The Portrayal Of Mental Illness - 962 Words

Portrayal of mental illness in media, films and television programmes is extensive and predominantly preserves myths and stereotypes about mental illness. People with mental illness are most commonly shown as being violent and aggressive, but they are also frequently depicted as tragic, tortured, genius, dangerous, eccentric, flamboyant, hysterical, sexual, jokers and rebels. Mental health professionals are variously portrayed as incompetent, sinister, unrealistically seductive or rationalist foils that come up with scientific arguments to explain supernatural phenomena only to be wrong at the end. A skewed picture of mental health treatment is presented with an emphasis on those treatments that serve entertainment purposes, e.g. psychotherapy is generally and unrealistically represented since they give the audience an introduction into the mind of the character undergoing treatment and have melodramatic potential respectively, whereas drug therapies which are more commonly used and usually more effective but do not further the plot are not visually interesting are rare in films. The idea of portraying mental illness is often heavily criticised. Some evidence would suggest that extremely impressive and persuading portrayals can have negative effects (Elder, R. 2005), spreading the disfigured view associated with mental illness and reducing the likelihood that those with mental illness will seek the appropriate help. Studies were conducted using focus groups and surveysShow MoreRelatedThe Portrayal Of Mental Illness1972 Words   |  8 PagesThe portrayal of mental illness to the public has a very important part in the discovery, understanding and treatment of them. Common misconceptions and assumptions can be damaging to people with such illnesses by the development of social stigmas and creation of outcasts in situations where support is needed. In modern times communication to the public about mental illness comes in a variety of ways, some accurate and some not. Movies are an example of a medium which has high potential for erroneousRead MoreThe Portrayal Of An Issue Like Mental Illness1328 Words   |  6 PagesThe portrayal of an issue like mental illness is totally vulnerable to misrepresentation. Depending on who is writing and their viewpoint, it does not take much to make this issue sympathetic or demonized. If the author of a given piece wants his or her audience to demonize something, the author might use the word isolation†. If that same author wants a sympathetic response he might use the word loneliness†. As far as the New York Times is concerned, they opted for a stereotypical portrayal. ItRead More False Portrayal of Mental Illness in the Media1110 Words   |  5 Pages False Portrayal of Mental Illness in the Media Protagonist The movie â€Å"The Roommate,† revolves around a young girl named Sarah (Minka Kelly) who is starting her freshman year of college. Little does she know that she has a roommate that is diagnosed with numerous mental disorders that she is not treating by taking her medication. When they are initially acquainted as roommates, Sara comes across as being innocent and depicts very normal behavior. However, as soon as Rebecca and Sarah become closerRead MoreMedia Portrayal of Mental Illness in America4048 Words   |  17 PagesMedia Portrayal of Mental Illness in America The media in American society has a major influential impact on the minds and beliefs of millions of people. Whether through the news, television shows, or film, the media acts as a huge database for knowledge and instruction. It is both an auditory and visual database that can press images and ideas into peoples minds. Even if the individual has no prior exposure or knowledge to something, the media can project into peoples minds and leave a lastingRead MoreEssay on Media Portrayal of Mental Illness in America3893 Words   |  16 Pages Media Portrayal of Mental Illness in America The media in American society has a major influential impact on the minds and beliefs of millions of people. Whether through the news, television shows, or film, the media acts as a huge database for knowledge and instruction. It is both an auditory and visual database that can press images and ideas into peoples minds. Even if the individual has no prior exposure or knowledge to something, the media can project into peoples minds and leave a lastingRead MoreThe Portrayal of Mental Illness in â€Å"Girl, Interrupted† Essay1693 Words   |  7 PagesThe Portrayal of Mental Illness in â€Å"Girl, Interrupted† The film â€Å"Girl, Interrupted† is a true story adapted from the original memoir by Susanna Kaysen. Set in the 1960s, it relates her experiences during her stay in a mental institution after being diagnosed with borderline personality disorder following a suicide attempt. Many films include characters with a mental illness; the actors who play these characters have the immense challenge of staying true to the illness they portray. The mainRead MoreMental Illness And Its Effects On The Media Essay1324 Words   |  6 PagesIntroduction Mental illness is often wrongly portrayed in the United States’ media creating stigmatization and misrepresentation. Mental illness â€Å"refers to a wide range of mental disorders that affect your mood, thinking and behavior† (Mayo Clinic Staff, 2015). Examples of disorders include anxiety, depression, schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, and post-traumatic stress disorder. Any â€Å"negative attitudes, beliefs, and behaviors are called stigma† (Wilson et al., 2016, p. 2) and stigma can contributeRead MoreMental Illness And The Media1540 Words   |  7 PagesIn the media when you hear the word â€Å"mental illness† most of the time its associated with words like â€Å"dangerous,† â€Å"monster,† or better yet â€Å"psychopath†. Shawn M Phillips in â€Å"mental illness in popular culture† (p.64) states that at the end of the day, â€Å"mental illness and disabilities are all just clustered into one vague group of â€Å"deviantsâ €  by popular culture.† This is not to say it isn t ever associated with positive words like â€Å"beautiful,† â€Å"normal,† and â€Å"kind. The media should be flooded with moreRead MoreHow Does The United States Media Affects Mental Illness? Essay998 Words   |  4 PagesResearch Question How does the United States media, specifically in television, portray mental illness? Methodology Modern television shows will be analyzed to find any indication of a shift from misrepresentation of the mentally ill to a portrayal that does not represent them as incapable or unable to perform well socially in the real world, or in a job. Shows such as Grey’s Anatomy and Homeland will be evaluated based on the correct representation of disorders such as posttraumatic stress disorderRead MoreThe Stigma Of The Mentally Ill1498 Words   |  6 Pagesviolent, incompetent, or weird. Even without the negative stereotypes, there are some who consider mentally ill people a burden on society simply because they don’t believe mental illnesses are actual diseases. For the people like myself who haven’t had any interactions with the mentally ill, we get our information about mental illness from mass media. The media is of no help to the mentally ill either, though the media may occasionally portray a mentally ill character as quirky or bighearted, they are

Nature Vs. Nurture An Individual s Criminal Behavior Essay

The objective of this study is to examine whether it is nature or nurture who plays the most vital role in a human’s behavior, specifically an individual’s criminal behavior. Criminal behavior is defined as an act or failure to act in a way that violates public law. Some believe that criminal behavior can be identified as early as conception, meaning that criminal behavior is because of your genes. While others believe that one’s upbringing and social learning environment directly contributes to the individual’s criminal behavior. This paper will provide the history on the ongoing debate of nature vs. nurture and answer the question of whether it is Review of the Literature This controversial debate has existed since 1869, when the phrase Nature Versus Nurture was coined by the English polymath, Francis Galton. Nature refers to what we are born with and includes our biology, genetics, and similar characteristics. In contrast, nurture refers to what is learned, through our cultural community and other individuals. For anthropologists, this debate often centers on the influences of nature and nurture in different cultural elements. Both nature and nurture influences affect the human beings and their culture. The book On the Origin of Species written by Charles Darwin had a significant impact on Francis Galton. In Galton’s two publication, Hereditary Genius (1869) and English Men of Science: Their Nature and Nurture (1874), he explored the world of inheritance andShow MoreRelatedDevelopmental Psychology1194 Words   |  5 PagesElam, K. K., Harold, G. T., Neiderhiser, J. M., Reiss, D., Shaw, D. S., Natsuaki, M. N., . . . L eve, L. D. (2014). Adoptive parent hostility and children’s peer behavior problems: Examining the role of genetically informed child attributes on adoptive parent behavior. Developmental Psychology, 50(5), 1543-1552. This source goes against the belief that nature and nurture even paly that much of a significant role in the way children grow up to portray themselves. Elam and Shaw say that it’s all aboutRead MoreSerial Killers Statistics : Serial Killer Statistics Essay818 Words   |  4 PagesRetrieved July 28, 2016 from http://faculty.fortlewis.edu/burke_b/forensic/class%20readings/murder.pdf In this article, the focus is on comparing the traits and similarities of the seven killers interviewed in order to increase knowledge on the behaviors behind the serial murderers. The interview covers the perpetrators backgrounds, their personal views of themselves, and the world. Consequently, this approach will reveal the deepest thoughts of a killer’s brain. Guy, F. (2015, July 8). Inside theRead MoreChild Development: Heredity and Environment1240 Words   |  5 Pagesbetween nature versus nurture or even environment versus heredity leads to the question of: does the direct environment or the nature surrounding an adolescent directly influence acts of delinquency, later progressing further into more radical crimes such as murder or psychotic manifestation, or is it directly linked to the hereditary traits and genes passed down from that individual adolescent’s biological parents? To answer this question one must first understand the difference between nature, nurtureRead MoreFrankenstein : Are Monsters Born Or Created?1058 Words   |  5 Pagesthe novel Frankenstein written by Mary Shelley, the creature is subjected to countless acts of violence and rejection. For a monster to develop, one must have been formerly exploited either by an individual or their society. The creature is not only a physical product of science, but his atrocious behavior is also an explicit result of Victor’s actions toward him. The creature was not born a monster, but slowly morphed into one as he experiences violence and rejection from his society. Monsters areRead MoreEssay on Unit 7 Ps3301380 Words   |  6 Pagesdivestiture of egocentrism with a better understanding of the self and the relationship of the self to others (Schultz, Schultz, 2008). Cognition is a person’s competencies to describe what they are able to do. Knowing that one can perform a certain behavior does not mean that they will do so. (Cloninger, Friedman, Schustack, 2010, page 373) Behavioral and physiological research generally supports Eysenck’s view. When introverts and extraverts are presented with a range of intense stimuli, introvertsRead MoreAnalysis Of Shakespeare s Macbeth, The Tale Of One Man s Ambition And Insanity1498 Words   |  6 PagesDefying the laws of society has been around for centuries, for it is human nature to consist a mixture of rule-followers and nonconformists in the commonwealth. While committing a crime is considered immoral and an infringement of human decency, there are underlying causes for the atrocity. Between addiction, drugs, pressure, and desperation, there are many outer influences as to why someone would commit a crime. Some causes can turn any ordinary person into an offender, while others are hard wiredRead More Serial Killers: Nature vs. Nurture Essay662 Words   |  3 PagesSerial Killers: Nature vs. Nurture The question of whether or not man is predetermined at birth to lead a life of crime is a question that has been debated for decades. Are serial killers born with the lust for murder, or are their desires developed through years of abuse and torment? Many believe it is impossible for an innocent child to be born with the capability to commit a horrible act such as murder. But at the same time, how could we have corrupted society so much as to turn an innocentRead MoreCriminal Profiling And The Criminal Justice System1117 Words   |  5 Pagesa person from the rest of society. Criminal profiling is the approach that an individual who commits a crime, may leave some sort of psychological evidence that can be crucial to an investigation. This theory is a vital part of the criminal justice system today. Criminology targets why individuals commit crimes and why they behave in certain situations. By understanding why a person commits a crime, you can develop ways to control crime or change the criminal to a certain extent. There are manyRead MoreSerial Killers : Nature Vs. Nurture Essay1993 Words   |  8 PagesSerial Killers: Nature vs. Nurture Crime over the years has become a very popular subject. There are countless movies, shows, books and documentaries about such events. Individuals are very entertained for one reason or another by these types of shows. There have been many discussions, debates and research studies done particularly pertaining to the question â€Å"What causes someone to become a serial killer?† Psychologists, criminologists and scientists agree that the Nature nurture debate is the mostRead MoreHumans Learn Ethics From Their Environment1597 Words   |  7 PagesHumans Learn Ethics from their Environment There has been a huge debate throughout the years as to whether human beings are ethical by nature or whether ethics is acquired in other ways. Christian Keyser’s research has evidence showing that humans are ethical by nature; conversely the Milgram experiment propagates that humans are not ethical by nature. Humans learn ethics as a result of their genetic predisposition, as well as, environmental factors such as: culture, socialization, and nurturing

Anti Obama Care Persuasive Speech Free Essays

On July 25th President Obama paid a visit to the town of Jacksonville, Florida home to a large percentage of goods imported and exported that helps fuel the economy. The purpose of his visit was to indoctrinate the principle of Obama Care. In his speech the president informed the public of an agglomeration of ideas as to why Obama Care will help the economy. We will write a custom essay sample on Anti Obama Care Persuasive Speech or any similar topic only for you Order Now And like most of his ideas it requires more spending and a bigger wage for the federal government. As most hardworking Americans know the government does like to take its eye off the financial difficulties of the middle class. But in reality the most devastating impact on the economy is the future existence of Obama Care. When Obama care is put into use this will require every American to have health insurance. And if not they will have to pay 90$ a month or up to 1% of their salary. Mr. President with unemployment at 7. 6% how is it constitutional to force millions of Americans to pay for insurance they simply cannot afford? The answer is it’s not. The Obamacare law mandates that individuals must maintain health ­insurance coverage for themselves and their dependents or pay a penalty. Similarly, it requires employers with 50 or more full ­time workers to provide those workers with health ­insurance coverage. When obama was sworn into office he took and oath that stated â€Å"I do solemnly swear (or affirm) that I will faithfully execute the Office of President of the United States, and will to the best of my ability, preserve, protect and defend the Constitution of the United States† How to cite Anti Obama Care Persuasive Speech, Essays

Favorite Place free essay sample

Comfort is something that is not easy to come by. There are many habits and simple pleasures that we indulge in to escape from the everyday stress of life. However, there is one treatment for stress that can provide an ideal amount of comfort. That treatment is being in your favorite place. Kingsley Lake has become an annual vacation spot every summer for my family and also for short weekend getaways. For this reason, Kingsley has become my favorite place to be to escape from the world for a while and enjoy myself. From the start of the day, and all the way to the end of one, the lake never fails to let me down in any aspect. Over the several memorable years of vacationing there, observing the sunrises became a daily routine. The sheer beauty of the scarlet red sun as it peaks over the pines is an addicting sight as it delivers the first of the day’s heat. We will write a custom essay sample on Favorite Place or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page Faint sounds of hummingbirds catch my attention in the morning as well while they mingle around in the dense flower garden. The serene relaxation of the morning doesn’t last long however, because my dad never fails to strike up singing as he bakes muffins or mixes pancake batter in the kitchen. But his poor singing voice is always forgiven due the aroma of his pancakes and muffins that he has perfected over the years. Since my hunger rises from the smell slowly filling the rest of the lake house, I’ll usually distract myself with a warm cup of coffee that never fails to burn my mouth. The sound of feet fumbling down the stairs is the next thing I hear as my family and cousins wake up with the strengthening sunlight. After breakfast we all become anxious to go for a swim after eating breakfast. The walk down to the dock and into the water is always bitter sweet as the heat and humidity hit me like a wall. I always become quickly acclimated to the heat and race across the smoldering dock towards the water. The sight of all my sisters, brothers, and cousins all leaping into the water always causes me to laugh, since they all try to barrel down the dock to beat everyone to the water. Sounds of splashing and laughter became the only thing that is heard from the dock for the remainder of the day. The only thing to interrupt it is the roar of the boat engine as it fires up and takes us all out to tube or water ski. After several hours down at the lake the only thing left to stop the fun is a slight feeling of exhaustion, accompanied by a raging hunger. Soon my aunt and step-mom will have enough barbeque pork, beans, roles, and potato salad ready to feed an army. At this point everyone rushes up stairs to get some much needed nourishment. The bright blue sky soon will fade to darkness after the several hours of feasting. The only thing left to do is to take the boat out one more time for some night fishing. The anticipation of an unlikely success is what fuels my brothers and me to embark on this fishing experience. The sight of a fishing rod bending over backward when I get a big bite is enough motivation for me. As the midnight hour approaches, a well-deserved sit on the porch is the next thing on my list. The smell of a cheap cigar fills the air as my uncle cracks jokes and tokes. Soon the overwhelming exhaustion will get the best of me and I’ll refresh myself once more in the shower and crash into the sheets of the bed. When a day at the lake draws to an end I can only hope to savor the last of the remaining days left.

Padma Bridge Financing free essay sample

A number of the ferryboats are obsolete; they are often overloaded and there are frequent accidents, some resulting in considerable loss of life. The construction of the Padma Bridge will replace the unreliable and unsafe ferry connection with a reliable and safe fixed river crossing. The bridge will shorten the distance from the Southwest to Dhaka by 100 km and travelling time will be considerably reduced. When completed a reliable highway connection will be established between Dhaka and the land port of Benapole, the seaport of Mongla and the district capitals of Khulna and Barisal.The provisions for a railway line on the Padma Bridge will make it possible to construct a new railway connection between Dhaka and the Southwest within the framework of the Trans Asian Railway network. Padma Bridge will also include options for major utility connections to the Southwest including gas, power transmission, and communication lines. The Padma Bridge will be the longest bridge of its type with 6. 15 kilometer of length. This will connect the south-western parts with the capital and is expected to save hundreds of thousands of working hours and huge transport costs.The Padma Bridge is a high priority national project. It would change the economic landscape of the south-western region and ultimately uplift the national economy. The project was initially co-financed by the government of Bangladesh, the World Bank, the Asian Development Bank, the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) and the Islamic Development Bank. The Bangladesh Bridge Authority is the executing agency of the project. Project cost is estimated to be US$3. 00 billion.Construction of the bridge was expected to commence by early 2011 and be ready for major completion in 2013 and completed all sections by 2015. After the world bank claimed to have found credible evidence of a high-level corruption conspiracy among selected government officials involved in the Padma Bridge project, the funding from the world bank and other donor organizations have stopped. Thus government decided to take alternative sources of funding for this project such a self funding, funding from other particular countries. 2. Back ground of the study Necessity of Padma BridgeThe construction of the bridge would fulfill the long-standing dream of the people of the Southwest region to have a permanent crossing over the Padma River. The Padma Bridge is expected to unlock the potential and transform the lives of nearly 30 million Bangladeshis living in the countrys Southwest region. By reducing distances to major urban centers like Dhaka by almost 100km, the bridge will facilitate regional trade, reduce poverty while accelerating growth and development in the country as a whole. By facilitating transportation across the river, the bridge is expected to lead o a greater integration of regional markets within the Bangladeshi national economy. Given the interdependence of economic activities and sectors, the direct impacts of the Padma Bridge on individual sectors and factor markets are likely to induce a chain of changes in the rest of the sectors of the economy. It will also accelerate the trade between India and Bangladesh to carry the export and imported products in other part of Bangladesh. The industrialization is not very taken place in southwest part of the Bangladesh because of transportation barrier. If the Padma Bridge would have been established within next few years, the industrialization will be increased. The Padma Bridge would not only offer a means for vehicles to cross the river, but it would also include a railway and a conduit for telecommunications, electricity, and natural gas transmission. As a result new job opportunity will be created for the people of the southwestern part of the Bangladesh. Thus, drive the business and economic growth of the country. About Padma River Bangladesh is a riverine country, and the major rivers flowing through it are the Ganges, Jamuna, Meghna, and Padma.Historically, this river system has split Bangladesh into (i) the northwest zone, bordered by the Ganges and Jamuna rivers; (ii) the east zone, which is east of the Jamuna River, where the capital, Dhaka, and the major port, Chittagong, are situated; and (iii) the southwest zone, isolated by the Padma and Ganges rivers. The Padma River is formed by the confluence of the Ganges and the Jamuna rivers. The rivers have their sources in the glaciers of the Himalaya Mountain Range and both drain a huge catchment area in the Indian Plains.The width of the Padma at the project site varied from 2 to 6 km in the period 1976 to present. At present, passengers and freight are transported across the river by ferry and, to a lesser extent, by launches and rowboats. Their services are grossly inadequate in terms of both capacity and service level. Existing ferry services involve long and unpredictable waits at terminals lacking basic amenities. Project Area The project area is located at about 35 Km southwest of Dhaka. The Bridge will be constructed between a site near the village of Mawa, lying north of the Padma River and Janjira on the south side. Components of the project such as approach roads and bridge end facilities will affect an area of 6 km inland on the Mawa side and 4 km inland on the Janjira side; bridge and river training works may even affect a corridor 15 km upstream and 7 km downstream in the river. The 250 km2 project area comprises areas located in 3 separate administrative districts: Munshiganj district on the Mawa side (north bank) and Shariatpur and Madaripur districts on the Janjira side (south bank). Lauhajong and Sreenagar upazilla (sub-district) lie on the north bank and Janjira and Shibchar upazilla lie along the south bank.Environmental Impact Considering that this is a large project involving significant changes in land use and impacts on wildlife. Resettlement Action Plans are needed for the people. A total of 73,329 people will be affected by the construction of the bridge. The government has already allocated $30 million for their rehabilitation. It can reduce Hilsha fish breeding in the river because of waste and hazardous materials. The bridge and associated works are for a large part situated in the active floodplain of the Padma River, which combines the outflow of two of the longest rivers in the world: the Ganges and the Brahmaputra.The project area is densely populated, yet also part of a highly dynamic environment consisting of moving river channels, sandbanks and chars, as well as cultivated temporary wetlands in the floodplain. Socio-Economic Impact The southwest zone has one of the highest poverty rates in Bangladesh, according to the household income and expenditure survey conducted in 2005. While 42% of the population of the whole country lived below the absolute poverty line, the southwest zone had a poverty incidence of 52% in Barisal Division and 46% in Khulna Division.During construction, local unemployed people will gain employment, and increased commercial activity will generate income. The country will be physically integrated through the fixed link, reducing economic disparity and deprivation. An estimate of multiplier effects on the project investment shows the bridge increasing the gross domestic product growth rate by 1. 2% and the regional growth rate in the southwest zone by 3. 5%, generating 743,000 person-years of additional employment, and thereby contributing 1. 2% of the total labor market of Bangladesh.Over the long term, the bridge’s impact on poverty reduction will be more significant, as the share of economic benefits generated by the bridge that will accrue to the poor is larger than the share of the gross domestic product that goes to the poor. Estimates of the benefits accruing to road users, using the conventional approach of estimating savings in vehicle operating and travel time costs, found the project economically viable, with an economic internal rate of return of 15%–20% under different benefit and cost assumptions.The bridge can encompasses Bangladesh’s second major port, Mongla, its third major city, Khulna, and the inland po rt at Benapole bordering India–is due in part to difficult access across the Padma River to the rest of the country. At the same time, it is expected to raise Bangladesh’s GDP by 1. 2%, pushing it over 7% and thus, enabling it to become a middle-income country by World Bank standards, with over $1,000 per capita income by 2020. 3. INITIAL FINANCING OPTION OF PADMA BRIDGE Investment and Financing Plans The project is estimated to cost $2,972 million.This estimate is based on the near-final engineering design of the bridge, approach roads, river training works, and related facilities prepared by the design consultant. Taking into account the financial costs, the total amount needed to finance the Padma Bridge Project is presented in the table below: Table 1. The total estimated financing cost of Padma bridge project Cost Item| Amount($ millions)| Main bridge and approach roads| 1,463. 1| River training works| 685. 4| Land acquisition, resettlement, and environmental management| 278. 8| Consultancy for project supervision| 88. | Project management, technical assistance, and training| 26. 0| Contingencies| 329. 8| Financing Charges During Implementation| 99. 0| Total Cost| 2,972. 0| Funding Arrangement The project cost was estimated to be US$3. 00 billion. Financing plan and loan signing have been finalized with the development partners. Funding for the project is provided by the Asian Development Banks (ADP) US$615, the World Bank (WB) US$1. 5billion, Japan International Corporation Agency US$415million, Islamic Development Bank US$140 million and Government of Bangladesh (GOB) US$600.The government also signed another $14. 84 million agreement with the IDB for the implementation of the water-supply and sanitation project in cyclone-prone coastal areas, and Abu Dhabi Development Group ($30 m). Table 2. The estimated cash inflow from donor agencies. Project Financing Agency| Amount (USD in Millions)| Share of Total(%)| World Bank (WB)| 1200. 00| 41. 17| Asian Development Bank (ADB)| 615. 00| 21. 10| Japan International Co-operation Agency (JICA)| 415. 00| 13. 97| Islamic Development Bank (IDB)| 140. 00| 4. 80| Government of Bangladesh (GoB)| 600. 0| 20. 20| Of the total amount, the government will provide Tk 50 million while the rest will come in the form of project aid. The government has requested a loan of $539 million from ADB’s ordinary capital resources to help finance the project The loan will have a 27-year term, including a grace period of 7 years, an annual interest rate determined in accordance with ADB’s London interbank offered rate (LIBOR)-based lending facility; a commitment charge of 0. 15% per year and such other terms and conditions set forth in the draft loan and project agreements.The government has provided ADB with (i) the reasons for its decision to borrow under ADB’s LIBOR-based lending facility based on these terms and conditions, and (ii) an undertaking that these choices were its own independent Decision and not made in reliance on any communication or advice from ADB. The government has requested an additional loan in various currencies equivalent to SDR 48,206,000 from ADB’s Special Funds resources to help finance the project. The loan will have a 32-year term, including a grace period of 8 years, an interest rate of 1. % per annum during the grace period and 1. 5% per annum thereafter, and such other terms and conditions set forth in the draft loan and project agreements. ADB loans will be used to finance part of the cost of the civil works, financing charges during the implementation of the ADB loans, and local taxes and duties estimate d at $80 million on ADB-financed expenditures. The taxes and duties are estimated to amount to 19. 5% of the total project cost, which is not excessive considering the high share of imported materials for bridge works.The government will finance a large share of land acquisition and resettlement costs in addition to its share of civil works. ADB’s financing of taxes and duties will be material to the success of the project. No taxes or duties in Bangladesh are considered unreasonable or discriminatory. Three co-financiers will provide a total of $1,640 million through parallel co-financing. ADB assistance through the ongoing loan for design and other pre-construction activities has facilitated the partner’s participation as co-financiers in the project. The below table has shown the interest rate and loan period charged by the donors for their loan for this Padma bridge project. Table 3. Rate of interest on loan from different financial institution Item| ADB| World Bank| JICA| IDB| | OCR | ADF | | | | Loan or credit amount ($millions)| 539| 76| 1200| 415| 140| Interest rate| LIBOR+0. 3%| 1. 0%| 0. 75%| 0. 01%| LIBOR+1. 2%| Other fees and charges| 0. 15%| 0%| 0%| 0%| 0%| Loan period (years)| 25| 32| 40| 40| 20| Grace period (years)| 5| 8| 10| 10| 4| The Bangladesh Bridge Authority (BBA) invited the pre-qualification tender for the project in April 2010.Construction of the bridge was expected to commence by early 2011 and be ready for major completion in 2013 and complete all sections by late 2015. BBA will be the executing agency. The project implementation unit established for the ongoing TA loan and its supplementary loan will be expanded into a project management unit with sufficient staff to handle the wide range of tasks involved in project implementation. The project management unit will be headed by a project director, who will be reporting to the executive director of BBA, and will be staffed with qualified engineers and experts recruited both internally and externally.The panel of experts, which was established during the design phase and provided the project implementation unit with indep endent advisory support, will continue to provide similar support during construction. The proposed Padma Multipurpose Bridge Project will provide direct connectivity between the central and southwestern part of the country through a fixed link on the Padma River at Mawa-Janjira points. The bridge will contribute significantly towards facilitating the social, economic and industrial development of this relatively underdeveloped region with a population of over 30 million.The area of influence of the direct benefit of the project is about 44,000Â  km2 or 29% of the total area of Bangladesh. Therefore, the project is viewed as very important infrastructure towards improving the transportation network and regional economic development of the country. The bridge has provisions for rail, gas, electric line and fiber optic cable for future expansion. Â  As Padma bridge multipurpose project is one of the top agenda among current affairs relative to Bangladesh.It is also regarding as a blessing to inhabitants of south-west region of the country because it will link northern and eastern part of the country to that region. According to Bangladesh bridge authority, project’s initial investment will be a around US$2. 97 billion and so far fund worth of around US$2. 92 billion has been arrange by the authority. After the cancellation of World Bank loan the question rose that, what method of financing should be chosen for this project as the economy of Bangladesh is a small and project of such magnitude will have greater influence the economy. For example, In recent ears, government have implemented expansionary fiscal policy(Providing Subsidies)for quick rental power plant, which eventually put the economy under pressure and force internal borrowing rate and interest rate to soar as a result many banks faced liquidity crisis. Therefore, the process of financing this project is very much crucial for future economic situation of the country. Undoubtedly, this project is one of the biggest projects after the Jamuna bridge and its financing has become an important fact as well. We will discuss about the available financing options in hand after the cancellation of World Bank loan.Fund collection through ADP Shakespeare wrote in Macbeth, Life is a tale told by an idiot, full of sound and fury, signifying nothing. Funnily enough, you could say the same about the politics of development in Bangladesh. It is hardly a surprise that the World Banks cancellation of the Padma bridge project has created so much sound and fury. What is not sound and fury though is the fact that we do not need WB loans to build the Padma Bridge. The government has announced that the Padma bridge will cost Tk 23,000 crore over 4 years.This years budget forecasts show that the total Annual Development Program (ADP) budget for the next 4 years is expected to be more than Tk 300,000 crore. In other words, the Padma Bridge will cost about 8% of the ADP budget. The simple fact of the matter is that the government can finance this bridge from the ADP budget alone. However, ADP financing of the bridge will make it relatively expensive because our ADP budgets are mostly financed through direct government borrowing from the banking sector at interest rates of up to 11-12%. It will definitely be more expensive than the 0. 5% concessional interest rate that the WB was offering on its loan. If the cost of financing matters a lot, it begs the question: why does the government even bother having its own development agenda? If the ADP budget is deficit-financed at high interest rates, and donors can implement the same projects at a cheaper rate, why isnt the entire ADP budget outsourced to donors? This much is obvious if the government is going to finance its own development budget, regardless of whether the interest rate it pays is 1% or 11%, the government might as well build the bridge with ADP money.Let us crunch some numbers on this. It has been reported that 60-70% of the project cost will be in the form of imports of capital machinery, materials, consultancy services etc. With the total project cost estimated to be Tk 23,000 crore, let us assume that the import cost will be Tk 16,000 crore (about 70%) over the next 4 years. That translates to a Tk 4,000 crore annual increases in the demand for US dollars. In other words, all other things held equal, our trade deficit will rise by Tk 4,000 crore due to higher imports to build the bridge. Well, let us put things into perspective.In the first 9 months of the last fiscal year (2011-12), we imported Tk 220,956 crore worth of goods and services. That means the increase in US dollar demand from Padma Bridge-related imports would be equivalent to only 2% of the import demand for foreign exchange in the last fiscal year. What impact will a 2% increase in the trade deficit have on the exchange rate? Perhaps the chart below can help with the answer. It shows the annual percentage change in the trade deficit, the foreign exchange reserve balance and the US dollar-taka exchange rate for the last 10 years. A 2% increase in the trade deficit would hardly register on that chart.Our trade deficit fluctuates a lot every year. In FY 2010-11, the trade deficit rose by 46%. And yet, the exchange rate only depreciated by 3%. The reason for that is because up until recently, the Bangladesh Bank (BB) used to maintain a pretty tight dirty float, which basically means that BB did not allow the exchange rate to fluctuate very heavily. Figure: annual percentage change in external balances that could affect the financing of the padma project More recently, in the last fiscal year, the exchange rate depreciated by nearly 11%, even though the trade deficit actually fell by 4%.The reason for the depreciation is, as the chart shows, our foreign exchange reserve balance fell by 13%. It was the reason why BB borrowed $1 billion from the IMF, essentially to avert the mini balance of payment crisis at the time. In any case, the important point to note here is that a 2% increase in the trade deficit will hardly cause a ripple as far as the balance of payment situation goes. So concerns that converting locally-raised Padma funds in to foreign exchange is going to precipitate a balance of payment crisis is highly exaggerated, to say the least.A look at our past experience with the Jamuna Bridge might be useful at this point. The Jamuna Bridge was completed in 1998 at a total cost of $696 million. The WB, ADB and OECD between them donated $600 million for the project, and the Government chipped in with the rest. The bridge was built by Hyundai, one of South Koreas biggest conglomerates, that is no doubt well-known for their very safe cars. By the mid-2000s, just a few years after construction, cracks appeared on the bridge.An investigation by BUET engineers found that the cracks were partially caused by Hyundais faulty design, as well as the unregulated use of the bridge by excessively heavy trucks. At the end of the day, both causes are really the fault of past governments. And what about the other half a dozen smaller, but important bridges that have been built since that time? How well are those bridges being maintained? Going back to the example of the Jamuna Bridge, the fact that the bridge design was faulty, even for a project that was heavily supervised by donors, points to a simple fact.There is no substitute for the government doing its job honestly and properly. No amount of donor paperwork and process of checks-and-balances will excuse the government from its duty to conduct due diligence. The government is the final arbiter of its own interest, and it has to perform by building the Padma Bridge on time and without cutting any corners. The Jamuna Bridge was first proposed by the late Maulana Bhashani in 1949. The first feasibility study of the bridge was not done until 20 years later in 1969, with the study estimating the cost to be $175 million.Following liberation, a new feasibility study conducted by the Japanese donor agency, JICA, concluded that the bridge would not be economically viable, so the project was dropped. It was then revived by the administration of General Ershad in 1982, with Mr Muhith as the Generals then finance minister. The bridge design was changed and the new estimated cost stood at $420 million. The Ershad administration even went as far as raising Tk 500 crores in funds through surcharges and levies.But it failed to start construction, which subsequently began under the BNP government in 1994 and was completed by the AL government in 1998, at a cost of $696 million. It took us 49 years and a 300% cost blow-out (mostly due to inflation) to implement Maulana Bhashanis proposal. Surely, a Padma bridge that takes us 25 years to build and only has a 150% cost blow-out is a measure of progress, no? That might be a bit of rhetorical sound and fury signifying nothing, but what is not insignificant is that we have the money to build this bridge. Fund Collection through BondRaising capital by issuing bonds is a popular alternative to selling shares, as it allows a company to avoid relinquishing ownership of part of the business. A bond is a loan in the form of a debt security. The authorized issuer (the borrower) owes the bondholder (the lender) a debt and has an obligation to repay the principal and the coupon (interest) on the maturity of the loan. Bonds enable the issuer to finance long-term investments with external funds. We must admit that financing the entire project from the ADP budget is not the best idea in the world. Some portion of it can be ADP-financed, but definitely not all of it.There are significant benefits to be had from using other funding sources. Issuing sovereign bonds in the local market (including zero-coupon convertible bonds), and subsequently allowing those bonds to be traded on a secondary market will help create a more liquid sovereign bond market in our country. That in turn will enable the development of a vibrant corporate bond market, lowering the cost of funding as well as systemic risk for local businesses that are currently over-reliant on bank borrowing and private funding arrangement may also be another alternative source of financing regarding Padma bridge.Furthermore, deeper bond markets will provide greater investment choices to investors, which can help prevent the kind of price bubble we saw in the stock market a couple of years ago or are experiencing currently in the real estate market. The essential point is: raising funds from the local capital market will lead to a number of wider benefits. Zero-coupon corporate bonds are most prevalent in the high-yield market, where their lack of coupon payments in the first several years provides liquidity in a key period for bonds used to finance acquisitions, restructuring, or other immediate cash flow needs.Many high-yield zero-coupon bonds have a structure which reflects this time series, and in fact begin making coupon payments after 3-7 years of coupon less existence. Taking on debt by issuing bonds is usually cheaper than either a bank overdraft or the cost of raising equity through a share issue. A major advantage is that the return on debt (interest) is tax-deductible, whereas the return on equity (dividends) is paid out of a company’s profits, which are taxed before dividend payments can be made to stockholders.Financing by raising debt is a useful way of monitoring a corporation’s overall health, as t he ability to repay the debt reflects the overall financial stability of the company. Bonds offer a more secure return for investors—dividends are paid out purely at the discretion of the company, whereas interest on debt must be paid according to the set terms of the bond. Private Fund Collections No one is contending the fact that Bangladesh can build a bridge using its own resources.The questions are at what cost the proposed Padma Bridge will be built and what will the process of fund collection be. The government has decided to open two bank accounts to collect voluntary public contributions for the project, which we feel is a step in the right direction Although the opening of the bank accounts and declaration of such a move by the government is specifically aimed to avoid incidents like the one that took place at Rajshahi University, the step does not go far enough.While we take some solace in the Finance Ministers statement that no one was assigned to collect money from the public for the construction of the Padma Bridge, it is crucial that the government makes it known through official notification that funds will be collected only through appropriate institutional mechanisms and proper channels. The government can raise funds for the Padma br idge from the surcharge imposed on the individual income, utiliti bills, individual earning and surcharge on the mobile phone talking.It must be made clear that there is no room to ask for contributions through any other means. Should any quarter make attempts to coerce such contributions, legal steps will be taken by the State against such party or parties. Otherwise, chaos will reign supreme in the land and the image of the government is bound to take a nosedive, because, in the final analysis, party-based collection automatically leads to extortion. 5. COST AND BENEFITS ANALYSIS OF DONOR FUND The estimated cost for the Padma Bridge is US$ 2. 9 billion.As per mutual understanding and signed agreement among the government, WB, ADB, IDB and JICA invest and ensure the cash flow. On February 24, 2011, the WB approved a $1. 2 billion IDA credit to Bangladesh for the Padma Multipurpose Bridge project. At that time, the bank mentioned that the 6. 15-kilometer bridge is the largest IDA credit ever. Later on April 28, the government signed an agreement for the credit with IDA, the World Bank’s concessionary arm. ADB, JICA and IDB then joined in the lenders’ pool and made agreement with the overnment for funding the project. According to the agreement, the ADB was to provide $615 million, JICA $400 million and IDB $140 million. Bangladesh government was to invest the rest of $2. 91 billion. Financing by donor is the most practiced process of large projects for the least developing countries like Bangladesh. Interest rates of international financing organizations like WB, ADB, JICA and IDB are low compared to commercial loan. Beside the payback period is long, which will allow the borrower to repay loans without putting any pressure on the economy.If we assume that World Bank did not cancel the proposed loan then the total invested amount would have been refunded within the period of 40 years including 10 years grace periods with only 0. 75 percent concessional interest rate. Financing the project by a donor has more benefits rather than costs. The donor agency not only provides cash flow, but it also creates some space on social regurgitation, reliability, technical advising/support and risk sharing. For example China has enough fund but they receive donor support and the hidden objective is only risk sharing.If the Padma Bridge is funded by international organization then foreign investors will find an assurance of investing industries and projects in nearby area. Areas around the project are more likely to get affected by the development project as it opens door of vast opportunities and development as transportations system between both river bank areas of the bridge will be developed. In addition, foreign firms do not show any interest in projects, which are locally funded by the government in emerging countries unless the project is financed by international organisation.Involvements of foreign firms are also important for a project of such magnitude and local firm may lack technological advantage and skilled labour to handle and execute this project. Another benefit of donor financing is that it allows government to continue the development programmes of education, health and food sector without obstructing their allocated fund. Donor financing cost is relatively small compared to its benefits. Soft loan has a very low interest although the loan size is big and interest payment amount is higher than the normal loan.Beside this, uncertainty is normal and Padma Bridge is also no different one. Expected cash inflows from Padma Bridge are uncertain as any environmental, economic or political event or shock may have adverse effect on the use of Padma Bridge. The loan amount for Padma Bridge project is expected to be paid through revenues generated by the bridge itself. Imposing fee for using the bridge is one way of generating revenue and it will also cover maintenance cost of the bridge as well.Portion of revenue will be used for repayment of interest and soft loan taken for the project. If interest is avoided then the additional amount which will be used for payment of interest and loan could be used for other development projects. 6. COST AND BENEFITS ANALYSIS OF OWN FUND In the first week of July, the government ethically took a decision to build Padma Bridge by own fund after declaration of ‘agreement cancel’ by World Bank. The government has announced that the Padma Bridge will cost Tk 23,000 crore over four years.This years budget forecasts show that the total ADP budget for the next four years is expected to be more than Tk 300,000 crore. In other words, the Padma Bridge will cost about eight per cent of the ADP budget which means the government can finance this bridge from the ADP budget itself. However, ADP financing of the bridge will make it relatively expensive because ADP budgets are mostly financed through direct government borrowing from the banking sector at interest rates of up to 11-12 per cent. It will definitely be more expensive than the 0. 5 per cent concessional interest rate that the WB was offering. Bangladesh does not have any experience in financing large projects by itself but with proper management of fund and thorough execution of policies it is possible to achieve success. If own financing practice is initiated then the likelihood of seeking foreign aid for future projects will reduce. The government will be more confident to take bold decisions for undertaking more development project. Soft loan does have a small interest rate but still interest is considered as cost of borrowing.Self-financing exempt cost of borrowing thus no additional cash outflow will occur regarding financing the project after project completion. Another benefit of self-financing scheme is it attracts investors for investment in the economy because self-financing shows that the economy is strong enough to support its own growth and bright prospects of future growth. Emerging countries provide more opportunity than developed countries because the growth of emerging economies is much higher than developed economies.Own financing also gives the government authority to modify and execute policies it wants to use for the betterment of the economy and the project without any interference of foreign affair. Government controls the whole project and can induce any rules, regulations or policies which will affect it. Self-financing has a big problem to increasing cost of the project. Cost of such project is not always fixed and it increases as construction goes forward. Even, due to some economic shock, government may need to reprioritize its fund allocated for the project and eventually it will obstruct regular project progression.The government is likely to face problem of not convincing an internationally renowned firm for undertaking the project. In emerging countries, internationally renowned firms do not operate their task unless projects are funded by WB, ADB and JICA. Though local firms can be used for the project but local firms in Bangladesh lack the expertise, technology and skills needed to successfully accomplish this project. Last but not the least; Bangladesh government will need to undertake austerity measures to reduce the pressure of this project from the economy. 7. OBSERVATION AND FINDINGSDonor financing is better for Bangladesh because the ‘net social benefit’ is more in donor financing scheme than own financing scheme. The opportunity cost of own financing is much higher than donor financing scheme. If own financing is chosen then other development drives is more likely to face dilemma of going forward or even face a sudden halt. Education, health and employment development are integral part for building a stable and bright future for a nation but funds are also needed to support such development. Soft loan provided for this project is around US$ 2. 4 billion as stated earlier. The amount of interest on loan provided by WB, ADB, JICA and IDB are respectively US$ 249 million, US$ 246 million, US$ 10 million and US$ 54. 60 million. Most of the loan period is 40 years except IDB with 20 years. Thus, the government has enough time to repay the loan and with steady growth in economy will be able to pay back the loan before its maturity as the project will trigger development on project nearby area. Besides, the bridge itself will provide a strong revenue stream through imposing ‘toll rate’ for passing vehicles.With a high traffic scenario, analysts predicted that the bridge itself will be able to repay the loan in 17 years, which shows a financial internal rate of return (FIRR) of 7. 9 per cent in nominal terms. Even in a low traffic scenario, analysts predicted that it will repay in 19 years with a FIRR of 6. 5 per cent. This much is obvious if the government is going to finance its own development budget, regardless of the interest rate, the government might as well build the bridge by the help of ADP.And if the Padma Bridge is not a high priority development work, we do not know how to solve this problem precisely. That said, we must admit that financing the entire project from the ADP budget is not the best idea in the world. Some portion of it can be ADP-financed, but definitely not all of it. There are significant benefits to be had from using other funding sources. Besides, the issue of sovereign bonds in the local market (including zero-coupon convertible bonds), and subsequently allowing those bonds to be traded on a secondary market will help create a more liquid sovereign bond market in our country.That, in turn, will enable the development of a vibrant corporate bond market, lowering the cost of funding as well as systemic risk for local businesses that are currently over-reliant on bank borrowing. However, this line of argument is also not without its critiques. One such critique is that this project will require a large amount of foreign currency, which will be costly to attain if the funds are raised locally and then have to be converted into foreign exchange. That is no doubt a valid cause for concern, but one that is prone to exaggeration.It has been reported that 60-70 per cent of the project cost will be in the form of imports of capital machinery, materials, consultancy services etc. With the total project cost estimated to be Tk 23,000 crore, it can be assumed that the import cost will be around Tk 16,000 crore over the next four years. That translates to a Tk 4,000 crore annual increases in the demand for US dollars. In other words, all other things held equal, our trade deficit will widen by Tk 4,000 crore due to higher imports to build the bridge.This means, in the first nine months of the last fiscal year, Tk 220,956 crore worth of goods and services were imported. That means the increase in US dollar demand from the project related imports would be equivalent to only two per cent of the import demand for foreign exchange in the last fiscal year. In FY 2010-11, the trade deficit rose by 46 per cent. And yet, the exchange rate only depreciated by three per cent. The reason for that is because up until recently, the Bangladesh Bank used to maintain a pretty tight dirty float, which basically means that BB did not allow the exchange rate to fluctuate very heavily. . CONCLUSION All things considered, we do not think it is unreasonable to conclude that we are capable of financing the Padma Bride on our own. That said, financing a bridge and implementing a project of the sheer large scale and complexity as the Padma bridge are two different things. So let us address the real elephant in the room. Does the government have the institutional capability to deliver this project? A project of this size will undoubtedly require the implementation of lots of other side projects, such as dredging the river, river training, construction and maintenance etc.

Core Competencies of Wal Mart and Honda Instruments for Their Growth Essay Example

Core Competencies of Wal Mart and Honda Instruments for Their Growth Paper Strategic Management Term Paper Core competencies of Wal mart and Honda Instruments for their Growth By: Hari Kiran Babu. G (0711) Naga Mounica. G (0723) Sai Krishna Chaitanya (0736) Surabhi Rajan (0749) Sobhan Pavan Tej . K (0641) Core Competencies Core competencies lead to the development of core products. Core products are not directly sold to end users; rather, they are used to build a larger number of end-user products. For example, motors are a core product that can be used in wide array of end products. The business units of the corporation each tap into the relatively few core products to develop a larger number of end user products based on the core product technology. The intersection of market opportunities with core competencies forms the basis for launching new businesses. By combining a set of core competencies in different ways and matching them to market opportunities, a corporation can launch a vast array of businesses. Without core competencies, a large corporation is just a collection of discrete businesses. Core competencies serve as the glue that bonds the business units together into a coherent portfolio. Core competencies arise from the integration of multiple technologies and the coordination of diverse production skills. Some examples include Wal Mart’s Logistics and Honda’s engines. There are three tests useful for identifying a core competence. A core competence should: †¢Provide access to a wide variety of markets, and †¢Contribute significantly to the end-product benefits, and †¢Be difficult for competitors to imitate. To better understand how to develop core competencies, it is worthwhile to understand what they do not entail. †¢Outspending rivals on RD †¢Sharing costs among business units Integrating vertically Core competencies manifest themselves in core products that serve as a link between the competencies and end products. Core products enable value creation in the end products. Examples of firms and some of their core products include: †¢3M substrates, coatings, and adhesives †¢Canon laser printer subsystems †¢Hond a gasoline powered engines Wal Mart Core Competencies Core competencies play a major role in the success of the company. As far as Wal Mart is considered the following are the core competencies. They are as follows: †¢Operational Ability †¢Low Prices †¢Quality Proximity †¢Supply Chain The above core competencies can be explained as follows: †¢Operational Ability: Wal-Marts core competencies are its operational ability to streamline the supply chain through cross-docking inventory systems and efficient means of communication through technology. †¢Low Prices: This is the one of the important core competency of Wal Mart. It has its stores all around the globe. In all the stores the prices of the products are low when compared to the market prices. †¢Quality: Though the prices are low also it maintains the quality of the products it sells to the customers. We will write a custom essay sample on Core Competencies of Wal Mart and Honda Instruments for Their Growth specifically for you for only $16.38 $13.9/page Order now We will write a custom essay sample on Core Competencies of Wal Mart and Honda Instruments for Their Growth specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer We will write a custom essay sample on Core Competencies of Wal Mart and Honda Instruments for Their Growth specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer This is one of the key core competencies that the Wal Mart is having. †¢Proximity: In US Wal Mart store is located at every 5 miles. This shows how it is deeply rooted in the US market. Not only in US but in the other countries also it is more over same. †¢Supply Chain: Wal Mart is not having any warehouses. The stock in the stores is maintained in Just in Time (JIT). If the racks are empty in the stores means the goods will replace the empty racks with time. Strengths, Weakness, Opportunities, Threats of Wal Mart Strengths: †¢Customer oriented †¢SAM’S Club customers able to buy in bulk †¢Super centers offer one stop shopping Satisfaction guaranteed programs promoting customer goodwill †¢Buy from local merchants when possible †¢Stock ownership and profit-sharing with employees †¢Leads industry in information technology †¢Ongoing development of its employees †¢Strong community involvement Weaknesses: †¢No formal mission sta tement †¢Membership only for SAM’S Club †¢Keep poor performing employees on hand †¢Old fashioned store policies †¢Few women and minorities in top management †¢The company is global, but has a presence in relatively few countries worldwide. Opportunities: †¢Consumers want ease of shopping †¢Internet shopping growing †¢Dollar value increasing Similar shopping patterns worldwide †¢Retail sales expected to increase †¢Environment conscious consumers †¢Elderly population growing †¢Asian market virtually untapped by retail †¢European Market untapped by retail †¢Wal Mart can continue with its current strategy of large, super centres. Threats: †¢Regulation of Wal-Mart pharmacies †¢Small towns do not want entry of Wal-Mart †¢Variety of competition nationally, regionally and locally †¢Substitute products more easily because of intense competition †¢Being global retailer means that you are expo sed to political problems in the countries that you operate in. The cost of producing many consumer products tends to have fallen because of lower manufacturing costs. Manufacturing cost have fallen due to outsourcing to low costs regions of the world. This has lead to price competition, resulting in price deflation in some ranges. Intense price competition is a threat. Growth Strategies: In the next five years, Retail Forward expects Wal-Mart to focus on five key growth strategies: 1. Food. Wal-Marts growth in the past decade was largely the result of its enormous foray into the food market. Although Wal-Mart is now the market leader, it still has a long way to go. Retail Forward predicts that, by 2006, there will be over 2,000 Wal-Mart Supercenters in the US and food sales at Wal-Mart Supercenters will account for approximately one-third of the national increase in spending on food. 2. Foreign. While further foreign acquisitions are expected, Wal-Mart will not be successful as a global retailer if its only advantage is price, Kalish comments. It must also provide a superior shopping experience, strong localized merchandising, and a clear differentiation from competitors, he adds. However, it is unlikely that Wal-Marts overseas expansion will move swiftly enough to fuel the companys growth engine. The companys most probable courses of action will be 1) to grow its existing businesses in the US, extending customer reach, and 2) to move into other businesses in the US with the same velocity it moved into food. 3. Fashion and Family. To get more out of existing stores, and to attract a more affluent consumer, Wal-Mart must ramp up efforts in apparel and home goods. Wal-Mart is already a major apparel force in certain categories, Retail Forwards annual shopper survey indicates. If Wal-Mart succeeds in convincing shoppers to view the retailer as a destination for fashion needs, it will have a huge impact on the market. Wal-Mart will need to focus on expanding its range of merchandise, improving the quality and variety of its non-food assortment, and developing strong private and exclusive labels, Kalish states. 4. Format. To reach more markets and more consumers, Wal-Mart will drive growth through multi-channel delivery of its core businesses. By opening smaller food stores, develo ping formats for urban shoppers, and potentially leveraging its strengths by developing drug, dollar, and convenience stores, Wal-Mart could overcome the limitations created by its Supercenter focus. 5. Fringe. Wal-Mart will seek to test the outer boundaries of what consumers are willing to allow Wal-Mart to be, Kalish comments. The company will seek to expand at the fringe of its core business by developing sales in highly new and unusual categories. Wal-Marts aggressive rollout of fueling stations could be followed closely with the company selling used cars, financial services, home improvement, and foodservice. IFE for Wal Mart: EFE For Wal Mart: TOWS for Wal Mart Strengths 1. Customer oriented 2. SAM’s Club consumers able to buy in bulk 3. Supercenters offer one stop shopping 4. Satisfaction guaranteed programs promoting customer goodwill 5. Buy from local merchants when possible 6. Stock ownership and profit-sharing with employees 7. Leads industry in information technology 8. Ongoing development of its employees 9. Strong community involvementWeaknesses 1. No formal mission statement 2. Membership only for SAM’S Club 3. Keep poor performing employees on hand 4. Old fashioned store policies 5. Few women and minorities in top management Opportunities 1. Consumers wan ease of shopping 2. Internet shopping growing 3. Dollar value increasing 4. Similar shopping patterns worldwide 5. Retail sales expected to increase 6. Environment conscious consumers 7. Elderly population growing . Asian Market virtually untapped by retail 9. European Market untapped by retailS-O Strategies 1. Advertise more for shopping on-line (S8, O2) 2. Expand internationally because of similar shopping patterns (S3, O4, O8) W-O Strategies 1. Improve employment techniques to hire and keep the best performing employees (W3, W5, O6) Threats 1. Regu lation of Wal-Mart pharmacies 2. Small towns do not want entry of Wal-Mart 3. Variety of competition nationally, regionally and locally 4. Substitute products more easily because of intense competitionS-T Strategies 1. Buy from local merchants to promote unity in the community (S5, T4) . Build more Supercenters for the increased demand for one stop shopping (S3, T4) W-T Strategies 1. Allow consumers to buy in smaller bulk without having membership to SAM’S Club (W2, T5) Honda Core Competencies: Honda’s core competencies are as follows: †¢Expertise in Engines †¢Manufacturing Capabilities †¢Culture of innovation. Growth strategies of Honda 1) Integration of Honda channels to maximize customer joy and satisfaction. Honda established the current three-channel structure by creating Verno in 1978, Clio in 1984, and Primo in 1985, offering Honda products for customers with different lifestyles. Supported by growing automobile demand at that time, Honda continued to enhance its product line-up and increased sales and the number of dealers. At the same time, Honda began conducting the CSI (Customer Satisfaction Index) survey in 1984, and strengthened initiatives which always put customer satisfaction at the core. Through these efforts, Honda steadily increased the number of Honda customers and made significant progress in achieving the autonomy of its dealers. The Japanese automobile market has now entered a stage of increasing maturity, and the surrounding society and marketplace are in a transition stage as well. In this increasingly competitive environment, the most important factor is to always continue improving the lifetime satisfaction level for the customers who have already chosen the Honda brand. Based on this concept, Honda decided to integrate its existing channels into one Honda channel where customers will be able to purchase and service any Honda brand automobile and to continue receiving high quality sales and service from the same dealer for future needs whether that be replacing their current vehicle or adding another one. Honda also aims to build a dealer network that places the Honda brand at the forefront by maximizing use of existing facilities and manpower and by optimizing the location of sales facilities. 2) Introducing Acura to create new value for the customer and to continue to achieve further growth and to take a big step forward in Japan. Introducing Acura to create new value for the customer and to continue to achieve further growth and to take a big step forward in Japan Recently, the values desired by the customer have become even more diverse and customer needs are becoming increasingly sophisticated in the automobile market. Honda will proactively respond to these changes by creating new value for the customer with the introduction of Acura, a luxury brand that will offer a distinctive driving experience and other unique characteristics. The Acura brand will start in fall 2008, with approximately 100 dealers in Japan. This also will enable Honda to achieve further growth and take a big step forward in its home market of Japan. With this new sales channel strategy, Honda will accelerate its effort to maximize customer joy and satisfaction, and by challenging in this new area Honda will pursue the goal of consistently achieving annual sales of more than 800,000 units. 3) American Manufacturing Capacity Expansion Honda announces plans to build a automobile plant in Decatur County, Indiana, southeast of Indianapolis. The plant will begin production of fuel efficient 4-cylinder vehicles by the fall of 2008 and will leverage its flexible manufacturing system. .In 2005, American Honda achieved record U. S. ales of 1,462,472 new Honda and Acura cars and light trucks, the ninth straight year of record annual sales. In order to meet growing demand, Honda plans to build the new Indiana plant in approximately 24 months, with construction expected to begin in fall 2006. Honda will announce additional details of its vehicle production plans at a later date. The new plant will have the same type of flexible New Manufact uring System that is found in Hondas other auto plants in the U. S. and Canada, with advanced technologies that provide the flexibility to produce different models more quickly and efficiently. Major processes performed at the Indiana plant will include stamping, welding, painting, plastic injection molding and assembly operations. Internal factor matrix Strengthsweightratingweighted score strong brand and reputation for producing high quality products from cars to motorcycle 0. 1540. 6 Automobiles are reliable and generally fuel effecient0. 0530. 15 wide range of products0. 1240. 48 good distribution network0. 1340. 52 Advertizing was given the key role in the invasion0. 0530. 15 Penetration pricing0. 130. 3 Weakness Honda products are fairly mild and inoffensive in terms of styling0. 310. 13 The sales of motor cycles are very low at the beginning0. 0510. 05 Their prices are high for non luxury vehicles than comparable modes by other manufacturers0. 120. 2 it is still just a niche market0. 1210. 12 Total12. 4 Interpretation: Company is trying to overcome its weaknesses and maintain its strengths. External factor matrix opportunities The image of motor cyclist is changed0. 0520. 1 To continue progressive low emission vehicles and alternative power sources0. 230. 6 An offering in a pick up type truck would be profitable0. 1530. 5 They can develop in india and china 0. 230. 6 Threats Highly competitive market0. 1520. 3 A non american product-Americans prefer the american products to foreign ones0. 0510. 05 Banks were reluctant to finance purchases for draft age buyers0. 220. 4 Total12. 5 Interpretation: Company is capable to respond to its external opportunities and threats. TOWS for Honda Strengths 1. Strong brand and reputation for producing high quality products from cars to motorcycle. 2. Automobiles are reliable and generally fuel efficient 3. Good distribution network 4. Advertising was given the key role in the invasionWeakness 1. Honda products are fairly mild and inoffensive in terms of styling. 2. The sales of motor cycles are very low at the beginning 3. Their prices are high for non luxury vehicles than comparable modes by other manufacturers 4. It is still just a niche market Opportunities 1. The image of motor cyclist is changed 2. To continue progressive low emission vehicles and alternative power sources 3. An offering in a pick up type truck would be profitable 4. They can develop in India and chinaSO Strategies . The company can enter into new variety of product i. e. trucks to make it profitable(s3,03) 2. Due to its good distribution network it can go to different nations like India and china where labour was cheap and transportation cost is low(s4,04) 3. As Honda vehicles are fuel efficient it can also go for low emission vehicles (s2,02)WO Strategies 1. It is just a niche market but when it enters into truck it can go for profitability (w4,o3) 2. In order to go for low emission vehicles it can go for solar vehicles and stylish vehicles also. (w1,02) Threats 1. Highly competitive market 2. A non American product-Americans prefer the American products to foreign ones ST Strategies 1. It can go for other countries rather than America or go for innovative products(s1,t2) WT strategies 1. It can enter into new markets(w4,t1) Conclusion: Wal Mart is expanding into many countries. India is one of them. It has succeeded in many countries, but it also failed in some countries like Germany with the same core competencies and strengths. It is mostly concentrated in North America only. Now it is entering in to new markets. The company’s core competencies and the growth strategies will play a key role in the success of the company in the new markets. As Honda is into automobile industry the threats form the competitors will be high. The innovations of Honda in respect to two wheelers and four wheelers can be duplicated by the other companies easily. But one of its core competencies is with the power generators and gasoline engines. As the competitors are investing more in the R, even Honda also have to invest more in its R to get an edge over the competitors. â€Å"Asimo† is the best example for its innovations.

Newtons Second Law Coursework Essays

Newtons Second Law Coursework Essays Newtons Second Law Coursework Essay Newtons Second Law Coursework Essay Isaac Newtons second Law of Motion states that, Force = Mass x Acceleration. For this project I intend to prove or disprove this theory. The fact that the Law has survived 300 years of evolving science provides much of the needed evidence that the Law is truthful and works but I will do the experiment to determine my own set of results.I hope to answer the question:Is there a link between mass and acceleration ?Newtons Second LawNewtons Second Law is a way of finding the force that is acting on a certain object by using the known mass of the object and the projected acceleration and that the mass is inversely proportional to the acceleration.For example, A bus keeps going forward because the forces of acceleration and friction are unbalanced but as soon as these forces become balanced than the bus will keep a steady speed. It is this that I am going to investigate.The Law can be tested quite easily by using a simple test, involving a trolley, a ramp and some weights. The experiment i s explained below.Input VariableI will be using Force as the input variable for this experiment. I will change the force with which the trolley will be pulled down the ramp with and will see what affect this has on the acceleration.Output VariableI will be measuring the accelleration of the trolley as it runs down the ramp. I will compare this to the mass and then I will see if there is any connection and if the law does actually work.PlanThe object I intend to use as the mass is a three-wheeled trolley. I will measure the trolleys mass before using it in the experiment. I will use a 2 metre long runway to measure the acceleration of the trolley. The runway will be slightly elevated so that the amount of friction that is acting on the trolley will be at a minimum. To combat the friction when the string and weights are pulling the trolley down the ramp, I will use a pulley to make sure as little friction as possible will occur. I will also have the ramp at an angle which will produce as little friction as possible. This is important because if I didnt do this then the friction that would occur would slow down the trolley and I would get anomalous results. I will use differing amounts of weights to pull the trolley down the runway. We are planning to do 5 experiments, each with a different force. The first will have a resultant force of 1 Newton, the second will have a force of 2 Newtons and so on. To measure the rate of acceleration we will use a ticker timer. This will record accurately the increase in velocity and then using either 5 or 10 tick lengths we can work out the recorded acceleration and compare it to the projected acceleration that we have worked out using Newtons second Law. The experiment will be set up as shown belowTicker Timer Ticker Tape Trolley Ramp PulleyI think that this is the best way to perform this experiment because if you did it, as some of the class did, by pulling the trolley using a force meter, then it would be quite difficult to pull the trolley at a steady force and so would not get such accurate readings.To work out the results I will use the formula, Acceleration = Force A= FMass MOrOutput = InputVariableIt is easier for a smaller, lighter object to be moved rather than a larger heavier object. For a small object, with a smaller mass to accelerate at the same speed as a larger object with a larger mass, the force would need to be increased with the size of the object. In this experiment, though, the force will be constant, as the variable being changed is mass, therefore, the acceleration will decrease as the mass increases.A list of the equipment I will need is shown below:1. A Trolley2. A Two Metre long ramp3. A Ticker Timer4. Ticker Tape5. A Pulley so when we let the weights drop there will be as little friction as possible.6. String7. 5x 1Newton weightsWe will measure the acceleration caused by a certain weight three times to make sure we get the right results.The Variables* Mass* Acceleration* For ce* FrictionSee page one for variables being tested.How to make it a fair testTo make the experiment fair, the only variable that I will change is the amount of weight that is used to pull the trolley down the runway. All the other components i.e. length of string, height of runway, and stated variables will be kept the same.PredictionBased on the results that we obtained when we used Newtons Theory to work out the projected accelerations for each different weight, I would say that the more weight that is applied to pull the trolley down the ramp the more the trolley will accelerate. This is because the trolley has an unbalanced force which means it will accelerate. The object will continue to accelerate until the forces (gravity and friction) are balanced at which time it will keep travelling at a constant force (speed) until the forces become unbalanced again which will make the trolley slow down.Following the theory that the mass is inversely proportional to the acceleration, I predict that when all the results have been calculated, and placed on a graph, it will look similar to the following:As the mass increases, theAcceleration increases and as theMass decreases, the accelerationAcceleration decreases.massSafetyWhen performing the experiments there are going to be a lot of loose wires from the ticker timer, the power pack etc. I will have to make sure that these are kept well out of the way and will not harm anyone. The use of weights could be a hazard so they will have to be handled properly and not thrown or dropped anywhere near peoples feet or hands. Because we are using a 2 metre long ramp, it will be too long to fit on a desk, I will have to find a suitable place to put this otherwise people will hurt themselves on the protruding end of it.ResultsThis is a table of my groups resultsForce (Newtons)Mass (g)Theoretical AccelerationRecorded Acceleration (m/s/s )11721.50.58 m/s/s0.36010.58 m/s/s0.38010.58 m/s/s0.31021821.51.097 m/s/s0.81121.097 m/s/s0. 70221.097 m/s/s0.70531921.51.561 m/s/s1.20831.561 m/s/s1.19831.561 m/s/s1.21142021.51.979 m/s/s1.33041.979 m/s/s1.30141.979 m/s/s1.32652121.52.356 m/s/s1.48052.356 m/s/s1.56052.356 m/s/s1.534My results are highlighted in redBelow is a graph of my results. I have used averages of the 3 recorded acceleration in the graph.