Impact of Media on Socio-Cultural Values and Social Institution in Indian Society

The media, known as the fourth pillar of democracy, has a huge impact on the society. The effects are of course, positive as well as negative. Media is such a powerful tool that it literally governs the direction of our society today. It is the propeller as well as the direction provider of the society. Opinions can change overnight and celebrities can become infamous with just one wave by the media. The growth of media as an industry has accelerated over the past few years with new forms such as DVD and the internet changing the way we, the audience, consume and receive media.In an interdependent and globalized political world, the challenge of the media is to provide extensive coverage of global politics and to examine the impact of these influences in specific national contexts. The mass media has a role to influence socio-political and cultural settings. Numbers of researchers have been conducting studies worldwide to investigate what they might contribute to an understanding of the economic and other factors that influence mass media, and how the media in turn influence the political climate and the democratic process in modern democracies.Mass media is considered one of the principal agents for societal development, democracy and good governance. Media critics claim that at times mass media has not played the role that it should have played and have played in the hands of few vested interests. The researchers have also pointed out that mass media influence vary from country to country depending upon socio-political and cultural settings. There are many different theories about how mass media influence people's attitudes, worldview, and behavior.The mass media is considered to be the backbone of democracy that influences sociopolitical developments. However, there is a growing concern that the mass media in many countries is not fulfilling these functions properly due to inherent socio-cultural barriers. These days, there are already numerous types of Mass Media. This includes Audio recording and reproduction (records, tapes, cassettes, cartridges, CDs), Broadcasting Media (Radio, Television, Cable) Film (Cinema, DVDs), Digital Media (the Internet, Mobile Phones, Satellite), Publishing or the Print Media (Books, Newspapers, Magazines) and Video games.Today we are going to discuss five types of media. They are as follows: 1. Newspapers 2. Magazines 3. Yellow pages 4. Radio 5. Television 6. Internet Out of these, Newspapers, TV, Radio are traditional modes of mass media whereas Magazines, Yellow pages and Internet are modern modes of mass media. Explanation of the different types of media with the advantages and disadvantages: Newspapers: Newspapers are one of the traditional mediums used by businesses, both big and small alike, to advertise their businesses.Advantages Disadvantages †¢ Allows you to reach a huge number of people in a given geographic area †¢ You have the flexibility in deciding the ad size and placement withi n the newspaper †¢ Your ad can be as large as necessary to communicate as much of a story as you care to tell †¢ Exposure to your ad is not limited; readers can go back to your message again and again if so desired. †¢ Free help in creating and producing ad copy is usually available †¢ Quick turn-around helps your ad reflect the changing market conditions.The ad you decide to run today can be in your customers' hands in one to two days. †¢ Ad space can be expensive †¢ Your ad has to compete against the clutter of other advertisers, including the giants ads run by supermarkets and department stores as well as the ads of your competitors †¢ Poor photo reproduction limits creativity †¢ Newspapers are a price-oriented medium; most ads are for sales †¢ Expect your ad to have a short shelf life, as newspapers are usually read once and then discarded. You may be paying to send your message to a lot of people who will probably never be in the mar ket to buy from you. †¢ Newspapers are a highly visible medium, so your competitors can quickly react to your prices †¢ With the increasing popularity of the Internet, newspapers face declining readership and market penetration. A growing number of readers now skip the print version of the newspaper (and hence the print ads) and instead read the online version of the publication. Magazines:Magazines are a more focused, albeit more expensive, alternative to newspaper advertising. This medium allows you to reach highly targeted audiences. Advantages Disadvantages †¢ Allows for better targeting of audience, as you can choose magazine publications that cater to your specific audience or whose editorial content specializes in topics of interest to your audience. †¢ High reader involvement means that more attention will be paid to your advertisement †¢ Better quality paper permits better color reproduction and full-color ads †¢ The smaller page (generally 8 ? y 11 inches) permits even small ads to stand out †¢ Long lead times mean that you have to make plans weeks or months in advance †¢ The slower lead time heightens the risk of your ad getting overtaken by events †¢ There is limited flexibility in terms of ad placement and format. †¢ Space and ad layout costs are higher Yellow Pages: There are several forms of Yellow Pages that you can use to promote and advertise your business.Aside from the traditional Yellow Pages supplied by phone companies, you can also check out specialized directories targeted to specific markets (e. g. Hispanic Yellow Pages, Blacks, etc. ); interactive or consumer search databases; Audiotex or talking yellow pages; Internet directories containing national, local and regional listings; and other services classified as Yellow Pages. Advantages Disadvantages †¢ Wide availability, as mostly everyone uses the Yellow Pages †¢ Non-intrusive Action-oriented, as the audience is actually lo oking for the ads †¢ Ads are reasonably inexpensive †¢ Responses are easily tracked and measured †¢ Frequency †¢ Pages can look cluttered, and your ad can easily get lost in the clutter †¢ Your ad is placed together with all your competitors †¢ Limited creativity in the ads, given the need to follow a pre-determined format †¢ Ads slow to reflect market changes Radio: Offers a wide range of publicity possibilities. It is a mobile medium suited to a mobile people.It reaches the bedroom and breakfast table in the morning and rides to and from work in the car, lulls us to sleep at night and goes along to the beach, to the woods and on fishing trips, a flexibility no other medium can match. Advantages Disadvantages †¢ Radio is a universal medium enjoyed by people at one time or another during the day, at home, at work, and even in the car. †¢ The vast array of radio program formats offers to efficiently target your advertising dollars to narro wly defined segments of consumers most likely to respond to your offer. Gives your business personality through the creation of campaigns using sounds and voices †¢ Free creative help is often available †¢ Rates can generally be negotiated †¢ During the past ten years, radio rates have seen less inflation than those for other media †¢ Because radio listeners are spread over many stations, you may have to advertise simultaneously on several stations to reach your target audience †¢ Listeners cannot go back to your ads to go over important points †¢ Ads are an interruption in the entertainment.Because of this, a radio ad may require multiple exposures to break through the listener's â€Å"tune-out† factor and ensure message retention †¢ Radio is a background medium. Most listeners are doing something else while listening, which means that your ad has to work hard to get their attention. Television: A medium that permits the use of the printed world, spoken word, pictures in motion, color, music, animation and sound effects all blend into one message, possesses immeasurable potency.Television has become a dominant force, the primary source of news and entertainment and a powerful soapbox from which citizens protests can be communicated to the nation and the world. This medium has greatly altered national election campaigns and has diminished the role of the political parties. Events made large by TV shape public opinion worldwide. Advantages Disadvantages Television permits you to reach large numbers of people on a national or regional level in a short period of time †¢ Independent stations and cable offer new opportunities to pinpoint local audiences †¢ Television being an image-building and visual medium, it offers the ability to convey your message with sight, sound and motion †¢ Message is temporary, and may require multiple exposure for the ad to rise above the clutter †¢ Ads on network affiliates are concentrated in local news broadcasts and station breaks †¢ Preferred ad times are often sold out far in advance Limited length of exposure, as most ads are only thirty seconds long or less, which limits the amount of information you can communicate †¢ Relatively expensive in terms of creative, production and airtime costs Internet: The Internet or the World Wide Web is indeed a wonderful and amazing addition in our lives. The Internet can be known as a kind of global meeting place where people from all parts of the world can come together. It is a service available on the computer, through which everything under the sun is now at the fingertips of anyone who has access to the Internet. Advantages Disadvantages E-mail: E-mail is an online correspondence system. With e-mail you can send and receive instant electronic messages, which work like writing letters. Your messages are delivered instantly to people anywhere in the world, unlike traditional mail that takes a lot of time. †¢Access Information: The Internet is a virtual treasure trove of information. Any kind of information on any topic under the sun is available on the Internet. The ‘search engines’ on the Internet can help you to find data on any subject that you need. †¢Shopping: Along with getting information on the Internet, you can also shop online.There are many online stores and sites that can be used to look for products as well as buy them using your credit card. You do not need to leave your house and can do all your shopping from the convenience of your home. †¢Online Chat: There are many ‘chat rooms’ on the web that can be accessed to meet new people, make new friends, as well as to stay in touch with old friends. †¢Downloading Software: This is one of the most happening and fun things to do via the Internet. You can download innumerable, games, music, videos, movies, and a host of other entertainment software from the Internet, most of which are free. Personal Information: If you use the Internet, your personal information such as your name, address, etc. can be accessed by other people. If you use a credit card to shop online, then your credit card information can also be ‘stolen’ which could be akin to giving someone a blank check. †¢Pornography: This is a very serious issue concerning the Internet, especially when it comes to young children. There are thousands of pornographic sites on the Internet that can be easily found and can be a detriment to letting children use the Internet. Spamming: This refers to sending unsolicited e-mails in bulk, which serve no purpose and unnecessarily clog up the entire system. These are the different types of Mass Media in this 21st century, the global generation era where digital globalization is taking place perpetually, and the forms of Mass Media is increasingly widespread and expectantly procreating. M edia technologies are becoming an important aspec t of today’s society. Each and every day, people interact with media of many different forms. Media is commonly defined as being a channel of communication.Radio, newspapers, and television are all examples of media. It is impossible to assume that media is made up of completely unbiased information and that the media companies do not impose their own control upon the information being supplied to media users. Since many people use media very frequently, it is obvious to assume that it has affects on people. According to the text book Media Now, â€Å"media effects are changes in knowledge, attitude, or behavior that result from exposure to the mass media,†. This leaves us with many unanswered questions about media and its influences.While resurgent India seems to be high on the global media agenda, powered as it were by the economic boom, the national media too has witnessed exponential growth. Tracking this growth in a meaningful perspective is imperative since its s pread and reach have been mired in socio-political and cultural barriers. The complexities that limit the growth of the Indian media story are based on a heady mix of poverty, bias, economics, and the inherent trappings of a religious philosophy that find echo in the fatalistic suppositions of Hinduism.With minimal impact to change the state of the nation, the barriers that come in the way of the free flow of information need to be tackled with more alacrity and awareness, lest the growth gets sucked into the vortex of its own limitations. The advertisement-driven consumerist mooring that is propelling the flawed Indian info-age communication story seems to be a pointer in this direction. Media’s impact on society can be judged from three perspectives – social, economic and political. Social Impact: ) Generating awareness on various social evils like dowry, female foeticide and infanticide etc. this has led to the decline in the incidence of them 2) Bringing into focus any atrocities faced by weaker sections of the society. This has brought in a sense of security to the weaker sections. Majority groups fear to do any harm to them. In the long run this will bring peace and tranquility among communities. 3) Generating awareness on good practices like health, hygiene, nutrition etc thereby improving the living standards. ) Media is responsible for the success of green revolution in India during 60's by popularizing the usage of high yielding varieties, fertilizers, pesticides and other farm management techniques. Green revolution has improved the living standard of poor by enhancing their incomes. Many new entrepreneurs from weaker sections of the society emerged. This has enabled them to rise in the social ladder and stay on par with the so called upper castes. 5) Media is responsible for generating pan India identity and enabling people to loosen their parochial and narrower identities. ) Media has been showing in new employment opportunities that are available in the market. This has enabled a common man with requisite skills to grab them. 7) Media is responsible for sensitizing our administrators on various issues. 8) Media is responsible for spreading in latest fashion visa-a-versa dressing style, cosmetics, hair styles etc. Variation of Music: India is made up of several dozen ethnic groups, speaking their own languages and dialects; as a result, folk music plays an essential role in uniting people of the same dialect group who may be far apart geographically.An example is the folk music of Bihar and Uttar Pradesh, Bhojpuri music. It serves as a means of communication as the lyrics of the songs often cover recent cultural changes and events; as well as religious content. Television & Drama: The television and print revolutions have granted access to these forms of media to the masses across India. Villages often have their own newspapers and access to television is readily available to the majority. Bollywood cinema is n ot restricted to the urban community and is in fact highly popular with the rural masses.Changes in forms of media & communication Cassette & Compact Disks: In Cassette Culture, Peter Manuel tells how a new mass medium, the portable cassette player, caused a major upheaval in popular culture in the world's second-largest country. The advent of cassette technology in the 1980s transformed India's popular music industry from the virtual monopoly of a single multinational LP manufacturer to a free-for-all among hundreds of local cassette producers. The result was a revolution in the quantity, quality, and variety of Indian popular music and its patterns of dissemination and consumption.Impact of Television:- It is nearly impossible to establish the precise number of people with access to a television set in â€Å"the poor world †, as James Murdoch, chief executive of STAR TV Group told a cable conference in India; due to the fact that individual cable subscribers sometimes pass on the service illegally to an entire neighborhood. â€Å"Moreover, in parts of the developing world, large numbers of people often crowd into one house or cafe to watch television, a factor that is hard to quantify†. Caste Line:-Caste lines have been blurred in the quest to gain access to information; which in itself is not a bad thing. Television watching, especially in the rural areas has become a communal event and it is not uncommon for TV owners to position their television sets such that they are facing the open door; allowing members of other caste groups to sit outside the home and enjoy the shows . Similarly, in villages where there is one common, government-provided television set, members of the village gather around to watch communally.This is especially the case for religious programs as well as those related to agriculture. Indian Norms:- Other than changing the social structure and norm, the media revolution has also contributed to the disintegration of so-cal led ‘Indian norms'. Movies such as â€Å"Monsoon Wedding† are an ideal demonstration of the culture shock faced by many young Indians today. There is a chasm between traditional values of chastity and dressing conservatively and the TV values of stylish and often skimpy dressing and more liberal values, including dating before marriage and other ‘western norms'.Differences between Culture and the Dominant Social Paradigm:- Culture, exactly because of its greater scope, may express values and ideas, which are not necessarily consistent with the dominant institutions. In fact, this is usually the case characterizing the arts and literature of a market economy, where, artists and writers have been given a significant degree of freedom to express their own views. Just as traditions have gone ‘out of fashion’, it seems that many beliefs have done so as well.Television has reached a stage where even religious discourse is broadcast, negating the need for te mple visits and religious-social gatherings. Infrastructure and the mass media influenences that it has brought with it have created a culture where person to person interaction has nearly stopped. Information is relayed to us through media channels, radio, television, books and newspapers. Lack of Credibility The first inherent barrier is the lack of credibility on the part of mass media in putting up typical examples of life style, consumerism and public behavior.By subtly promoting and supporting the â€Å"me, mine, myself† culture, the mass media have managed to alienate themselves from the bulk of society. The expectation of any major impact of mass media messages on the society at large is futile. Media technologies are becoming an important aspect of today's society. Each and every day, people interact with media of many different forms. It is impossible to assume that media is made up of completely unbiased information and that the media companies do not impose their own control upon the information being supplied to media users. Philosophical disregard of moralsThe general Hindu Indian philosophy makes people believe that salvation lies at individual level, and practicing daily prayers, rituals, fasts, penance, attending religious discourses etc. can help people atone for whatever wrongs they have done or are perceived to have committed. Mass media are still not central to people's natural behavior but remain an external influence, never internalized and experienced. Mass media are perceived as an entity doing its job (of spreading information, news, messages, entertaining and so on) whereas people in general go about their lives.Impact on Agriculture and Family Planning Movement On the agriculture front, the mass media impact played a significant role in taking forward the message of high-yielding agricultural practices. â€Å"Green revolution†, a nationwide campaign to increase food grain production to help India become self-sufficient in food, was lauded across the media and its gains were discussed at length. An evaluation report prepared by the National Council of Educational Research and Training (NCERT) in 1994 and quoted by M. R.Dua says: â€Å"Television has positively been useful in increasing knowledge regarding new farm technology. The farmers who viewed television programs gained more or less the same amount of knowledge irrespective of age, education and farm holding†. Dua also quotes another study by Indian Council of Agricultural Research (IARI) having â€Å"convincingly shown the effectiveness of television in imparting technical information to farmers â€Å"television has proved to be effective in creating a favorable attitude among farmers to adopt recommended practices and in inducing their actual adoption. Impact of Advertising Among all mass media constituents, advertising has a noticeably greater impact than news and entertainment media as evident by the immediate impact of good or b ad advertising on FMCG sales. Huge popularity of ad punch lines (doondhte reh jaoge meaning you'll keep looking for the stain, safedi kii chamkar, meaning the lightning of whiteness, both hugely popular punch-lines of advertisements for detergent cake and powder), glaring appearance of hoardings of popular brands in villages and small townships.There is apparently an eagerness to follow advertising messages and a reluctance to follow social impact messages. Studies conducted by market research organizations have also indicated that there is a positive impact of media exposure particularly that of television on consumer behavior. Increased rationality in consumer's decisions due to media contact is proved irrespective of the place where the media are induced. How does mass media influence young people? The media makes billions of dollars with the advertising they sell and that we are exposed to.We buy what we are told to be good, after seeing thousands of advertisings we make our buy ing decisions based on what we saw on TV, newspapers or magazines to be a product we can trust and also based on what everyone else that we know is buying and their decision are also based on the media. These are the effects of mass media in teenagers, they buy what they see on TV, what their favorite celebrity advertise and what is acceptable by society based on the fashion that the media has imposed them. There are some positive and negative influences in young people.Here is a positive influence example, if there is a sport that is getting a lot of attention by the media and gains popularity among your friends and society, you will more likely want to practice the sport and be cool with all your friends. The result is that you will have fun with your friends and be healthier because of the exercise you are doing. However a negative influence in teenagers is the use of cigars by celebrity movie stars, the constant exposure of sex images, the excessive images of violence and exposu re to thousands of junk food ads.Young people are in a stage of life where they want to be accepted by their peers, they want to be loved and be successful. The media creates the ideal image of a beautiful men and women and tells you what are the characteristics of a successful person are, you can see it in movies and TV. It’s a subliminal way to tell you that if you are not like them you are not cool yet so it’s time to buy the stuff they buy and look like they look. Another negative influence in teenagers that has grown over the last years is anorexia and obesity.There are millions of adolescents fighting obesity, but at the same time they are exposed to thousands of advertisements of junk food, while the ideas image of a successful person is told to be thin and wealthy. Also more women are obsessive with losing weight even when they are not obese; there are many thin women that want to look like the super models and thin celebrities so they engage in eating disorder s which lead to severe health issues and even death. Conclusion: Other than dress; many other aspects of culture have been sacrificed in favour of western influences.Folk music and travelling singers have given way to cassettes and compact discs; nautanki shows have dissolved under the pressure and competition brought forth by television and cinema. The traditions of storytelling have also taken a back seat due to cassette playbacks of discourses and the ease with which printed material is cheaply available. Economic Impact: 1) Media is responsible directly for providing employment opportunities and thereby increasing the living standards of the people. 2) Media spreads awareness of a new product launched by a company through advertisements and product reviews.This will increase the demand of industrial goods thereby promoting industrialization and increase in GDP. India's language newspapers enjoy a relatively new entrepreneurial prowess. A mutually convenient relationship between the owners and capitalists keeps a financial balance between local/regional and national spheres in both private and public sectors. â€Å"Like coral in a reef, newspapers grew and died in a process inseparable from the creation of a ‘public sphere' in the classical liberal sense.Individual proprietors sometimes brought to their newspapers a crusader's zeal for a particular cause or a diehard's loathing for a rival† (Jeffrey 105). The Second Press Commission in 1982 tried to liberate the press from the monopoly houses. In 1995 the Audit Bureau of circulations had 165 newspapers as members, with a combined circulation of about 16 million copies a day. The top ten newspapers control roughly 50 percent of daily circulations in all languages. Bennett Coleman and the Indian Express own roughly 20 percent of daily circulations.While capitalists sustained national newspapers, the big houses, Dalmias, Jains, Goenka et al. , monopolized and corrupted free journalism. The family and caste controlled small newspapers regionally maintain their freedom from big monopolies, thriving on their loyal supporters in north and south India. Diversity of ownership is reflective of cultural variation in India's multilingual landscape. Twenty-one newspapers control two-thirds of all circulations. Inevitability of Poverty & a Feudal MindsetA large percentage of people are still not well-off enough (according to 2001 census figures, the population living below poverty line is a worrying 26. 10 per cent) to enjoy the fruits of free mass media. Concerns for a stable job and a decent living are more important for them as compared to any message against a social evil reaching them through the mass media. In this situation, anything else may be immaterial to him, even if it is a positive message about availability of free educational facilities for children of underprivileged classes.A feudal mindset continues to prevail among people across the socioeconomic strata. While the s uper-rich treat the upper middle class with contempt, the latter reserve the same treatment for those below the hierarchy. This manifests in people's attitude towards the media as well. Those who are slightly better off, would never bother about what the mass media say (except perhaps the commercial announcements or advertisements). Strongly Self-Centered Lives Material growth in the last two decades has led to dilution of values within family and in society.Becoming successful in their own small way–even if it is a petty roadside stall selling vegetables–is what matters. And to that end, messages on how to make lives better matter little. For example, if the roadside stall is an encroachment on a road and even if the mass media reports scream daily that those encroachments are a punishable offence, the stall owner is unmoved. He continues to sell his ware at the same spot and even if forcibly removed one day, he comes back the next day. The authorities, too, tire of t his game of hide-and-seek and give up.We can see such sights all across the Indian towns and cities. In a general atmosphere that of lax rules and where one can get away with offence has made the people become more selfish than they naturally are. The erosion of authority of law and establishment and the general lack of a culture of punishment have added to this environment of general disregard for ethics. Mass media, again, have a limited role to play in making people change their attitudes. Impact of Television on the Indian Population.Ever since the advent of modern communication technology that has allowed people around the world to communicate ever so easily, the world itself seems like a smaller space. Broadcasting is an especially effective manner through which millions of people are able to become unified on the basis that they are common recipients of a particular message. One of the most powerful transmitters of these messages is of course the television; programs of which can be seen around the world to serve many purposes.In most contemporary societies, television is a highly influential medium of popular culture and plays an important role in the social construction of reality. The effects of television should therefore be recognized as having the ability to alter social, economic and political situations in its places of propagation and beyond. I will be exploring these cultural shifts in detail pertaining to India, a developing nation undergoing a grand cultural shift in part due to the rapid growth of satellite television in the 1990’s and its programming.Television is unlike any other medium of mass communication in that its social effects are prominent, and able to prompt substantial change. The strong cultural influence of television on developing nations can therefore be linked to the following factors as outlined in the book â€Å"Media and Social Changes: the modernizing influences of television in rural India. † First, tele vision programming is easily accessible and inexpensive, which is mainly due to the fact that Indian television is sold inexpensively around the world after profits in its home market have already been made.Television’s potency is also a result of its broad scope and diversity of programs which therefore makes it appealing to almost anybody. Yet another reason for television’s mass appeal is its benign presence, which allows viewers to be in control of what they watch, how much they watch and when to watch it. Ultimately, it is these factors that propel the reliance on the medium which has the power to inflict many societal changes in developing nations such as India.Through the examination of diverse groups in India such as rural villagers, youth, women and the middle class, I intend to illustrate the vast social and cultural changes taking place in a culturally rich country, in large part due to the relatively recent popularity of television throughout the country. A ccording to statistics the population in India was: In 2000, it was 1,003 million people. In 2001, it was 1,019 million people. In 2002, it was 1,050 million people. In 2003, it was 1,060 million people. In 2004, it was 1,080 million people. In 2005, it was 1,094 million people.In 2006, it was 1,110 million people. While almost 75 percent of India’s one billion people live in villages, their thoughts and actions consequently have a large influence on the country’s social, political and economic state. One of the most prolific changes in village life which can be linked directly to the influence of television is rise of consumerism in rural India. Just as we are enveloped with advertisements and endorsements which propel us to purchase that which we deem necessary, the same is true in rural India in which such things as blue jeans and hand cream have become necessities.Villagers themselves acknowledge this growing need: â€Å"I want many things that my parents never ha d. I want a motorcycle and a nice colour TV; I want to eat mutton once a week instead of three times a year†. Through this illustration, it is evident that needs are certainly growing and it is due to television and advertisements that the economically dependent third world is now being internally pressured to make shifts that may not be financially possible yet incredibly desirable. Another growing desire of the rural Indian population is to become urbanized, leading to a shift in behavior and relationships.Not only do these villagers want to mimic the representations of their urban counterparts by changing their attire and consumer goods, their attitudes are also altered as a result. Such phenomenon can be seen as a positive shift which allows modern attitudes to flourish, through which more sensitivity and emotion are finding their ways into the rigid caste system and competition, therefore adding sentimental value to various relationships. In the case of rural parts of dev eloping nations, mediation may also be useful as a way of educating villagers about their own country.The programs that are seen by the villagers are those which are produced in India yet reflect a Western undercurrent of values and lifestyles. The rural audience is therefore able to learn about other parts of their own country, which is useful due to the fact that many do not venture far from their village for touring purposes. Although touring the country may not be prioritized, with the glamorization of urban life through the media, many villagers are moving to urban centers in search for a better life. The mplications of such a shift are obvious in that the villages that are being abandoned are at a disadvantage, yet the urban cities have nothing to gain other than more overcrowding. Although the middle class in India is generally more urbanized and therefore more in touch with the globalizing effects of media, they resemble the villagers in terms of the effects of television on their daily lives. While villagers are enticed with what is outside their village, the urban middle class is able to see the correlation between the foreign and national trademarks. Multinational companies consistently attempt to associate their products with signifiers of the Indian nation, for instance through sponsorship of the Indian Olympic team in the 1996 Olympics or through more subtle references to specifically Indian conditions such as the monsoon season†. While conglomerates such as Pepsi and Coke are striving to merge the Indian identity with their brands by sponsoring sporting events and relying on Indian celebrity endorsements, the Indian audience fails to see that what they see as sponsorship for India’s pride is actually a mere scheme to boost consumerism.It is therefore evident that just as the rural class is becoming increasingly commoditized, the middle class urban population is no different. Although many televised advertisements tug on the national ized heartstrings, many direct correlations are also made between Indian cities and North Indian or European ones. In this sense, the existence of the Indian city dwellers is being justified on the basis of their city’s comparison to Western cities. It is through these processes that Indian’s are made to feel that they are being recognized, but the concern is whether this recognition is strong if it is formulated through comparison.While many of these discrete messages are being transmitted through television and advertisements, they are transforming into ideals; and, just as the rural population is in search for an urban setting, the urban dwellers are looking towards Western societies for opportunity. According to static’s result India spends so much for their TV advertisements. In 2002 US $718 million was spent out of US $ 37,682. In 2003 US $848 million was spent out of US $ 44,413. In 2004 US $ 899million was spent out of US $ 51,812. In 2005 US $1,034 mill ion was spent out of US $ 61,478.In 2006 US $1,189 million was spent out of US $ 67,672. The effects of commercialism cannot be underestimated. Today’s children are besieged by manipulative commercial messages day in and day out, on TV, and even at school. Companies hire psychologists to help them target children and manipulate them; this is called the â€Å"art of whine-making. † The bombardment of commercial messages has created a sense of chronic dissatisfaction in children and, many psychologists think that is has contributed to the increase in teen depression. In terms of programming, television shows are either Indian or Indian imitations of them. Programs targeted specifically at the middle class are often characterized by a hybridized language which combines Hindi and English. This mixture, termed ‘Hinglish’ by the popular media, combines Hindi and English in different television shows†. Through this very example it is evident that Westernize d ideals are seeping into Indian mainstream media through the use of television. Moreover, an important shift to consider is that while English is becoming increasingly predominant, the non-English speakers are being marginalized and degraded in their own home country.Secondly, the predominance of Hindi as the main language on television weakens the diverse languages spoken in India which have contributed to its cultural heritage for centuries. One of the most prominent examples of the hybrid of Indian and Indian culture is through the phenomenon of MTV and youth culture in India. â€Å"The two main foreign-owned music television channels operating in India, News Corporation’s Channel [V] and Viacom’s MTV have followed a market strategy of aggressive â€Å"Indianization. This has taken the form of programs featuring Indian film songs and music videos†¦Ã¢â‚¬  Although it may hold true that television which is geared towards youth may support Indian entertainment , these channels directly model the Indian versions of them; therefore, enforcing a global Indianized culture upon middle-class Indian youth. Consumerism is extremely prominent among this group due to the cultural icons represented through music videos and advertisements, along with their parent’s willingness to support such spending.This seems to hold true as a characteristic of youth culture across the globe, which raises the question of whether this global identity was created to homogenize this particular group. Yet another concern that satellite television and its growing Western influence has brought about is the generational reformation of these viewers. â€Å"†¦ graduate students of classical dance and mainly Telugu Channel [V] viewers and say that they have frequently experienced discomfort (and so have their parents)because of the growing trend of obscenity in Telugu film songs (including nudity, suggestive body movements, and â€Å"double-meaning† lyri cs). Families were once able to enjoy programs without any discrepancy among parents and children, the ever growing influence of Western ideology that ‘sex sells’ in the media has transgressed into the Indian market, and led to reformation of the family unit, creating obvious distinctions between tastes. The new trends in television broadcasting may therefore effectively deconstruct the family unit as the Western ideals transgressing through Indian television are slowly creating gaps within the home.Some young viewers of these provocative music videos seem to think that due to their promiscuous nature, that these television programs are also being aired in the West; however, it is this misconception that demonstrates the young Indian’s desire to be recognized by its Indian counterparts. This ideal requires placing cultural regulations on the backburner, meeting and enjoying Westernized standards and masking them with an overarching Indian identity, all in a subco nscious attempt to escape that very identity. Study has shown Television viewing occupied 10. 9% of an adolescent time that is about 12 hours per week. 0% of this viewing occurred at home, 73% was done with other family members including 7% with grandparents, uncles, or aunts. This indicates that TV viewing is a typical family activity. Adolescents’ rates of viewing were correlated with mothers’ rates of viewing, with rates for both higher when mothers were unemployed. Adolescents’ TV rates were also correlated with fathers’ rates and with fathers’ type of unemployment. Study has prove, during TV viewing adolescents reported lower than average challenge, worry, and paying attention and higher than average choice, clam and relaxation.In short TV viewing of the middle class Indian youth is a relaxed antidote to the stress of the day that they share with their families. Television has a major impact on toddlers it influences their viewing habits throu ghout their lives. Since toddlers have a strong preference for cartoons and other programs that have characters that move fast, there is considerable likelihood that they will be exposed to large amounts of violence. Children do not become full-fledged â€Å"viewers† until around the age of two-and-a-half. As toddlers, they begin to pay more attention to the television set when it is on.They develop a limited ability to extract meaning from television content. At the age of eight, children are more likely to be sensitive to important moderating influences of television content, and will not become more aggressive themselves if the violence they see is portrayed as evil, as causing human suffering, or as resulting in punishment or disapproval. However, they are especially likely to show increased aggression from watching violent television if they believe the violence reflects real life, if they identify with a violent hero, or if they engage in aggressive fantasies.One major group which television watching has effected is the age group between 5-13 years of age. Television violence is accompanied by vivid production features; preschoolers are predisposed to seek out and pay attention to violence—particularly cartoon violence. It is not the violence itself that makes the cartoons attractive to preschoolers, but the accompanying vivid production features. With this preference for cartoons, preschoolers are being exposed to a large number of violent acts in their viewing day.Moreover, they are unlikely to be able to put the violence in context, since they are likely to miss any subtlety conveyed mitigating information concerning motivation and consequences. Preschoolers behave more aggressively than usual in their play after watching any high-action exciting television content, but mostly after watching violent television. Television watching and physical activity both are related to obesity. However this has been investigated mainly in children. Te levision viewing takes up 10. % of an adolescent’s time (about 12 hours per week) study proves. Children get glued to the television and do not exercise. They watch one program after another without giving them self’s a break. They do not even have half an hour to do any kind of physical activities. This finally results in obesity. Political Impact: 1) Media has been bringing out corrupt practices practiced by our political leaders. This has enabled people to make more rational choices when electing their representatives. 2) Media has been a major force in mobilizing people during elections. India is the cradle of human race, the birthplace of human speech, the mother of history, grandmother of legend, and great grandmother of tradition. Our most valuable and most instructive materials in the history of man are treasured up in India only† -Mark Twain Yes, indeed the most valuable and most instructive materials in the history of man are in India. We are the worldà ¢â‚¬â„¢s largest democracy and an emerging force in the field of communication, science and technology.After combating recession, India is back on the path of growth and development but with challenges ahead like Carbon Emission reduction, Reforms in Judiciary, Progress of the Industrial sector etc†¦ In this scenario an analysis of the towers of strength of India will provide a strong basis for realizing our opportunities and threats in the future. Mass Media has always played a vital role in the functioning of democracy in India and exploring into these avenues will definitely play a major role in solving the problems pondered upon India. Background:On 26th January 1950 when the Constitution proclaimed India as a â€Å"sovereign socialist secular democratic republic†, the word democracy became a part of us. From then on Religion, Caste, Population, Development, International issues, Education, Poverty, Corruption, Economy, Politics†¦anything happening in our nation was linked with Democracy. A vibrant democracy attracts and filters-in the most competent ones in our country to govern and eliminates the not- so -competent. Truly, democracy in India is wider than the beautiful description of Abraham Lincoln-It is lot more than a form of government of the people, for the people and by the people.The role of democracy in India is to fulfill the dream of every true patriot in India i. e. to live in a â€Å"Great India†, a strong and prosperous one. On the other hand portraying the life of Indian people the media won the hearts of millions in India. Enjoying complete freedom the media took up the responsibility to make people aware of everything going around them whether it is good or bad. It is not amusing that the only thing in India which is trusted by everyone is Media. Even Mass Media has travelled a long way from the late 1700’s and far beyond the era of Radio Broadcasting.Mass Media in India had to resist immense pressure from t he government to be what it is today. The press had to face oppression during the freedom struggle as it was being successful in carrying out its duty to create a feeling of nationalism among the people during that time. Today in terms of Media, India is the second largest market in the world for newspapers, 18th largest country in broadband Internet users and 8th in the list of countries by number of television broadcast stations.All of this achieved when Media has been free and independent with only few regulatory bodies at the realm. THE ROLE OF MASS MEDIA IN INDIAN DEMOCRACY: Every man needs food, clothing, healthcare and shelter for his physical survival. Similarly communication is regarded as an indispensible factor for the social welfare of people. In this 21st century every individual is keen to be updated with the latest developments in all walks of life. It is here where the mass media comes into the picture which aims to reach out to a very large audience.It carries out i ts functions through advertising, marketing, propaganda, public relations and political communication. Mass media is now considered as an effective tool for advocating business and social concerns. But what role does media and information play in a democratic society need to be examined as there is still a dispute regarding the significance and magnitude of mass media in Indian society. Every citizen is entitled to have free access to the knowledge and information they require.The democratic political system depends on the efficient, accurate, and complete transmission of social, political, and cultural information in society People should be able to discuss matters of public interest with their equals in order to influence the actions taken in our nation. This ensures genuine participation of individuals in matters of public interest which is in fact the essence of democracy. Thus mass media forms an integral part of democracy as it contributes to those factors that are intrinsic t o genuine democracy.Democracy believes in the empowerment of individual and media facilitates it through communication and ensures freedom of expression and freedom of conscience. Democracy and mass media are the two essential components of Indian life. It has accomplished the task of transforming the lives of the people. But to what extent has Indian lives progressed and what advancement has the nation achieved is a matter of concern. Like every coin which has two sides the effects of mass media in Indian democracy has brought in serious advantages as well as disadvantages.We need to understand the role and functions of media in our nation and the significance of media in democracy. There is a need to analyze mass media and democracy in relation with each other to comprehend the impact of these core aspects. AN OPTIMISTIC APPROACH: A democratic society permits freedom of speech and expression. We Indians have the freedom to think, freedom to write, freedom to discuss with others, f reedom to explain, freedom to criticize and freedom to dissent. Democracy demands the fulfillment of every citizen’s right to expression.Media facilitates the process of empowerment of individual by providing an arena for public debate and by reconstituting private citizens as a public body in the form of public opinion. Nowadays, media provides a platform for every individual to exercise his right of being heard. Innovative talk shows and public discussions organized by the media is now playing a major role in the enforcement of the right of freedom of speech and expression guaranteed under Article 19(a) of the constitution. Media in India has tried every possible means to satisfy the democratic ideals.For example, during elections voters are educated and informed to the point where they are able to understand the most important political issues. During all these years the Indian mass media has successfully performed the following functions: †¢ Supporting objective news and informative programs so that people can make quick decisions. †¢ Cultivating alternative media, so that multiple voices and opinions will be heard. †¢ Mobilizing popular participation in the transition process. †¢ Multiplying the impact of transition activities by disseminating information on successful local peace and participatory efforts.Let it be any natural calamity or any other disaster we find our reporters there risking their lives to give us information regarding the events taking place in every nook and corner of the world. There are many instances of Media turning out to be real investigators in cases like the murder of Jessica Lal, Priyadarshini Matoo case, Best Bakery scandal etc. If the media didn’t take the initiative to bring out the truth before the public then justice wouldn’t have prevailed. The efforts of the media are always concentrated towards lifting the veil to ensure righteousness in society.It uses effective techniques lik e sting operations, opinion polls etc to portray the reality. Whether it is newspaper, television or internet the objective of every media is to collect, analyze, verify and present information regarding current events, trends, and various other issues of this democratic nation. Democracy believes in protecting the rights of the citizens and limiting the powers of the government. It intends that no one should be discriminated on the basis of their race, religion, ethnic group, or gender. It directs that no one should be arrested, imprisoned or exiled arbitrarily.No one in a democratic society should be denied their freedom without a fair and public hearing by an impartial court. No one may be taxed or prosecuted except by a law established in advance. The idea of democracy lays in the fact that no one is above the law, not even a king or an elected president. Above all the law is fairly, impartially, and consistently enforced, by courts that are independent of the other branches of government. The contribution by mass media for upholding the above principles of democracy in our society is remarkable.WHEN MONEY RULES OVER MORALS: â€Å"Tell me, why is the media here so negative. Why are we in India so embarrassed to recognize our own strengths, our achievements? We are such a great nation. We have so many amazing success stories but we refuse to acknowledge them. Why? † -Dr. Abdul Kalam This observation made by our former President is very true. It is a very sad fact that every morning we have to begin our day with negative news.Indian mass media often has a tendency to exhibit gossip, scandal and violence. The aim of mass media is to sensationalize every piece of information rather than sensitizing them. The Media is usually focused on the lives of celebrities and reality shows instead of concentrating on events of national importance. The lack of media literacy among the pubic also makes matters worse. With the increase in the number of competitors in mass media nowadays we find that a wide range of topics are being discussed among the public.The common man and the celebrities express their opinion, but usually there is no measure taken after that. The issues discussed become stale and after a week a new storyline creeps in bringing in hope and opening up a new avenue. Gone are those days when preferences were given to the selection of news. Media does not believe in newsworthiness anymore. There is a wide opinion among people that media is no more interested in creating citizenship. At times media fails in its duty to provide public sphere for dialogue and interaction among the citizens.Political parties started their own channels to highlight their achievements and political news was more about personalities than about their ideologies. In the absence of serious debate, voters are left with paid political propaganda containing only meaningless slogans making them disinterested and cynical about politics and losing faith in demo cracy. Forgetting its responsibility to educate the masses media is busy transforming citizens into spectators by offering them pure entertainment. What happened in most of the cases is that Global Competition and profit motive made media forget about democracy.The interests of the advertisers did not coincide with readers, listeners and viewers. Advertisements occupied the pages in newspapers. Media was concentrated on promoting an event or a latest movie which is yet to be released so as to increase its box-office collection. If media was left with the option of choosing between either its functions or its survival it would have chosen the latter. Democratic values and principles were to be buried if advertisement rules media Money ruled over morals and media was no more interested in veracity. CONCLUSION:After analyzing the role of media in our democratic society we have come to the conclusion that all these years since its establishment the mass media has worked for the progress and development of our country. All its activities were concentrated to see a fully fledged democratic Indian society. But observations also prove the fact that mass media nowadays prefer to sensationalize news. Media is losing interest in promoting democratic values and principles. Mass media corporations are now concerned about improving the financial position of their organizations.If this continues India can never fulfill its dream to be a developed nation by 2020. So the question arises: What next? Well first we need to realize the fact that the problem is neither with the media nor the democratic principles. Media gives us entertainment because we demand it. Media cannot be blamed alone for its depicting people’s preferences. So first the attitude of the public should be changed. We should not be bothered about timely pleasure instead our focus should be on long term projects which would take our country to new heights. If you are given the opportunity to express what you want from the media†¦ ust think for a while and then decide what you really want. If the media also tries to sensitize news and takes initiative to accomplish its social responsibilities then no one can stop our country from being a strong powerful democratic nation. I nformation on the latest happenings reaches people in just a matter of minutes. The vision of media reaches even the remotest corners of the country and makes sure that everyone is aware of what is going on in the country. The easy and swift availability of any given information makes media one of the most reliable sources for forming public opinion.It bridges the gap between the leaders and the masses by becoming their channel of communication. It brings into open the innumerable achievements that are going on in the country. Media gives ordinary people the power to reach out to the society as a whole. It can make heroes out of ordinary men. The media acts as a deterrent on corrupt practices and keeps a chec k on the working of the government. Media has significantly promoted social causes like literacy, health management, anti-dowry practices, discouraging female feticide, AIDS awareness, etc.Media can adversely affect the thinking capability of individuals and instill negative or destructive thinking patterns in the society as a whole. As already said before, media has the power to form and alter opinions. This means media can portray an ordinary thing so negatively that it may force people to think or act in quite the opposite way. Media glorifies violence and contains graphic descriptions or images. When viewed by the vulnerable portion of the society, i. e. , the children, it can have grave effects on their upcoming and thinking patterns.The media can sometimes go out of the way in advertising or glorifying certain issues. Usually, a bad or detrimental message is packaged in a glorious way and is made accessible to the public. Movies that depict filthy rich thieves who don’t bat an eyelid before killing someone or extorting someone and the getting away with it, sure give entertainment to people. At the same time, it encourages them to act in a way that promises adventure and thrill in life. This way, media glorifies the bad aspects of people and encourages them to act in forbidden ways.One particular article which examined the portrayal of women in Indian television states, â€Å"Although many of the programs continued to relegate women to the role of either the glamorous host or the traditional housewife, there were many examples of non-traditional roles for women. † Whereas traditional roles are still portrayed, and certain qualities are equated with feminism, the diversity in female roles can be viewed as an indication that women now have choices to fit into those roles that appeal to them. Through television, a range of options are presented, therefore reflecting the potential flexibility of women’s lives.The concern that arises in th is case is the harsh reality of Indian culture that is caught between two contradictory gender role portrayals which may either promote female independence, or discourage it altogether. It is therefore important to consider those women who desire liberation, and are held back because they don’t coincide with traditional norms and expectations. In recent years, viewers of Indian film and television have witnessed a shift from portrayals of females as innocent and subordinate in nature, into independent sexual beings.While India’s strong traditional heritage has always been significantly characterized by the traditional roles of women as homemakers and mothers, the portrayal of women on television has challenged this ideal, and therefore cultivated a new perception of womanhood for the Indian woman. â€Å"In the 1990s, the Indian ideal of female beauty changed to become more aligned with the Western concept of ‘thin is beautiful’. This change can be unhealt hy because the average female Indian body type generally includes large hips. It is therefore evident that the increasing popularity of Western norms through television can be equated with the changing attitudes of Indian females and their bodies. The concern here is obviously the potential damage these ideals may inflict upon the health and self esteem of women exposed to such figures. The very concept of woman has been revolutionized by the integration of Western ideals and practices that are seeping into Indian-produced television. Conflicts are therefore surfacing which pertain to the issues of female identity.Similarly, with the recent uproar of music-based television, Indian youth culture is flourishing into an ‘Indianized’ group which depends on Western ideals to propel their tastes. This consequently, is creating drifts within the nuclear family structure, and producing a generation gap. The urban middle class, as well as rural villagers are also affected in tha t they now utilize commodities as a signifier of rank, and these commodities are determined by conglomerate advertising through mainstream India television. Socially, one of the greatest problems plaguing India today is the consequences of Indianization.Indian’s have eroticized the culture of India to such a degree where they do not realize that they are constantly consuming high priced merchandise at the expense of their own enriched diverse culture. The Indian economy is so motivated by the capital gain from multinationals that they often try to counterbalance the impact of the western images by enforcing radical Nationalistic themes. The growing popularity of television in all parts of India is therefore making way for a homogenized Indian culture whose cultural identity is becoming ever so fragil

Two Themes Report

Personality Deferent people have deferent personality. As we can't find two pieces of leaves are the same In the world. And these personality or character will direct Influence the career selection in the further. In my opinion, some parts of personality were decided by nature, but some was not. But we have to know, In the formation of character, acquired factors also play an Important role. For example conscientiousness may effected by nurture. According to self-assessment, I found that I am tending an extroversion and conscientiousness In my personality.I found that the formation of my character has positive relationship with my education background. As structure autobiography shows that I finished high school In China. Extroversion and conscientiousness of people was easier to success in strong competitive environment. Moreover, as this character, I was more focus on expression. And I hope that I can become the center of attention in the workplace. That cause me get high score of exhibition and leadership in Work Value Inventory. Theme two: Behavior In my opinion, behaviors like a mirror that can direct reflect self-thinking.And behaviors also can reflect self-requirement and locus of control in our life. When I was child, I found that I was really like to watch the talk show on TV, and I really enjoy the people who share the success experiences for their life. This hobby lead me know that success cannot without self-effort. According to my task of Locus of Control, I found that I was believed internal locus control â€Å"which the person believes they can control their life (Rooter, 1996). † Furthermore, this self- requirement in somewhat ways influences my life. I prefer to make a good impression for everyone, and voiding being evaluated unfavorable.That has direct reflected on my score of Fear of Negative Evaluation. By GHz-Hyaline Different people have different personality. As we can't find two pieces of leaves are the same in the world. And thes e personality or character will direct influence the by nature, but some was not. But we have to know, in the formation of character, acquired factors also play an important role. For example conscientiousness may extroversion and conscientiousness in my personality. I found that the formation of autobiography shows that I finished high school in China.

Malaysia Unemployment Rate Essay

An unemployed person is one who is able and willing to work yet is unable to find a job. Unemployment rate is the number of people officially unemployed divided by the labor force. Official unemployment measures those over the age of 16 who are able for employment, but are unable to obtain a job. The labor force is the number of people over the age of 16 who are either employed or unemployed. In year 2005, unemployment rate in Malaysia (3.0%) higher than unemployment rate in Cambodia (2.5%). Malaysia is a heaven for job seekers who are not so particular on what job is available. As long as there is a job, they will just take it. The fact is true for foreigners especially from Indonesia, Philippines, Bangladesh, China and many more. With their presence, the field of job market in Malaysia is becoming more competitive. This is because employers prefer to hire these foreigner rather than Malaysian due to the relatively cheaper labor cost and easier to manage. That is why graduate Malaysian who is having straight A’s is no longer to secure a job or to give one a competitive edge in career advancement. Unemployment rate in Malaysia increases to 3.6 % while Cambodia remains the same which is 2.5% in year 2006. Another contributing factor of higher unemployment rate in Malaysia is due to job matching. Even though there is over 300 thousand of graduate Malaysian from university or college entering the job market in 2006, the competency of these graduates is still a concern where their qualification and experiences cannot directly match the needs of the employers. Graduate might choosing the wrong course or with the poor result. Nowadays, the employer will hire the worker who had a lot of experienced one. In Malaysia, the private sector today is not interested in recruiting local graduates because they lack of essential skills, such as proficiency in English, a lack of ICT proficiency and interpersonal skill. This leads to appears to be gaps between what employers require and what skills graduates have. Graduates themselves have to realize that they need to adapt to the needs and wants of their future employers. In year 2007, the unemployment rate in Cambodia still remains constant which is 2.5%. Unemployment rate in Malaysia had decreased to 3.5%. The unemployment rate in Cambodia does not decrease and remains constant in three years started from 2005 until 2007. The first cause is poverty. Most of the Cambodia citizens are poor, that is why they cannot send their children to school. Children will be lack of knowledge, skills and qualification. As a result, it will be difficult for them to find a job. Besides, with the poor quality of education system in Cambodia, schools can produce only non-quality human resources. With the limited number of university, there is no guarantee that all graduated students will find job which relevant to them because only people with quality are selected to work. The unemployment rate in Cambodia is 3.5% in year 2008 is greater than in Malaysia, 3.2%. The unemployment rate in Cambodia suddenly increased 1.0% from year 2007 to 2008. This happened due to the job opportunity. Since Cambodia is small and poor, it is not good enough to attract foreign investor. In this case, only small numbers of job opportunities are available for the rest of population. Moreover, this cause might due to lack of encouragement from government in the investment climate. In addition, the development of technology is another reason why unemployment rate in Cambodia increased. With the advantages of using machinery in their factory, some owners have dismissed their workers. Therefore, many people suddenly lose their job. This helps nothing but to increase unemployment rate higher and higher. In year 2009, the unemployment rate in Cambodia remains the same as the year of 2008, 3.5% while there is an increase in Malaysia unemployment rate which is 3.3%. Even though there are many job opportunities in Malaysia, the unemployment rate among Malaysian are increases. Obviously the reason contributing this factor is due to the world economy meltdown. Malaysia is a developing country which fully relies on foreign direct investment (FDI) especially from countries such as Americas, Japan and Europe. Most of these FDI are into the manufacturing sector. Many major multinational companies (MNC) in Malaysia have announced layoff plans including factory and office shutdowns to mitigate the impact of the economic slowdown. With the presence of manufacturing of MNC in Malaysia are significant, the layoff plans contributed to the increase of the unemployment rate.

Ration Analysis in Decision Making Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Ration Analysis in Decision Making - Assignment Example The healthcare company that is going to be evaluated in this report is Cameron Memorial Community Hospital. The financial statements of Cameron Memorial Community Hospital are illustrated in Appendix A and B. The tool that is going to be used to analyze the financial statements of the company is ratio analysis. The Cameron Memorial Hospital was founded in 1926 by Don F. Cameron. The hospital is a 25 bed Critical Access Community Hospital. â€Å"CMCH is a comprehensive healthcare system that services the Tri-State Area of Northeast Indiana, South Central Michigan and Northwest Ohio† (Cameronmch). Some of the services offered at Cameron Memorial Community Hospital include radiology, sleep center, surgical services, occupational health, and hospice care. There are over 100 doctors working at Cameron Memorial Community Hospital. In order to comply with its civic duties and social responsibility the hospital created the Cameron Hospital Foundation. The 2010 fiscal year of Cameron M emorial Community Hospital started September 30, 2009 and ended September 30, 2010. In 2010 Cameron Memorial Community Hospital generated total revenues of $41.94 million (In). The company’s revenues increase by 4.98% in comparison with fiscal year 2009. The total expenses of the hospital in 2010 were $41.10 million. The net margin of the company in 2010 was 4.51%. The net margin is an absolute measure of profitability. It is calculated by dividing net income by total revenues. In order to determine whether the net margin of Cameron Memorial Community Hospital is good or not we must compare it to the industry standard. A good database that has information regarding the industry standards across different industries is the Dun & Bradstreet database. The health care industry net margin industry standard is 4.2% (Dun & Bradstreet). The net margin of Cameron Memorial Community Hospital was above the industry standard by 0.31%. The table below illustrated a ratio analysis of Camer on Memorial Community Hospital in 2010. Cameron Memorial Community Hospital 2010 Net Margin 4.52% Return on Equity 7.30% Return on Assets 4.12% Debt Ratio 2.29 Current Ratio 1.97 Working Capital $4380419 Debt to 'Equity 0.77 The return on equity of Cameron Memorial Community Hospital in 2010 was 7.30%. The return on equity metric measures how effective a company was at generating profits from its total equity. The formula to calculate return on equity is dividing net income by total equity. The industry standard return on equity is 9.2% (Dun & Bradstreet). The return on equity of Cameron Memorial Community Hospital in 2010 was 1.90% below the industry standard. The return on assets of the company in 2010 was 4.12%. The return on assets metric can be calculated by dividing net income by total assets. The industry standard return on assets is 4.30% (Dun & Bradstreet). The return on assets ratio measures how effective a company was at generating profits from its total assets. The retur n on assets of Cameron Memorial Community Hospital was 0.18% below the industry standard. The debt ratio measures a company’s ability to pay off its long term debt. The debt ratio is calculated dividing total assets by total liabilities. The debt ratio of Cameron Memorial Community Hospital in 2010 was 2.29. The general rule for a debt ratio is that a debt

Philosophy(Descartes, Malebranche, Spinoza, Leibniz, Berkeley, Hume, Essay

Philosophy(Descartes, Malebranche, Spinoza, Leibniz, Berkeley, Hume, Locke) - Essay Example Spinoza believes that there is nothing fantastical about the natural way in which things are done. In regards to God and nature, God is simply an extension of nature. He did not create nature, nor does He have any say or anything to do with what happens, as He himself is a part of it. Gottfried Leibniz, however, believed that God was the reason that this universe is the way it is, as opposed to any other possible way. God is the grand architect of the universe, though the act was supposedly done randomly, and not premeditated. Leibniz also stated that only God would know the purpose for the existence of the things living in the universe, and the different concepts that go along with them. It is because of this that Leibniz feels that God’s purpose is to keep these things organized and to be sure that they fulfill their purpose, lest they be pointless and irrelevant to the circle and workings of nature. Part of Leibniz’s philosophy of God’s existence is that, since God decides what does or does not belong in the world, it is up to God on how much good and evil should also exist. God creates good and evil, but He chooses to keep as many perfect things as possible, since God would not want evil when He can present the world with good and wonderful things. The differences between the two separate philosophers and their theories of God is that while Spinoza feels that God is just a part of nature, Leibniz feels that God is the reason life and the universe are the way they are. To one philosopher, God plays a small, typical role that seems to be the same as that of humans and the rest of nature (meaning that God is not held in a high position). Yet, to the other philosopher, God’s role is larger and more relevant to the outcome of the universe, seeing as it is by God’s doing that the universe functions the way that

Brewer Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

Brewer - Essay Example The companies in both countries also expand through the acquisition, cooperation as well as licensing with the local parties. There is also a pest analysis which can further help in highlighting the biggest influences on the company’s organizational strategies both currently as well as in the future. Similarly these influences can either be positive or even negative but the key issue in the analysis is identifying and concentrating upon the trends and factors which will most likely have the greatest impact upon the future of the organization. (Kenneth, 1992) The beer markets in Germany have always been one of the key export markets in Europe even though the marketing of beer in the UK is primarily affected by the trade marketing activities in the cooperation with the key customers in the European Union. The company Oetker has however been aiming to enter the UK market and it has laid down its clear objectives towards the achievement of its goal. This will however have major consequences to the Burton on Trent brewing company which already enjoys its presence in the UK market. Since Germany is the largest beer company in Europe it has the highest per capita consumption of beer in the world and with the prospects of the new entrant Oetker in the market segment there are prospects of the consumption levels not increasing especially because of the existence of other beer companies like Burton on Brent in the market. (Kenneth, 1992) Oekter is one of the largest drinks companies in Europe and its entry in the European market will pose a particular challenge to its competitor Burton on Trent. Oetker continues to further seek ways of expanding into the new markets while it still moves towards the expansion to new markets and the increased market share domination in the areas it already occupies. The market for beers in their various guises is

Closet Exercise Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Closet Exercise - Essay Example Productivity and competitiveness are, by and large, a function of knowledge generation and information processing; firms and territories are organized in networks of production, management and distribution; the core economic activities are global - that is, they have the capacity to work as a unit in real time, or chosen time, on a planetary scale. (Castells 2001: 52).2 With globalization at hand, fashion industry was not exempted in this new economy. Fashion world, has become competitive over time and students are excused from this happening. It the above figures, we can say that the globalization has been evident in the clothing industry and preference of the students. Though there are a lot of students who were not able to travel around the world, it can be said that they are well aware and knowledgeable of what is happening in fashion world. Men and women are now getting more and more brand conscious. Through the presence of agent of globalization such as media, more students now are influenced by branding or what others think about what brands of clothes they wear. However, in the figures in the report, it can be said that globalization is still not that strong in students. 78% of the total number of clothes in the group is still composed of US brands with total of 357 pieces listed. 8% of total number of pieces of clothing came from Italys famous brands such as Gucci, Dolce&Gabbana, Armani and Prada. Another 8% of the clothing listed came from famous French brands. Lastly, 6% of the total clothing was from the famou s brand Mango. Taking note from the excel report, the tops and bottoms of the students were mostly from American brands. Thus, it can be said that students still patronize brands from the United States of America which are generally patronized by the citizens. The other 22% percent of students clothing tallied were from famous international brands which are known to be very expensive. But despite this fact, students still acquire these

The History of Communication in the Acient World Research Paper

The History of Communication in the Acient World - Research Paper Example The invention of writing is assumed to have taken place as part of the commercial activities here, and the clay tablets of Mesopotamia show that trade by river and sea was a major channel of communication between centers of population. Writing was a crucial way of keeping track of goods between tradesmen and guaranteeing the prosperity of these early cities. The civilization of Ancient Egypt took the invention of writing to new levels by using the much more portable format of colored ink on carefully prepared papyrus made from the stems of plants that grew along the Nile. Longer texts could be written on this material, and it was much lighter and easier to transport than the heavy and fragile clay tablets of the Mesopotamian region. Hieroglyphic writing was used both in portable scrolls, and on huge monuments, proclaiming the greatness of this mighty civilization. The Phoenicians were also very active in the ancient world, traveling around the coastlines in their sailing craft, trans porting goods and ideas across very large distances. They must have encountered people from many different countries, speaking different languages, and this need to communicate internationally may well have inspired the symbols which the Phoenicians used and these provide the building blocks which make up modern Western alphabets. The Greek civilization was renowned for its expansionism in a military sense but also for its philosophy and its invention of democracy as a form of government. In ancient times Greek ideas were passed from place to place through a combination of conquest and alliance as different cities became part of the Greek empire. Homer’s Odyssey, for example, describes how great leaders communicated to their citizens using direct word of mouth: â€Å"Straightway he bade the clear-voiced heralds to summon to the assembly the long-haired Achaeans† (Homer, Odyssey, 2.6). Human messengers were the main means of communication over longer distances between r ulers of cities and states, and without modern technologies like telephones and mechanized transport, it took a very long time for news to travel back and forth. Hellenism, as the Greek influence is called, was the bearer of many cultural traditions, including ideas about education, the arts and philosophy. Greek citizens took their culture with them as they colonized new areas, often combining new ideas from other cultures with their Greek way of thinking. Many Greek artefacts borrowed ideas from cultures which had better designs and production technologies , such as Persia, for example, showing that trade was a bearer of culture as well as material benefits (Miller, 1997, p. 202). In the time of Greek supremacy great cosmopolitan hubs were created which served as a central pool of ideas from outlying areas. It was Persia also, which first invented a system of mail service, carrying documents and portable items along staged routes between key cities. The Greeks built libraries, pre serving knowledge, and communicating it from generation to generation, so that scientific discoveries and technological advances could be passed on. People traveled far and wide to learn from great Greek teachers like Socrates, who greatly influenced the history of ideas. The Roman civilization brought many artefacts, ideas and traditions from their Mediterranean to the northernmost parts of Europe, and to North Africa and Asia also. The main channel of communication was the military roads that the armies built as

The War on Terror and the Erosion of Liberty Assignment

The War on Terror and the Erosion of Liberty - Assignment Example It is evidently clear from the discussion that in the haste to safeguard citizens, laws were enacted and restrictions were imposed that have had a deep and lasting effect on our personal freedoms. Many people have criticized the government actions as too broad, too severe, and have characterized it as an over-reaction to a single event. Others, such as John Ashcroft, have labeled the critics as paranoids and said, "To those who scare peace-loving people with phantoms of lost liberty †¦ your tactics only aid terrorists, for they erode our national unity and †¦ give ammunition to America’s enemies". It is clear that we have reached a point where we must weigh the price of a security against the cost of our lost liberty. When we do, we find that the over-reaching policies of our anti-terrorist campaign have extracted too high a cost in lost liberty, freedom, and our national identity.  The loss of our liberty extends beyond the inconvenience of long lines at the airpo rt and reaches into our daily right to privacy. One of the fundamental principle that America is built upon is the expectation that our personal records and correspondence have sacred and legal protection against inspection without a warrant. However, the sweeping powers granted to the government in the wake of 9/11 have allowed the government to examine bank and phone records of every American citizen without probable cause. Meanwhile, the government is cloaked in ever greater secrecy as many more governmental meetings can be held in secret away from the press and the public (Chaddock). While it may seem that we only have something to worry about if we are engaged in illegal activity, the fact is that it opens the door for corruption and abuse. There is the potential that political enemies could examine bank records to find out who has contributed to a given charity or political cause. It could be used to examine a credit card record to trace a person's travel or spending habits. L iberty is only of value when we need it. Once surrendered there is no returning it to the safe state of affairs that the right to privacy gives us.

Case Analysis Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Analysis - Case Study Example It is known fact that when there is reduced accessibility of any one option, people try to seek for alternative options in order to reach their ultimate target. Walking is not a convenient mode of transportation till the campus. Thus, students choose alternative courses of action, which include driving cars to the campus area. The mindset of the students has been set in such manner that they prefer going to the university by cars. There are a number of reasons contributing to this mindset of the students. Firstly, the parking fees are very low, which makes it easily affordable to the students to park their cars within the campus. The university offers lowest parking fees as compared to any other university of Canada. Moreover, the fees offered incentive to the people driving to the campus. The allowance of obtaining carpool passes had several restrictions. Only the people inside the campus on full time basis could opt for car pool pass. In order to apply for this pass, the applicant needs to be the licensed owner of the vehicle. These circumstances have built the mindset of the students in driving cars for reaching the university. Another issue is lack of enough time in the hands of the students. The students coming to the Royal Road University have a specific time schedule based on which they like to perform their day to day activities. Reaching the university by means of other transport vehicles, such as bikes and cycles would consume much more time as compared to the cars. It is due to this reason that they prefer going by personal cars, so that they can easily reach on time. All the above mentioned issues contributed to the increase in the number of driving single occupancy vehicles into the Royal Road Campus. Answer Two The second issue would be addressed in this project. As already mentioned above, the mindset of the students have been set in such manner that they perceive conveyance by means of single occupancy vehicles is the best possible option for th em. There are a number of concerning matters, which are needed to be rectified in such way that it does not have any impact on the ‘time factor’ of the students but at the same time helps the University in fulfilling its objective of reducing the carbon dioxide emission. The University considers sustainability action as one of its primary goal (Royal Roads University, 2013b). The reduction in the carbon gas emission by almost 11 percent represented its effort towards the fulfillment of the commitment. There are various constraints in the fulfillment of goal of the University. The location of the University is in such place that there is no availability of buses. The bikes and cycles would consume much more time to travel thirteen kilometers and reach the university on time. Moreover, allowance of carpooling has been restricted in several areas. These circumstances have built the mindset of the students in a way where they prefer travelling in cars to the University. The above mentioned issue have been identified and addressed as the most critical one which requires special attention in order to meet the goal of the University. Answer Three One of the most important alternatives of addressing to the above mentioned issue is making the students realize the necessity of reduction in carbon gas emission. The University can plan for conducting various programs where the importance of

Teenage Pregnancy Master Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Teenage Pregnancy Master - Essay Example The recent decrease has been ascribed to more information on this social problem and continued work. Knowledge about this problem has been updated so it is now known that teenage pregnancy is both a result and cause of poverty. Young mothers have other problems such as low achievement and low aspirations (Teenage Pregnancy Independent Advisory Group, 2008). Despite this, there is still a deficit of knowledge about the young people's views of the effectiveness of interventions to reduce the frequency of teenage pregnancy. It has been suggested that the views of young people, specially teenage mothers may suggest ways to reduce the frequency of teenage pregnancy more effectively. One such example may be that young people emphasise on interventions being person-centred. Young mothers perceive a lack of effective communication of health and education messages. They perceive the staff to be less educated and inadequately sensitive to the needs of young people. Peer education and help and services for young men are lacking. In the youth settings, there must be sexual health services for teenagers (Chambers et al., 2002, 85-90). Researchers have pointed to the roles of socioeconomic factors in teenage pregnancy. With rise in awareness, now the trend is teenage abortion which fails the purpose of preventive services, exposing the teenage mothers to a higher degree of vulnerability. It is true that there is no concrete information as to what would constitute better outcomes when dealing with teenage pregnancy. This points to the fact that it is necessary to ask the teenage mothers whether they perceive a pregnancy to be unwanted that ends in either birth or abortion. Indeed, there is an element of lack of understanding due to broader mismatch in communication. Review of literature suggests that other nonsexual health concerns are priorities in the case of teenagers, and sexual health rates lower in priority (Jacobsen et al., 1993). The Teenage Pregnancy Report shows that the UK rates of teen pregnancy are twice as high as Germany, three times higher than France, and Five times higher than the Netherlands. It has been found that the daughters of teen mothers are twice likely to be pregnant at their teenage. It is unfortunate, as the data suggest, that 75% of the teenage conceptions are unplanned, and about 50% of these result in abortion. The inadequacy of the services is highlighted by the fact that 20% of the births to the teen mothers are second teen pregnancies. The roles played by the socioeconomic factors are further highlighted by the fact that 50% of the teenage mothers exist in 20% of the wards with the highest rates (Teenage Pregnancy Independent Advisory Group, 2008). It may be argued that this distribution has no socioepidemiologic implications. Reviews of interventions directed towards reduction of poor sexual health outcomes, which include unplanned pregnancy, show that interventions have little to no role to influence sexual behaviour and contraceptive use. This has occurred mainly due to the fact that despite increased knowledge about sexual health, knowledge does not seem to influence the decision of the teens to have safe sex practices, cautious and risk-free sexual behaviour, and contraceptive use (Levine et al., 2001). These happen due to generalisation of such interventions across a varied population. Populations are

There are certain actions Essay Example for Free

There are certain actions Essay There are certain actions we take during our youth that we come to regret later on in life. Usually, such mistakes are attributed to the follies of youth and can simply be looked back on in hindsight. For most people, they can look back at that particular event and simply shrug it off and chalk it off to experience. I cannot accept that I made that kind of mistake in my life because I feel that if I had made the right decision then, I would not be regretting the repercussions I am facing now. I was a wide-eyed 17 year old when I decided to sign up for boot camp. I was thrilled at the idea of being able to serve my country even though at the time, I was not conscious of what that actually meant. 2 weeks after I arrived at boot camp, America was struck terrorists. 9/11 was the biggest nightmare everyone both in the civilian and military field had to deal with. While I was trying to train and concentrate on learning the art of war, a lot of things were going on with my family back home. I was also being pressured to come home by my parents who feared that I would be sent off to Afghanistan. The last think they wanted was to lose a daughter to the war and truth be told, I could feel their fear because I too was afraid of what the cards of fate may have been holding for my future. I began to have bouts of depression and my officers noticed a marked change in my personality. They knew that I was not fit to serve. So at the age of 18, before I could see any real action, I was discharged from the service due to a medically documented Personality Disorder. It was a case of â€Å"Too young, too soon† for me and I was so confused regarding what I really wanted to be and do that I had to be placed by the military doctor on Zoloft medication in order to deal with my anxiety and depression. After I left the service, I got over the depression and started to lead a normal civilian life. The thought of what might have been had I not left the service still continues to haunt me so at the age of 24, I want to go back to what I had left and try to see if I can still follow the road and see where it takes me. In fact, as early as 2 years before I got married, I had already contemplated going back to the service as a National Guard but put it off because I told myself that when I went and got myself that waiver, I was going to do it for all the right reasons and that I would not make the same mistake twice. So when I was sure that I had the courage to go get the waiver and see my decision through to the end, I called my husband and relatives to a conclave. I explained to them that I wanted to seek stability in my life. I associated this stability with the opportunity to pick up where I left off, that is, serving my country regardless of the danger to my person. My time for soul searching is over, it is now time for me to prove that I have what it takes to survive in this world on my own. My husband did not need much convincing because he was raised in a military family and fully supports my efforts to have a career in a field that will make me happy. My parents are still worried about me and are not sure that I am over my personality disorder but after I presented them with my civilian doctors certification that I was fit to serve in the military (see attached certification) , they finally backed down and gave me their blessing. I am presenting myself to you with the hopes that you will also see beyond my youthful error of ways and grant me this second chance to prove that I can be of service to my country in the best way possible. That is by allowing me to return to active duty and service in the military under the National Guard.

Value Chain At Siemens Wind Power Commerce Essay

Value Chain At Siemens Wind Power Commerce Essay Siemens is a world-class service provider with over 30 years of experience in providing high quality services with superior safety principles. Based on this significant knowledge, a flexible range of service solutions have been designed for both onshore and offshore projects, to optimize the output of wind turbines throughout their lifetime. The purpose of the Service Department is to repair damaged main shafts of the wind mills. The range of operations in the service department can be divided into two main categories: On-site repairmen and substitutions of the damaged or broken main shafts. At Siemens Wind Power the service department in many cases is prioritized down in the organization because it is costing the company money, and not really generating any money. The service department it just building up inventory, and havent run since January 2009. So we decided to take a look and make a analysis of their value chain to have a overview of the current situation and to see if there are any problems which need solving. A value chain is a chain of activities for a firm operating in a specific industry. A value chain typically consists of inbound distribution or logistics, manufacturing operations, outbound distribution or logistics, marketing and selling, and after-sales service. These activities are supported by purchasing or procurement, research and development, human resource development, and corporate infrastructure. We used the Value Chain framework of Michael Porter from the strategic management book because it breaks down the activities of the organisation into its many parts. Contribution of each part can be analysed for its contribution to the total value added by the organisation. Afterwards this can be used to see where to put in the effort and make improvements. The goal of these activities is to offer the customer a level of value that exceeds the cost of the activities, thereby resulting in a profit margin. Primary Activities: Inbound Logistics : Includes receiving, storing , inventory control , transportation scheduling They have a safety stock in Denmark in Tinglev that consist 5 pieces of each component and in USA they have the safety stock in Huston and consists 10 pieces of each component. The safety stocks are enough to cover demand of 35 days according to their forecast. Production capacity is 30 turbines a week of the 2.3 and 4 a week of 3.6 and they have 60.000 components. Process when a part is broken: Demounting the defect shaft and then can be transported directly to Brande, or through the regional Headquarter and then mount it. Then it is send back to Fabriksvej and repaired and then to Tinglev, where it fills up a container, which consists of 2 main shafts. Lead time of one year of main bearings from the assembly department. Operations: Includes machining, assembly, equipment maintenance. The Costumers have to make the foundation, electricity and have the infrastructure. They are only buying turbines, costumers has to know for themselves the weather conditions etc. A wind mill costs approx. 18 mio. DKK for turbine without SLA. Siemens promises in the SLA that the windmill is running 95 % of the time. But it is actually running 97% of the time. Siemens fulfill the customers service contracts through the SLA (service level agreements) which is made in corporation with the customers. They have a Monitoring department that can see if the main bearing gets too hot and then switch it off and in the UK have their own monitoring departments but sometimes it brakes when it is turned on again. Siemens can monitor the costumer without the SLA, but dont, because they didnt pay for the service. Only if the customers want it later, they can start monitoring them. Outbound Logistics The activities required to get the finished product to the customers: warehousing, order fulfillment, transportation, distribution management In the past Siemens faced a problems with higher demand than expected and couldnt deliver spare parts to the customer because of low safety stock levels there were a demand for 10 in UK because they were broken down, but Siemens only have the safety stock of 5, which is not sufficient but also keeping a high level of safety stock is also not good because it takes lots of money to keep components in the stock. Siemens is not prioritizing the service department regarding the suppliers when they need to share capacity on old components, broken components or new components. When it is new components, the service department forecast a year ahead, to meet the demand. Siemens in order to reduce variability in demand and increase flexibility in order to meet the demand they try to build a corporation with the service regions; USA, Germany Uk to get a forecast from them at least 4 months ahead. Further they ask the regions to have service materials on stock, so they dont get to many urgent orders. There is also a safety-stock in USA, which covers the demand for 35 days. From this they are making forecasts to their suppliers, for them to be able to plan their capacity, they use Delta forecasting and using Delphi method compared with failure rates. The forecasts are updated every month by the demand management department. Marketing and Sales: The activities associated with getting buyers to purchase the product. The Siemens service headquarters is located in Brande, Denmark for both onshore and offshore services. In order to optimize knowledge transfer and customer value globally,  regional service centers have been established. These  main offices are  located in: The United States of America Singapore and Germany. In an effort to stay close to the customer in the  complex European region, the heart of the wind industry, smaller offices  are also  set up  in: The United Kingdom Spain, Germany and Denmark. They get the most revenue of selling turbines .The markets are Europe, USA and Asia Pacific . Onshore is not growing in Europe, but in the USA and New Zealand it is expanding. Siemens are the best wind turbine manufacturers they offer high quality and good service for the ones who are willing to pay for it. Their windmills are running 97% of the time, compared with Vestas ´ windmills, which are running under 95 % of the time. Brand name Siemens and with the history of bonus they are adding value to their product. The service department crew is adding value when there is a problem with the customers windmills. The service department has a monitoring department which monitors the windmills all the time. Service The activities that maintain and enhance the products value, including customer support, repair services, installation, training, spare parts management. The Costumers have to make the foundation, electricity and have the infrastructure. They are only buying turbines, costumers has to know for themselves the weather conditions etc. A wind mill costs approx. 18 mio. DKK, for turbine without SLA. Siemens promises in the SLA that the windmill is running 95 % of the time. But it is actually running 97% of the time. Siemens fulfill the customers service contracts through the SLA (service level agreements) which is made in corporation with the customers. They have different types of SLA ´s to meet the costumers needs. When a windmill breaks down, Siemens takes the part back and replaces it with a new one. Siemens Service department repairs the broken part, and then sell it again to another customer, 40 % of the sights (customers) are buying the long term SLA. Only in the service department; the costumers who pay more for SLA, get service first. 70 % want service, only pays 40 % for the quick lead time. 30 % dont want service, but can buy spare parts. In the service department there are two main categories of operations: The first type of repairment is taking place on-site by service teams, send out by the service department in Brande, or by one of the regional headquarters in Houston, Germany or in the UK. On-site repairmens are taking place when the detected problem is a minor damage that can be fixed without removing the main shaft, and when the repairment can be done within the scope of the service level agreement. This means that the turbine has to be up and running again within one week. The second type of repairment is when Siemens is facing a more serious damage that cannot be fixed on-site then the service department calls for a repaired main shaft from the safety stock, to use as a substitute for the operating and damaged main shaft. The regional headquarters are responsible for planning and execution of the arrangements needed to do a successful changeover of the main shaft. The teams which are send are trained especially for this operation, and the dissembled shafts are then transported to Denmark, where the repairment is taking place. Technicians and monitor regions are responsible for telling if they have the new shafts. They communicate to the service department to supply new parts. When it comes to repairing the wind mills Siemens has to face a seasonality. In the winter is not possible to fix any problems in the field thats why Siemens is trying to fix as much mills as they can before winter in October and November. The second pick period is after the winter when mills not repaired before winter need to be fixes as soon as possible in March and April. Support Activities. Procurement Procurement of raw materials, servicing, spare parts, buildings, machines. When a part breaks down within the 2 years; first it is sent from supplier to Siemens in Tinglev, and sold, then to the suppliers when it is broken, where it is renovated, then back to Tinglev and then to the new costumer who buys it. First when it goes to the supplier it is seen if it is better to scrap or renovate. After two years, you evaluate if it should be send to suppliers or renovate it yourself? They sell them as renovated parts for 80 % of the price.The supplier is out of the corporation with Siemens after 6 months if there are problems with the supplier. They have good suppliers which are flexible. At least 2 suppliers on each part. Suppliers have to pay if the turbine is down, if it is their fault. Many suppliers are owned by Siemens, on the main parts. Blades, gearboxes etc. They have stock in USA and in Tinglev, to supply with a new component, when broken down. Suppliers: Spain for main bearing. Normark are for shafts. Stockgos Germany, bearing houses Most parts from Europe are from suppliers but they dont have that many suppliers in the USA. So have to build up a supplier network. Siemens has the most expensive turbines and best quality. They are selling service in the US and they have a service facility but no repair.If the parts are under guaranty the supplier will supply a new part or a renovated part. The hours the technicians use will be paid by the supplier. For the most parts Siemens are able to renovate themselves. Technology Development Includes technology development to support the value chain activities, such as Research and Development, Process automation, design and redesign. Thanks to process technology developed by Dr. Gerald Hohenbichler (44), steel manufacturers can now save energy by processing metal in continuous strands. Hohenbichlers groundbreaking solution enables molten raw steel to be rolled immediately after casting, reducing a mills energy requirements by as much as 45 percent. Siemens Energy has installed the first prototype of a newly designed direct-drive wind turbine. The new SWT-3.0-101 DD is a gearless turbine with a power rating of three megawatts (MW). Its rotor has a diameter of 101 meters. The prototype was installed near the Danish town of Brande, where Siemens Wind Power headquarters is located. The intelligent, straightforward design of the turbine makes gearboxes unnecessary. The new turbine will officially be launched in 2010. Human Resource Management The activities associated with recruiting, development (education), retention and compensation of employees and managers. They have a new strategy; they are now finding the costumers themselves, because of the financial crisis. Siemens has already fired 400 workers in Brande and 200 in Ã…lborg. Siemens training centers offer thorough training programs to ensure that all service personnel are trained to our stringent safety and quality standards. Training centers are located in: Brande, Denmark Bremen, Germany Newcastle, UK Houston, United States. Firm Infrastructure Includes general management, planning management, legal, finance, accounting, public affairs, quality management, etc. Peter Là ¶scher, President and CEO of Siemens AG. The firms margin or profit then depends on its effectiveness in performing these activities efficiently, so that the amount that the customer is willing to pay for the products exceeds the cost of the activities in the value chain. It is in these activities that a firm has the opportunity to generate superior value. A competitive advantage may be achieved by reconfiguring the value chain to provide lower cost or better differentiation. Now that we have an overview of Siemens Supply chain we observe that they are facing some problems. We have received information regarding the possibility of investing into a new regional service department in the states which in our opinion might prove to be a very good answer to the problems that they are facing now and since the USA market is expanding for Siemens, a local risk hedging service department may indeed benefit the company. A service department who would communicate with the current service regions and the new found production plant in the USA. Having a repair department in the U.S would cut down the transportation and handling lead times and costs. The profitability for the service department and Siemens as a whole would be to reduction of inventory costs, because the inventory will be reduced in the service department of broken shafts, when it starts running again. There would be a reduction in transportation costs; severely if they implement a service department in the US, and namely if they optimize the flow in Denmark. It will also reduce the capital bindings in defect components which are in the service departments inventory. Also a good idea would be built up a supplier network in the USA because most of the parts come from the European suppliers. Choosing the right supply chain strategy Once the production plant and service department are build they need to have a right supply chain strategy which prepares them for the new business challenges and opportunities. A simple but powerful way to characterize a product when seeking to devise the right supply chain strategy are the two key uncertainties faced by the product which are demand and supply. Demand uncertainty is linked to the predictability of the demand for the product. In order for Siemens to choose the right strategy they have to follow some steps in order to understand what is going on with their supply chain. A first step would be to figure out what time of product are they selling functional products or innovative products .Functional products are ones that have long product life cycles and there for stable demand, while innovative products are products that have short life cycles with high innovation and fashion contents as we can see clearly, different supply chain strategies are required for functional versus innovative products. Functional products tend to have less product variety than innovative products, where variety is introduced due to the fashion-oriented nature of the product or the rapid introduction of new product options due to product technology advancements. Demand for functional products is much easier to forecast, while demand for innovative products is highly unpredictable due to the differences in product life cycle and the nature of the product, functional products tend to have lower product profit margins, but the cost of obsolescence is low; whereas innovative pro ducts tend to have higher product profit margins, but the cost of obsolescence is high. A second step would be to choose their supply chain characteristics. A stable supply process is one where the manufacturing process and the underlying technology are mature and the supply base is well established. An evolving supply process is where the manufacturing process and the underlying technology are still under early development and are rapidly changing, and as a result the supply base may be limited in both size and experience. In a stable supply process, manufacturing complexity tends to be low or manageable. Stable manufacturing processes tend to be highly automated, and long-term supply contracts are prevalent. In an evolving supply process, the manufacturing process requires a lot of fine-tuning and is often subject to breakdowns and uncertain yields. The supply base may not be as reliable, as the suppliers themselves are going through process innovations. While functional products tend to have more mature and stable supply process, that is not always the case. There ar e also innovative products with a stable supply process. Demand Uncertainty Reduction Strategies Only through information sharing and tight coordination can one regain control of supply chain efficiency. Sharing of demand information and synchronized planning across the supply chain are crucial for this purpose. Supply Uncertainty Reduction Strategies Free exchanges of information starting with the product development stage and continuing with the mature and end-of-life phases of the product life cycle has been found to be highly effective in reducing the risks of supplier failure. So a good idea for Siemens would be to form a supplier hub in the USA operated by a third-party logistics company which would manage the replenishment and inbound logistics of the parts and materials to a warehouse (known as the supplier hub) which would be in close proximity to the Siemens plant. The inventory at the hub would be owned by the suppliers. The use of the hub will allow the suppliers to have much better information about Siemens needs and consumption patterns of their parts as well as about the inventory in transit. This will result in a more effective management of inventory replenishment and inbound logistics by the suppliers thereby reducing the supply uncertainties for Siemens. Supply Chain Strategies Some uncertainty characteristics require supply chain strategies with initiatives and innovations that can provide a competitive edge to companies. These strategies can be classified into four types: Efficient Supply Chains: these are supply chains that utilize strategies aimed at creating the highest cost efficiencies in the supply chain. For such efficiencies to be achieved, non-value-added activities should be eliminated, scale economies should be pursued, optimization techniques should be deployed to get the best capacity utilization in production and distribution, and information linkages should be established to ensure the most efficient, accurate, and cost-effective transmission of information across the supply chain. The role of the Internet in this case is that it enables the supply chain to have tight and effortless information integration, as well as enabling production and distribution schedules to be optimized once the demand, inventory, and capacity information throughout the supply chain are made transparent. à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Risk-Hedging Supply Chains: these are supply chains that utilize strategies aimed at pooling and sharing resources in a supply chain so that the risks in supply disruption can also be shared. It is therefore a risk-hedging strategy. A single entity in a supply chain can be vulnerable to supply disruptions, but if there is more than one supply source or if alternative supply resources are available, then the risk of disruption would be reduced. A company may want to increase the safety stock of its key component to hedge against the risk of supply disruption, and by sharing the safety stock with other companies who also need this key component, the cost of maintaining this safety stock can be shared. Such inventory pooling strategies are quite common in retailing, where different retail stores or dealerships share inventory. The Internet plays a key role in providing information transparency among the members of the supply chain that are sharing inventory. Having real time information on inventory and demand allows the most cost-effective transshipment of goods from one site (with excess inventory) to another site (in need). Responsive Supply Chains: these are supply chains that utilize strategies aimed at being responsive and flexible to the changing and diverse needs of the customers. To be responsive, companies use build-to-order and mass customization processes as a means to meet the specific requirements of customers. The customization processes are designed to be flexible. Order accuracy (i.e., accurate specification of customer requirements) is the key to the success of mass customization. Again, the Internet has enabled very accurate and timely capturing of highly personalized requirements of customers as well as fast transfer of order information to the factory or customization centers for the final configuration of the product. à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Agile Supply Chain: these are supply chains that utilize strategies aimed at being responsive and flexible to customer needs, while the risks of supply shortages or disruptions are hedged by pooling inventory or other capacity resources. These supply chains essentially have strategies in place that combine the strengths of hedged and responsive supply chains. They are agile because they have the capability to be responsive to the changing, diverse, and unpredictable demands of customers on the front end, while minimizing the back-end risks of supply disruptions. Given the different nature of demand and supply uncertainties of different products, different supply chain strategies are needed for different products. The Right Supply Chain Strategy Innovative Products with Evolving Supply Processes Companies with innovative products and evolving and unstable supply processes have to utilize the combination of risk-hedging and responsive strategies. The appropriate strategy here is to establish agile supply chains. Demand and supply uncertainties can be used as a framework to devise the right supply chain strategy. Innovative products with unpredictable demand and an evolving supply process face a major challenge. Because of shorter and shorter product life cycles, the pressure for dynamically adjusting and adapting a companys supply chain strategy is mounting. Using the Internet to develop agile supply chains with information sharing, coordination, and postponement has enabled companies to compete successfully in their market places. The challenges are great, but so are the opportunities. To be continued today