HIV & progres

Although progress has been in treating HIV infection and AIDS, the epidemic remains a critical public health issue in all communities across the country and around the world. Prevention, early detection, and ongoing treatment remain important aspects of care for people with HIV infections and AIDS.Nurses in all settings encounter people with this disease; thus, nurses need an understanding of the disorder, knowledge of the physical and psychological consequences associated with the diagnosis, and expert assessment and clinical management skills to provide optimal care for people with HIV infection and AIDS.In 1987, just 6 years after the first cases of AIDS were reported, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved the first antiretroviral agent; in 1988nthe first randomized controlled trial of primary prophylaxis of Pneumocystis carinii pneumonia appeared in the literature; and in 1995 protease inhibitors joined the growing number of antiretroviral agents.Improved treatment of HIV and AIDS has resulted in increased survival times; in 1996, 1997, and 1998, age-adjusted death rates fell 29%, 48%, and 21%, respectively.This paper intent to:a)  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   describe the modes of transmission of HIV infection.b)  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   describe the pathophysiology of HIV infection.c)  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   explain the physiology underlying the clinical manifestations of HIV infection.d)  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Describe the management of patients with HIV infection.e)  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Discuss the interventions appropriate for patients with HIV infection and AIDS.I. IntroductionSince acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS) was first recognized more than 20 years ago, remarkable progress has been made in improving the quality and duration of life of persons with HIV infection.During the first decade, this progress was associated with recognition of opportunistic disease processes, more effective therapy for complications, and introduction of prophylaxis against c ommon opportunistic infections (OIs).The second decade has witnessed progress in developing highly active antiretroviral therapies (HAART) as well as continuing progress in treating OIs (Masur, Kaplan &Holmes, 1999).Since the HIV serologic test (enzyme immunoassay [EIA], formerly enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay [ALISHA], became available in 1984, allowing early diagnosis of the infection before onset of symptoms, HIV infection has been best managed as a chronic disease   and most appropriately managed in an outpatient care setting (Gallant, 2001).II. BackgroundA. EpidemiologyIn fall 1982, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) issued a case definition of AIDS after the first 100 cases were reported. Since then, the CDC has revised the case definition a number of times (1985, 1987, and 1993)> All 50 states, the District of Columbia, U.S. dependencies and possessions, and independent nations in free association with the United States report AIDS cases to the CDC usin g a uniform surveillance case definition and case report from (CDC, 2000).Starting in the late 1990s, more states started to implement HIV case reporting in response to the changing epidemic and the need for information on persons with HIV infection who have not developed AIDS.As of December 2001, there were 816,149 reported cases of HIV/AIDS and 506, 154 adults, adolescents, and children in the United States (including U.S. dependencies, possession, and associated nations) living with AIDS. Unprotected sex and sharing of injection drug use equipment are the major means of transmission of HIV.A total of 43, 158 AIDS cases were diagnosed in 2001. For men diagnosed with AIDS during 2001, 59% were in the exposure category of men who have sex with men; 24% in injection drug use; and 7% in heterosexual contact.In women diagnosed with AIDS during that same period, 44% reported injection drug use and 52% reported heterosexual contact. Comparing race/ethnicity amount the three largest group s diagnosed in 2001, 20,752 were black, not Hispanics (CDC, 2002).The number of people living with AIDS is not evenly distributed throughout the United States. States with the largest number of reported AIDS cases during 2001 were New York (7,476), Florida (5,138), California (4,315), Texas (2,892), and Maryland (1,860) (CDC, 2002).AIDS has reached epidemic proportions in some other parts of the world. According to the Joint United Nations Program on HIV/AIDS, more than 18.3 million people worldwide have died of AIDS and 34.3 million people are infected with HIV, with 5.4 million people newly infected with HIV in 1999 alone (Letvin, Bloom & Hoffman, 2001).   UNAIDS (2001) reports that since the epidemic began, more than 60 million people have been infected with the virus, making it the most devastating disease ever.The earliest confirmed case of HIV infection was found in blood drawn from an African man in 1959 (Stephenson, 2003).Although factors associated with the spread of HIV in Africa in the 1960s; however, social changes such as easier access to transportation, increasing population density, and more frequent sexual contacts may have been more important (Stephenson 2003).

Walden and Transcendentalism

Henry Thoreau’s masterpiece, Walden or a Life in the Woods, shows the impact transcendentalism had on Thoreau’s worldview. Transcendentalism is a philosophy that asserts the primacy of the spiritual over the material. Transcendentalism puts the emphasis on spiritual growth and understanding as opposed to worldly pleasures. Thoreau’s idea of transcendentalism stressed the importance of nature and being close to nature. He believed that nature was a metaphor for spiritual enlightenment. A walk in the woods therefore was a search for spiritual enlightenment.One should look ‘through’ nature, not merely ‘at’ her. In Walden, Thoreau’s idea of transcendentalism is broken into three areas. The first is the importance of the spiritual world as opposed to material wants. He accentuates this idea by explaining how the physical world only exists so that souls can experience life to the fullest. Thoreau speaks a great deal about physical prope rty in the first chapter, entitled â€Å"Economy†. He keeps a detailed record of the economic cost of his venture into the woods and explains to his readers his pity for the people who have numerous material possessions.Thoreau states, â€Å"When I have met an immigrant tottering under a bundle which contained his all†¦I have pitied him, not because that was his all, but because he had all that to carry. †[1] The second transcendentalism theme is the idea of individuality- the idea that an individual is unique and should act according to his personality and ideals. Individuality is a basic idea of the transcendentalists and they firmly believed that one should search for ‘self-discovery’.Thoreau observed, â€Å"Every man is the builder of a temple, called his body, to the god he worships, after a style purely his own, nor can he get off by hammering marble instead. †[2] He emphasized the â€Å"style† as an individual style, one that was distinctive to each person. He even told his readers in Walden that he went into the woods to search for knowledge and truth. Self-discovery and individuality were also attributed to any other characters in Walden that were mentioned. Thoreau takes great pains to describe each character, even down to the farmer’s â€Å"wrinkled, sibyl-like, cone-headed†[3] infant in chapter 10, â€Å"Baker Farm†.He makes sure his readers understand the unique attributes of each individual in his experiences. As Thoreau once said, â€Å"It is what a man thinks of himself that really determines his fate. † The final prominent transcendentalism theme expressed in Walden is the importance of experiences. Transcendentalists believed personal experience is how one learned. Literally, people learned everything the hard way. Thoreau demonstrated this clearly in the experiment of living in the woods for two years. He explains in Walden that he wanted to experience living simply fo r an extended period of time.Notice that Thoreau did not speculate, draw conclusions, or even ask someone who had tried it. The only way, in his mind, that he was going to learn about living simply was to undergo it personally. In speaking about life in the chapter, â€Å"Where I lived and What I Lived For†, Thoreau said,â€Å"†¦if [life] proved to be mean, why then to get the whole and genuine meanness of it, and publish its meanness to the world; or if it were sublime, to know it by experience and be able to give a true account of it in my next excursion. †[4] He emphasized living and feeling everything to be able to understand life and its meaning.Walden is often viewed as simply a proponent of environmental care and nature. However, it persuades the reader to do much more than take care of nature. In fact, nature is not even the most prominent ideal in Thoreau’s writings. The thesis of Walden is clearly stated in the first few pages of the book. Thoreau writes, â€Å"With respect to luxuries and comforts, the wisest have ever lived a more simple and meager life than the poor†¦None can be an impartial or wise observer of human life but from the vantage ground of what we should call voluntary poverty. [5] The entirety of the â€Å"Economy† chapter is devoted to material possessions and Thoreau’s idea that the physical pleasures exist only to help the soul endure. Very little time is spent on the goodness of nature. When it is mentioned, it is shown, as was stated above, that nature serves as a sort of looking glass to spiritual ideals. Because this book was quoted often by radical groups in 1960-70, Walden became a sign of disobedience and rebellion to the conservative community. However, there are a few ideas of which Christians can approve. The first is non-materialism.Thoreau quotes Matthew 6:19 saying, â€Å"By a seeming fate, commonly called necessity, they are employed, as it says in an old book, laying up treasures which moth and rust will corrupt and thieves break through and steal. It is a fool’s life, as they will find when they get to the end of it, if not before. †[6] He takes great pains throughout the entire book to make sure his readers understand that material possessions should not be the only thing in which people place all of their happiness. The second idea Christians can applaud is the idea of individuality.As was mentioned above, Thoreau kept the Transcendentalist idea of a person’s individual worth in his writings. Because of this belief, he was one of the most outspoken human rights activists in his lifetime. He wrote A Plea for Captain John Brown supporting John Brown’s efforts to end slavery. Thoreau said, â€Å"I do not believe in erecting statues to those who still live in our hearts, whose bones have not yet crumbled in the earth around us, but I would rather see the statue of Captain Brown in the Massachusetts State-House yard, than that of any other man whom I know. I rejoice that I live in this age, that I am his contemporary. [7] His belief in the basic human rights of every man stemmed from his support of individuality and the unique worth of every person on this planet. Even though there are a few ideas that Christians can applaud in Walden, there is one of which they should be wary. This idea is the idea that rebellion and disobedience towards government is acceptable if one believes the government is wrong. Ralph Waldo Emerson, in his eulogy for Thoreau, articulated this idea, saying that Thoreau opposed the government. Thoreau disrespected government officials by refusing to obey tax laws and paid for it by spending a brief time in jail.However, many people, instead of realizing the negative influence Thoreau was creating, idealized him for his ‘patriotic’ stance. Thoreau says in Walden, â€Å"One afternoon, near the end of the first summer†¦I was seized and put into jail, because, a s I have elsewhere related I did not pay a tax to, or recognize the authority of, the state which buys and sells men, women, and children, like cattle at the door of its senate-house. †[8] He did not recognize the authority of the government because of the slavery in the country. Even though slavery is immoral, Romans 13:1 clearly states, â€Å"Let every person be subject to the governing authorities.For there is no authority except from God, and those that exist have been instituted by God. †[9] The Bible articulates that Christians must be subject to those whom God has placed into authority. Thoreau discourages this idea and instead institutes an attitude of rebellion. Christians should be cautious of this attitude and worldview. Very few instances occur in which Christians should rebel against authority. The only instance where they should rebel is under a government which demands that its citizens disobey God’s orders. Walden was written many years ago and ye t, society can still learn from the author’s words.Whether the ideas are detrimental or helpful, everyone can agree that Thoreau was a strong Transcendentalist with a distinct mindset. This mindset affects everyone who reads his works. Emerson once articulated that Thoreau inspired many around him through his idealistic thinking. Thoreau has inspired, and will continue to inspire, numerous people through his book, Walden or a Life in the Woods. ———————– [1] Henry David Thoreau, Walden ; and Civil Disobedience (New York: Barnes and Nobles Classics, 2003), 56. 2] Henry David Thoreau, Walden ; and Civil Disobedience (New York: Barnes and Nobles Classics, 2003), 175. [3] Henry David Thoreau, Walden ; and Civil Disobedience (New York: Barnes and Nobles Classics, 2003), 161 [4] Henry David Thoreau, Walden ; and Civil Disobedience (New York: Barnes and Nobles Classics, 2003), 74 (brackets added) [5] Henry David Thoreau, Walden ; and Civil Disobedience (New York: Barnes and Nobles Classics, 2003), 16 [6] Henry David Thoreau, Walden ; and Civil Disobedience (New York: Barnes and Nobles Classics, 2003), 9 [7] â€Å"Thoreau–On John Brown,† Virginia Commonwealth University, http://www. cu. edu/engweb/transcendentalism/authors/thoreau/johnbrown. html (accessed September 15, 2010). [8] Henry David Thoreau, Walden ; and Civil Disobedience (New York: Barnes and Nobles Classics, 2003), 137 [9] â€Å"Passage: Romans 13:1 (ESV Bible Online),† Good News / Crossway Home – Christian Books, Gospel Tracts, and the English Standard Version (ESV) Bible, http://www. gnpcb. org/esv/search/? q=Romans 13:1 (accessed September 15, 2010).

SPSS Quantitative Research Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

SPSS Quantitative Research - Essay Example Country’s GDP per Capita significantly predicts Education Expenditure per Capita,  ÃŽ ² = .967,  t(46) = 25.64,  p   GDP can be divided into four classes as low income, low middle income, middle income, and high income. In addition, there are six world regions as Africa, Asia, Europe, North America, Oceania, and South America. Figure 2 shows the GDP classes for all six-world regions. From figure 2, it can be seen that most of the high income GDP class country’s are in Europe and most of the low income GDP class country’s are in Africa and Asia. The main concern regarding the outcome of Chi-square Dependence test is that all cells have expected count less than 5. Therefore, to overcome this concern GDP classes should be divided in lesser group such as low income and high income and similarly, the world region should be divided in lesser region. By doing this, excepted count will be greater in all cells. The average total population growth is about 1.5% per annum (SD = 1.3% per annum) with half of the total population growth is below 1.3% per annum. The most common total population growth is about 1.7% per annum. The range of total population growth is 7.9% per annum with -0.2% per annum being minimum and 7.7% per annum being maximum. The distribution of the total population growth is skewed to right (skewness = 1.92) that is also confirmed by histogram (figure 3) and boxplot (figure 4) of the total population growth. Since the distribution is heavily skewed, the best measure of location and dispersion of total population growth is median (1.3% per annum) and Interquartile range (1.8% per annum). The average

Health care Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words - 4

Health care - Essay Example this case, the mission statement is vital for an organization in order to facilitate prosperity and growth, since it has a positive impact on profitability, an increase of shareholders equity and it helps the employees to understand the company mission. 2. The health care organizations are integrating their operations with technology by use of computerized systems for communication. This has benefited to the organization, but there are some demerits associated with this integration due to the high dynamism associated with technology. The computerized systems are becoming obsolete with time, thus causing some difficulties since the rate of change is in a way that the organizations are unable to maintain updated systems. Therefore, changes in health care regulations and policies have led to confusion in various health care organizations resulting to a problem in communication and operation using the computer systems. In conclusion, the paper has explored issues related to a mission statement in order to elaborate about its significance to an organization. The paper has also discussed the effects of changes in health care policies and regulation, which are facilitating the use of computer systems leading to a difficulty in

Stem Cell Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Stem Cell - Research Paper Example The stem cell research has been supported by many who have observed the scope and the need for such a research. However, there are arguments contrary to these by people who effectively disagree with the said phenomena ab initio. In respect of embryonic stem cell research it is argued by many to be an unethical procedure whereby lives of people are taken in the process. The important question in this respect is the ascertain ability of when actual stages of life begin. A blastocyst is where a cluster cells which are known as the inner cell mass is where the embryo is arises. The outer layer of the cells gives rise to the placenta as well as other supporting which are required for fetal development within the uterus and as far as the tissues of the body are concerned they rise by means of the inner cell mass cells. The problem in respect of stem cell research, in particular the embryonic stem cell research was one of the most important political issue of the first tenure of President G eorge W. Bush of the United States of America. The first and foremost action that was undertaken by the aforementioned President was on 09th August 2001 whereby he imposed a ban whereby no federal spending would be done for the reason to obtain new embryonic stem cells from fertilized embryos. The argument put forward by the President was that the said research was destroying human life and therefore such incidents should be curtailed. Furthermore, during the period of the 109th Congress there was a bill passed by both houses which was signed by the President which banned the creation of fetuses by people for the sole reason that they would eventually be destroyed and the body parts would be harvested upon. There were bills passed by the 109th and 110th Congress so as to overturn the band, however, the same were vetoed by the President. Contrary to the said motion, the Senate passed a bill so as to encourage research so as to create stem cells without destruction of human embryos. T he stance in respect of embryonic stem cell research can be said to be a trend worldwide, however the governments of the rest of the world have found that there have been effective contributions that have been made by the research on stem cells and have created a difference. Therefore after such analysis the governments have been granting adequate funds and grants so as to excel the said research. China: The website stemcellschina is a mechanism that has been adopted by way of which people who spread over the entire world are connected with the centers who are actively performing stem cell therapy in China. In January 2004 the Ministry of Science of Technology and Ministry of Health, issued the "Guidelines for Research on Human Embryonic Stem Cells," however it can still be easily construed that China is by far the most unrestrictive country in respect of embryonic stem cell research. The guidelines tend to prohibit any research in respect of cloning and state the embryos that are o btained should come only from Spared gamate or blastocyst after in vitro fertilization (IVF) procedures;Fetal cells from accidental spontaneous or voluntarily selected abortions;Blastocyst or parthenogenetic split blastocyst obtained by somatic cell nuclear transfer technology; or Germ cells voluntarily donated. Australia: In respect of Australia there is partial support that is research on embryonic stem cells that have been derived by means of the procedure of IVF are allowed, however, reproductive cloning is not allowed. The main

Emergence of Crime Prevention and Community Safety in the Context of t Essay

Emergence of Crime Prevention and Community Safety in the Context of the Crisis of Governance That Afflicted the UK during 1970 and 1980 - Essay Example Representations of crime and punishment offer, in varying measure, titillating glimpses of the seductions of deviance, moral boundary maintenance and an anxiety-arousing frisson of fear. It is further mentioned that election campaigns did not mention crime as an important issue until 1970 when Margaret Thatcher developed law and order into a major arena of ideological conflict. Thus it is evident that the UK had realized the importance of community safety and crime prevention during the late 1970’s which prompted the government to chalk out policies and framework for crime prevention. This paper examines the emergence of crime prevention and community safety in the context of the ‘crisis’ of governance that afflicted the United Kingdom during 1970 and 1980. Reiner (2000, p.81) mentioned that the increases in recorded crime levels were fuelled further after the mid-1970s by the consequences of the fundamental shift in the political economy represented by the return of free market economies and the deregulation of an increasingly globalized market. It is further mentioned that the consequences of crime and social cohesion are enormous because of the widening of social divisions, and growth fo social exclusions. As social exclusions, economic, insecurity and inequality grew; the motives and opportunities of crime multiplied and the restraining effects of both formal and informal social controls are eroded. Dingwall and Davenport (cited in Fennell, 1995, p. 21) mentioned that the United Kingdom today faces a problem of crime which could not possibly have been forecast at the end of the Second World War. It is further stated that crime rate increased from 50,000 reported crimes in 1950 to 1.6 million in 1970 which further increased to 2.5 mi llion in 1980. It is further stated in a comparative study by Biles that in the period between 1960 and 1979 the recorded crime rose by 177 percent in England and Wales (Fennel, 1995, p27).     

Disappearance of coral reefs due to global climate change Research Paper

Disappearance of coral reefs due to global climate change - Research Paper Example Poor ecological system in oceans and seas has led to lack of food and other resources that enhance survival of sea animals. This is because global climate change has resulted to the destruction of coral reefs in many of the oceans across the world. In addition, according to new government report on global ecosystem, climate change has also led to acidification of ocean waters. This report points out that current adverse climate change has also endangered water species due to the bleaching of coral reefs caused by rise in water temperatures. This is because climate change has led to the depletion of ozone layer leading to higher temperatures across the globe. Disappearance of coral reefs due to global climate change has, therefore, been regarded as one of the major environmental concerns in the 21st century. Sources of disappearance of coral reefs Global warming has higher devastating effects on coral reefs across the world. According to Science Daily that was released in 2010, large parts of coral reefs in various oceans in the world and the marine life supported by them are almost getting wiped away (Markham, 2009). In addition, reports by international team of researchers on marine ecosystem indicates that global warming has also caused rise in water temperatures killing and bleaching some species of coral. ... This layer of gases allows ultra-violet rays of the sun to pass through the earth. However, the layer prevents the same rays from escaping after they are reflected by the earth. This leads to rise in global temperatures which according to scientist, it has currently increased with 1.9 degrees. This has created a devastating long term effect of damaging coral reefs in the oceans. Researchers have indicated that about 7.5 percent of the world’s coral cover has been destroyed by rise in temperature (Howard, 2012). Damage of coral reef has also been affected by ocean acidification that results from global warming. Acidification of ocean is caused by absorption of gases released into the atmosphere from various human activities across the world (Environmental Health Perspectives, 2012). Currently, due to increased industrial revolution, there is higher emission of gases such as carbon dioxide, nitrogen monoxide and other pollutants into the atmosphere. These gases form acids when m ixed with water and in some situations form acid rain. According to marine experts, oceans are absorbing about a quarter of the total amount of carbon dioxide released in the atmosphere each year. This leads to formation of carbonic acid increasing the acidity of ocean water. High ocean acidity in turn causes bleaching of coral reefs. Adverse mass of coral reefs have currently experienced bleaching. According to 2009 aerial survey, about 60 percent of the total coral have received bleaching from ocean acidification (United States environmental protection agency, 2012). Human effects on disappearance of coral reefs There are various human effects that facilitate disappearance of coral reefs. Air and water pollutions are some of the human effects

Pre School Observation Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Pre School Observation - Essay Example It can be noticed that many children in the class are overweight but Edwin seems to be have a well proportioned body. Edwin is one child in the class who has good physique. 3. The three things that acknowledged his status as a preschooler was his talkative attitude, his impulsive behavior and his hyperactivity. I observed the way he talked, which was without a break. Moreover he was not able to stand in one place; he was very impulsive and acted whatever he spoke out in words. Also he was not standing in one place and was moving continuously. 4. Looking from the health perspective, Edwin was a normal child with good physique and a cheerful attitude. But it is a fact that he is bit over grown compared to his classmates. His body also showed an overgrown aspect which when compared to his aged children become odd. I can take this fact as a hereditary attribute as his parents both are tall and well built. Emotionally he seemed to be strong with good activity and physical capabilities. 1. While observing closely, the three gross motor skills that can be pinpointed are the way he walked, ran and did sit dups. I noticed that while walking, he was not placing his foot with pressure on to the ground and it seemed as if he is not touching the ground with his feet. While running, I observed that he ran with his shoulders stooped to front which was not a healthy way of running, this can hurt his shoulder with time. When I asked the class do sit –ups, he could not get up properly and had to place his hands on legs. I could see that Edwin was not enjoying the sit – up movements. 2. While comparing what I read in book and activity of Edwin it can be understood that what Edwin was doing was not exactly right. The walking part can be understood as he his hyper but to place shoulder stooping while running is not a recommended activity. Doing sit – ups he was normal as

Reflective Discussion Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Reflective Discussion - Essay Example The fact that I could not perform well and the falling expectations that I had from myself made me lose interest in my studies. When I started this independent learning module, I was both a bit reluctant and sceptical. This is because the major way that I learnt was through the lectures given by teachers. I had not been in the habit of learning on my own unless it was to prepare for a test or to do an assignment. Independent learning did not seem to be of any use to me, since I had developed the attitude that when left on my own, I would give other things priority over my learning and education. However the full impact of the module was yet to unfold. Starting the module with scepticism, I saw my attitude and perception towards self-directed learning change over the course of the module. The experience of pursuing information on my own and learning for the sake of learning, without having a supervisor directing me to study taught me a number of things. The experience also brought my strengths and weaknesses to surface. Initially, independent learning was an arduous task for me. I knew that I had to study and it made me feel guilty when I used to waste time in the first few days of the module. However, it took me a class on self-motivation to realize where my problem lay. The class made me aware of my inaptitude to focus on goal-oriented learning. I realized that I lacked the intrinsic drive to study on my own and regulate my own learning. This encouraged me to take a series of steps to solve the problem. I asked my peers who performed well about how they study and balance their study and social life. I read literature on self-motivation. Moreover, I started implementing the philosophy of kaizen into my daily routine. Instead of delaying my assignments till the last day, I started work on them timely. I set short-term goals for myself, rewarding myself when I achieved them. Thus I gradually brought about little changes in my daily routine. These experiences made me appreciate my ability to identify the problem at hand and take concrete measures to counter it. I realized that where there is a will, there is a way. If a person is motivated and dedicated towards the achievement of his/her goals, he is most likely going to achieve them no matter how many challenges come in the way. However one weakness that independent learning highlighted was my tendency to become isolated. Effective independent learning requires that the individual engages in discussions with his/her teacher (CILL 2009). However I felt that I became very isolated with my peers and teachers towards the latter half o f the module. I believe that interaction with the tutor is necessary for not only clearing the misconceptions regarding the course work and understanding any concepts that the student does not comprehend, but also for providing guidance to the student. I feel that I did not have adequate interaction with my tutors and peers. There were some things in the course work that I did not get. Initially I remember that I did approach teachers or a peer for help. However later in the module, as I became involved in my own work, my interaction with my peers and teachers decreased so much so that I felt hesitant when it came to approaching them for help. This hesitance did have its consequences. I spent a longer period of time understanding a concept on my own as compared to the time I would have spent if I had received directive from an external source. Moreover

Church and Dwight Essay Example for Free

Church and Dwight Essay A. Executive Summary 1. Summary statement of the problem: Church Dwight, more commonly known by its brand name â€Å"Arm Hammer,† has held a commanding lead in the sodium bicarbonate product market for over 160 years with virtually 99 percent of all consumer products in households within the United States. However, in order to promote growth and diversity while maintaining a steady profitability rate of three five percent per year, the company has expanded uses of sodium bicarbonate products so that it is no longer the only focus. The acquisition of a diverse group of consumer products in international markets has been viewed as a viable option to sustain the profitability margins well into the 21st century (Wheelen Hunger). 2. Summary statement of the recommended solution: Since Church and Dwight is a relatively small company, when compared to competitors in household and personal care product markets they must recognize the challenges of growing sales through acquisitions to promote growth and competitiveness within those markets. Church Dwight must incorporate additional acquisitions of solid brands and products in order to grow market share through an expansion of product lines into a variety of â€Å"personal care, deodorizing and cleaning, and laundry products† as well as â€Å"specialty chemicals, animal nutrition, and specialty cleaners† (Wheelen Hunger). In addition, to maintain its position in the world market place, Church Dwight must expand into international markets and gain footholds in product markets through acquisition of manufacturing assets. Simply shipping domestic product lines overseas is cost prohibitive. Foreign manufacturing assets will allow product recognition by local consumers in foreign countries and markets. B. The Situation After 160 years, Church Dwight is a giant in the household domestic product market with brand name recognition more commonly associated with â€Å"Arm Hammer† products. However, this achievement in the market only nets $2.5 billion in annual sales worldwide. The company’s brand portfolio includes over 80 popular brands and competes for market share with other giants including Colgate-Palmolive, Clorox, and Proctor Gamble, which have combined sales of over $100 billion. The company has also expanded over the past decade into other household product lines through acquisitions of consumer brands including Mentadent, Pepsodent, Aim, and Close-up, as well as Trojan. Church Dwight has a core of specialty products primarily based on its successful sodium bicarbonate line of products. It currently holds 75% of the sodium bicarbonate market share. Expansion in the domestic markets has proven successful because of the â€Å"company’s pristine balance sheet†. Gro wth into the foreign markets has proven more challenging than domestic markets. Foreign market net sales in 2009 were only $393 million compared to domestic net sales of $1.8 billion (Cook). II. ANALYSIS A. Analysis of the Situation 1.Management – The Church Dwight Company has continued a tradition of slow and steady leadership with a solid focus on long-term goals. The steadiness of the company’s leadership can be primarily attributed to the fact that 25 percent of outstanding common stock is owned by descendants of the company’s original cofounders, a tradition that continues today. In addition, the management of the company over the past 160 years has been handed down from generation-to-generation until recently when Dwight C. Minton passed on the position of Chief Executive Officer in 1995 to an outsider, Mr. Robert A. Davies, III (Wheelen Hunger). This focused leadership style has enabled Church Dwight to overcome potential leveraged buy-outs and hostile takeovers with a series of calculated actions and savvy business decisions. These actions allowed the board of directors and management to amend the company’s charter and allowed shareholders four votes per share. The board of directors was also re-structured into classes, in which each class serves staggered three-year terms (Wheelen Hunger). In addition to staggering the tenure of the directors, the company initiated employee severance agreements with key officials, providing a severance package agreement to provide a â€Å"safety net† should any of the board member positions be terminated by a hostile takeover or leveraged buy-out by an unwanted suitor. By providing these lucrative packages for senior management, many were able to stay with Church Dwight. This allowed for continuity of leadership styles, vision and mission focus. Because of this steadfast devotion to principles, steady growth over the years has occurred, identifying Church Dwight as a Cash Cow, using the Boston Consulting Group (BCG) Growth-Share Matrix. However, as the company focuses more on international markets and enters other potential avenues of growing product lines, it will surely find itself labeled as a Star. 2.Operations – Church Dwight have peacefully existed over the past 60 years with sustained growth and profitability because it virtually held the market in the palm of its hands as other companies searched for ways to enter the household and personal care product lines. As a result of the constant forces in emerging markets, Church Dwight has come to the realization that they have major challenges to overcome if they are to compete with other giants in the industry and continue to thrive. As the company gains a stronger market share in the international consumer products, the growth and profitability standard will continue well into the future. However, Church Dwight also recognize they must remain vigilant to quickly and adequately deal with Porters Five Forces: Bargaining power of suppliers; Threat of new entrants; Threat of substitute products or services; Bargaining power of buyers (customers); and Rivalry among existing firms (competitors) (Wheelen Hunger). When considering Bargaining Power of Suppliers, the force rating could be considered Medium as management must be constantly aware of any potential market shocks or trends. If an affiliate retailer is affected by unforeseen supply chain issues, like increased fuel prices, then those costs throughout the company may be affected to remain competitive. In addition, Church Dwight are well aware of the economic situations that may affect their trade customers who may reduce distribution of products in which sales may decline, or adversely affect the financial performance of the company (Craigie). There was never historically a threat of new entrants into the sodium bicarbonate market prior to 1970. However, since the company has developed new product offerings and other established consumer brands, they now face the same competition threats of mature and domestic and international markets for consumer products. This threat of new entrants has emerged over the past decades and may now be rated high. The threat of substitute products or services is always considered high, as well, because consumers might choose a substitute item, if it is cheaper. This is a problem for any company. Bargaining power of buyers (customers) is generally a medium concern as consumer satisfaction is evaluated in a variety of ways. Otherwise, dissatisfaction can drive prices up or down based on demand, or the lack of. Quality is a hallmark of Church Dwight and the perception by consumers of any potential lowering of standards to decrease prices will typically drive loyal customers away. Finally, rivalry among existing firms (competitors) is high as competitors try to achieve greater market shares to grow potential profit shares. â€Å"Church Dwight has in an enviable position to profit from its dominant niche in the sodium bicarbonate products market since it controlled the primary raw material used in its production† (Wheelen Hunger). 3.Marketing – The Church Dwight marketing strategy has been fairly simplistic since its focus has been on the sodium bicarbonate product lines for over a century. However, with additional acquisitions over the past 20 years, and the expansion into other household products, the brand recognition has become even more important. As a result, â€Å"marketing expenses for 2009 were $353.6 million, an increase of $59.5 million or 20% as compared to 2008† (Craigie). In addition, Church Dwight caters to people of all ages and backgrounds. This wide range of customers allows them to develop more and more organic products and services with large scale agreements to satisfy those demographics. As the company expands globally, markets for one region could also be satisfied by other regions as production opportunities allowed greater cost-effectiveness. Unfortunately, â€Å"attempts to enter international markets have met with limited success, probably for two reasons: (1) lack of name recognition and (2) transportation costs† (Wheelen Hunger). Finally, the company began a ground-breaking marketing campaign by airing commercials for condoms on prime-time television. This â€Å"shock† strategy increased its marketing strength and enabled the partnership with Quidel Corporation, â€Å"a provider of point-of-care diagnostic test, to meet women’s health and wellness needs† (Wheelen Hunger). There are potential problems if va rious brand names fall into â€Å"the precarious line-extension snare† (Wheelen Hunger). As the company expands and acquires more product lines bearing the â€Å"Arm Hammer† trademark, the potential for substandard quality or customer satisfaction could cause a back-lash resulting in reduced sales around the world. Therefore, product marketing is essential to reinforce brand name recognition so consumers never forget the value and quality of a company’s name and its product lines. 4.Finance – Initially, the company’s domestic markets have proven successful. However, in keeping pace with competition in expanding product line markets, acquisition of assets has taken place, which could negatively impact the overall financial picture if profitability is not maintained. In 2009, Church Dwight’s performance worldwide achieved an increase in sales of 4 percent; organic sales increased 5 percent, gross profit margin increased 44 percent while global marketing expenses only increased 20 percent; and the Net Cash Flow grew to a record level of $401 million (Craigie). Perhaps even more significant to investors is the report that earnings per share grew 23% and dividends on investments increased by 35 percent (Craigie). In contrast to the growing profits and expenses, the compa ny also jettisoned noncore assets for the first time, including â€Å"five domestic and international consumer product brands acquired during the 2008 Del Laboratories transaction† (Wheelen Hunger). This posturing of assets will enable a financially sound balance sheet in the future. Therefore, the financial status of Church Dwight continues to grow as it has achieved modest gains from year to year, with hopes of even greater revenue and sales. Finally, the CEO remains focused on â€Å"building a portfolio of strong brands with sustainable competitive advantages† and the â€Å"long-term objective is to maintain the company’s track record of delivering outstanding TSR (Total Shareholder Return) relative to that of the SP 500† (Wheelen Hunger). 5.Administration – Church Dwight enjoys a sound management strategy. It incorporates affiliates through agreements to sell its products. In addition, the former CEO, Mr. James R. Cragie, stated â€Å"†¦We have added $1 billion in sales in the past five years, a 72% increase, while reducing our total headcount by 5%, resulting in higher revenue per employee than all of our major competitors† (Wheelen Hunger). While it may appear unsympathetic to the employee perspective, technologic al advancements allow for increased productivity in various aspects of manufacturing and labor allowing for greater productivity without the added expense of additional manpower. Church Dwight also continue to operate with an ethical employment code in keeping with today’s expectations of utmost respect for both consumer and employee. The following is the company’s published Ethical Standards: â€Å"The reputation and integrity of Church Dwight Co., Inc. are valuable corporate assets, vital to the Company’s success. Each Company employee, including each of the Company’s officers and general managers and each Company director, is responsible for conducting the Company’s business in a manner that demonstrates a commitment to the highest standards of integrity. Specifically, we encourage among Company personnel a culture of honesty, accountability and mutual respect. Additionally, we provide guidance to help Company personnel recognize and deal with ethical issues. Finally, we have provided mechanisms for Company personnel to report unethical conduct. Dishonest or unethical conduct or conduct that is illegal will constitute a violation of these Standards and are grounds for disciplinary action† (Church Dwight). 6.SWOT a.Strengths – The Church Dwight Company has many strengths, with brand recognition being their greatest. In fact, Arm Hammer continues to be their greatest asset and strongest product on the market today; the little yellow box is in over 95 percent of all households across the country. The sodium bicarbonate product line has proven itself for over 160 years with uses in baking, cleaning, and deodorizing, and as an added ingredient for things like drain openers and neutralizing agents. While there may be other similar products, Church Dwight have virtually cornered the market by holding 85 percent of it. b.Weaknesses – A potential weakness within the company is the overextension of branding into many other product lines. â€Å"Until 1970, it produced and sold only two consumer products: Arm Hammer Baking Soda and a laundry product marketed under the name Super Washing Soda† (Wheelen Hunger). The company enjoyed success domestically, but â€Å"in the internat ional arena where growth was more product-driven and less marking sensitive, the company was less experienced† (Wheelen Hunger). Therefore, they relied on acquisitions and management changes to improve its international footprint and reach. With ever-expanding product lines, suppliers, and retailers, the potential for an inferior product or service can cause a negative reputation, impacting the overall brand. Therefore, brand recognition should continue to be the focus when researching future products or investment avenues to ensure the quality of the product/service in the name of the company. Entire corporations have gone away because of a negative connotation to its brand name in the eyes of consumers. c.Opportunities – The possibilities are endless as Church Dwight continue to pursue additional product lines in household, personal care, specialty, and international products. Future expansion in acquisitions and assets may prove more advantageous as potential consumer products become even more attractive to increase the profitability as the manufacturing base is expanded around the globe. Perhaps in 20 years, we may have cars manufactured by Church Dwight, as well. d.Threats – The primary threat to Church Dwight is competition. Competitors have an even greater market share and larger marketing campaigns to remain leaders in their respective niche. There are always going to be threats to its business operations, products, services, and reputation. Therefore, ongoing evaluation of partnerships, agreements, consumer satisfaction, quality of production, quality of service, etc. is always continuing. Without a continuous evaluation process, companies may find themselves outsmarted, out-marketed, out-produced, and out of a job. Church Dwight have done a great deal in maintaining a very loyal customer base through evaluations of consumer trends and ensuring affiliates maintain the highest standards to retain the reputation as the leading household product manufacturer 7.Products or Services – Church Dwight continue to produce some of the most widely known household care products. These products are based on differences in the nature of their uses and organized into three reportable segments: Consumer Domestic, Consumer International and Specialty Products (SPD) (Craigie). The company currently produces 80 different product lines, in which eight major brands make up a total of 80 percent of its business (Craigie). The most famous of the company’s products is Arm Hammer Baking Soda. As a company focused on quality and innovation, Church Dwight has â€Å"a discreet marketing team focused solely on new product development† (Church Dwight). In addition, the company is focused on goals to develop differentiated products with new and distinctive features, increased convenience and value, and engaging outside contractors for research and development activities (Church Dwight). B. Problem Definition 1.The Church Dwight case study identified a corporate problem needing to continue expansion in products and services, while presenting a consistent operating profit and increasing market shares of the household product industry. Expenses were continually evaluated and streamlined to reduce inefficiencies; including product research and development to identify â€Å"new uses/markets for an existing product† (Wheelen Hunger). Unfortunately, constant pressure from global competitors seeking to enter domestic and international markets, as well as an overall poor economy, is creating an atmosphere where continued growth must be developed through new opportunities for expansion into new geographical markets, new products/uses, all while striving to control increasing transportation costs. 2.In order for Church Dwight to retain its position as the leading household product manufacturer, it must continue to provide outstanding customer service, excellence in product quality, invest in cutting edge technology to remain a viable resource for consumers, as well as developing new uses for its primary product line to ensure customers remain satisfied with the product, as promised. In addition, expanding its share of other household product opportunities and innovations will be key to any future growth. Yet another opportunity for Church Dwight to grow is in the business-to-business exchange market for suppliers, manufacturers, distributors, and retailers to use. By providing this service to its affiliates and partners, they would be able to achieve greater operational efficiencies in their supply chains. 3.As Church Dwight enjoy a considerably large loyal customer base, competing with Proctor Gamble and other industry giants to get customers to switch competitors is no easy task. However, with any challenge comes greater innovation and new ideas. Relationships with suppliers, manufacturers and other retailers allow for greater efficiencies in costs by consolidating orders, developing greater discounts on shipping costs, or even creating greater financial incentives for affiliates to increase sales and customer satisfaction rates by increasing consumer awareness of the quality and reliability of services and products available to them. III. SYNTHESIS A. Alternative Solutions Brand recognition for ARM HAMMER brand products has already been established within the domestic markets of the United States. International markets continue to challenge emerging companies due to cultural differences in market populations, cultural differences in marketing strategies, and language barriers requiring new brand names more suitable for local languages/cultures. With low population growth rates and households in international markets, increasing transportation costs, and intense competition and higher commodities costs, manufacturers are turning to new and innovative processes to increase their share of the household product markets. For example, rising gas prices are a concern since it directly contributes to increased production costs. In response, household and personal care product companies are making efforts to stimulate sales in varying ways, such as entering new markets, creating new product segments, strengthening strong brand image, acquiring businesses, targeting market audiences, and increasing advertising budgets. Another alternative could be to develop joint-business ventures with suppliers, manufacturers, distributers, and retailers. The benefit to this option would be to streamline production and sales and allow the ease of marketing products and services to its affiliates and partners. This option would also allow greater operational efficiencies and translate into lower costs for Church Dwight and lower prices for consumers. B. Recommendations and Conclusions As Church Dwight look to satisfy competitive pressures while still reeling from the recent economic crisis, the following recommendation and solution is presented in hopes of reducing expenditures and continuing company growth through new product development and market expansion. Expanding into new markets with â€Å"major competitors jockeying for shelf space and retailers seeking to rationalize their breadth of product offerings, more changes may be considered† (Wheelen Hunger). Therefore, the best recommendation for Church Dwight at this point in time would be to implement the first alternative, delving into new product lines both in domestic markets and even greater exploration of international markets. This option would be advantageous because of the limited financial investment required to grow already established footholds in foreign countries to manufacture and transport new product lines. In addition, by improving upon past successes and avoiding past mistakes, a s ound marketing campaign could attract additional consumer traffic to its existing retailers and product outlets. Arm Hammer also has premier brand recognition within the United States, which would look to use its large customer base to compete against Proctor Gamble or Colgate-Palmolive, and Clorox. Finally, to satisfy any shortcomings in this solution, it is further recommended that Church Dwight initiate an aggressive marketing strategy incorporating foreign experts in business and marketing development to identify focus groups to better understand cultural differences and expectations in product innovations. Understanding why a specific culture or race chooses one brand over another is key to identifying potential aspects of a new product line that would be warmly received in another country rather than simply pushing an American-made product brand on a culture that has no experience with the product or whose name may have a derogatory meaning in their language. This option could also allow Church Dwight to market potentially less expensive alternatives to Proctor Gamble or other foreign corporations specializing in household products in another country or region. This recommendation provides a potential solution to increase sales while growing market share and staying ahead of the competition. References Church Dwight, Co. Inc. (web). Churchdwight.com. Retrieved on April 8, 2012 from http://www.churchdwight.com/index.aspx Craigie, J. R. (February 24, 2010). Church Dwight co., inc. 2009 annual report: Churchdwight.com. Retrieved on April 8, 2012 from http://www.churchdwight.com/PDF/AnnualReports/2009-CDH-Annual-Report.pdf Wheelen, T. L., Hunger, J. D. (2012). Strategic management and business policy toward global sustainability. (13th ed., pp. 19-20). New York, NY: Pearson Hall.

Establishing A Pay Structure Commerce Essay

Establishing A Pay Structure Commerce Essay Compensation is an important factor for HR people. Indeed, it is a way to motivate employees and increase their job satisfaction. However, determine the right compensation for each individual inside the company is not an easy task: it will depend on several factors that will be discussed in this paper. Organizations make decisions to define a job structure, or relative pay for different jobs within the organization. They establish relative pay for different functions and different levels of responsibility for each function. Organizations also must establish pay levels, or the average paid for the different jobs. These decisions are based on the organizations goals, market data, legal requirements and principles of fairness. Together, job structure and pay level establish a pay structure policy. To be effective, the compensation must be competitive in the market, perceived as fair by employees, accurately based, motivating and easily understandable. Thus, in order to achieve it a pay structure policy can help in this process. A pay structure dresses a hierarchy of job types and grades with the associated compensation and benefits. It is a term for the array of pay rates within the organization and representing the degree of slope in its pay policy (Milkovich Newman, 2002). Characteristics of a particular pay structure include the number of levels in the structure, the size of the pay differentials between each level in the structure, and the rate at which employees can progress through each level in the structure (Gerhart Milkovich, 1992). In order to realize this paper, I interviewed to HR managers that gave me their thoughts about the subject and experience. The paper will begin with the legal requirements that a company has to respect when setting compensation in the United States, and then it will focus on the factors. Legal Requirements At work employees are protected by several regulations in terms of selection, health and safety, labor, etc and of course pay. When establishing a pay structure, organizations face some laws put in place by the government that may vary according to the country where the employees of the company work. There are mainly five types of constraints that companies have to take into consideration in order to avoid troubles: equal employment opportunity, minimum wages, pay for overtime and prevailing wages for federal contractors and child labor. Equal Employment Opportunity The Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO) gathers several laws from the Civil Rights Act, American With Disabilities Act, Age discrimination in Employment Act and Genetic Information Nondiscrimination Act. These laws protect employees from discrimination in hiring, promotion, discharge, pay, fringe benefits, job training, classification, referral and other aspects of employment according to employees race, color, religion, sex, origin, disability, genetics and age. Thus, to meet the standard of EEO, employers must provide equal pay for equal work, regardless of these criteria. However it does not guarantee equal pay between men and women or young and old, etc. Indeed, differences in pay may appear but they must have good explanations relative to the business such as job responsibilities, skills, performance etc. To summarize, two employees doing the same job cannot be paid differently because of the previous criteria mentioned otherwise it would be considered as illegal. However, if one of the employees has some particular skills, or other business related considerations, the two employees might have a different pay. Fair Labor Standards Act The Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) is administered by the Wage and Hour Division (WHD) and establishes the federal minimum wage, overtime pay and child employment standards that most of companies must comply with. It applies to most of companies operating in the US and exempts some employees such as executives, professionals and outside sales persons. Under the FLSA, the employer must pay at least the minimum wage established by the law. Nonetheless some states and local governments have established higher minimum wages. In cases of where an employee works under state and federal minimum wage law he should be paid with the highest one. A minimum wage corresponds to the lowest compensation an employee can receive for the work s/he has performed. In 2012, the current minimum wage set by the FLSA in the United States is $7.25. In addition, the FLSA establishes a youth minimum wage for the first 90 consecutive days of employment of people under 20 years old which represents around 85% of the minimum wage. The FLSA also requires overtime pay for hours worked beyond 40 in each week. Thus employees should be paid at a different rate for extra hours. This rate is set at one and a half times the employees regular pay rate including bonuses. Overtime pay is required even if the employer did not ask the employee to work more. Moreover, there is no limit on the number of hours an employee can work during a week. Finally, employers must meet FLSA requirements concerning child labor (children younger than 18 years old) which basically restrict the use of child labor within a company. They must be paid at the minimum wage, as adults, or youth minimum wage (for the first 90 days). Any violation of the act may result to penalties and sanctions. Prevailing Wages for Federal Contractors The U.S. Department of Labor (DOL) Employment Standards Administrations Wage and Hour Division (WHD) administers laws and regulations requiring minimum wages to be paid to workers performing construction work on federally-funded contracts or providing services to the federal government. Federal contractors must meet the requirements to pay at least the prevailing wages in the area where there employees work, that is to say the hour rate paid to the majority of workers in a specific area. It is defined by regulatory agencies. It exists two federal laws that cover employees pay policy in this field: Davis-Bacon Act for construction contractors that receive more than $2,000 in federal money. Walsh-Healy Public Contracts Act for all government contractors receiving $10,000 or more in federal funds. Economic Factors on Compensation An organization cannot make spending decisions independent of the economy. Organizations must keep costs low enough so that they can sell their products profitably, however they must be able to attract workers in a competitive labor market. Thus, to remain competitive, employers must meet the demands of product and labor markets. Product Markets Product market is a market in which competing final goods and services are exchanged. Companies must be competitive in product markets so that they can generate enough profit in order to pay their employees. The more the competition, the more companies will reduce costs because they are unable to increase prices without losing money. In addition, product markets seek to buy at the lowest price, so organizations must limit their costs as much as possible. Indeed, an organization that has high labor cost will have to raise its prices for similar products already available on the market. In this way, product markets place an upper limit on the pay an employer can afford to offer for a specific job. Labor Markets In order to define labor market, we need to define its demand and supply. The demand side focus on the employers actions, that is to say how much he is willing to pay and how much employees he is looking for. The supply side consists of workers who want to earn as much as possible. To attract and keep workers, employers must pay at least the going rate in their labor markets. That is to say, to remain competitive in the labor market, organizations in a similar area have to pay this minimum amount to hire the most qualified employees. In this way, labor markets place a lower limit on the pay an employer must be willing to offer for a specific job. Pay Policy Identification Organizations make decisions about whether to pay at, above or below the pay rate set by these market forces. Paying above the market rate may make the organization less competitive in product markets but give it an advantage in labor markets. The organization benefits only if it can attract the best candidates and provide the system that motivate and enable them to do their best work. Furthermore, the efficiency wage theory (A. Marshall, 1920) explains that paying employees above the market rate increase productivity and efficiency for firms. Indeed, thanks to that they would be able to avoid shirk, reduce employees turnover, attract the best people, provide motivation for employees and allow them to eat so that they are less willing to be sick. Organizations that pay below the market rate need creative practices for recruiting and training workers so that they can find and keep enough qualified people. It is the less recommended strategy. If an organization choose it, it is probably because it has not enough financial resources to pay its employees, however in order to keep employees or even attract them the company must provide other non-financial advantages. Companies that are using this strategy experience high rates of employees dissatisfaction, high turnover and low productivity. The most use strategy is to match the market by paying the same pay for same jobs. Indeed by setting the same pay level, companies are able to remain competitive while managing their labor costs. Benchmarking In order to define the going rate in the market, companies use benchmarking. It consists for them to compare their own practices in terms of pay with the ones practiced by their competitors. Benchmarking is done through pay surveys to the right competitors, for the right jobs, and through the right methods (phone interviews, personal interviews, questionnaire, etc.). This is usually done by some agencies, especially the US bureau of labor statistics, with National Compensation Survey; rather than by the company itself. While developing a pay survey, companies must take into the two previous factors mentioned in pay level decisions (product market and labor market). Indeed, according to the goal of the company, it will focus more on product markets or labor markets comparisons. Pay structure related to jobs Along economic forces, organizations must consider the relative contribution each job should make to the organizations overall performance. Creation of a pay structure requires that the organization develop an internal structure showing the relative contribution of its various jobs, called job structure. One way to do it is through job evaluation. Job evaluation Job evaluation has several objectives, it can help to: Define what positions and job responsibilities are similar Decide right pay grades and other compensation issues Develop job classifications Help employees along their career path Organizations typically begin with a job evaluation to measure the relative worth of their jobs. A job evaluation committee identifies each jobs compensable factors and rates each factor. These compensable factors are the specificities that each job requires and that the company decided to value most and pay for its employees, such as education, skills, effort, job complexity, responsibilities, working conditions, experiences of the employee, etc. Then, for each factor the organizations define several degrees (usually no more than five) in order to judge the degree of a factor existing in a job. Once it is done, the committee assigns points for each factors and degrees. In order to simplify this process the committee may write down a job evaluation manual and use it to evaluate each job according to their significance into the organization. Pay Structure Creation The committee can research market pay levels for key jobs, then identify appropriate rates of pay for other jobs, based on their number of points relative to the key jobs. The organization can do this with a pay policy line, which plots a salary for each job. The pay policy line is a graph that shows the relationships between job evaluation and pay rate. It is then used to define the compensation for non-key jobs, for which the company has no data. The organization can combine jobs into several groups, called pay grades. For each pay grade or job, the organization typically establishes a pay range that will determine a minimum, midpoint and maximum of pay for a specific job or job within a specific pay grade, using the market rate or pay policy line as a midpoint. Thus, the salary of an employee may change according to some factors such as performance, seniority, etc. However, for some reasons, it is possible that an employees pay fall outside the pay range that the organization established. For instance, when an employee pay rate fall below the pay range for the job, it is called green-circle rate. It can happen when the employee has been promoted to a new position that is under a new pay grade. Conversely, when the employee pay rate fall above the pay range for the job, it is called red-circle rate. It can happen when the employee is demoted and keeps his/her current compensation. When these kinds of situation happen it is im portant for the company to solve the problem, nonetheless it is still rare. Differences in working conditions or labor markets sometimes call for the use of pay differentials to adjust pay levels. For instance, some companies pay a differential for night work to compensate them. Alternatives to Job-Based Pay To obtain more flexibility, organizations may reduce the levels in the organizations job structure. This process of delayering creates broad bands of jobs with a pay range for each. Other organizations reward employees according to their knowledge and skills. They establish skill-based pay systems, or structures that set pay according to the employees level of knowledge and what they are capable of doing. This encourages employees to be more flexible and adapt to changing technology. However, if the organization does not also provide systems in which employees can apply new skills, it may be paying them for skills they do not actually use. Monitoring Compensation Costs The Human Resource Department should routinely compare actual pay with the pay structure to see that policies and practices match. A common way to do this is to measure a compa-ratio for each job or pay grade. The compa-ratio is the ratio of average pay to midpoint of the pay range. Assuming the pay structure supports the organizations goals, the compa-ratio should be close to 1. When compa-ratios are more or less than 1, the HR department should work with managers to identify whether to adjust the pay structure or the organizations pay practices. http://www.dol.gov/whd/flsa/index.htm#.UPHgI-TxajM

A Comparison Between Fitzgeralds Great Gatsby and Veblens The Theory

Fitzgerald's Great Gatsby and Veblen's The Theory of the Leisure Class  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚     Ã‚  Ã‚   The American Dream is real; Americans are able to rise out of poverty and into leisurely lifestyles with a bit of luck and a lot of hard work. Fitzgerald's The Great Gatsby and Thorstein Veblen's The Theory of the Leisure Class both address issues of status and wealth that arise from peoples' pursuits of the American Dream. But the authors differ in their beliefs about the nature and motives of peoples' pursuits of wealth. To begin with, Fitzgerald disagrees with Veblen's notion of pecuniary emulation as being intrinsic behavior (a goal in and of itself). He does this by conveying that Gatsby's flamboyant lifestyle is as extravagant as it is only because it is goal-driven (Gatsby wants to get Daisy's attention). Fitzgerald's ideas about the consequences of "conspicuous leisure" and "conspicuous consumption" are no less critical of Veblen's theory. Fitzgerald conveys that those who engage in pecuniary emulation invite superficiality into their social lives an d relationships-a consequence which Veblen fails to even consider. Furthermore, Fitzgerald disagrees with Veblen's belief that pecuniary emulation is consuming (it demands one's focus) by subjecting characters such as Gatsby and Nick to different levels of non-consuming materialism. Fitzgerald believes that the pursuit of wealth for the purpose of invidious distinction is not what Veblen claims it is--that is, that the pursuit is neither intrinsic, fulfilling, nor necessarily consuming.      Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Fitzgerald sees pecuniary emulation as voluntary, non-intrinsic human behavior. In The Theory of the Leisure Class, Veblen writes that wealth "... ...burse and use money-probably because he was a multimillionaire. Because of the biases inherent to the discussion of wealth, one must consider all of society's sentiments in order to obtain a comprehensive basis from which meaningful discourse can spring. Resources such as The Great Gatsby and Theory of the Leisure Class allow that ideal basis to become ever more tangible.    Works Cited and Consulted: Fitzgerald, F. Scott.   The Great Gatsby.   Simon and Schuster Inc., New York: 1991. Hobsbawm, Eric. The Age of Extremes. New York: Pantheon, 1994. Mizener, Arthur, ed. F. Scott Fitzgerald: A Collection of Critical Essays. Englewood Cliffs, NJ: Prentice-Hall, 1963. Raleigh, John Henry. "F. Scott Fitzgerald's The Great Gatsby." Mizener 99-103. Thorstein Veblen, The Theory of the Leisure Class (New York and London: Macmillan, 1899   

Fitzgeralds Great Gatsby and the 20s Essay -- Fitzgerald Great Gatsby

Fitzgerald's Great Gatsby and the 20s After a time of prosperity, the roaring 1920’s became a decade of social decay and declining moral values. The forces this erosion of ethics can be explained by a variety of theories. However, F. Scott Fitzgerald paints a convincing portrait of waning social virtue in his novel, The Great Gatsby. Fitzgerald portrays the nefarious effects of materialism created by the wealth-driven culture of the time. This was an era where societal values made wealth and material possessions a defining element of one’s character. The implications of the wealthy mindset and its effects on humanity are at the source of the conflict in The Great Gatsby, offering a glimpse into the despair of the 20’s. During a time of â€Å"postwar American society, its restless alienation, and its consequent reliance on money as a code for expressing emotions and identity† (Lewis, 46), Fitzgerald focuses his pen on the inevitable emptiness created by the illusions of wealth and its anomalous connection with love during the 20’s. In order to convey his theory, Fitzgerald builds a repertory of superficial characters whose existence revolves around material value rather than tangible human qualities. For example, Tom Buchanan, the husband of Daisy, is introduced as having an appealing and rich life. â€Å"He’d brought down a string of polo ponies from Lake Forest,† Nick comments about Tom. â€Å"It was hard to realize that a man in my own generation was wealthy enough to do that,† (p. 10). Tom is depicted as an enormously wealthy â€Å"national figure,† one with handsome and powerful â€Å"physical accomplishments† (10). But Fitzgerald’s description does not go much further than that. Tom’s persona is limited to a list of superficial accomplishments none of which resemble any spiritually fulfilling traits. Tom thus represents the end result of a person consumed by wealth, because that is his only defining characteristic. Although we could pity such a character, Fitzgerald makes sure that we don’t feel much of anything towards Tom because he was born into wealth and never had to pursue it. â€Å"His money was divested of dreams before he was even born† (Lewis, 51). Since Tom’s lifestyle links intrinsically to his character, nothing he does resembles the passions and desires of a natural human being, rather he is portrayed as a machine or byproduct of his family fortune. Tom la... ... to love, the most powerful of all human feeling. â€Å"The culture of wealth,† writes Marius Bewley, â€Å"represents the romantic enlargement of the possibilities of life on a level at which the material and the spiritual have become inextricably confused,† (Bewley, 37). Gatsby learned this lesson the hard way, giving up his spiritual vision of love and losing it to the emptiness associated with wealth. Fitzgerald realized the confusion in the 1920’s of a culture based around wealth and used his novel to expose the blandness of wealthy lifestyles in contrast with the human feeling of love. If love were a color it would be red, and if it had a mind of it’s own it would remain far from the gray â€Å"Valley of ashes† (27) of New York in the 20’s. Gatsby unfortunately combined those two worlds together and the gray dusted over the red. In the end, Gatsby is murdered, Tom and Daisy continue like zombies, and Nick, disenfranchised, decides to leave altogether. Fitzgerald portrays the essence of emptiness in all the characters touched or consumed by wealth and leaves the reader with a clear message: No sense of fulfillment, specifically regarding love, will result in a life consumed by wealth.

Shakespeares Macbeth as Tragic Hero :: GCSE English Literature Coursework

Macbeth as Tragic Hero   Ã‚  Ã‚   Tragedy always involves human suffering, but not everyone who suffers is a Tragic Hero. Aristotle established the first criteria that must be met for a character to be considered a Tragic Hero. Although the definition of a tragic hero has evolved over the years, Macbeth was clearly a tragic hero. He had many noble qualities as well as several tragic flaws. Macbeth began as a courageous, brave and good nobleman who was gradually ruined by his own superstition, cowardice and blind ambition.      Ã‚  Ã‚   Macbeth was a courageous and strong nobleman. He and Banquo were leaders of King Duncan's army. His personal powers and strength as a general won him the battle as described by the captain (I,2, "But all's too weak:/ For brave Macbeth -- well he deserved that name -- / Disdaining fortune, with his brandished steel,/ Which smoked with bloody execution,/ Like valor's minion carved out his passage/ Till he faced the slave;"). Macbeth was even undiscouraged when he was attacked by the King of Norway, "assisted by that most disloyal traitor, the thane of Cawdor." Lady Macbeth convinced her husband to murder Duncan by putting his manhood and courage at stake (I,7, "When you durst do it, then you were a man;/ And to be more than what you were, you would be so much more the man"). As Macbeth started degrading he lost some bravery (IV, 1, "That I may tell pale-hearted fear it lies"). In his fight with Macduff, some of his old courage and strength returned.      Ã‚  Ã‚   Macbeth could be brave when it came to action but when he started thinking he would hesitate and would have to be urged into action by his wife or by the sense of security that he obtained from the prophecies of the supernatural. He changed his mind five times before murdering Duncan. The witches' prophecy that he would be king made him decide to leave it to "chance," but Duncan's announcement that Malcolm was to be his heir made Macbeth realize that he would have to take a course of action for the prophecies to come true. He changed his mind again before he reached home until his wife persuaded him that it could be done safely. Then he changed his mind again before finally being forced by Lady Macbeth to make up his mind to commit the murder. Shakespeare's Macbeth as Tragic Hero :: GCSE English Literature Coursework Macbeth as Tragic Hero   Ã‚  Ã‚   Tragedy always involves human suffering, but not everyone who suffers is a Tragic Hero. Aristotle established the first criteria that must be met for a character to be considered a Tragic Hero. Although the definition of a tragic hero has evolved over the years, Macbeth was clearly a tragic hero. He had many noble qualities as well as several tragic flaws. Macbeth began as a courageous, brave and good nobleman who was gradually ruined by his own superstition, cowardice and blind ambition.      Ã‚  Ã‚   Macbeth was a courageous and strong nobleman. He and Banquo were leaders of King Duncan's army. His personal powers and strength as a general won him the battle as described by the captain (I,2, "But all's too weak:/ For brave Macbeth -- well he deserved that name -- / Disdaining fortune, with his brandished steel,/ Which smoked with bloody execution,/ Like valor's minion carved out his passage/ Till he faced the slave;"). Macbeth was even undiscouraged when he was attacked by the King of Norway, "assisted by that most disloyal traitor, the thane of Cawdor." Lady Macbeth convinced her husband to murder Duncan by putting his manhood and courage at stake (I,7, "When you durst do it, then you were a man;/ And to be more than what you were, you would be so much more the man"). As Macbeth started degrading he lost some bravery (IV, 1, "That I may tell pale-hearted fear it lies"). In his fight with Macduff, some of his old courage and strength returned.      Ã‚  Ã‚   Macbeth could be brave when it came to action but when he started thinking he would hesitate and would have to be urged into action by his wife or by the sense of security that he obtained from the prophecies of the supernatural. He changed his mind five times before murdering Duncan. The witches' prophecy that he would be king made him decide to leave it to "chance," but Duncan's announcement that Malcolm was to be his heir made Macbeth realize that he would have to take a course of action for the prophecies to come true. He changed his mind again before he reached home until his wife persuaded him that it could be done safely. Then he changed his mind again before finally being forced by Lady Macbeth to make up his mind to commit the murder.

An analysis of the opening of Nosferatu by F.W. Murnau Essay

Within the horror genre of horror, vampires are particularly popular. During the silent horror films era there was another popular genre, the western. While the western declined in popularity during the 1970’s, the horror film has sustained an audience for over 20 years. The reason for this is that things that are supernatural fascinate people and strangely people are attracted by the emotional effects of the horror films ability to shock, disgust and to repel. Some of the most popular films that feature vampires, both modern and old include – Nosferatu (1977) the earliest adaptation of â€Å"Dracula†, a novel written by Bram Stoker , in addition to this another film in the horror sector, is Van Helsing (2005), another film featuring the infamous Count Dracula. Vampires are so popular because of their characteristics and their supernatural powers. Count Dracula was created as a novel by a writer called Bram Stoker in 1897. At the time of its creation it didn’t spring up a lot of attention, when the movie came out more people were interested in it. Dracula has remained popular since, and many films have had him as a main antagonist or in some cases as a protagonist or used his name in the title to add additional effect to the movie. A lot of Nosferatus parts and bits were copied by modern titles. It is the second most used character in the film industry after Sherlock Holmes. Although vampires have been known and popular since medieval times, introducing Count Dracula into the genre brought real popularity to it and increased the interest in vampires. When it became popular in 1910s some people became very interested in the structure Bram Stoker wrote it and studied it at university therefore changing the novel into an academic novel. The full name of the film is Nosferatu , Eine symphony des Grauns (in English: Nosferatu a Symphony of Horror). It was made in 1922 and was directed by F.W. Murnau, who was born in 1888 and starring Max Schreck. Before the film was made, Bram Stokers widow, Florence Stoker refused to turn her husband’s novel into a film. That brought some trouble into the making of the movie as Murnau already started producing the film. He got past this problem by cunningly changing the name of the film to Nosferatu and changing Dracula to Count Orlock. The characters Jonathan Harker became Hutter and Van Helsing became Bulner. The setting was also changed from Victorian London to Bremen. Nosferatu was different to other films of the time. Most of the film was shot location in Eastern Europe therefore there was a sense of realism and expressionism in the film. When the film was released, Florence Stoker noticed the similarities and sued the movie. In July 1925, the German Court ordered all the prints of the film to be destroyed. However somehow the film survived the destruction and can be bought in today’s shops. Nosferatu is a silent movie. During the time it was filmed they didn’t have the technology to film a â€Å"talking movie†. Talking movies were only introduced in the late 1920s. There is a possibility that they wanted to keep it a silent film because people were used to them, in addition to this they might have kept it a silent movie to create a special atmosphere, kind of scary and eerie. A silent film is a film with no synchronised recorded sound, especially spoken dialogue. The idea of combining motion pictures is nearly as old as the film itself. The film Nosferatu is accompanied by classical music all the way through it. At the start of the film there is eerie music which is classical, it consists of string instruments that create an effect contrasting to the bright and happy scene. During the film the music continues and hasn’t got many changes to it but when Hutter leaves the Inn and is on his way to Count Orlock castle and crosses the bridge the music changes from a higher pitch of a steady violin into a heavier slower cello to change the atmosphere from a lighter and brighter into a darker and mysterious one. When the carriage speeds up at the end of their journey the music becomes more frantic and a harp joins in to show the action the action speeds up and becomes more intense. This also supports the supernatural effect by increasing the natural speed of music which the audience have never met and therefore making the audience more anxious. The acting in Nosferatu is completely different to acting in modern films as in modern films the actors do not need to exaggerate their actions as much. They are accompanied by both music and effects therefore their actions are easier to understand and are self-explanatory rendering the need to exaggerate useless unless it is a comedy in which the exaggeration is far more important. During the film there is a lot of exaggeration moments when the characters need to show what they mean, how they feel, without speaking. For example at the very start when Hutter mentions Count Orlock, everybody in the in stops what they are doing which shows that something has happened as the second before the inn was very busy and lively, now it has and died down. This shows the fear and scary atmosphere. Without the exaggeration of the characters we wouldn’t be able to see and understand what was happening. In addition to this the facial expressions of the characters really are exaggerated e.g. when Hutter wakes up you can see his face transforming from sleepy to very happy or when you see the reaction of the people when Hutter mentions the Count. â€Å"It was a strong face, with peculiar arched nostrils and high domed forehead. His eyebrows were massive. The mouth was fixed and rather cruel looking with sharp white teeth, which hung over his lip. For the rest, his ears were pale and at the top extremely pointed, the chin was broad and strong, the cheeks firm though thin†¦.†. This is a extract from Dracula by Bram Stoker. There isn’t much difference between the Dracula by Stoker and Count Orlock pictured by Murnau except that Count Orlock had a hunchback which gave him an aura of a freak, a deformed monster which further emphasized his horrific appearance. In addition to this Count Orlock was bald which made him a bit more scary then Dracula described by Stoker. The lighting in Nosferatu plays a very important part in setting the atmosphere of the film. It makes the setting in most of the scenes and has a climate to it. For example at the start of the film we are presented with a bright scene containing an old German Nordic building, which is well lit and bright on the left side, but a tree on the right cast a shadow on the inn and the carriage which symbolises a mysterious shadow on the events to come. Another example of the usage of the lightning is also an example of German expressionism, this is when Hutter looks out the window and you can see the valley coming down, in the background you can see the a very dark forest which casts a shadow on the bright scene and creates an eerie and mysterious atmosphere. The use of darkness is also very important in the creation of the atmosphere. For example when it start to get dark after Hutter looks out the window we can see that the animals start to flee, which suggests to the reader that they are scared of something which is yet to come in the darkness. Just as camera shots are framed to interpret a films narrative, so camera movement can direct an audiences attention to details or a particular viewpoint within a film. In the early days of films, scenes were shot with only one or two cameras on fixed tripods, so reality appeared in a rather two dimensional way. Now, directors commonly use multiple cameras so audiences can see the action from a range of prospective giving a more realistic, 3 dimensional experience. The camera effects in Nosferatu suit the technology that was available to filmmakers at the time Nosferatu was filmed. The film is filmed at a frame rate of 16 to 23 frames per second. The camera plays an important part in Nosferatu as most effects are created by the camera, for example when Hutter looks out the window he can see the valley coming down. This has an effect of something leaning over the events yet to come, also when the tree is move to the fore ground and the mountain is in the background tat also has the same effect as the valley coming down. In addition to this there is a long shot and there is a mountain in the background. The long shot gives the feeling of layers in the scene. Mise-en-scene is the most important part of Nosferatu. This is because the usage of the settings, props, costumes and makeup was very important for the silent movies as they had a message to get across (e.g. fear) without using dialogue, sound and very little music or none at all. For example at the very start of the movie the viewer is introduced with the title, its in bold letters, in a gothic style. The way its presented with the letter that look like blood is flowing down the screen, suggest that it is a horror film and gives a mysterious atmosphere. It also bring a suggestion that the film has German Expressionism in it. In addition when Hutter drops the book advising on vampires it bring him bad luck. The use of the prop there gives the viewer a sort of a feeling Hutter was stupid doing that and that the bad luck will catch up with him. The sense of weirdness in Nosferatu is also created when Hutter looks out the window and sees the valley coming down, the animals running away we can see a man running down the hill in a nightgown. This gives the audience a feeling of confusion and puts a weird atmosphere in and leaves the audience asking themselves what is going on? Also when he throws the book down it gives the audience a sense of ignorance and irony about Hutter. When Hutter crosses the bridge to get to Orlocks cast, the bridge is used as metaphor that if he crosses he cant come back and another bridge is put in to emphasize the metaphor. In my opinion mise en scene played a very important part in Nosferatu. Film directors and editors splice scenes together to form the most effective narrative for their films. Unused film footage of scenes and takes sometimes ends up as out takes. The cuts should help the continuity of a films storyline. The types of cuts directors insert can act as cues for audiences, helping them to pick up the storyline quicker. Some of these editing techniques include: Jump cut used to make the audience and montage to give a great deal of information in a brief period. The film Nosferatu is edited in a couple of ways. One of them is the usage of intertitles. Intertitles are special frames that show what the characters is saying and in result move the plot along and speed the action up a bit, which makes the reader more interested. Another technique that Nosferatu uses is moving from night to morning very quickly which also speeds up the action and keeps the audience interested. Many scenes with nature so its montage. In my opinion the film Nosferatu was a very good and interesting for the times it was made in but in the long run it cannot compete with new horror films that appeal to the new audiences. Also it doesn’t have the interesting parts of modern films and the case of it now having any sound puts some audiences off. By studying I have learnt quite a lot about the movie industry and its beginnings. For example when the 1st horror movie was made and how many problems it had. In addition to this I learnt about a lot the techniques used by directors in the films.

Foreseeable Future Essay

This paper is a discussion of a debate between Julian L. Simon, author of The Ultimate Resource, and David Pimentel et al., authors of the article â€Å"Impact of Population Growth on Food Supplies and Environment†. The debate centers on the question: â€Å"Will the World Be Able to Feed Itself in the Foreseeable Future?† I will summarize each side’s argument, identify the key point over which they most basically disagree, and explain what I would like to know more about in order to arrive at my own position on the issue. Simon argues that with our present technology, and with the technology that is still being developed, the world will easily be able to feed itself, regardless of the increasing size of its population. He explains how food production adheres to the law of supply and demand: an increase in population and income will produce a higher demand for food. For a short time some foods may become scarce. Rising food prices due to the scarcity will prompt agronomical researchers and farmers to invent better methods of producing food and therefore increase the food production. He emphasizes that this pattern can only continue if the agriculturally productive countries promote entrepreneurship and economic freedom. Simon points out that â€Å"the capacity of food-factory production has expanded to a degree almost beyond belief.† (Simon, p. 115). He describes how hydroponic farming, which involves indoor, factory-controlled conditions, is more land efficient and produces higher quality produce than traditional farming methods. He also argues that our food supplies are not limited by the amount of sunlight falling on green plants due to the availability of nuclear as well as non-nuclear power (such as solar cells, wind, and ocean currents) to make light. Simon also names other existing technology, such as bovine growth hormone and genetically engineered plants, which he predicts â€Å"will surely produce huge commercial gains in the next century.† (Simon, p. 117). In addition to an increase in the production of field crops, Simon also assures us that the world fish catch is rapidly increasing, and that aquaculture (fish farming) has the potential to expand exponentially. â€Å"Land is a small constraint, as catfish farming in Mississippi shows; present  methods produce about 3000 pounds of fish per acre, an economic return far higher than for field crops.† (Simon, p. 118). David Pimentel et al. disagree that the world will be able to feed itself in the foreseeable future. They point to a decreasing amount of fertile land, fresh water, energy, and biological resources needed to provide an adequate supply of food. Evidence supporting their claim includes the fact that nearly one-third of the world’s cropland is no longer being used due to erosion, and that â€Å"water shortages are reflected in the per capita decline in irrigation used for food production in all regions of the world during the past 20 years.† (Pimental et al., p. 122) Basing their projections on reports from the U.S. Dept. of Energy, Pimentel et al. predict that the U.S. will use up all of its own oil reserves within the next 15 or 20 years, causing an over-reliance on oil importing. In addition, Pimentel et al. point out that if the U.S. population doubles in the next 60 years, its cereal and other food imports to most of the other 182 nations would have to be kept at home to meet its own food supply needs. They warn that an increased demand for food due to physical and biological constraints without an increase in food production will cause a breakdown in international trade. â€Å"At that point, food importation for the rich can only be sustained by starvation of the powerless poor.† (Pimentel el al., p. 123). The key point over which Simon and Pimentel et al. disagree is whether or not current and new technology will be able to support the world population’s food needs. Simon contends, â€Å"Whether or not population grows exponentially, subsistence grows at an even faster exponential rate (largely but not entirely because of population growth.) And capacity to improve other aspects of the standard of living, beyond subsistence, grows at a still faster exponential rate, due largely to the growth of knowledge.† (Simon, p. 119). Pimentel, et al. believe that â€Å"improved technology will assist in more effective management and use of resources, but it cannot produce an unlimited flow of those vital natural resources that are the raw materials  for sustained agricultural production.† (Pimentel, p. 124). In other words, people cannot make topsoil or water. Pimentel et al. fail to mention such possible alternate solutions such as hydroponic farming or aquaculture. There are a number of things that I would want clarified before I could arrive at my own position on this issue. First, I would want to know how much â€Å"lag time† is occurring or will occur when the demand for food (or certain kinds of food, such as cereal), exceeds the supply. (â€Å"There is always some lag before supply responds to additional demand, which may mean that some will suffer.† – Simon, p. 120). Many people in the developing countries ARE currently going hungry. Will advances in technology, as well as changes in our social and economic systems, give us the ability to stop and prevent worldwide hunger? What would these social and economic changes look like? Another assertion by Simon that needs to be discussed further is the cost and dependability of using artificial light and nuclear power to farm hydroponically. It seems like a promising way to deal with the increased demand for food, but will the cost for this type of production be too high for developing countries? How will these countries be able to pay for food that is imported to them? Simon asserts that hydroponic produce â€Å"looks good and tastes good† (Simon, p. 116), but will time prove it to be as safe and healthy as food grown the traditional way? (e.g. NutraSweet, which has been proven to not be totally safe, vs. sugar.). Pimentel et al. point out the threat to our environment and biodiversity caused by overpopulation. Would a greater focus on conservation and an effort to reduce over-consumption and pollution on the part of developed countries make enough of a difference to still have adequate natural resources? (Is it possible to have it both ways: technologically advanced/safe food production and naturally produced food?) There also seems to be a discrepancy between Simon’s assertion that the annual fish catch is continuing to rise and Pimentel et al.’s statement that â€Å"Per capita fish catch has not increased even though the size and speed of  fishing vessels has improved.† (Pimentel, p. 125). Pimentel et al. also did not address the potential of aquaculture or hydroponic farming to supply food, or the capability of technology to produce artificial substitutes, even though they were able to gather a large amount of other data from such reputable sources as World Bank and the Food and Agricultural Organization of the United Nations. In summary, I would like to obtain more factual information concerning actual and projected shortages of natural resources. I need more evidence that hydroponic and artificial food farming is more than adequate to meet the demand for food. Finally, I need to further understand the effects that population growth is having on our environment.