter is detrimental to both his character and that of the people he leads and governs and he thus chooses the former remaining a true tragic hero.