A Case Study Analysis on the Strategic Alliances of Audio

A Case Study Analysis on the Strategic Alliances of Audio Duplication Services, Inc. (ADS) Abstract Logistic strategy is vital part of company’s goal to reduce cost, gain more profit and improve supplier-customer relationship. This paper studied the logistic process of Vanity Products to have a grasp of how logistic works and affects the flow of supply chain. Guide questions are answered to have a better understanding on the logistic and warehousing; and how these decisions must be well thought.Evaluation, conclusions and recommendation are done to know the best alternative for Vanity Products. Introduction Background and Significance of the Study The strategic decision with regards to alliances is an option for firms to improve and strengthen their respective firms. Strategic alliances is said to be a multi-faceted, goal oriented partnerships of companies in which each shares resources and rewards but the risks involved is also shared.In deciding whether such alliances will h elp your firm, several factors should be considered. These factors are, if this would add value to the products, if this would improve the firm market access, if this would strengthen the operation, if this would enhance strategic growth and organizational skills, and if this would build the firm’s financial strength. The decision if one firm should make an alliance to another company is something that is thought thoroughly.This strategic alliance is a very big step for any firm and the firm should be very critical in making such decisions because the benefits are high and so the risks in this kind of arrangement. Objective of the Study This study aims to: 1. Study and analyze the strategic alliances of Audio Duplication Services, Inc. (ADS) 2. Evaluate the alternative of ADS on its logistics management 3. Study and analyze the benefits of Vendor-managed inventory(VMI) Key Terms to Remember * Shipping Cost – Third Party Logistics- the use of outside company to provide for a particular services to perform all or part of the firm’s material management and product distribution functions * Strategic Alliances – agreement among firms in which each commits resources to achieve a common set of objectives * Vendor-Managed Inventory (VMI)- a family of business models in which the buyer of a product provides certain information to a vendor Results and Discussions Case Questions 1. Why are ADS’s customers’ customers moving towards VMI arrangements? ADS’s customers’ customers (i. e. etailers) are moving towards the VMI arrangement so that the likelihood of being out of stock is reduced and the inventory level in the supply chain is also reduced. This will be achieved because through VMI the retailers could provide a continuously updated point-of-sale (POS) to the record companies. By then, the decisions that will be made by the record companies like how much of each album, CD, and cassette title is delivered and when each delivery is made will be more accurate because the records company’s data is updated. 2. How will this impact ADS’s business? How can ADS management take advantage of this situation?This decision on VMI arrangement will have a big impact on ADS. The ADS management should take advantage in the new arrangement because through this they could maintain a more accurate inventory level. Because in this kind of arrangement, the ADS takes full responsibility on the inventory level and through VMI they could have a more accurate inventory level and also ADS could deliver the product on time. 3. How should ADS manage logistics? The ADS should manage logistics by hiring a third party logistics to manage the logistics in their supply chain. This decision is based on several reasons.One of these is that managing logistics is not one of the expertises of ADS Company and by hiring a third party logistics the ADS Company could now focus on their competency of cassette duplicatio n. Also, the new arrangement of direct shipping to the stores would incur higher shipping cost for ADS because of a more complicated route that unlike before there is a distribution center where the products are shipped; in this situation it is very logical for them to hire a third party logistics so that the path networks of these stores would be manage efficiently by third party logistics who are experts in this things.Another reason why ADS Company should not opt to buy a fleet of trucks is that this alternative would require a very high capital investment. Thus, ADS should hire a third party logistics to manage their logistics. 4. Why are the large national retailers moving toward a direct shipment model? So that the product would get into the specific stores where it is needed on time and with the right quantity. Also, direct shipment model is important in a business to reduce the lead time especially for a company whose nature is already changing due to the changing technology .Conclusions, Recommendations, References, and Other Details Conclusions Ultimately, a business organization’s goal is to make profit. But one cannot forsake the quality of the product as well as the satisfaction of customers. In this case, the customers of Vanity Products made changes in terms of ordering the products they need. It was very challenging for VP to adapt to the changes made by the customers since significant changes have to be implemented to address the demands of customers.VP encountered problems regarding cost as well as logistic service. With this, Tom White recommended a solution where different warehouses will be established near the customers. In the long-term, it is beneficial to the company because it decreases the cost in terms of transportation. Recommendations From the main discussion, Tom’s proposal is the best course for Vanity Products. The requirement of the customers that the products be delivered within five days will be met.At the same time, the cost of VP will be lower compared to that of delivering less than truckload quantities to a specific store or using a peddle run method to deliver a full truckload quantities to a set of stores or customers. Thus, the best alternative or solution to the problem is to implement Tom’s proposal. References (1)J. Heizer and B. Render. (2010). Operations Management. Tenth Edition. New Jersey: Prentice-Hall, Inc. (2) Munley. com. Truck Accidents Glossary. Retrieved February 4, 2013 at http://www. unley. com/truck_glossary/legal_glossary_p. html (3) Businessdictionary. com. Freight Costs. (2012) Retrieved February 4, 2013 at http://www. businessdictionary. com/definition/freight-cost. html Other Details â€Å"A Case Study Analysis on the Strategic Alliances of Audio Duplication Services, Inc. (ADS)† IE 191 Section: V Date of Submission: March 21, 2013 Contributors Signature Members: Josol, Patricia Beatriz| ___________| Palomar, Romelyn Mae| ___________| Tena, Mara Alyssa| ___________|

Portrayal of society in Oedipus the king Essay

People and society have been significant principles in every civilization. We gain power through it, stay on top because of it and are a part of it. In Sophocles’ time people were of great importance for the Greeks, it was the time of the establishment of democracy, the country was governed for and by the people. Antigone was written in France during the German occupation and contains political messages to the people. This essay tends to investigate how society is portrayed in Sophocles’ Oedipus the King and Jean Anouilh’s Antigone, and briefly how and for what purpose this is done. The portrayal of society depicts the society in the play, and how that reflects the contemporary society of the author. One way of portraying society in Oedipus the King is through the chorus. In this play the chorus is a group of Theban people who express their ideas and thoughts, and pray to the Gods. By doing this they show how the Theban people react to what happens during the play. In the chorus’ first appearance we see them praying to the gods describing the horrors of the plague. The people of Thebes are suffering and they turn to Zeus, Apollo, Athena and Artemis for deliverance. This shows their strong faith in and devotion to the deities. The second time the chorus appears it is confused about Tiresias’ accusations. In spite of their conviction of the omniscience of the Gods, they decide to stay loyal to their king and not believe the prophecy until they see proof. This shows great loyalty to the king as does the finishing sentence â€Å"Never will I convict my king, never in my heart.†(l. 572) At the end of the ode the chorus is open to both possibilites, that of the deities being wrong and of Oedipus having killed his father. This is although they believe in them and respect them deeply. This demonstrates their open-mindedness and openness to new ideas. Sophocles’ contemporaneous Athenian society is also twined into the story. Oedipus’ character reflects that of the Athenian people. Bernard MacGregor Walke Knox writes1 â€Å"The poet’s language presents him to the audience not as a figure of the mystical past but as one fully contemporary; in fact he is easily recognizable as an epitome of the Athenian character as they themselves conceived it and as their enemies saw it too. One trait after another in the character of Sophocles’ Oedipus corresponds to Athenian qualities praised by Pericles in his Funeral Speech or denounced by the Corinthians in their attack on Athenian imperialism at the progress in Sparta before the war.† He goes on to explain that these characteristics are: being a man of swift and vigorous action, having experience as a result of constant action especially in naval warfare, courage, swiftness and rationality in action and decision, intelligence, adaptability to circumstances, and his dedication to the interests and needs of the city. Knox concludes with â€Å"Oedipus the King is a dramatic embodiment of the creative vigor and intellectual daring of the fifth-century Athenian spirit.† The preoccupations of the Athenians are also reflected in the play. During the fifth century B.C. when Sophocles wrote the play great changes were taking place in Athens. The old respect and attention given to the deities were eroding as the result of the intellectual, social and scientific progress of the time. About this Knox writes â€Å"The figure1 of Oedipus represents not only the techniques of the transition from savagery to civilization and the political achievements of the newly settled society but also the temper and methods of the fifth-century intellectual revolution. His speeches are full of words, phrases and attitudes that link him with the â€Å"enlightenment† of Sophocles’ own Athens.† This change in society is reflected when Oedipus ridicules and offends Tiresias who represents prophecy and spiritual power. In fact Sophocles expresses his conservative ideas by setting up the double irony of the blind man who can see the truth and the future and the seeing man who is blind to his past, present and even to his own identity. As the story goes on we see the proud man who rejected the prophetic power descend to total humiliation and destruction. Knox puts it this way: † The catastrophe of the tragic hero thus becomes the catastrophe of fifth-century man; all his furious energy and intellectual daring drive him on to this terrible discovery of his fundamental ignorance – he is not the measure of all things†¦Ã¢â‚¬  Anouilh wrote a new version of Antigone during World War II. His writing therefore contained political messages against the Vichy government. Most of the depiction of society happens through Creon and not the chorus. They are not Anouilh’s opinions but rather what he thought the Germans and the Vichy government’s view of people. By conveying this to the people he could motivate them to join the resistance. As opposed to Oedipus who loves and cares for his people, Creon does not respect or care about the people he governs. He refers to them as â€Å"the featherheaded rabble I govern† and says that if they â€Å"are to understand what’s what, that stench has got to fill the town for a month!† Clearly he doesn’t think much of their intelligence. He has only taken the position because he thought it would be cowardly not to and he thinks the country is on the brink of destruction. As he himself explains to Antigone he thought â€Å"Someone had to agree to captain the ship. She had sprung a hundred leaks; she was loaded to the water-line with crime, ignorance, poverty. The wheel was swinging with the wind. The crew refused to work and were looting the cargo. The officers were building a raft, ready to slip overboard and desert the ship. The mast was splitting, the wind was howling, the sails were beginning to rip. Every man-jack on board was about to drown – and only because the only thing they thought of was their own skins and their cheap little day-to-day traffic.† In these few lines Creon has called people criminal, ignorant, poor, thieves, lazy, quitters and egocentric. He is also giving a very dark picture of the country when he came in charge. He is implying that the government before him, be it Oedipus causing a plague and Eteocles and Polynices’ civil war or France’s third republic’s failure to deal with the depression, has destroyed the country and he is the one making amendments and restoring order. He describes people as hypocritical and makes them look stupid when describing Eteocles’ funeral. He sarchastically explains how â€Å"schoolchildren emptied their savings-boxes to buy wreathes for him. Old men, orating in quavering, hypocritical voices †¦and every temple priest was present with an appropriate show of sorrow and solemnity in his stupid face.† This also shows that he has no respect for religion or people’s beliefs, earlier he also uses phrases like â€Å"flummery about religious burial†, â€Å"priestly abracadabra†, â€Å"jibber-jabber† and â€Å"dreary bureaucrats†. At one point Antigone exclaims † Animals, eh, Creon! What a king you could be if only men were animals†. This can be Anouilh using Antigone’s voice to say that not all people are animals, but docile and obedient people are. In general one can say that society is portrayed as better in Oedipus the King than in Antigone. Sophocles describes society as loyal, pious, open-minded and Oedipus and the Athenians as active, rational, courageous, intelligent, experienced, good at adapting to new circumstances and compassionate. The only portrayal of society in Antigone, which is through Creon, describes it as criminal, hypocritical, stupid, lazy, self-centred and ignorant. That does not necessarily say anything about the people, but more about the ruler himself. The writers describe two successive generations of the Theban people, but through them write to and about people more than 2000 years apart. 1 Introduction to Oedipus the King in The Three Theban plays, Penguin Classics. Notes by Bernard MacGregor Walke Knox.

The Mosuo Culture Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

The Mosuo Culture - Essay Example First of all, it is necessary to find out, whether Mosuo represent separate culture According to Triandis (1995) culture as a notion must have certain attributes and Mosuo can be called to be culture for having these attributes -place, separate geographical location and historical background. Therefore, the main aspects of Mosuo culture are norms, attitudes, rules, shared beliefs and behaviors - for this reason Mosuo is also supposed to be subjective culture. What is more important is that all the elements of such culture are transferred from generation to generation. (Triandis 1995) The Chinese government considers the Mosuo to be the members of the Naxi minority. It is possible to say, that Mosuo possess the common territory with the Naxi, but they have different language, cultural aspects and economic situation and rules. The reason for such conjunction of Mosuo and Naxi is due to the deep gap in knowledge about Mosuo. Only recently the historians and authors have come to understanding that Mosuo are absolutely different from Naxi - through their culture, religion and language. The cultures of Naxi and Mosuo may be compared only in terms of them occupying common territory for residence and for better understanding the differences between these two minorities - looking for similarities between the two nationalities make become time wasting. Certain theories state, that Mosuo native language is "eastern dialect" or "dongbu fangyan". The Mosuo culture is thoroughly described by the scholar Lamu Gatusa. (Mackerras 2003) From Triandis (1995) it becomes clear, that Mosuo belong to collectivist economy, because Mosuo society consists of individuals (residents) considering themselves a as part of a big collective i.e. family; the links between separate individuals are very strong, which makes it possible to assume that there is hardly any tint of individualism in Mosuo culture. Mosuo are absolutely motivated by imposed duties and norms. They consider collective priority to be more important, than personal goals and achievements. Mosuo strongly emphasize connections with other community members (I guess it is better to use the word community, than the word 'tribe', as still Mosuo appear to live in an organized manner with strong traditions and values). Although their collectivism is considered vertical for the reason of men having lower status in society, nobody feels oppression; Mosuo culture tends to collectivism in its fundamental conviction that people are bounded into tied groups through common interests and goals. (Triandis 1995) Mosuo cul ture consists of in-groups and out-groups. In-groups are the representatives of a certain family, characterized by similarities and ability to cooperate without demanding equal returns and without leaving family as it may lead to anxiety among other members. However, friends and collective may be also included into the in-group. Each member of Mosuo in-groups can simply be excluded for mistreatment of someone, insult or similar acts. It is necessary also to note, that Mosuo culture sees itself as "links in a long chain" consisting of descendants and ancestors. (Triandis 1995) As it is seen, the word 'link' is the core aspect of the Mosuo life; they value any kind of links - either those

Explain how culture and identity connect to or influence writing Essay

Explain how culture and identity connect to or influence writing - Essay Example By people having a unified way of writing which follows the same rules, people will not only be able to communicate much more effectively but they will be able to understand each other’s culture and identity and respect it rather than utilizing it only for problem solving and decision making. I am not a born English-speaker and English was my third language. In my initial years in school, we were taught in our native languages and even read from books written in the native language. We then relocated to the US and I had a hard time reading and writing in English as I had to be taught the language will all its rules which are instilled by the Anglo-American society who are the English speakers. I spent majority of my childhood years trying to learn and perfect the writing skills which was way harder than spoken English. The differences with the local students born in the US was quite obvious when it came to writing and I realized that without proper mastery of the language, I could not communicate properly and get people to understand the points I was getting across. One of my English tutors one day told me to just write what was in my mind without caring about the grammatical errors I would make. I made the composition I wrote which was about my favorite cultural cuisine personal and an individual task without any pressure to perform. It is during the marking that the tutor started pointing out my weaknesses in the language based on the influence of my culture but which in turn made it easy to correct. I understood that my culture had different way of relaying thoughts and ideas. The fact that we were a collectivist culture made me write everything in a plural kind of way instead of singular and hence I could not make the essay as personal as possible. I had not realized this mistake and this is what had made is so hard to communicate as it always seemed that I was going about it the

The importance of keeping customers for as long as possible, in what Essay

The importance of keeping customers for as long as possible, in what is seen often as a short-term approach to sales - Essay Example This is the main concern of the so-called consumer relationship management (CRM) models today. Vogt defined CRM as a customer-focused business strategy designed to optimize profitability, revenue and customer satisfaction. (p3) Shanmugasundram (2009) also posited that it is a comprehensive strategy and process of acquiring, retaining and partnering with selective customers to create superior value for the company and the customer. (p9) Unarguably there are numerous meanings and interpretations of CRM. Nonetheless, they all agree that a CRM strategy is always characterized by a quest to establish a relationship with a client in such a way that it contributes to the competitive advantage of the organization, which ultimately results to profitability. The simple logic is to make the customer happy so that the sales keep on coming. How does it work? As previously mentioned CRM strategies are diverse and varied. Sometimes, its distinction depends on the industry using it and sometimes it depends on specific needs and market trends. However, the fundamental principle emphasizes the importance given to people - naturally, there are the consumers but also, there is an emphasis given to the employees. According to Shanmugasundram, the principle is all about building enduring relationships that can lead to a profitable business organization and that both consumers and employees are fundamental to their achievement. This is expressed in the following model. Fig. 1: CRM Model (Shanmugasundram, p9) The model is pretty much straightforward: there are four crucial elements involved: Leadership, Delight, Loyalty and People. The model, as demonstrated above, puts the People at the center, with all the rest of the elements working together seamlessly for their benefit. The model ultimately aims for customer satisfaction. This is important because it has already been proven that satisfaction and a number of resulting variables, including customer loyalty lead to the probability o f purchase at different price points. This is also highlighted by the fact that only 26 percent of purchase decisions of consumers are influenced by advertising and that factors such as personal experience and referrals are more frequently cited. (Rai 2008, p145) Francis Buttle (2008) explained that, â€Å"a satisfied customer is more profitable than a dissatisfied one. If satisfaction declines, customers become more reluctant to buy unless prices are cut. If satisfaction improves the opposite is true.† (p47) This point is further reinforced by The American Customer Satisfaction Index Model (see fig. 2). Fig. 2: The American Customer Satisfaction Index Model (Buttle, p47) CRM and Technology An important variable in CRM models and strategies is the use of technology to achieve its objectives. CRM, in this context, becomes what Foss and Stone called as the methodologies, technologies and e-commerce capabilities used by companies in managing customer relationships. (p3) The adva nces in technology, particularly in communications, transportation and logistics have empowered organization to add value to their products and services. For example, an organization can use databases as part of the wider CRM strategy to build and keep accurate and up-to-date information about its customers. (Canwell and Sutherland 2003, p249) By doing so, the organization is able to analyze customer behaviors and expectations and develop better products

Dissertation Research question (5% of words), Dissertation thesis Essay

Dissertation Research question (5% of words), Dissertation thesis argument (10% of words), chapter outline (85% of words) - Essay Example e controversy arises out of the fact that the UNSC’s authority for sanctions are contained in Article 41 of the UN Charter 1945 and only applies to states.3 In this regard, non-state actors against whom targeted sanctions and blacklisting are directed do not have direct remedies against the UNSC.4 At the same time, the UNSC does not have direct authority over non-state actors who are legitimate sources of threats to international peace and security, and must therefore, rely on states to give effect to its blacklisting and targeted sanctions.5 This study is important because the need for targeted sanctions and blacklisting is obviated by the threat that individual non-state actors pose to international peace and security. Arguably, non-state actors, especially terrorist organizations, pose the most serious threat to international peace and security.6 By virtue of Article 24 of the UN Charter, the UNSC is responsible for maintaining international peace and security.7 It has been argued however, that the UNSC faces a crisis in legitimacy because its institutional framework is incompatible with today’s security threats.8 Thus the enforceability and in turn, the legitimacy of UNSC targeted sanctions is the focus of this research. This research will focus on the institutional legitimacy of the UNSC as a whole by focusing on its authority to impose targeted sanctions against non-state actors and its blacklisting mandate relative to non-state actors. This research will be divided into three chapters as outlined below. Chapter 1: This chapter will cover the normative and empirical implications of targeting sanctions and blacklisting. This chapter will focus on three questions necessary for establishing the thesis argument: what are targeted sanctions and blacklisting? Why are they important or necessary? What is the UNSC’s authority for implementing targeted sanctions and blacklisting? Are targeted sanctions and black listing proportionate to the ends that

Journal Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words - 5

Journal - Assignment Example In contrary to people who choose fate, people who make and live with their own choices are not scared of judgment and criticism. Emily and her family can be considered as an unconventional family, thus, they attract the attention of the people in the community. But the said behavior is their choice. Although Emily’s fate is to be born in a very private and traditional way, it is her own choice to continuously live inside her own world even after the death of his father. The said capability to make choices can also be observed when she decided to follow her feelings and make social connection with another human being from outside her family, Homer Barron. Although Emily’s decisions can be considered weird and out of the ordinary, such as keeping the body of Homer Barron inside her home she he died, she is firm with her actions even to the point of being above the rules of the society. Regardless of the gossips, alienation and the negativity being thrown toward her direction, Emily was now swayed. She is a perfect example of an empowered and independent person who firmly makes and lives with the choices she

Badiou's Versus Levina's Works Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Badiou's Versus Levina's Works - Essay Example There are some of the differences and similarities between Badiou’s and Levina’s thinking. Badiou holds the view that philosophy is based on four fundamental conditions that include: art, science, politics and love. Each of these four conditions is fully independent from the other as ‘truth procedures’. Badiou insists that philosophy has to avoid a situation where it will be in a position to give its whole intellectual endeavors to any of the truth procedures a situation referred to as suturing. If by any chance this is allowed to occur (which was the mainly the case during the 19th and the 20th centuries), the outcome that results from it is what he referred to as a ‘philosophical disaster’. Hence according to Badiou’s thinking, philosophy is a way of thinking concerning the compossibility of the said truth procedures through investigating the relations between the unique truth procedures. For instance, the relation between art and love in the case of a novel or it may be done through the more conventionally philosophical role, whereby the categories are addressed such as truth or subject (Barker 64). According to Badiou, the four truth procedures are genuinely addressed by philosophy as opposed to suturing desertion of philosophy. Theoretical term is a distinct character that is associated with philosophy i.e. aesthetics as opposed to art, metapolitics as opposed to politics and ontology as opposed to science. Truth in the case of Badiou is considered as a philosophical category. In philosophy, several conditions are ‘truth procedures’ that is to say that the resultant product of their pursuance is truth and it is only philosophy that can refer to these several truth procedures as so. For instance, the lover does not regard her feelings as a question of truth but she only sees it as a question of love. It is only a philosopher who sees the love of a true lover as a revelation of truth. Badiou’ s concept of truth is a very meticulous one and is heavily against the direction of much of the modern European thought. At once, he accepts the conventional contemporary notion that truths are said to be indisputably invariant that is, they are always everywhere, eternal and do not change. Throughout his work, Badiou’s notion of truth has uncoupled self evidence and the idea of invariance which does not simply denote self evidence besides uncoupling the notion of relativity from the notion of constructedness i.e. constructedness does not result to relativism (Levina and Bradley 67). Levina’s work is centered primarily on the ethics of the other. According to him, the other is unknown and consequently cannot be objectified into the self as in the case of traditional metaphysics. He prefers to see philosophy as the â€Å"wisdom of love† rather than the love of wisdom. Levina derives the basis of his philosophy in ethics from the understanding of the interaction w ith each other. According to him, this encounter is a privileged phenomenon whereby the proximity of the other person is felt intensely. The revelation of the other person is not to negate in a phenomenal of calmness. Also the face’s revelation entails a demand which is before the expression or knowledge of one’

Essay question about documentary film Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Question about documentary film - Essay Example Establishing the truth was not the purpose. Capturing the Friedmans was shown as realistic and transparent In what ways does Jarecki’s representation of the â€Å"documentary impulse† reverberate with Tom Gunning’s definition? (agree) Jarecki's creating a document from a group of facts corresponds with Gunn's definition. Jarecki's document doesn't show his viewer many direct facts other than lawyer repeating Mr Friedman's confession once he is in prison of getting "excited being by the four year old". We are witness to the young man who said he was hypnotized before confessing. In both men's definition, the viewer is the onlooker. In discretionary moments were displayed but they were explained verbally. It is difficult to believe that the rest of the family knew nothing was going on for so many years. There were moments of high emotions with some embarrassment. What does Capturing the Friedmans tell us about documentary impulses that Gunning doesn’t? (diff erent) Capturing the Friedmans was a soul searching verbal diary of one boy of the video history of he and his family while growing up. There was no visible proof in the film of any in discretionary acts. Facts can be created or implied from a set of videos, and then later proved otherwise. There were no actual facts which came from the documentary impulse of Jarecki.

Balanced scorecard, “definition” Essay Example for Free

Balanced scorecard, â€Å"definition† Essay What is scorecard, how can we define scorecard, is it possible to provide a total comprehensive meaning? Scorecard is not a one word definition system, so in order to do justice to the question, what is scorecard, it is necessary to take a comprehensive approach to that question. â€Å"If you can measure it you can manage† that is the guiding concept behind the BSC management philosophy. The balanced scorecard system was designed by Kaplan and Norton in the 1990s with the objective of giving managers the tool to look into the long term prospect of their organizations with some measure of  reliability. So the BSC is both a management and a measurement tool that when fully and accurately implemented will enable businesses to develop their own vision, and their own strategy, and then translate those business elements into business actions. It is a system that can give businesses an authentic feedback about their internal and external results. And that in turn would enable them to develop a genuine strategy. Since a company with superior strategy and a way of measuring the results of its performance functions do better than companies that do not posses similar tool. (Kaplan Norton 1996). With BSC managers are able to a maintain a clear insight into the operations and management of all business units. It gives the manager the picture that he needs to see how the business is performing when it is compared against the plans, and stated objectives of the business. If a discrepancy is observed between the goals and the actual results, BSC enables practitioners to delve in and correct the noticed discrepancy. And when corrections are made effectively, the business would then redirect the necessary efforts and resources back to the expected reports. It has been  abundantly documented that companies that use BSC have a highly accurate and generally dependable view of their entire operations and its performance. BSC does not simply employ financial metrics in its measurements, but it uses customer satisfaction, technical and intellectual innovations, market share and market competition to garner better more reflective and more comprehensive results of company operations and performance. And there are very little doubts that this system is effective for those companies that have designed and executed the system. (Nevin 2003). A comprehensive  survey/questionnaire conducted by CIO. Com, Balancedscorecard. org, and Microsoft. com revealed that companies that employ BSC â€Å"have improved their financial and future position in the market place†. (Studentweb. tulane. edu). A study by Nevin 2003 indicates that about 50% of fortune 1000 corporations now have employed some form of BSC management performance metrics. (Nevin 2003). That alone means that all of these companies have used the BSC system to position themselves on a better financial and management future. With BSC organizations are able to articulate a comprehensive  strategy towards desired performance, and implementation success. On the whole the BSC system employs tree main systems in order to accomplish its objectives. It uses the measurement system, the strategic management system, and the communication tool. (Nevin 2003). These three factors present only as translation tool to the entire strategy of the BSC business system. The measurement system of BSC uses the â€Å"lead indicators† to forecast future business environment. It reveals the strategy via long term management that focuses on customer satisfaction, innovation and recognition of potential market competitors. It seeks out innovation for the benefit of superior products. It deploys essential resources in order to capture customers that it would retain for the long run. It looks for realistic ways to retain its customers. And it combines all of those factors for both effectiveness and efficiency. It is the measurement aspect of BSC that fully engages the four perspectives, so these perspectives will be discussed here in a little more detail. The four perspective as have been mentioned on this discourse include the customer perspective, the internal process perspective, and the learning and growth perspectives.

Is Quantitative Easing useful to Stimulate the UK economy

Is Quantitative Easing useful to Stimulate the UK economy Abstract After the global financial crisis took place in late 2008, quantitative easing started to be considered as a potential solution to the recession all over the world. Usually, governments used to regulate key interest rates to achieve the goal of modifying underperforming economics, but this no longer seems to be competent because interest rate cutting may not be a sufficient measure to bring the world economy back on track. Therefore, quantitative easing policy is adopted to adjust the circulation of money in the economy. The project sets out to analyze whether the quantitative easing policy is suitable for the economic situation in the UK. The conclusion drawn by this essay is that quantitative easing policy is not a proper solution to UKs economy and that more attention should be paid concerning its implementation in this systematically incomplete situation. Contents Abstract 3 Contents 4 List of Figures 5 Introduction 1 1.Quantitative Easing Policy in the U.K. 2 2.Disadvantages of Quantitative Easing 3 3.Advantages of Quantitative Easing 7 4.Argument 10 5.Evidences 12 Conclusion 16 References 17 List of Figures Figure 1: UK Money multiplier 5 Figure 2: The Trend of GBP/USD Since 2005 6 Figure 3: UK 10-year Government Bond Yield (%) 14 Figure 4: Growth rate of M4 from Bank of England 15 Introduction Quantitative easing (QE) designates an application of monetary policy used to stimulate the economy. In other words, quantitative easing can be defined as an economic policy that uses an expansion of the money supply to purchase assets (Meier 2009). Normally, the central bank of a country provides extra capital to ease pressure on banks by putting huge amount of money into markets to buy back bonds or gilts either from banks or commercial sectors. Quantitative easing offers two possible benefits. First, the volume of lending of banks will increase as banks have more cash in exchange for bonds or gilts with the government. The other benefit is that diminishing the supply of gilts will increase the price of gilts. Consequently, the gilt yields decrease, and further, long-term interest rate for overdraft and some mortgage decreases as well (Elliott 2009). In 2009 March, the UK government announced a plan that the government would implement quantitative easing and set the bank rate at 0.5% in order to meet the inflation target of 2% and would stimulate the economy by increasing spending. Mitigation of the bank rate can greatly stimulate the economy. If the rate further approaches zero reduction, it may be less effective. Besides, injecting more money directly into the market by purchasing assets can also boost the economy. Moreover, Krugman (1998) states that the money supply is not the only factor that contributes to long-term inflation. However, others argue that monetary oversupply will lead to high inflation and countries will fall into a financial trap. The aim of this essay is to demonstrate opinions based on the current literature encompassing both sides of the subject, to enrich it with its momentary effects on the British economy and then finally to give an assessment of the subject. Quantitative Easing Policy in the U.K. During the economic recession in 2008, UK interest rates were at the lowest level (0.5%) in the Bank of Englands 315-year history. The reason why the Bank conducted a series of interest rate cuts was that it aimed to encourage the commercial banks to lend again. However, the aim was not achieved. Even though the interest rate was quite low, the economy remained stagnant and the consumer spending remained flat. The British government decided to apply the same policy to drag them out of the recession. The first plan was announced in March 2009, stating that  £75bn would be made available to purchase government bonds and corporate debt during the following three months in order to provide liquidity in the economy. This raised the concern about the consequence of quantitative easing in the U.K. The argument can be generally divided into two divisions. One division believes that printing money will lead to high inflation in years to come, while the other argues that the economic situation is more likely to follow the example of Japan in the 1990s. It is evident that both arguments have reasonable points. Nevertheless, according to the data obtained, UK will probably suffer from inflation in years to come. Firstly, in theory, quantitative easing itself is an aggressive policy due to the fact that it increases the size of the money base in the economy and a large money base is usually regarded as the cause of inflation. However, some economists argue that the policy is not simply printing money. Germany and Zimbabwe did in the 1920s (BBC), it still considerably increases the central banks balance sheet and the monetary base. In addition, there is not a standard to assess the accurate and appropriate amount of money to be injected into the market and hence it is highly difficult to decide the amount of quantitative easing, and if the amount decided is larger than the market actually needs, high inflation may inevitably occur. As is indicated by Jason Simpson from the Royal Bank of Scotland (BBC), inflation is considerably stronger than the bank had expected and there are concerns that it wont get back within target if QE continued. Secondly, in reality, as is measured by the Office of National Statistics, there is currently an upward pressure on CPI (Consumer Price Index) (an index of the cost of all goods and services to a typical consumer) annual inflation. The CPI annual inflation was 3.4 percent in March 2010, which is far beyond the initial aim of quantitative easing policy-to increase the inflation rate to 2 percent. In February, the rate was 3 percent, while Europes inflation rate as a whole was only 1.4 percent (Office of National Statistics 2010). Considering these issues, there is no evidence to demonstrate that the rapid increase in the CPI annual inflation rate is not a consequence of quantitative easing policy. Disadvantages of Quantitative Easing It seems that conducting Quantitative Easing policy by raising the monetary base in the United Kingdom can effectively stimulate the investment market and help recover the economy. Generally, one of the basic formulas of monetary policy is MV=PQ (M is the stock of broad money, V is the velocity of circulation, P is the aggregate price level of commodities, and Q is the economic quantity) and we usually assume M as a multiple of the monetary base as well (Ellis 2009 and Haung 2009). On the base of QE, policy-makers expect to enlarge the nominal spending (PQ) in UK economy. However, several potential problems still exist and there are uncertainties behind this policy. First of all, there is a distinct possibility of exam deflation becoming a consequence (Haung 2008). Adopting quantitative easing during recent financial crisis should cause a significant rise in P; in other words, the increase of M and decrease in Q will lead to a climbing in P theoretically. At the same time, nonetheless, V plunges because of the credit risk which indicates that banks have no money for lending or that they are reluctant to lend money to borrowers; therefore, it leads to a drop of P as well (Haung 2008). As a whole, the future price is decided by the rate of money which depends on peoples confidence. If people have strong tendency toward saving or banks are still afraid of lending money to investors, the monetary velocity will not improve after recession. And this may cause deflation. For example, the Japanese government carried on a quantitative easing program after the recession in 90s, while their perspective on saving let people become more risk-averse and unwil ling to invest. Hence, Japan faced with a serious deflation and lower exchange rate which did not promote the general social situation. Furthermore, Ellis (2009) put forward the idea that a high unemployment rate and the chance of deflation forces people to shift their demand from increasing expense and investment to saving. On the other hand, it may lead to severe inflation (Bullard 2010). Bullard, the president and the CEO of the Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis, argued that if government does not control the monetary velocity well after the implement of the quantitative easing policy, the increase in money supply will result in an undesirably large acceleration of credit and then an undesirably large increase in inflation. Consequently, it is difficult to deliberate and predict the extent of quantitative easing which may incur deflation or inflation easily (Bullard 2010). Second, it is unsure that this extra money will be used by businesses and households (Ellis 2009). In figure 1, Ellis (2009) illustrated that the money multiplier (Money multiplier is the relationship between broad money as well as money base) reduced considerably during last few years which may not reach the fixed goal of quantitative easing, although the Bank of England believed that a large increase in demand will come along through only a small rise in the supply of money (Ellis 2009). Source from: Bank of England and Elliss calculations Figure 1: UK Money multiplier He also claimed that banks using new money to purchase new financial assets may have less influence on increasing broad money; in contrast, those banks tended to restructure their financial foundation and then they were reluctant to lend money after boosting their investment activity. As a result, quantitative easing policy may not indeed generate predicted commercial and domestic spending. Finally, the increase of money supply may result from foreign investors because of the weaker sterling and the arbitrage on financial assets (Ellis 2009). Figure 2 shows the variation of the exchange rate (The vertical illustrates the value of the British Pound against the US dollar). Source from: Reuters UK, April, 2010. Figure 2: The Trend of GBP/USD Since 2005 Sterling has become weaker since the sub-prime crisis in 2008. In other words, investors may be more willing to hold cash by selling their new financial assets. It is because that when banks invest more financial securities with new money, those stock prices will go up slightly and offer an opportunity for earning a short term advantage (Ellis 2009). Moreover, Ellis (2009) demonstrated that foreign investors will have the tendency to sell the securities in order to transfer to the alternative currencies if sterling is still relative weak. Thus, a great money supply indeed boosts the UK economy; nevertheless, it is not mainly from the higher households and business activities spending. Instead, it may come from the spending by foreigners who earn new cash from securities as well as from the weaker sterling. Advantages of Quantitative Easing According to Orphanides and Wieland (2000), central banks normally prefer to use an interest rate rather than a monetary quantity as operating target. Interest rates are considered much easier to observe and to control on a continuous basis than monetary policy. However, when the interest rate is in a near-zero level, the quantity of base money remains available as a tool for gauging the extent of monetary easing. The way to do this is for the central bank to buy assets in exchange for money. In theory, any assets can be bought from anybody. In practice, the focus of quantitative easing is on buying securities, such as government debt, mortgage-backed securities or even equities from banks. Firstly, the bank creates new money electronically in its accounts. Then the bank buys bonds (companies IOUs) and gilts (Government IOUs) from commercial banks. The value of the bonds and gilts bought is now credited to banks that sold them. The commercial banks can make new loans against the increased funding. Extra lending boosts cash and credit flowing in the economy. Extra demand for bonds and gilts from the bank drives down interest rates for business and consumer borrowers. As a result, flows of extra and cheaper money stimulate growth. There are some possible effects of quantitative easing according to the macroeconomic theory. Firstly, in theory, it could reduce cost of capital of the whole economy by bringing down the interest rate (Pankiw 2009). As through QE, the Bank of England (BoE) will lower the government yield as buying government bond from non-bank sector. Thus investors could prefer riskier investment elsewhere in order to get higher return, such as corporate bonds, loans, commercial paper and equities. As a result, the yields on these assets would also be expected to fall. Secondly, QE is able to improve the capital positions of banks (Pankiw 2009). Whatever money does not go into either financial or real economic investment will find its way into deposits at commercial banks. This should help improve banks funding positions and, in theory, make them more comfortable with devoting capital to lending. Furthermore, it is evidenced that QE can stimulate growth in the money supply to the real economy (Pankiw 2009). As Treasuries start lending to the non-financial corporate sector, confidence becomes stable. By pumping into the real economy, the money created through QE is considered to be able to drive the economic recovery forward. In addition, it is argued that monetary policies could have additional effects on the economy, via so-called credit channel, because interest-rate decisions affect the cost and availability of credit (Iordache 2009). The credit channel contains the balance-sheet channel and the bank-lending channel (Bernanke and Gertler 1995). According to the Pure Expectations Theory, it asserts that the forward rates exclusively represent the expected future rates which mean that the entire term structure reflects the markets expectations of future short-term rates. As it experiences an upward slope of yield curve currently, investors are pricing an increasing level of inflation and subsequently a change in Feds monetary policy (Iordache 2009). As known in theory, the central bank should continue expanding its balance sheet to eventually reduce the yield. Therefore the low level of the interest rates at the moment and the QE program will pick up the economy by strengthening the consumer spending. A s the expectation improved, it will increase the aggregate demand and then reduce the unemployment rate. Finally, the increase in asset price boosts the wealth and improves the balance sheet. It is reported that Quantitative Easing helps to work around the blockage created by a banking system that is still undergoing a process of balance sheet repair (Bean 2009). Argument Even though implementing quantitative easing provides numerous advantages to the economy, its safety is far from certain. Despite providing benefits, this monetary policy can sometimes have side-effects, such as high inflation or deflation as mentioned above. Quantitative easing is not always coming alone with advantages. For instance, some people assert that cost of capital can be decreased through low long-term interest rate. Yet, it is also argued that the attempt of reduction of long-term interest rate will only be effective under certain circumstances (Bernanke and Reinhart 2004). In U.S experience, it is unlikely to have significant impact on risk premiums if it only alters relative assets, because assets are close substitutes (Reinhart and Sack 2000). Therefore, the cost of capital will be lower only if investors expectation of future values of the policy rate is consistent with the target prices of assets (Bernanke and Reinhart 2004). Furthermore, Eggertston and Woodfords (2003) model demonstrates that long-term interest rate will not be affected by the purchase of long-term securities if investors do not change anticipation about future interest rate levels. Furthermore, the Guardian (2009) also points out that one of possible scenarios is that investors dump gilts, which increases long-term interest rate and gives burdens to fixed-interest mortgage and company loan. Consequently, it is reasonable to refer that quantitative easing is not always effective on giving low cost of capital. In addition, it is pointed out that the utility of central banks monetary policy will maximise if the policies are coordinated with central governments financial department. This is due to the fact that it has to be ensured that changes in debt-management policy will not contradict to the attempts of central banks to affect the relative supplies of securities (Bernanke and Reinhart 2004). Besides, it is also believed that quantitative easing enables bank to lend more. However, according to an empirical research of Kobayashi et al. (2006), the overall bank lending was decreasing during the period of quantitative easing in Japan. Thus, the accuracy of the statement is uncertain. Evidences Usually, central banks tend to cut down interest rates in order to encourage households to spend more money. However, once interest rates levels cannot go lower, the injection of money directly in the economy is the only remaining alternative. The Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) had to decide a monetary policy in accordance with the government inflation target which has been fixed at 2% in Great Britain. The supply of money has been then considered as a necessity to sustain the general economic growth while, however, avoiding an excess of it to avoid hyperinflation. After lowering again the interest rate to 0.5%, its lowest level since the creation of the Central Bank, the Bank of England started the quantitative easing program. This procedure, which was launched in March 2009, has been extended to reach in February 2010 an amount  £200 billion, to pull the UK out of the recession. With the permission of the Treasury, the Bank of England purchased  £200 billion of assets from which  £197.275 million was spent on UK bonds and the rest on corporate papers. Some on the MPC including the banks chief economist, Spencer Dale, and one of the external members, Andrew Sentance have signalled their belief that it is now time for the bank to adopt a wait-and-see approach to QE (Oxlade, 2010). The Bank of Englands efforts have worked in as much as they have very probably pushed down yields on gilts below where they would otherwise be. That has helped reduce the broad cost of borrowing. Yields on ten-year gilts dropped to 3% earlier in the year but have more recently climbed close to 4% and stabilised around this level (Figure 3 on page 14). The increase of the price of bonds reduces their yield, and in effect the interest rate. As interest rates across the economy are set in relation to gilt yields, quantitative easing can act as an extra lever pushing down borrowing costs. But there is a longer term danger by speculating about the debt markets. The government risks creating a bubble in bonds, which will break in a few years time once the economy will recover, building up interest rates and making the governments massive debt concern extremely costly to service (Oxlade, 2010). Source from Bank of England Figure 3: UK 10-year Government Bond Yield (%) However, the aim was also to get credit flowing again in the broad economy and then to launch spending in the British economy. From this point of view, the success of this policy tends to be limited. The money supply in the UK economy is considered as being the best measure of success. The Bank of England measures this as M4 (Figure 4 on page 15). This figure shows some improvements but only marginal and only in the last few months, concerning the 3 months annualised growth rate. However, the general trend of the M4 aggregate reminds downward trend. Source from Bank of England Figure 4: Growth rate of M4 from Bank of England The huge concern is that banks and insurers, rather than letting the conceeded money flow into the economy, prefer to credit it away to help improve their balance sheets and then financial solvency, particularly given that a second economic crash is still possible in this difficult context depicted by weak levels of the global economy financial aggregates. The largest danger is the creation of inflation. One of the QE program aims is to stop the UK falling into a deflationary trend. The injection of money in the economy creates inflation. To increase inflation to a certain level would be a good thing, a lot would be very dangerous, especially if the economy fails to recover and then fall in a stagflation period which could destroy a part of the countrys wealth. A bit of inflation would be helpful in reducing the cost of debts, particularly because Britain faces a record consumer debt of more than  £1.4 trillion and a national debt of officially  £825 billion (more than  £2.2 trillion once all liabilities are taken into account) (Seager, 2010 and Bank of England, 2010). Indeed, rising prices will make debts smaller. Legendary Warren Buffett has raised concerns that policy-makers may become addicted to creating inflation as a way of combating their debt problems (Lowery, 2010). Members of the MPC have signalled the halt of the quantitative easing program but could -and we consider have great chances- resume it when they consider that it is necessary. In this case, it still unclear whether the Bank will continue buying gilts or shift to buy corporate bonds, which may have a more immediate effect. However, such a decision could increase tensions between the bank and the treasury buying gilts makes it cheaper for the government to borrow money, which is crucial at a time when the volume of public debt is extremly high. If the economy continues to struggle to reach a confortable level of recovery, more QE could be expected and even become a permanent component in the U.K. It is important to consider that since QE effects are pretty much untested it is unclear what other side-effects may be caused. Conclusion By making comparison between the advantages and the disadvantages of QE, it can be concluded that QE is not suited to the situation in the UK at present. Although the economic situation after undertaking quantitative easing policy in the U.K. has been stabilised temporarily at least, as discussed earlier, the appropriate time length and money injection volume are uncertain. Moreover, according to the new statements issued in Britain, the bank is phasing out the policy. Hence, it is clear that it has been realized the quantitative easing, as an aggressive policy, can cause a high risk of inflation years to come. In conclusion, the negative impacts of conducting quantitative easing in the U.K. far outweigh its economic benefits. Although quantitative easing boosts the economy by reducing capital cost and improving monetary currency, it still needs deliberate control by relative departments such as the Central Bank and The Treasury. Otherwise, it may result in high inflation or deflation, even cause asset bubbles and depreciation of sterling. Quantitative easing has been considered as being the last resort solution to stimulate the economy and to kick-start growth after the systemic failure endured by the global economy. In the short term this measure certainly increases investors confidence but in the long term structural deficiencies of Britain, especially on the domestic credit market, it will fail to promote real financial stability. As a whole, quantitative easing policy is not proper to the U.K. and more attention should be paid concerning its implementation in this systematically defici ent context.

Essay --

Operational Plan Business Environment: The environment at BoxofLove is based on the culture of performance and production. For employees, we try to provide the proper motivation in our organization. â€Å"Abraham Maslow broke down on what people needed for motivation into two different categories in five factors. Category one will lower level needs and concentrate on factors such as physiological, safety, and social needs. The second category is having higher level needs such as self-esteem and self-actualization (http://www.businessballs.com/maslow.htm)†. Having to focus on higher level of needs, we will be able to motivate the our employees within in the organization to achieve high levels of performance. We are committed to reduce the operating costs to reflect the values of our customers for our good business sense. Location: BoxofLove.com is a new company that will be entering the industry with other competitors. This is an ecommerce business, which has a variety of themed care package for students in greater Chicago land area. The building is an office in the Elk Grove Village area with 400 sq. ft. which provides 11’ by 13’ overhead door and 17’ inside the office. The village gave us the permission to build the office with hours from 9 am to 5pm Monday thru Friday, 8am to 12pm on Saturdays, and closed on Sundays. Our office will include rooms that will be used for operations with project management, finance, designing, and administrative tasks required in the operations of the ecommerce. The office uses Nicor, ComEd, and Comcast business program. During the summer time Nicor would require to use less gas and winter time it would use more gas to heat the building for employees. The... .... related materials. Abraham Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs and diagrams of Maslow's motivational theory. Retrieved January 14, 2014, from http://www.businessballs.com/maslow.htm Imani, F. (2014, January 1). How to Keep Track of Inventory Manually. Small Business. Retrieved January 15, 2014, from http://smallbusiness.chron.com/keep-track- inventory-manually-21920.html LOOKING FOR OFFICE SUPPLIES? WORK WITH US.. (2012, January 1). Office Supplies, Office Furniture & Office Technology at OfficeMax. Retrieved January 12, 2014, from http://www.officemax.com/ Summary. (2014, January 8). U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Retrieved January 15, 2014, from http://www.bls.gov/ooh/production/quality-control- inspectors.htm#tab-2 Quality control. (2014, January 1).Wikipedia. Retrieved January 15, 2014, from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Quality_control

Mcdonalds Golden Arches Essay -- Argumentative Fast Food Essays

Mcdonalds' Golden Arches When fast food comes to mind, one fast food mammoth comes to mind: McDonald's. The imperial fast food giant can be linked visually to several images, but namely its trademark golden arches. Other visual images, primarily for advertisement purposes, are also stamped into the minds of Americans associating the idea of burgers and fries with the ubiquitous franchise. However, the image displayed in the Time Magazine's September 30th 2002 issue, is an image that is hard to decipher and, most importantly, is an image that is hardly a likeness to the icons imprinted in the minds of fast food lovers across the nation. The catchy illustration invades an article tentatively titled, "Can McDonald's Shape Up?" The cartoon portrays an obscenely rotund Ronald McDonald pacing stressfully on a treadmill. The editorial cartoon is not for everyone to understand, yet it still seems to be generally humorous in its own context. At first glance, the cartoon seemingly pokes fun at the growing obesity in America. This observation is perhaps due to the rewarding conveniences of fast food. Unfortunately, the observation is in error because the graphic is located in the Business section of Time Magazine, not the Health section. After reviewing the visual meticulously, the drawing proves to represent an issue that is not quite as literal as it may seem. The obviously struggling Ronald McDonald depicted in the cartoon is making an honest attempt to lose his weight, but he seems to have no real chance. It seems the harm is done for McDonald's; and regardless of its efforts, McDonald's can not catch up to its growing competition. To begin with, the illustration is used in the business section. The intended audience for... ...tself, leaving McDonald's, with all its efforts, in the same place it starts. The editorial cartoon is altogether a reflection of ultimate failure as McDonald's attempts to get back on track and "shape up". While different aspects can be observed from the editorial cartoon, one thing is clear, McDonald's has no chance. As the metaphorical "McDonald's" fights to regain its former glory, it is ultimately left running in circles with no chance of making it to the finish line. The message is apparent in the cartoon. Ronald McDonald, tired, worn out, and fat will inevitably end up in the same slump he started from. The perspective is conveyed plainly with the use of several visual metaphors and presentation. McDonald's seems to be losing the game it started itself. Works Cited: Eisenberg, Daniel. "Can McDonald's Shape Up?". Time Magazine. Sept. 30, 2002. p52-57.

South Korea Essay -- Essays Papers

South Korea History Korea’s original name, Choson, Meant â€Å"land of the morning calm.† The country’s history has been shaped by frequent invasions from its neighbors. Korean history is divided into three main periods: the silla (668-935), Koryo (935-1392), and Yi (1392-1910) dynasties. The name â€Å"Korea† is derived from the middle dynasty of Koryo. Foreign influence-direct and indirect-occurred throughout these dynasties. All of Korea’s foreign overlords-Mongolian, Chinese, and Japanese instituted a closed-door policy in order to solidify their rule. This isolation earned Korea the name of the Hermit kingdom. In 1910, Japan annexed Korea and enforced ruthless control, outlawing Korean culture and language. Despite resistance, several generations grew up more familiar with Japanese than with Korean customs. At the Yalta Conference at the end of World War II, the United States and the Soviet Union jointly established temporary administrative trusteeship over Korea until democratic elections could be held. Japanese forces south of the thirty-eighth parallel surrendered to the United States and forces in the north surrendered to the U.S.S.R. The Soviets blocked attempts to hold nationwide elections, and the two sides became deadlocked. When authorities in the north ignored a United nations resolution for supervised elections in 1948, a pro-Western government was established in the south (the republic of Korea). Later the Soviet Union established the Democratic Peoples’s republic of Korea in the north. In June 1949, U.S. troops withdrew. One year later, North Korean forces in vaded South Korea. A United Nations-backed coalition of sixteen member nations sent assistance to South Korea. The resulting war lasted three years and ended in a stalemate. On July 27, 1953, an armistice agreement was signed and a military Armistice Commission with five members for each side was set up to supervise the implementation of the armistice. Since neither the United States nor South Korea ever signed the agreement (although they respect the terms as members of the United Nations), a state of war is formally still in effect. The Society and Its Environment Few societies have changed as rapidly or as dramatically since the end of World War II as that of South Korea. When the war ended in 1945, the great majority of the people living in the southern ... ...d lineage continuity traditionally was, and to a great extent remains, a supremely important principle. This reflects Mencius’s view that of all possible unfilial acts, to deprive one’s parents of posterity is the worst. Historically, the Korean family has been patrilineal. The most important concern for the family group was producing a male heir to carry on the family line and to perform ancestor rituals in the household and at the family gravesite. The first son customarily assumed leadership of the family after his father’s death and inherited his father’s house and a greater portion of land than his younger brothers. Traditionally, the purpose of marriage was to produce a male heir to carry on the family line and not to provide mutual companionship and support for husband and wife. Marriages were arranged. A go-between or matchmaker, usually a middle-aged woman, carried on the negotiations between the two families involved who, because of a very strict law of exogamy, sometimes did not know each other and often lived in different communities. The bride and groom met for the first time at the marriage ceremony, a practice that ended in the cities by the 1930’s.

Customized Learning Theory Essay

Educational techniques have been around for many centuries. Through the centuries, teaching techniques have not changed. However, many methods have emerged which has been defined as educational theory. Students have many different learning styles that help them learn. Teachers must learn how to teach to include each of the learning styles so each student learns what they need to know. Teaching students with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) can be very difficult to teach. These students need to be active in what they are doing and what they are learning. Using the kinesthetic learning style will help tremendously when teaching a child with ADHD. Learning disabilities are problems that affect the brain’s ability to receive, process, analyze, or store information. These problems can make it difficult for a student to learn as quickly as someone who is not affected by learning disabilities. Certain kinds of learning disabilities can interfere with a person’s ability to concentrate or focus and can cause someone’s mind to wander too much. Other learning disabilities can make it difficult for a student to read, write, spell, or solve math problems. Research is being conducted daily to be able to determine which learning theories work for which student. Some students learn better by listening, some by doing and some by hearing. Although, teaching can be dated back to the bible, Proverbs 4:2 states â€Å"I give you sound learning, so do not forsake my teaching† (Holy Bible, NIV). Romans 12:7 states that â€Å"if it is serving, then serve; if it is teaching, then teach† (Holy Bible, NIV). No matter what a teacher teaches, as long as each student gets what they deserve out of the teaching is the only thing that matters. Learning Theory and its Importance Every teacher has his or her own learning theory. Not every theory is the same. One of the best known learning theories in use today is the Piaget’s theory (Slavin, 2012). Piaget believed that there were four factors that lead to a child’s development. Children use aids and begin to understand how things work which helps the child learn how to do things for themselves. Another factor is that children learn from socializing with other children their age. This gives the child an opportunity to view other children’s behaviors and learn from each behavior. The child will then be able to develop their own patterns and personality. From there, the child can make their own decisions and find out what works best for them. Culture plays a big part in ways that affect learning theories. Vygotsky thought of the practice of education as a source rather than a result of the development of cognitive and learning skills. Many people before Vygotsky believed that people possessed the essential learning ability; however, it just needed to be coaxed out. Adolescence is one of the most trying times for a new Christian. According to Hosseini, Elias, Krauss, & Aishah (2010), adolescence is a point in time when an individual makes a choice in their future education, any major life roles, any relationships, and where a child establishes toward long-term goal to work toward to. This proves that it is imperative of having Christian principles of morality integrated into the school systems. Description of an Effective Teacher and Learning Environment Being an effective teacher takes a lot of determination, understanding and commitment and also considered to be an intentional teacher. When a teacher focuses too much of his or her instruction on one area, other instructional areas could drop. Slavin (2012) states that teaching involves planning and preparation, and the components which make a good teacher are decision making, reflection, application of education research and self-knowledge and self-regulation. Teachers need to be highly qualified according to federal law. The problem was that a negative impact of the requirement of having highly qualified teacher on recruitment and retention of personnel in rural areas was feared. Leading educators in education and special education have argued that the requirement may worsen the already significant critical shortages and attrition rate in rural special education. Another problem that was brought up was the cost to have highly qualified teachers and no extra compensation. Administrators fear that they might not be able to recruit special education teachers who meet the highly qualified standard. This legislation has made an impact on the rural areas of public and private schools. If the standards are set high, then individuals who would want to be teachers would see education as â€Å"not as attractive as other career options† (Courtade et. al. , 2010, p. 10). Everybody knows that there are no two children who learn at the same pace but only an effective teacher would understand this. An effective teacher would use different learning styles to help educate each child. Direct instruction and setting objectives are important in the classroom. Being able to translate directive instructions clearly and concisely is imperative. An effective teacher wants to make sure the student can understand what is being taught which makes the difference between good and great learning. Being able to effectively deliver educational material would allow the students to become confident with his or her ability to learn what is being taught. According to Slavin (2012), poor delivery of lesson plans can have a negative impact on a student’s mental set. When a teacher has a good lesson delivery, it allows the students to become more confident; however, it is necessary that the lesson delivery be given using various delivery methods. During classroom instructions, a student does not only need ample time to learn new material, the student needs to review old material that was already taught. Having the time to review and learn new material shows the students how the old and new material goes together and instills the importance of all the material. Homework is a part of a lesson plan that is extremely important. Homework was once thought to be essential to learning and should be mandatory. It was once thought that homework was important and can further a student’s education more than a student who did not complete the homework assignments. This was contradicted when research was conducted when students were allowed to choose whether or not they wanted to do homework. Results showed that the group who did not do the homework outperformed the students who did the mandatory homework (Gutarts & Baines (2010). Technology has become a big part in education. Technology has taken over the ranks for textbooks, emails, information, and paper. Several counties in Virginia have been using iPads and laptops instead of textbooks (Reid, 2011). Digital technology holds enormous potential for transforming instruction (Reid, 2011). The introduction of new technology into the classroom is an important component to help foster a learning environment that will encourage problem-solving and critical thinking (Reid, 2011). However, if a teacher chooses to use any form of technology in the classroom, the teacher needs to be well educated with technology. Some people would think that if a teacher was illiterate when it comes to computers, then why teach with them or use computers in a classroom. A teacher may not need to know the â€Å"ins and outs† of technology but he or she must know what websites are trusted, how to â€Å"surf† the internet, send out emails, set up blackboards, and use whiteboards (which can display what is on the computer onto the wall or blackboard). Technology has been very helpful when it comes to distance learning. Distance learning has helped many adults go back to college to get a degree when his or her life does not allow them to go to an actual classroom. Individuals with reading disabilities tend to become overwhelmed with reading and other activities during school. A child who cannot read well and is in middle school will not be able to take proper notes because he or she does not know how to write well either. In one study, a teacher used an iPad as a tool to help a fifth grade struggling reader with ADHD. The use of the iPad helped the student focus attention, and the iPad also helped the student become more metacognitive in reading. Using the iPad showed an increase of one year’s growth in a six week period using pre- and post-assessments (McClanahan, Williams, Kennedy, & Tate, 2012). The student also gained in confidence and sense of being in control of his learning. While generalizations to other struggling readers with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder cannot be made, the success this student experienced suggests that the use of this device is worth serious consideration and research in similar contexts (McClanahan, et. al. , 2012). Learning Characteristics: Modalities and Ability Grouping Learning modalities are important when it comes to learning and teaching. The three different types of modalities include, visual, auditory, and kinesthetic. According to Anderson (n. d. ), learning modalities are the sensory channels or pathways through which individuals give, receive, and store information. Perception, memory, and sensation include the notion of modality. Approximately 25-30% of students are visual learners (Anderson, n. d. ). Visual learners are those who learn by seeing (Anderson, n. d. ). Approximately 25-30% of students are auditory learners (Anderson, n. d. ). Auditory learners are those who must hear what he or she hears to really understand it. Approximately 15% of students are tactile or kinesthetic learners (Anderson, n. . ). Tactile or kinesthetic learners need to feel and touch and get a better understanding if movement is involved. However, students can have mixed modalities which include visual and auditory, visual and kinesthetic, and auditory and kinesthetic. There are about 25-30% of students who have mixed modalities (Anderson, n. d. ). Learning modalities are important but it is not the only thing that helps the students. Teachers need to be prepared in their subject and need to be knowledgeable in the area they are teaching. Just because a teacher is knowledgeable, does not make them an intentional teacher and does not make them knowledgeable in writing lesson plans. If a teacher does not know how to deliver the knowledge to the students, the students are not going to learn as much as they should. When a teacher makes a lesson plan, it helps the teacher to be prepared and helps the teacher know how to convey much needed knowledge to the students. The concept of ability grouping goes along with learning modalities. Ability grouping allows students to group together based on their ability to learn. Ability grouping allows students of higher level to be grouped with high achieving students. Ability grouping also allows students of lower level to be grouped with lower achieving students. This type of grouping makes the assumption that the teacher will be able to teach the students based on the same level. This causes a problem because it can cause the lower level students to fall further being the higher level students because they are not taught the same things and the same ways. Personal Reflection When conducting the Learning Styles Profile on myself, it made me aware of my learning styles which is that I am a more of a visual learner than anything but I feel that I am more of a kinesthetic learner so I would classify myself as having mixed modalities. Just watching something being done would not keep my attention but if I watched something being done while I was doing it, then I would have a better understanding. I would use this as part of my theory because an effective teacher has to have something for everyone. An effective teacher would have instructions for the auditory, visual and kinesthetic students so that each student can learn his or her own way. When conducting the Philosophical Methodology of Learning Profile, it showed that I scored highest and I have strong feeling in progressivist, and traditionalist methodology. My lowest score was actually a negative score and that was in socialist methodology. Inasmuch as I am an extreme progressivist, not all of it is true. I believe that everything has to have a point and to be proven but that does not mean that I deny the existence of God. I really believe that in the progressive mode the teacher becomes the facilitator or the director of learning, while the student becomes the center of focus as an individual. I believe that school revolves around the children. I believe that if a teacher looks at a class as a whole and not individuals, the individuals who need help will not get it. A child with special needs â€Å"slips through the cracks† all the time, and in my opinion, that is not acceptable. The supervisor of learning can direct the learning from different perspectives ultimately considering the needs of the individual. An experience centered approach stems from this philosophical methodology using projects, cooperative group activities, and critical thinking and problem solving, decision-making skills. Getting children to work together as well as separately will help the children get ideas off of other students. This way, the student will know if they need extra help in a certain area and can ask for help when needed. Conclusion Each child learns differently. Each teacher has to have his or her own theory on what would work in his or her classroom. Schools are for learning† and â€Å"teaching promotes learning, but learning also takes place through experience and individual study† (Van Brummelen, 2009, p. 13). A teacher must â€Å"trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding† (Proverbs 3:5). Inasmuch as educational theories have been around for centuries, times change, the way that teachers educate students will change, and the way children learn will change. Teachers must adapt to the â€Å"New Age† which includes many forms of technology and new learning theories.

Euro Crisis Essay

The ability of Euro zone countries (countries in Europe that use the common currency called the Euro) to borrow in a common currency poses free-rider problems because there may be an incentive to bailout countries that borrow excessively. How does the original design of the Euro attempt to address this incentive to over-borrow by some countries? The free rider problem refers to when someone is capturing the full benefit of an action while shifting the cost to others. The free-rider problem built into the euro lies into the fiscal structure, since the countries were fiscally undisciplined and also governments were gaining political gain running deficits supported by their euro partner nations. Over borrowing occurred due to the incentive of governments to borrow in a common currency; to address this issue the original design had to solutions. One was the Stability and Growth Pact (SGP) which limited budget deficit to up to 3% of GDP and 60% of stock of public debt, aiming to ensure fiscal discipline; where if a member state was in an excessive deficit situation then the council could impose sanctions. The Second rule is a â€Å"no bailout† clause stating that community shall not be liable for the debt of governments (with some exceptions) The original design of the euro sought to address the over-borrowing. Why were the measures in the original Euro design insufficient in preventing the Euro sovereign debt problems? First it is important to point out that the sovereign debt crisis is significantly tied to the banking crisis and macroeconomic crisis through the entire euro area. The original measure was insufficient because in a way these measures actually worsen the crisis. The sovereign debt crisis can be divided in three phases: pre-crisis period, the financial and sovereign debt crisis and post-crisis recovery. The initial design affected the pre-crisis since in reality it increased fiscal risk due to the increased in the current account imbalances across the euro area and also the dispersion in credit boom, housing prices and sectorial debt levels. Then, during the crisis 2007-2008 the original design actually augmented the fiscal impact since the global financial shock had diverse impacts across the euro area and policies were focus on European Central Bank to address the financial shock, not accounting these policies prompted a worse euro sovereign debt crisis (Especially countries with macro-imbalances). Thirdly, the original measures slowed down the post-crisis recovery period because the stated estrictions of deficit and debt made the recovery stretched, along with the poor political management of countries’ institutions to solve factors involving the crisis. What are the new reforms to address sovereign debt concerns? What makes the new measures superior to the original ones? The new reforms to address the sovereign debt is compounded on a treaty called â€Å" Fiscal Compact Treaty† which requires new fiscal principles to be pose in each country (Jan 2013). These fiscal reforms are based on two principles: a void high public debt since it’s a threat to fiscal stability. Second, the fiscal balance has to be close to zero. The improvement is a structural budget balance less than 1% of GDP when debt is below 60%. Also the country that has higher public debt (off the limit) will have to correct the issue with a timeline. Though this reform is a little more efficient than the original, it still has major implementation problems since it requires adjustments on forecast errors for the structural budget balance. Also it’s difficult to accurately trust the ability of governments to identify and tackle down excessive imbalances.

Caring of Parents

Caring for Elderly Parents How to care for elderly parents is a major concern of many Foreign Service families. Our concerns mirror those of other American families, but how to ensure good health care, find the right living situation, and handle legal questions is often complicated for Foreign Service families by being posted abroad. The distance involved makes it harder to get information and help so contingency planning is essential. Often Foreign Service families only have short visits during R & R or on home leave and hate to spend the precious time with their parents talking about serious business or unpleasant possibilities. Or we may be caught up in hectic preparations for an overseas assignment and not want to take the time to do contingency planning with parents. While it is difficult to discuss the issues of aging, the family who has discussed the options and agreed on plans will be better able to handle whatever happens. It will be worth the time taken, if there is an emergency. The ideal situation is when the parents take control of their own situations and make decisions in advance of an emergency. They should investigate the types of retirement options and decide which is most appropriate, make informed decisions about life-sustaining medical care, and make sure that documents, instructions, and powers of attorney are available to those who must take responsibility in an emergency. The American Association of Retired Persons recommends that elderly people use a document locator list (scroll to bottom of this page) to make sure their papers are in order. This list can then be given to the person(s) who will be responsible for them should an emergency arise. Going through the list with your parents should ensure that their wishes are understood. Communicating with Elderly Parents Talking with our elderly parents about their living situations and the possible need for change is not always easy. A successful conversation depends to an extent upon the relationship we have with the parent, as well, of course, as on the parent's mental, emotional and physical condition. While many people put off serious conversations to avoid conflict or awkwardness, both parent and adult child may lose an opportunity for closeness, understanding, access to information that may affect the decision, and optimum peace of mind. To the extent possible, talk with your elderly parents gently and honestly about their wishes, their abilities and their options. Far more often than not, these conversations are helpful and put the adult child in a better position to make decisions later when the parent may not be able to do so. The following are suggestions for conversations with your elderly parent: * Share your own feelings, and reassure the parent that you will support them and can be depended upon to help them solve their problems. * Help the parent to retain whatever control is possible  in making his or her own decisions. Respect and try to honor their wishes wherever feasible. * Encourage the smallest change possible  at each step, so that the parent is more able to adjust to the change. Educate yourself on legal, financial and medical matters  that pertain to your parent as background for your conversations, including current knowledge on the aging process. * Respect your own needs  Ã¢â‚¬â€œ be honest with your parents about your time and energy limits. If this kind of conversation seems impossible or the situation and relationship with the elderly parent become overwhelming, professional counseling may be very helpful. You may also consider using the Department of State's resources to appro ach this delicate issue somewhat indirectly. Filling out FIVE WISHES for yourself and sharing your decisions with your parents may encourage them to open up on the subject. You may also wish to raise the subject of long-term care insurance as a practical matter. (For more information about FIVE WISHES and Long-Term Care Insurance, see below). When a Lifestyle Change May Be Necessary Physicians and geriatric social workers warn that there are a number of danger signs that indicate an elderly person needs extra help or a change in living arrangement. Any marked change in personality or behavior should be heeded. However, no change in lifestyle should be made without discussions with the elderly person, other family members, and doctors or other health professionals. Danger Signals * Sudden weight loss  could be an indication that the elderly person is simply not eating or not preparing foods. * Failure to take medication or over-dosing  may indicate confusion, forgetfulness, or a misunderstanding of the doctor's instructions. * Burns or injury marks  may indicate physical problems involving general weakness, forgetfulness, or a possible misuse of alcohol. Deterioration of personal habits  such as infrequent bathing and shampooing, not shaving, or not wearing dentures could be the result of either mental or physical problems. * Increased car accidents  can indicate slowed reflexes, poor vision, physical weakness, or general inability to handle a vehicle. * General forgetfulness  such as not paying bills, missing appointments, or consistently forgetting name, address, phone number, and meal times could be a signal. * Extreme suspiciousness  could indicate some thought disorder. Your parents thinking that their neighbors, friends, family, doctor, and lawyer are all conspiring against them would be an example. Intense ungrounded fears about dire consequences may be a danger signal. * A series of small fires  could be caused by dozing off, forgetting to turn off the stove or appliances, or carelessness with matches. They may indicate blackouts or dizzy spells. * Bizarre behavior of any kind  could be a warning sign. This behavior could be dressing in heavy gloves and overcoat in 90 degree weather or going outside without shoes when it's snowing. Watch for uncharacteristic actions or speech. Disorientation of a consistent nature  may indicate a need for help. Examples include not knowing who one is, where one is, who the family is, or talking to people who are not there. Elder Care Options If you see danger signals in your parent's behavior, it is important to discuss the changes and do some research. (See IQ: Information Quest below for information about the Department of State's free resource referral service. ) There are many housing options available to the elderly. Choosing the best one will depend on the elderly person's preference, age, health, and financial condition. Aging in Place Under this option, the elderly person continues to live in his/her own apartment. Many elderly people live in Naturally Occurring Retirement Communities (NORCs), apartment buildings, condominiums, or cooperatives not designed as retirement communities but where at least 50 percent of the residents are 62 years old or older. These buildings often have amenities such as grocery stores, pharmacies, limousine service, or shopping services. Recent technological advances often make aging in place easier: Velcro asteners, lightweight wheelchairs, devices to control appliances and dial telephone numbers. There is even a â€Å"walk-in bathtub† for people who have difficulty climbing into an ordinary bathtub. Many services are available to help the elderly person stay in his/her home. Information about them can be obtained from contacting IQ: Information Quest (see below) or  your local Area Agency on Aging. * Home care services  are available in many communities, pro viding appropriate, supervised personnel to help older persons with either health care (giving medications, changing dressings, catheter care, etc. or personal care (bathing, dressing, and grooming). * Meals and transportation  are available to older people to help them retain some independence. Group or home-delivered meal programs help ensure an adequate diet. Meals-On-Wheels programs are available in most parts of the United States. A number of communities offer door-to-door transportation services to help older people get to and from medical facilities, community facilities, and other services. * Adult day care  is similar to child day care. The elderly person goes to a community facility daily or 2 or 3 days per week. Activities include exercise programs, singing, guest lectures, and current events discussions. Cost varies and there are often long waiting lists at such centers. * Respite care  brings a trained person into the home to give the full-time caregiver time off to get a haircut, visit the dentist, or take a vacation. Service is generally offered through area Departments of Social Services and is based on a sliding fee scale. Other Housing Options There are several types of retirement communities that provide living arrangements and services to meet the needs of both independent seniors and those who need assistance. Large hotel corporations are in this field and other facilities are set up for members of a certain organization (retired military, Elks, etc. ). It is important when investigating these housing options to understand completely the services provided and the cost. * Adult congregate communities  are designed for the fully able-bodied, 55 and older. Residents buy co-ops or condominiums and pay a monthly fee for grass mowing, leaf raking, and snow shoveling. A pay-as-you-go medical center is on site and a nurse is on duty 24 hours a day to make home visits in emergencies. Leisure World is the most famous example of an adult congregate ommunity. * Assisted living communities  are rental retirement communities for independent seniors who need some assistance. A homelike atmosphere, three meals a day, maid, linen, and laundry service, availability of a registered nurse, and many personal care services are provided in the all-inclusive rent. * Rental retirement communities  with fee-f or-service nursing units charge residents an entrance fee plus a substantial monthly rent. When the need for nursing care arises, residents pay an extra daily fee and stay in a nursing unit, usually located on site or nearby. Life care or continuing care communities  provide a continuum of care from independent living to nursing home care on the premises. The individual must be independent when s/he enters the community. These communities require a substantial entrance fee and monthly service fee. Residents get one meal a day in a dining room, maid service, linen service, maintenance, transportation to shopping and cultural events, travel planning, and a pull cord to an emergency nurse. If nursing care is needed, it is provided at no extra cost. Personal care homes (board and care)  are licensed in many communities to provide shelter, supervision, meals, and personal care to a small number of residents. * Subsidized housing for the elderly  is an option for the elderly poor in reasonably good health. Subsidized by Department of Housing and Urban Development, income limits apply. No round-the-clock care is provided but nurses come in to check blood pressure and assess a resident's functioning. Residents take meals in a dining room and may have use of a library, recreation area, or beauty shop. Nursing Facilities If the elderly person is not capable of independent living, a nursing home may be the appropriate option. Nursing homes offer two levels of care – skilled nursing and intermediate care – depending on the patient's needs. Most nursing homes offer both levels of care on a single site. * Skilled nursing facilities  provide 24-hour nursing services for people who have serious health care needs but do not require the intense level of care provided in a hospital. Rehabilitation services may also be provided. * Intermediate care facilities  provide less extensive health care than skilled nursing facilities. Nursing and rehabilitation services are provided but not on a 24-hour basis. These facilities are for people who cannot live alone but need a minimum of medical assistance and help with personal and/or social care. Paying for Long-Term Care It is important to understand the different types of insurance that are available to older people. Many people believe that Medicare will cover long-term care needs. It will not. Medicare Medicare is a Federal health insurance program which helps defray many of the medical expenses of most Americans over the age of 65. Medicare has two parts: (Part A) Hospital Insurance  helps pay the cost of inpatient hospital care. The number of days in the hospital paid for by Medicare is governed by a system based upon patient diagnosis and medical necessity for hospital care. Once it is no longer medically necessary for the person to remain in the hospital, the physician will begin the discharge process. If the person or the family disagrees with this decision, they may appeal to the state's Peer Review Organization. Medicare  does not  pay for custodial care or nursing home care. It will, however, cover up to 60 days in a nursing home as part of convalescence after hospitalization. (Part B) Medical Insurance  pays for many medically necessary doctors' services, outpatient services, and some other medical services. Enrollees pay a monthly premium. Medicaid Medicaid is a joint federal-state health care program for people with a low income. The program is administered by each state and the type of services covered differs. There are strict income requirements so it is necessary for the person to â€Å"spend down† all income and assets to poverty levels before becoming eligible. Medicaid is the major payer of nursing home care. The Medicaid requirement to â€Å"spend down† all income and assets created a great hardship for the spouse of a person needing nursing home care. Changes in the Medicaid rules now allow the spouse to keep a monthly income and some assets, including the primary residence. The amounts allowed change, so you must check for current levels. Other Insurance Why buy other insurance? The purchase of additional insurance gives the policy holder access to a greater choice of facilities without dipping into additional financial resources. Medigap  is the name given to rivately-purchased supplemental health insurance. It is designed to help cover some of the gaps in Medicare coverage but does not cover long-term care. Study Medigap policies carefully to be sure they provide the protection needed and do not duplicate other health insurance. Long-Term Care Insurance  is a private insurance that is usually either an indemnity policy or p art of an individual life insurance policy. An indemnity policy pays a set amount per day for nursing home or home health care. Under the life insurance policy, a certain percentage of the death benefit is paid for each month the policyholder requires long-term care. Policies are priced differently depending on the age of the policyholder, the deductible periods chosen, and indemnity value or duration of benefits. Information about other long-term insurance policies are available from: The American Foreign Service Association (AFSA) Retiree Liaison 2101 E Street, NW Washington, DC 20037 Tel:  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  202-338-4045  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  , ext. 528 Fax: 202-338-6820 E-mail:  [email  protected] org http://www. afsa. org American Foreign Service Protective Association (AFSPA) 1716 N Street, NW Washington, DC 20036 Tel:  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  202-833-4910 Fax: 202-883-4918 ttp://www. afspa. org As with Medigap health insurance, it is important to read the policy carefully and understand its restrictions before purchasing. Who Can Help? IQ: Information Quest (formerly LifeCare? ) IQ: Information Quest is a free 24-hour/ 7 days per week counseling, education and referral service t hat can help Department of State employees find the programs, providers, information, and resources they need to manage personal and professional responsibilities. IQ: Information Quest makes referrals, not recommendations. IQ: Information Quest counselors will help etermine what services are needed and available in any U. S. locality and refer to appropriate providers. In addition to other services, they provide referrals in the area of adult care services (anywhere in the U. S. ), including case management, emergency and respite care, home health care, long-distance care giving and legal and financial issues. Their web site features information on caring for an aging loved one, discussing caregiving options with your loved one, adult care information worksheet, caregivers of older adults, managing work while caring for your loved one, and geriatric care management services. IQ: Information Quest will also provide an â€Å"Eldercare Kit† upon request which features caregiving guidance, checklists, and resources information, as well as a few useful practical items such as a pill sorter, night light and jar opener. Permanent employees of the Department of State, The U. S. Agency for International Development, the Department of Justice, the Department of Labor, and FMAs overseas are eligible to use IQ: Information Quest. For the Department of State, this includes both Civil Service and Foreign Service employees serving at any Department assignment location nationwide and worldwide. Other employees working for the Department are not covered at this time (contractors, Foreign Service Nationals, PITs, PSCs). Spouses, children or others who are members of the employee's immediate household may use IQ: Information Quest. They verify eligibility by providing the name and date of birth (month and day) of the eligible employee. Employees of agencies other than the Department of State should check with their headquarters for guidance in how to contact and use IQ: Information Quest services. IQ: Information Quest Tel:  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  1-800-222-0364  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  or  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  1-888-222-0364  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  for the hearing impaired http://www. worklife4you. com For access to the passworded area of the site, contact your agency's HR Bureau. The Employee Consultation Service (ECS) The Employee Consultation Service (ECS) at the Department of State should be the first stop for Foreign Service members with eldercare concerns. The clinical social workers offer brief counseling and help in coordinating an evaluation and assessment anywhere in the United States. ECS social workers act as a liaison in providing appropriate and necessary services for the elderly. All services are free and confidential. In Washington, make an appointment for a personal consultation; from overseas write or cable for advice. ECS also conducts support groups for employees and their families who are responsible for an aging relative. The groups meet at the State Department to share issues, resources, and approaches to the problems that arise as an elderly person declines, including the issue of emotional stress that occurs for family members watching such decline. Employee Consultation Service (M/MED/ECS) Columbia Plaza, Room H246 Washington, DC 20520 Tel:  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  202-663-1815 FAX: 202-663-1456 Email:  [email  protected] gov The Administration on Aging (AoA) The Administration on Aging (AoA) is part of the U. S. Department of Health and Human Services. It was set up to â€Å"remove barriers to the economic and personal independence of older persons and to assure the availability of a range of appropriate community and family based services for older persons in social or economic need. AoA supports a network of the state and  Area Agencies on Aging  that reinforce and supplement the daily support that the elderly receive from family, friends, and neighbors. Administration on Aging Department of Health and Human Services 330 Independence Avenue, SW Washington, DC 20201 Tel:  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  202-619-0724 http://www. aoa. gov To get information on eldercare servi ces in a particular community, contact the Area Agency on Aging. One can locate a specific state agency on aging through the Eldercare Locator Service via telephone (  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  1-800-677-1116  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  ) or the website at  http://www. ldercare. gov. The  Eldercare Locator Service  is sponsored by the AoA and operated by the National Association of Area Agencies on Aging. National Association of Area Agencies on Aging 927 15th Street, NW Washington, DC 20005 Tele:  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  202-296-8130 http://www. n4a. org Services provided by Area Agencies on Aging include information and referral, homemaker/home health aides, transportation, congregate and home delivered meals, chore and other supportive services. Types of services available vary in each community based upon needs and resources. Private Geriatric Care Managers Private geriatric care managers are professional social workers and nurses who assist the elderly and their families by assessing need, coordinating services, and monitoring care for a fee. They are particularly helpful when long-distance care giving is necessary. Fees vary and are sometimes covered by Medicare or private insurance. The Department of State's Employee Consultation Service or IQ: Information Quest, the local Area Agency on Aging, and community agencies can provide referrals nationwide. If the older person has been hospitalized, hospital discharge planners can also provide information and referrals for after-care. Services Offered by the Private Sector Some private companies have set up programs to help their employees with eldercare. Foreign Service spouses who work in the private sector should investigate any eldercare options offered by their employers. These programs can include seed money for eldercare services, flexible work schedules for caregivers, subsidies for eldercare expenses, unpaid leave for up to a year, referral services, inter-generational day care centers (for both the elderly and children), geriatric assessment and case management, and group rates for long-term care insurance. Unfortunately, many of the services provided by companies require that the elderly person meet the tax-law definition of a dependent. This increases the burden for families whose elderly relatives are not financially dependent or who are not living with the employee. Eldercare in the Foreign Service Putting Parents on Your Orders Foreign Service employees may request that their elderly relative(s) (including step parents and legally adopted parents) be approved as an eligible family member and added to their Post Assignment Travel Orders for an overseas assignment. The employee must complete an OF-126 Foreign Service Residence and Dependency Report. This form can be found on the Department of State Infoforms with instructions on completion. Each new OF-126 replaces the old OF-126, therefore all blocks must be filled out each time a new OF-126 is done. The new OF-126 must be forwarded to the employee's personnel technician in HR/CDA/ASD, Room 2419, Truman Building (Main State). Travel orders can not be authorized for newly-acquired eligible family members until the personnel technician receives the OF-126 form. Along with a completed OF-126 form, the officer must prove that the relative is at least 51 percent dependent for support (subject to review and approval per 6 FAM 117; USAID employees should also see Supplement 1B to HB 32, Chapter 1). The officer must quantify that he/she has provided more than 51% of support by submitting an affidavit or notarized statement testifying to that fact. This is termed passing the â€Å"financial support test. † An explanation regarding the parent's residency is also required, with an explanation as to why the application is being made to add the parent to the travel orders. Other documentary evidence may be required by the employee's agency. These documents are attached to the completed OF-126 form and sent to the officer's agency as specified on the forms. Requests are reviewed for approval by a Personnel OF-126 Committee. Employees of the Department of State can obtain advice on how to put your parents on your orders through the Career Development and Assignments (CDA) division of the Bureau of Human Resources. Ask for an Assignments Support (CDA/AS) officer. Employees of other agencies should contact their HR representative. See section below, Taking an Elderly Relative to Post, for details regarding official government support. Bringing Parents to Post Who Are Not on Your Orders If your relatives are not financially dependent on you, they may come to post as members of the employee's household, but will receive no official support from the U. S. Government. No official support translates into no access to the U. S. embassy health unit, no airfare or allowance payments in the case of evacuation from post, and no diplomatic status with the host country. Parents who come to live overseas for an extended period of time should consider having additional medical insurance (Medicare does not cover costs related to care overseas). In addition, parents should also maintain Air Medical Evacuation Insurance. A list of companies that provide this insurance can be found on theDepartment of State Consular Affairs  web site. Family Medical Leave Act and Family-Friendly Leave If you think you may need to care for an elderly relative, be sure to check the provisions of the 1993 Family Leave Act on taking leave for this purpose and contact the a leave specialist in your agency. Department of State employees can contact a Department leave specialist in the Office of Employee Relations (HR/ER/WLP) about paid and unpaid leave at  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  202-261-8180  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  . Eldercare Emergency Visitation Travel (Eldercare EVT) In January 2001, the Eldercare Emergency Visitation Travel (Eldercare EVT) provision was implemented, permitting travel at government expense for employees and eligible spouses serving at an overseas post who need to assist parents in declining health. Eldercare EVT allows an employee two trips over a career to visit his or her parents. It is meant to support one mother and one father of the employee and of the eligible spouse. It does not mean a couple may pool their four eldercare visits to assist the parent(s) of only one member of the married couple. For more information, email the Family Liaison Office ([email  protected] gov) for a copy of â€Å"Questions and Answers on Eldercare Emergency Visitation Travel. † Taking an Elderly Relative to Post If elderly relatives are classified as eligible family members, they travel on diplomatic passports and have the same diplomatic immunity as a spouse or child. If not classified as such, elderly parents use tourist passports and do not have diplomatic status. Housing assignments are based on the number of official eligible family members the employee brings to post. Travel to and from post (with the exception of medical travel) is also available to all elderly parents designated as eligible family members. Elderly parents, regardless of their status, are  not covered  by the Foreign Service medical insurance program. While the use of post's health facilities is not promised as a benefit, these limited facilities are sometimes available depending on the location and an authorization by the Ambassador. The medical officer has the authority to refuse to provide services should a patient have a complicated problem that the physician is unable to treat. Employees may, however, ask the Health Unit for names of local physicians who can provide medical services for their elderly parent. This kind of assistance from the Health Unit may also be requested during the bidding process, to determine if a post has adequate local heath care providers to meet the medical needs of a parent. The Department of State Office of Medical Services has a brochure entitled  Medical Questions and Answers about Taking Your Parent Overseas. The brochure addresses the questions of obtaining prescription medicines overseas, high altitude climates and the elderly, health unit access, hospitalization overseas, and more. For a copy of the brochure or more information about medical questions related to taking your parent overseas, contact the Office of Medical Services, Foreign Programs (MED/FP). Because elderly parents are not covered under the Foreign Service medical insurance program, they also do not have access to embassy medical evacuation (medevac) services. Therefore, all parents coming to post for either a short or an extended period of time should purchase (and maintain) Air Medical Evacuation Insurance. A list of companies that provide this insurance can be found on the  Department of State Consular Affairs website. Medical Insurance It is essential that a parent going overseas, either officially or unofficially, have adequate medical insurance. Medicare only pays medical expenses in the United States, and in Canada and Mexico under certain very limited circumstances. The insurance companies listed below provide a variety of coverage and can be contacted for more information. Pay special attention to â€Å"age limit† noted in the policy. Clements and Company Under its GlobalCare Plus program, Clements and Company provides overseas major medical insurance, including full world-wide evacuation services. Coverage is offered for individuals as well as families. Substantial coverage is available at a reasonable cost. GlobalCare Plus is for policies lasting 6 months to one year. Clements also write policies for shorter-term travel (15 days to 4 months) through Patriot Travel Medical Insurance.