US Federal Government Employee Benefits

US Federal Government Employee Benefits According to data from US Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), the federal government employs over 2 million civilian workers. That’s about 1.5 percent of the nearly 133 million workers BLS counted in all industries in the United States. Along with salaries or wages, employee compensation in the federal government includes benefits  such as subsidized health insurance and many more. Federal government employees enjoy a wide range of family-friendly benefits that go far beyond insurance and retirement. Each agency is free to offer its own benefits package. The following is a sample of federal government employee benefits. Federal Employees Retirement System (FERS):  Benefits based on the amount of service and salary history.Thrift Savings Plan (TSP):  In addition to the defined or basic benefits provided by the FERS plan, current federal employees can boost their retirement savings by participating in the Thrift Savings Plan (TSP). The TSP offers the same types of savings and tax benefits as a 401(k) plan.Social Security:  Credit earned while working with the Government. Retirement benefits, disability protection, and survivor protection.  All federal employees hired after 1983 pay Social Security taxes, including the President of the United States, the Vice President, members of Congress, sitting federal judges, certain legislative branch employees, and most political appointees. The government collects these taxes in the same amounts as they would if these employees worked in the private sector at the same salary level.Medicare - Part A:  Available to you at no cost at age 65.Federal Emplo yees Health Benefits Program (FEHB):  No waiting periods, required medical exam, or age/physical condition restrictions. Federal Employees Group Life Insurance (FEGLI):  Group term life insurance - Basic life insurance and three options (Standard, Additional, and Family).Leave and Holidays:  13 days sick leave each year; 13, 20, or 26 days of vacation leave each year, depending on years of service; 10 days paid holiday each year.Family Friendly Leave Flexibilities:  Flexible Work Schedules; Telecommuting; Family Friendly Leave Policies; Employee Assistance Program (EAP); Part-Time Job Sharing Positions; Child Elder Care Resources Adoption Information/Incentives; Child Support Services.Work/Life Programs:  Every Federal agency has an Employee Assistance Program (EAP), which has a goal to restore employees to full productivity. More specifically, the EAP provides free, confidential short-term counseling to identify the employees problem and, when appropriate, make a referral to an outside organization, facility, or program that can assist the employee in resolving his or her problem.Recruitment Bonus:  Lump-sum bonus to newly appointed employees for difficult-to-fill positions. Up to 25 percent  of basic pay may be paid prior to the employee entering on duty. A service agreement with repayment plan if service time not fulfilled. Relocation Bonus:  Lump-sum bonus for difficult-to-fill position in a different commuting area; up to 25 percent  of basic pay. A service agreement with repayment plan if service time not fulfilled.Retention Allowance:  Continuing payment to retain departing employees; up to 25% of basic pay.Employee Development:  Career Resource Centers; Training OpportunitiesStudent Loan Repayment: Permits agencies to repay the student loans of Federal employees; used at the discretion of the agency.Long Term Care Insurance Program: John Hancock and MetLife formed Long Term Care Partners, a jointly owned new company exclusively dedicated to serving the long-term care insurance needs of the Federal Family.Child Care Subsidy Program: Federal agencies, at their own discretion, can use appropriated funds, including revolving funds otherwise available for salaries, to assist lower income federal employees with the costs of childcare.

Free Essays on The Opera

Eminem For my research paper, I chose to write about Marshall Mathers. I chose to write about him because he is the best young rapper, and I like how he doesn’t care what happens, he just goes with it. He isn’t a very good role model, but he is funny, and couldn’t care less what anybody says about him. He had a rough childhood that reflects to now, and makes great records and songs that describe his life and what has happened during it. Marshall Bruce Mathers III was born on October 17, 1974 in Kansas City, Missouri. He created his own nickname, Eminem, which is pronounced M&M, from his initials, M.M. Marshall had a harsh and cruel childhood, where he constantly moved between Kansas City and Metro Detroit. When he was a child, he lived with his mother. His mother’s name is Debbie Mathers-Briggs. Eminem has never even seen a picture of his father in his life. Eminem and his mother continued moving and never stayed in one place longer than six months. His mother wo rked very hard and many jobs to provide for herself and Marshall. When Eminem was in school, he used to get beat up every day. There wasn’t one day when he didn’t get beat up by the same group of kids, just for being himself. One day those kids almost killed him, and Eminem went into a coma. The day after he got out of the hospital, they moved again. Eminem continued to move back and forth from his mothers to his grandmothers, until the age of 11, when he and his mother settled in Detroit for good. Marshall first started to get into rap when he was 14. Some of his musical influences growing up were the Beastie Boys, LL Cool J, and Run DMC. As Eminem persued his rapping career, he would often hustle radio stations into playing his self-made tapes, to get some publicity over the radio waves. Marshall felt that his rapping career was starting to take off. He was getting some big calls to rap in major places and he thought everyone has started to love him. Soon, he f... Free Essays on The Opera Free Essays on The Opera Eminem For my research paper, I chose to write about Marshall Mathers. I chose to write about him because he is the best young rapper, and I like how he doesn’t care what happens, he just goes with it. He isn’t a very good role model, but he is funny, and couldn’t care less what anybody says about him. He had a rough childhood that reflects to now, and makes great records and songs that describe his life and what has happened during it. Marshall Bruce Mathers III was born on October 17, 1974 in Kansas City, Missouri. He created his own nickname, Eminem, which is pronounced M&M, from his initials, M.M. Marshall had a harsh and cruel childhood, where he constantly moved between Kansas City and Metro Detroit. When he was a child, he lived with his mother. His mother’s name is Debbie Mathers-Briggs. Eminem has never even seen a picture of his father in his life. Eminem and his mother continued moving and never stayed in one place longer than six months. His mother wo rked very hard and many jobs to provide for herself and Marshall. When Eminem was in school, he used to get beat up every day. There wasn’t one day when he didn’t get beat up by the same group of kids, just for being himself. One day those kids almost killed him, and Eminem went into a coma. The day after he got out of the hospital, they moved again. Eminem continued to move back and forth from his mothers to his grandmothers, until the age of 11, when he and his mother settled in Detroit for good. Marshall first started to get into rap when he was 14. Some of his musical influences growing up were the Beastie Boys, LL Cool J, and Run DMC. As Eminem persued his rapping career, he would often hustle radio stations into playing his self-made tapes, to get some publicity over the radio waves. Marshall felt that his rapping career was starting to take off. He was getting some big calls to rap in major places and he thought everyone has started to love him. Soon, he f...

College assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

College - Assignment Example 10. The following 10 data values are systolic blood pressure readings. Compute the mean, range, standard deviation, and variance for these data using StatCrunch. Copy and Paste your work from StatCrunch into your Word document submission. 12. The following data designate whether patients in two groups (experimental and control) complied with a medication regimen. The experimental group participated in an intervention designed to promote perceived mastery over health events: Using StatCrunch, construct a contingency table for these data, computing both row and column percentages for each of the four cells. Copy and Paste your StatCrunch table into your Word document submission. Using StatCrunch, construct a scatterplot that shows the relationship between the two variables. Copy and Paste your work from StatCrunch into your Word document submission. Verbally describe the direction and magnitude of the relationship. Using StatCrunch, construct a scatterplot that shows the relationship between the two variables (carbon dioxide concentrations and the measured change in Global temperature). Calculate the r value using StatCrunch. Copy and Paste your work from StatCrunch into your Word document submission. Verbally describe the direction and magnitude of the relationship you find. What does this tell you about Global

J curve Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

J curve - Essay Example When the short duration is considered, the J-curve theory comes into play (Schaefer, 1995). In the short-term, the export and import demand becomes rigid. Thus, the current account worsens before it improves. Nevertheless, after some time, the demand becomes less and less rigid. Hence, the price can be manipulated. The effect of this is an enhancement in the current account The current account is the variation in the net foreign position of a country. The current account can also be termed as the summation of the returns of all foreign financial assets of a country and trade balance (Pitchford, 2002). A country’s foreign assets comprises of the capital gains, the interest payments, and the dividends. By using its money, a country is able to buy from foreign countries whenever it deems appropriate. Addition of the liabilities and the foreign assets defines the financial position of a country. Is it in debt or is it in surplus. A current account keeps record of receipts received from and the payments that have been made to the foreign countries it buys from (Pitchford, 2002). A capital account is a major constituent of the balance of payments of a country. It avails the net capital income and expenditure of a country. The capital account records the financial transactions of a country by way of titles to assets. It lists the foreign transactions to those of the market (Pitchford, 2002). A capital account is made up of purchase and disposal of non-produced, assets that are non-financial, and capital transfers (OECD, 2001). The financial account is the ultimate account in the full order of accounts that lists the financial transactions between the units of the institutions within a country (IMF, 1996). The financial account list is composed of the transactions that include liabilities and financial assets occurring between foreigners and the country’s institutional units. Its primary constituents include

The mass would be measured Essay Example for Free

The mass would be measured Essay Introduction: Magnesium is a metal which need get rid of two electrons; oxygen is a gas at room temperature and it needs two electrons and magnesium oxide is ionic compound because when they join up they are ions and both elements have an opposite charge which creates electrostatic attraction between them creating a very strong bond between the two ions, but they only become ions when oxygen takes electrons away from magnesium. 2Mg(s) + O2 (g) 2MgO(s). The conservation of mass is also involved in this experiment so the theory of conservation of mass is that if I use 48g of magnesium and 32g of oxygen I would get 80g of magnesium oxide, and with this reaction the ratio for mass is 24:16. What I would expect the formula to be is MgO because magnesium needs to lose 2 electrons and oxygen needs to gain 2 electrons so the ratio would be 1:1 so that in every 1million magnesium atoms there would be 1 million oxygen atoms. Preliminary Work: We would be using a total mass of 150cm, we initially have 200cm but encase of mistakes we would only be using 150cm. Since there would be two experiments I would need to divide the amount of magnesium I have in two so each experiment would be using 75g of magnesium. So this means that the lengths would need to go up in 5 (5cm, 10cm, 15cm, 20cm and 25cm). Since 5, 10, 15, 20 and 25 all add up to 75 this would be the only logical method. Using a range this big also allows me to be able to make a comparison between the lengths because the results would end up being very different. Possible Formulas for magnesium oxide Formula Mass of Magnesium (g) Mass of Oxygen (g) Mass of Magnesium Oxide (g) Point to Plot MgO. ) This table shows the plotting point for the graph. All points would be going through point zero (naturally) because if you have no magnesium then it would be impossible to get any magnesium oxide because there is no magnesium atoms more oxygen atoms to join up to make magnesium oxide. This also shows the gradient of each formula so that I can match it to my graph for the main experiment and find out what formula of magnesium oxide I have created in my experiment. Formula Ratio/ Gradient MgO 1. 67 Mg2O 1. 33 MgO2 2. 33 Mg3O2 1. 44 Mg2O3 2 Mg3O 1. 22 The purpose of this graph is so that I could compare the gradient shown on this table to my graph. When I calculate my gradient I would tell what formula of magnesium oxide I have created by seeing which gradient is the closest to my gradient. Timing for reaction The aim here was to find out how long it took for magnesium to burn. Mass (g) Time (m) Crucible + lid + magnesium 50. 76 Crucible + lid 50. 45 Magnesium 0. 31 Crucible + lid + magnesium oxide 50. 93 29. Crucible + lid + magnesium oxide 50. 96 32 Crucible + lid + magnesium oxide 50. 96 35 Crucible + lid 50. 45 Magnesium Oxide 0. 51 What I learned from this is that has the mass increases so does the time it takes for the magnesium to burn. This is because more energy is required to burn more magnesium which means more time would be need to provide it. I can also tell that after repeating to see if there was a reaction there was no longer an increase in mass which meant that there were no longer any oxygen atoms joining up with any magnesium atoms. Main experiment: List of Apparatus I have used: Bunsen Burner   Crucible and Lid   Digital Balance 0. 01g Goggles Heat Proof Mat   Magnesium Ribbon (200cm)   Pipe-clay triangle   Tongs * Tripod Safety We used the crucible and lid because it wont crack which means there would be no injury to anyone. If I was to use glass the chanced of and injury would be high. Another advantage for safety with the crucible is that we wont be able to see the light produced from the creation which means there would be no risk of your eyes being damaged. We used a heat proof mat so that the table will not get burnt or anything else. We would also use goggles because at some point during the experiment we would be lifting the lid to see if the reaction has stopped so using the goggles causes a decrease in glare from the light and it was also used to prevent any particulates from entering my eyes. I also tucked in my tie in my shirt because there was fire from the Bunsen burner and I did not want to get anything easily loose on me to catch fire so tucking my tie in would lower the chances of injury to me. We also checked the heat of the crucible and lid to if it was cool enough to hold by using the harmless method; we hovered our hands over the crucible and lid to see if any heat was radiating to our hands and we could not feel any feat we would light touch the crucible for half a second to get a better sense of the heat and if it feels cool we would then take it back. Method What Im going to measure is the mass of the magnesium ribbons at different lengths, and Im also going to measure the amount of magnesium oxide it makes. The mass would be measured by a digital balance (0.01g), which was very accurate way of measuring the mass because it can detect up to two decimal places. To make sure its a fair test we took two tests for each length so that we could get an accurate average. We also used a pipe-clay triangle so that the crucible would not experience heat loss (if we were using a gauze) which would affect how much magnesium oxide is produced. We also used the ruler to make sure that the lengths that we used were as accurate as it can be so that the results are fair. How we set up the equipment was that we could have the meat proof mat so that there are no burns around the area or the possibility of fire. The crucible and lid would be placed above the pipe-clay triangle so that the heat would reach the crucible in the right place. The tripod would be used to keep the crucible and lid above the Bunsen burner at the right distance. We would also lift the lid from time to time to see if the reaction has stopped. We can tell if the reaction has stopped because there would be no bright light. Then we would reheat it to see if the reaction has fully stopped. We can tell if the reaction has fully stopped because there would be no increase in mass. Next time I would do two experiments at the same time so that I could get my results quicker. DIAGRAM: Length Crucible + lid (g) Crucible + lid + Magnesium (g) Magnesium (g) Average Magnesium (g) Crucible + lid + Magnesium Oxide (g) Magnesium Oxide (g) Average Magnesium Oxide (g) 5cm 4This table shows two results from each length showing the mass of magnesium and the mass of magnesium oxide produced. The two sets of results from each length were then turned to an average so that we can get an accurate figure. I then plotted a graph of these results so that I can see a clear trend. The reason why I took many readings from different lengths is because so that I could get different readings for mass so that I can plot them on the graph at different points so that it can give me a line of best fit.

Patrick Henry Essay -- essays research papers

Patrick Henry Patrick Henry was a great patriot. He never used his fists or guns to fight for his country, but he used a much more powerful weapon at which he held great skill: his words. Possibly the greatest orator of his time, his speeches such as "Give Me Liberty or Give Me Death" struck a cord in the American spirit of those who opposed oppression and tyranny. Henry was born on May 29th, 1736 in Studley, Virginia. His schooling was basic; elementary school, then trained in the classics by his father. His father, John Henry was an well-educated Scotsman who was a surveyor, colonel, and justice of the local county court. Still young, Patrick Henry first took up storekeeping in which he failed twice, and then farming which also proved unsuccessful. Despite his early struggles he then married Sara Shelton, and with the new responsibilities of marriage he took up the practice of law. He was naturally talented in the new job and soon found himself very successful. The first signs of his "oratorical genus" were shown in case in which he represented Virginia asking for a change of law that had been disallowed by King George III. After this case he was soon accepted as a member of the House of Burgesses. There he delivered another famous speech opposing the Stamp Act. After concluded this speech calls of "Treason! Treason!" rang though the hall, but Henry replied "If this be treason, make the most of it." Thus began the li...

Vulnerable Population In The Workplace

One has chosen to focus on the substance abuse patients as the vulnerable population for the project. Frequently one has identified and seen stigmatization, prejudgments, and poor care given to this population in the workplace. Many patients are discharged each day with no plan of care, no education on resources and no instructions for follow up care. The outcomes and possibilities for the patient’s recovery have shown to be slim by the frequent return of the patient in the emergency room.The patients return within hours of discharge from the ER and seem to be in the same condition as when they left. One has created an action plan and a teaching brochure for health care providers to help facilitate a better system and care process for this population. The first step of overcoming this issue is to start from the base of it, which are the providers and their beliefs. The focus will be on educating the health care providers to stop stigmatization, develop self-awareness, and lear n to be culturally competent and to be the best advocate for the patient.In the emergency room there are frequent patients via ambulance, walk-in’s, which are intoxicated and requesting, detox. Typically when the patient arrives he or she are intoxicated, wheatear it is drugs or alcohol. The patient is registered and triaged. Depending on their condition or level of intoxication, they are either immediately brought in or are placed on a stretcher and wait to be evaluated by a physician. Because of the large population of substance abusers in New York City, these patients tend to have a stigma attached to them.The stigma is the patients will not follow up with his or her detox programs, they will return to the ER with-in hours of discharge, they are seeking food and shelter for the night, and they are not serious in their treatment to recover. Therefore, many of the providers and nurses in the ER tend not to take the patient or his or her care seriously. They often wait to see if the patient will walk out and leave after a few hours of warmth and food. If the patient is in the waiting area and waiting to come in, many charge nurses will continue to skip over the patient to bring in others.If the patient is in the department the providers tend not to pick-up their charts in assumption the patient will just leave to continue his or her addiction. One has created a teaching brochure to help identify three concepts, which may lead and assist in caring for the substance abuse patient. The concepts will help providers to be empathetic, trustworthy, and intelligent to the patient’s backgrounds and beliefs. The brochure speaks of the concepts and reasons it will aid in the patient success in recovery.If these patients are seen as a lost cause and providers do not listen or rectify the problem the population of the substance abuser will grow and increase the death rate and increase dangers to others as well. Substance abuse does not only endanger the patie nt but the people around him or her. For example, a person who is drinking and driving can hit a pedestrian walking and cause fatal danger to that person. One has learned through lessons in this class how to identify a vulnerable population, how self-awareness cultural competence, and advocacy can help treat these patients and provide the best care needed to have the best outcome.The first step as a provider is to have self –awareness. It is only possible for one to relate to others when they know whom one is and what one will or will not accept from others (Jack, Kristen, Smith, & Anne, 2007,para. 1). In the treatment of others it is important for the provider to be aware of their own personal beliefs and identity. To truly understand what one believes in is to have self –awareness. â€Å"Being self-aware enables us to identify our strengths and also those areas that can be developed.If we do not know our good and bad points then we are less likely to be able to help others (Burnard 1992). Nurses can use the self to therapeutic effect when working with patients, for example, when empathizing or advocating (Jack, et al 2007,para. 2). Cultural competence is also important for the health care team to incorporate in accurate care for substance abuse patients. Cultural competence is not only about ethnic background, religion, race, or spirituality. It is also about the environment in which one lives.â€Å" The layers of culturally competent practice do not solely address race and ethnicity. A comprehensive culturally competent practice encompasses issues related to language, migration and acculturation, family history, religious practices, as well as social trust and community attachment† (Mallow & Cameron-Kelly, 2006, para. 11). The staff needs to learn the importance of empathy and pre-judgmental thoughts toward the culture of the substance abuse patient. They live and survive in a different environment. To provide care for them is to under stand and keep biased opinions out of the treatment.Providers should analyze and try to learn of their culture and struggles they see and handle each day. The third concept implemented in this learning tool would be advocacy. Nurses and doctors are essentially the patient’s voice. Patients relay on the health care provider to help them and guide them through care and also to represent them in the hospital or within the community. The nurse and physician are the main identifiers of the recurring problem. The providers can help to implement new policies or create outpatient programs to keep the patient on a positive track.Identifying the flaws and implementing new systems can help the patient have a better health outcome. â€Å"The knowledge and expertise of a nurse regarding the care and concerns of a patient are vast. Overlay that knowledge and expertise with a sense of community, and the nurse advocate is born. Whether teaching proper car-seat installation to parents, advoc ating for primary seatbelt laws at the state house, or testifying at a congressional committee hearing, each nurse should be aware of the importance of political advocacy.Health care is in an evolving state, and nursing is at the table; every nurse should be aware and supportive of this advocacy† (Philips, 2012, para. 10). In conclusion one believes substance abuse patients would benefit greatly and outcome goal would improve if he or she were cared for and handled by a provider who was empathetic and knowledgeable to his or her cultural needs, ethnic background, and beliefs, whether they were spiritual or not. Each person or patient is unique and should receive treatment in a way, which suits him or her uniquely.In order for a provider to do so, they should be knowledgeable to self-awareness, cultural competence, and advocacy. Knowing oneself, possessing knowledge of others and motivation to be a trustworthy advocate will help the substance abuse patient feel support and allo w him or her to recognize the provider as a trustworthy person. Building trust and creating a stable health climate with the patient will paint a road to recovery for the substance abuse patient. Vulnerable Population in the Workplace Nursing profession is a career with a vast field of different practices with different roles to choose from. This variety makes the nursing field a vulnerable profession for mistakes if not tackled with adequate educational and clinical training. Although there are different specialties for a nurse to choose from to continue their career, it is still necessary for every nurse to have even a little amount of knowledge, or background, of the different scopes of practice of the other specialties of nursing. If this can’t be achieved as an individual, teamwork is necessary by sharing the knowledge you have especially in the workplace.Having that knowledge about vulnerable population is an essential tool to be able to work with patients properly. Sharing that knowledge to your workplace is important in order for them to be able to work competently, especially in the field that I work with where we handle different kinds of patients. In this paper, we will see how the knowledge abou t the vulnerable population is essential in the workplace, which consists of topics essential to this subject such as the Vulnerable Population: Vulnerable People, Cultural Competence and Resilience, and Social Justice in Nursing.Vulnerable Population: Vulnerable PeopleUnderstanding the definition of being vulnerable is the first step to be able to work competently with this population. According to the American Journal of Managed Care, members of this â€Å"vulnerable population† are those who are at risk for certain health problems. (AJMC, 2006) As the term elaborates, vulnerability is the susceptibility of any group or individual for risks of problems. Home health nurses meet lots of vulnerable patients especially those who have chronic diseases, disabled, and the elderly.Understanding  what their at risk for are essential in order for nurses to plan for prevention interventions. Examples of vulnerable population that home health nurses meet frequently are those who are disabled, have chronic illness, and the elderly. They are also on the top of the list that are high risk for falls, pressure ulcers, pneumonia, DVT, depression, and the list goes on and on. It is important for home health nurses to understand these risks for this vulnerable population to be able to generate prevention interventions.Cultural Competence and ResilienceCultural Competence and Resilience is an important quality that should always be carried by a professional nurse. According to Poole, cultural competence is practiced by nurses not only because it is politically appropriate, but it is also an inner sense that being culturally competent is an essential attitude to be able to build that therapeutic relationship with the patient, which promotes better healing environment. (Poole, 1998)Resilience is the ability of an individual to bounce back from change or difficulty as defined by the Merriam-Webster Online Dictionary (2010). With these two combined, home health nurses can b e able to deal with patients with different cultures competently without any difficulty adapting from the great changes that they may experience from different types of patients.Social Justice in NursingSocial Justice is known as the ability to provide fair treatment regardless of age, ethnicity, race, economic status, disability, and gender as defined by the American Association of Colleges of Nursing (2008). When this attitude is applied to nursing, it makes a nurse aware that everyone is equal, and therefore should be treated equal. In home health nursing, this equality is sometimes not seen because of the inability of the patient to pay for the right services that is appropriate to his/her condition.But this is not an excuse for a nurse to neglect the other appropriate care that can be done independently. To show care more than to show how vulnerable they are because of socioeconomic status is more important than having that full coverage of treatment they can get but is not rec eiving that genuine care that they need for therapeutic relationship and healing. This attitude is important because ever since the nursing profession started, nurses became an advocate to their patients to protect their rights and to  encourage them to exercise that power of their rights.These three important topics are important to understand more deeply in order for the nurse to be able to provide care more effectively especially to those who are included in the vulnerable population. More importantly, knowledge with these topics should be shared to my workplace to expand the knowledge on caring with the vulnerable, especially for home health nurses who most of the time take care of the elderly, disabled, chronically ill, minorities, and the socioeconomically unfortunate.

Miss Essay

Marketing Management Individual Assignment 1. The definition of EPRG orientation and its practice in international companies/local companies * ethnocentric (home-country oriented) An ethnocentric firm views the business from the perspective and values of the home country. Policies and practices are likely to be designed by home-country nationals with little or no variation for international operations. Ethnocentric oriented international companies believe that anything worked at home must also work abroad. For example: Nissan using ethnocentric orientation during its first few years of exporting cars and trucks to the U. S. market. Nissan’s cars were designed for mild Japanese winter, the vehicle were difficult to start in many parts of the U. S. during winter there. In northern Japan many car owners would put blankets over the hoods of their cars. Nissan’s assume that Americans would do the same. * Polycentric (host country-oriented) In contrast with ethnocentric, a polycentric firm operates according to the principle that each country of operation is different. Polycentric is a highly market-oriented. Each market is considered unique, that’s why the marketing mix, product strategies, pricing strategies etc is different for each country. Example: Citicorp’s financial services around the world operated on a polycentric basis. James Bailey, one Citicorp executive, offered this description of the company: â€Å"we were like in a medieval state. There was a king and his court, are they in charge? No. The land barons are who were in charge. King and his court may declare this or that, but the lord barons who went and did their thing to their appointed land. With that statement we can interpret that even the owner of company in headquarter stating this and that, but each country has some differences, and we should makes some changes in order to make our company succeed in other country. * Regiocentric (regionally-oriented) Firm treats a region as a uniform market segment and adapts a similar marketing strategy within region but not across region. For examole: Mc Donald not serving pork and slaughter animals through Halal process only in Middle East and some muslim-dominated countries. * Geocentric (world-oriented) The geocentric approach considers the whole world as a single market and attempts to formulate integrated marketing strategies. The firm recognizes both similarities and differences in cultures and markets. Best practices are adopted on a global basis and adapted for local conditions where necessary. Nestle and other multinational company is using geocentric orientation. Colgate Palmolive is an example for a company which using geocentric approach. It has been operating internationally for 50 years and its products are households in more than 170 countries. 2. The practice of each of the entry modes (exporting, licensing, franchising, contract manufacturing, strategic alliances, joint ventures and foreign directt investment) please provide example for each entry strategy done by each local company and international company * Exporting The home company exports their product to host country company/distributor. It is the safest entry strategy to start expanding company overseas. By exporting we would learn the market situation in overseas market. And it is less risky and less cost than to manufactures the goods in host country. The example of exporting is kecap Bango and bumbu Bamboe in European market, especially French. Kecap Bango and bumbu Bamboe export their goods to Indian and Asian store in France. The target market is of course Indonesian consumer who lives there. Another example is Teh Botol in carton pack, it sells its product by helping of Indonesian embassy in Paris, France. * Licensing In licensing the home firm agrees to permit a company in host country to use the manufacturing, processing, trademark, know-how or some other skill provided by the licensor. For example, Coca Cola give license to United Bottlers to make Coke in Zimbabwe. Franchising A home company which using franchising (franchisor), grants another ( a company or individual) the rights to distribute goods or services using franchisor’s brand and system in exchange for fees. Mc Donalds is known to use franchise as its market strategies through the world. In Indonesia, alfamart and indomaret are using franchising as their strategy. But they still using it within Indonesia not overseas. * contract manufacturing In contract manufacturing the firm decide to enter by contracting a manufacture of its product in target market. In example GAP contract manufacture in developing countries to manufacture and sells them. The products can be made to the conditions and specific requirements of the local market * strategic alliances Strategic alliances firm unite with competitor to pursue a set of assented goals remain independent after the formation of the alliance. The partner firms share the benefits of the alliance and the control of the performance of assigned tasks and the partner firms contribute on a continuing basis to one or more key strategic areas. For example, in 2005 Adidas (a German company) announced its acquisition of Reebok. Mr. Herbert Hainer, the CEO of Adidas, expected to cut costs by 125 million Euros in the next three years by sharing information technology, synergies in sales and distribution, and cheaper sourcing. However, the new combined company will continue to run separate headquarters and sales forces, and keep most distribution centers apart * joint ventures In joint ventures the firms in which two or more investors share ownership and control over property rights and operation. In Zimbabwe, Olivine industries have a joint venture agreement with HJ Heinz in food processing. * foreign direct investment The firm makes a direct investment in a production unit in a foreign market. It is the greatest commitment since there is a 100% ownership. The international firm can obtain wholly foreign production facilities in two primary ways; It can make a direct acquisition or merger in the host market and It can also develop its own facilities from the ground up. Multinational company are already using foreign direct investment, like Nestle in many countries in the world including Indonesia, Unilever, etc

Where Should You Take the ACT

Where Should You Take the ACT SAT / ACT Prep Online Guides and Tips You don't want to walk in the morning of the ACT only to find you have to take the test on a super-tiny desk. If you're preparing for the ACT, you've probably spent a lot of time studying and getting ready for the test. But you probably haven't given that much thought to the physical location of your test (especially if you're taking it as a part of your state’s mandatory testing). However, the place you take the ACT could definitely affect your performance. Read our guide to choosing the best possible ACT test location so you can knock it out of the park. How to Search for Test Locations Before we can even talk about what makes a good center, we need to go over how to find those test centers to begin with. Keep in mind this guide is intended for students taking the test outside of mandatory state testing sessions. If your high school requires you to take the ACT, you won't be able to choose the location for that session of the test. But if you sign up on your own, you will be able to chose. The ACT website has two test center search methods – one that’s easier to use but less detailed, and one that’s more cumbersome but gives you more info. We’ll tell you about both. Method One: ACT’s Test Center Search The easiest way to start looking for an ACT Test Center is to use the search feature on ACT’s website. This basic search method allows you to search by country, state, and city. Image via the ACT Student website. The upside is that this is a quick method, and you don’t have to begin registering for the test. The downside is that since you can only search by city and state, and not zip code/distance, you might overlook test centers close to you. However, for some states, this basic method might be all you need. For example, in Rhode Island, there are only two test centers that offer the test on all ACT dates, and eleven centers total. If you live in RI, that would probably make your choice of test center pretty straightforward, unless you want to consider options over the border. Eight of the eleven possible test centers in Rhode Island. The basic ACT Test Center search doesn't allow students in Rhode Island to easily see options over the state border. Image via the ACT Student website. But for big states like California and Texas, you might need a more fine-grained search to be able to sort through the options closest to you. If that's the case, you may want to consider the second search method. Method Two: Begin to Register for the ACT Unfortunately, the best method for an ACT test center search is within the test registration process. You don’t have to complete your registration, but use this method if you want to do a more efficient search by zip code. For some reason, both the SAT and the ACT only let you search test centers by zip code once you’ve begun to register. Once you begin to register for the ACT, you can search for test centers by zip code. Image via the ACT Student website. The registration search method will give you a list of the test centers nearest to you. This is especially helpful if you live close to a different city or even a state line, as it will show you options over the border. A list of possible test centers found with the zip code search. Note that using this method you can still view which test centers still have space available. Image via the ACT Student website. So if you use this search method and see that you have a lot of options, how do you choose the best test center? Your choice depends on a few important factors, which we will cover in order of importance. How Far Away is the Center? You don’t want to risk a travel crisis the morning of the ACT. For that reason alone, it’s wise to choose a test center as close to your home as possible. In most cases, the closer, the safer, especially if traffic or weather issues arise. Also think about the parking and/or drop-off situation at the location. A high school parking lot might be crazy the morning of the ACT. In any case, always give yourself more time than you think you’ll need to get to the ACT on time. This is not the morning to be late! Do You Know the Building? Once you’re inside the center, you’ll be less stressed out if you know how to get around. For example, if it’s your own high school, even if you’re headed to a room you’ve never had a class in, you’ll likely be able to find it easily. This means less unnecessary stress on test day. However, if you’re in a different high school or university building, and have to go looking for your test room, that could cause unnecessary stress, especially if you take a wrong turn or get lost. If you have to go to an unfamiliar location (say if your high school doesn’t offer the ACT) you might consider scoping out the center ahead of time. Will You Run Into Friends? Will seeing friends or classmates at the ACT relax you, or stress you out? For some students, seeing their friends and talking before the test could help them relax and focus. For others, seeing classmates could remind them of competition and college application stress, so being with strangers might be more relaxing. There is no problem with being either type of person. But be introspective and try to decide if being with familiar faces will be good or bad for you, and plan accordingly. If you'll be especially stressed out by familiar faces, you might consider traveling a bit farther to go to a different test location. Are There Issues With the Test Center? Aside from the big issues of location and people present, there could be other, unexpected issues that make a test center better or worse. What are the rooms like? For example, windowless rooms can be oppressive and stressful for some students. For others, sitting by a window could be distracting. Does the room have decent temperature control? You don’t want to be taking the ACT either uncomfortably hot or cold. If the high school across town has AC and yours doesn’t, you might prefer to go across town, especially if you're taking the ACT in June. Think about other possible problems with the test center. Is there construction happening nearby that could be distracting? Odd smells or lighting issues? There are things that could unexpectedly cause problems the morning of the test. If you're easily distracted, make sure to scope out potential test centers carefully. They came in like wrecking ball... and ruined your concentration during the ACT. Avoid test locations with nearby construction sites! Image via Wikipedia. Finally, think about desk size. The bigger the desk or table you get to use, the easier, since you’re going to be juggling your answer sheet and test booklet. Trying to cram everything onto a tiny desk is an annoyance you might not want to deal with on test day. Should I Just Test at my High School? After going through all these different potential testing locations and issues, you might think that just going to your high school is the best option. This is likely the case for many students, but consider the following potential problems before you register. First, as we discussed above, being around friends and classmates can be stressful for some students. Will familiar faces distract you or stress you out? You might want the â€Å"blank slate† experience of going to a different location. Second, is there a closer location? Don’t underestimate morning-of travel and weather issues. If you commute across town to go to school, going to a location closer to home could save you morning-of travel time and stress. Are there known issues with your high school, like small desks, lack of heating/cooling, or a nearby construction project? You might want to seek out a different test center at a local University or different high school for a better testing environment. Do you tend to lose focus in environments you’re used to? Some people prefer the environment of a new testing center. Of course, for others, being in familiar locations is less stressful. That said, if you don't have any of those issues, your high school can be the best bet since you’re familiar with it. Personally, I took the ACT at my high school and found it much less stressful than going to a different location for my SAT Subject Tests. I happened to live within walking distance of my high school, and I liked having a short walk the morning of the test to calm my nerves. Plus, since I wasn’t worried about finding the testing room, I was at ease that morning. In contrast, I found it stressful to drive to different location for the SAT subject tests and deal with finding my testing room in a big University building I’d never been to before. Remember, the best testing environment for you is all about your preferences and test-taking style. Take your own concerns and issues into account when choosing your test center. Other Tips Be aware of test center closings. Sometimes the ACT has to close test centers before a test due to weather or other unforeseen issues. Check your email carefully in the weeks and days leading up to the test in case this happens to your test center. Drive to the testing location before the morning of the test if you’ve never been there. Don’t rely on your GPS to get you there without problems the morning of. There could be problems with the route, or the address given might not take you to the right entrance. If you make the drive before the morning of the test, you can make sure to avoid any last-minute crises. If you have a long drive the morning of, pack your breakfast with you to save time. You could put together a playlist for the drive as well. Either choose relaxing music if you tend to stress out, or music that will get you amped if you need some extra motivation! You could also bring along some flashcards or practice problems to get your brain going in the car. If you’ve already registered but decide you want to switch locations, you can change your ACT location after registering, but there’s a $28 fee and locations fill up the closer you get to the test. So if you want to change, do it quickly. Better yet, research your test center options before you register. What’s Next? Do you feel like you’ve hit a wall with your ACT studying? Get advice from our 36 perfect-scorer. Even if you’re not going for a 36 yourself, these tips will give you the motivation you need to get through these last few weeks of studying. Try out some full-length ACT practice tests. Being used to the format, length, and pacing of the ACT will help you build stamina and feel confident and relaxed on test day. Want other test day tips? Find out what to do – and what not do to! – the night before and morning of. Want to improve your ACT score by 4+ points? Download our free guide to the top 5 strategies you need in your prep to improve your ACT score dramatically.

6 Practical Steps to Building a Professional Handshake

6 Practical Steps to Building a Professional Handshake Never underestimate the importance of a good handshake. Fortune 500 CEOs have even admitted that, given two identically qualified candidates, they’re more likely to give the job to the one with the better handshake. How do you make yours work for you?1.  Get your hands ready.Make sure your right hand is free in situations where you’re likely to need to shake hands. This is a weird detail, but important- especially if you’ve been holding a cold drink in your hand, which might make your handshake cold and clammy! And yes, you should use your right hand. That’s the tradition, and it avoids lots of awkward fumbling. Also, it should go without saying, make sure your hands are clean.2. Aim for the web.You don’t want to only grab the person’s fingers, but you also don’t want to try and swallow their wrist with your hand either. Aim to touch the web between your thumb and forefinger to the web between their thumb and forefinger. Don’t go too hard, but you should practice enough on yourself to get a sense of how it feels when you hit the right spot.3. Minimize the pressure.Yes, you do need  pressure. Firm pressure. But not too firm. And don’t pinch. Don’t crush any bones. But  definitely don’t err on the side of not squeezing enough- there’s nothing worse than a limp handshake.4. Make eye contact.Look your handshake partner straight in the eye, which inspires trust. It’s a nice touch to repeat the name of the person you’re being introduced to while you’re shaking- â€Å"Nice to meet you, Bob!†5.  Project confidence.Whatever you do, don’t panic. You want to be the cool and collected party here. Act confident and no one will know you’re secretly aiming for their web. A good trick to show your poise is to offer your hand first.6. Know when to let go.People who linger too long in a handshake can be considered creepy or clingy. Get in there, g rip with the ideal amount of firmness, shake once, then let go and get on with the exchange. Once you get the balance right, you’ll be forever grateful that you did.

Case Analysis Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words - 7

Analysis - Case Study Example The section discusses how the unrelated strategy of the UTC adds value to the company. Unrelated diversification is important in enabling companies reap benefits from a central management. UTC ensures that its business gain value by auditing their strengths and weaknesses through its elaborate Total Quality Management strategy. The parent corporation ensures that its businesses are operating optimally. For example, the case of elevator failures in Japan was effectively solved through TQM. A parent corporation is objective in identifying failures in its businesses and thus is efficient in finding solutions. Unrelated diversification also offers UTC strategic advantage of identifying the best practices for its companies to mitigate business risks. The situation implies that the corporation can use strategies that have succeeded in one of its business to run another business. Also, the corporation learns for the strategies that have failed in several businesses to avoid them in the future. The result is a more successful and valuable business. For example, UTC uses TQM as its main approach to avoid product failures. The strategy worked well or elevator problems in Japan; hence, the corporation documented it as one of its best practices. As noted above, UTCs best practices are transferred to all its companies. UTC has employed several process disciplines and an elaborate research and development. Also, the corporation benefits from diverse skills and competencies across different industries. These competencies enable UTC to internally manage the human resources, across all its companies. Top performers can be sent to failing companies to improve their prospects. According to Duhaime, Stimpert & Chesley (2012), unrelated diversification allows corporations to invest in business that have little or no process technologies that can result in synergies. The reason or this is that businesses operate in different industries, and hence there are not similarities

Nursing and Unions Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words - 1

Nursing and Unions - Research Paper Example These conditions require some control and for controlling these negativities, nursing unions are there. With the help of unions, the nurses can get their due rights according to their hard work and the efficacy of unions cannot be rejected. Nurses accommodate the people with appropriate strategies that can be adopted for gaining optimal health. The vitality of nurses cannot be negated in the profession of healthcare. Nurses work as individuals as well as groups to help the needy people in terms of health. Nowadays, the lack of attraction towards nursing profession poses a serious concern for the health based departments and public health is endangered. The nurses have the right to gain positive reception for their hard work and in gaining that positive reception, unions play a positive part. Some nurses believe, that one alternative to the current slide in morale is to join together as a collective voice to bring about a change in the healthcare profession, which in turn is boosting the participation in nursing unions. It may lead to improved patient outcome because of increased job satisfaction and increased safety measures designed to protect both nurses and the patients. Because of unionization, more people will be encouraged to join nursing as a profession as they will be sure that their due rights will not be rejected and they will be taken care of. The nurses unions represent industrial interests of nurses employed under all awards and agreements, in both the public and private sectors. Its primary function is to protect the interest of nurses in this profession. Moreover, the association represents and provides for the professional, educational and industrial welfare of nurses in government and non government forums at state, national and international level. (Koontz & Weihrich, 2006) Â