Electronic Medical Record Implementation: Costs and Benefits

Electronic Medical Record Implementation: Costs and Benefits Sheryl L. Venola Assignment 3 (24 July 2011) NURS 517 Intro to Health Care Financing Saint Xavier University Professor: Dr. Roger Green, DNP, MSN, BSN Abstract This paper discusses the adoption of an electronic medical record system purchased by Howard Regional Health System in Kokomo, Indiana; the rationale behind its timing and choice in expenditure; the ramifications of not implementing the system (e. g. recent health care legislation requirements); the benefits to the organization as well as to the patients it serves, and a cost effectiveness analysis. Additionally, the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 is discussed including compliance mandates that will require eligible providers and health care institutions to meet electronic health technology implementation deadlines or face no compensation for their implementation as well as reductions in Medicare and Medicare reimbursements. Also included are discussions of the â€Å"meaningful use† guidelines established by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid and the differences between electronic medical records and electronic health records. Finally, the advantages and disadvantages of electronic medical records are detailed. In response to the to changes in the health care delivery system as a result of the Affordable Care Act (ACA) signed into law in March of 2010, Howard Regional Health System (HRHS) has recently purchased the Cerner electronic medical record (EMR) system at a cost of $22,000,000. According to chief executive officer, James Alender, accountable care is the focus of this change in addition to stimulus money for electronic health record (EHR) system implementation, which could offset their initial expenditure by approximately $3,100,000 based on the volume of Medicare business the organization had in 2008 (Munsey, 2011). This monetary investment comes in the wake of health information technology implementation requirements set forth in the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (ARRA). The Recovery Act specifies that eligible providers and hospitals with a fixed Medicare and Medicaid patient populations must adopt EHR systems by 2015 or face reduction in their compensation under these programs (Department of Health & Human Services [DHHS], 2009). Additionally, the act assigned funds to the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) to assess existing EHR systems and to provide incentives for eligible providers and hospitals in implementing such systems. With continued funding and legislative measures affecting the organization’s financial future, the adoption of the Cerner system seems to be one of the most important steps in ensuring its financial security in the years to come. If hospital executives and the Board of Trustees were to ignore the requirements set forth in the AARA and ACA legislation, the institution would be in serious jeopardy of losing not only is share of federal funding, but its ability to participate in health care delivery on any level at all. This would signal their demise and would certainly affect the surrounding community as it is one of two hospitals in Kokomo, Indiana, and is the only health care organization of its size in this region of the state. The patients Howard Regional serves will benefit from electronic recording of their health and medical information in many ways. Alender states that Kokomo’s â€Å"snowbirds† should have access to their records so they can be as mobile as they are, suggesting that this will reduce health care costs by reducing duplication of tests, if treatment is obtained away from home. He goes on to assert that digital records will allow more efficient movement of patients through the system allowing seriously ill patients to move more quickly through the emergency department, and other acute care departments within the system. Additionally, if that same patient requires further care away from HRHS, the treating hospital would have access to the previous records so that work already completed is not repeated (Munsey, 2011). Their medical information could be updated with each visit rather than their having to â€Å"provide the same information over and over again (Gurley, 2003). † Gurley also agrees that because patients and providers are better informed through electronic record-keeping, there is less duplication of testing as well as enhanced treatment coordination among health care providers. Along with the patients, the hospital reaps many tangible and intangible benefits from EMR as well. The information in the electronic record is easily accessible to multiple clinicians at multiple locations at the same time, with nearly immediate retrieval time. For this reason, it is updated frequently and is available for access at any workstation whenever the information is required making time spent with patients more efficient (Gurley, 2003). According to Shi and Singh (2003, p. 65), one of the most important aspects of electronic records is the integration of specific patient profiles with clinical decision making tools built into the software which provide evidence-based practice reminders and guidelines for effective, efficient treatment. This type of alert system can result in reduction of medication errors and in appropriate treatment options, saving both the patient and the clinician from harm. The data analysis capability of the EMR can also be used to identify developmen ts among patient populations allowing for early intervention when indicated. It can also be utilized to identify areas in which the organization may need to expand or scale back depending on the trends the data indicates (Dolan, 2011). Having used the Cerner system in the past, this RN noted that with the clinical record being streamlined in such a way that narrative documentation was necessary only by exception, completing it required less time, which left more time for bedside care along with completion of educational requirements, which were also mostly computerized. Hence, the savings could be significant and provide for increased nurse satisfaction related to the ability to provide more actual patient care as well as complete proficiencies without having to stay after a shift or come in on a day off. As mentioned above, EMR can reduce duplication of services, assist in fast-tracking acutely ill patients, reduce the duplication of tests and services that aren’t medically necessary (e. g. the patient’s condition has not changed substantially), allow clinicians to spend less time on documentation possibly reducing overtime, each of which can result in cost savings for the institution. According to Randall T. Huling Jr. , MD, president of Olive Branch Family Medical Center in Olive Branch, Mississippi, since switching over to EMR in January of 2010, they have increased revenue by an estimated $650,000 with an annual cost reduction of more than $85,000. Additionally, they have been able to raise provider productivity by 10,000 visits, raise their fee collection percentage from 68 to 72 percent, and increase the charges per patient from $157 to $172 (Byers, 2010). Wang et al (2003) performed a five-year cost-benefit analysis using primary data from several internal medicine clinics, using their own internally developed EMR system, utilizing a health care organization perspective framework and a conventional paper-based medical record as the reference point. Costs of implementation were approximated to be $3,400 per provider in the first year and included redesign of workflow processes, extraction of data from paper charts, and training. Yearly maintenance cost, including system and network administration and additional technical support personnel, were estimated to be $1,500 per provider annually. The temporary loss of productivity resulting from the transition to an electronic from a paper system, was interpreted using a decreasing loss rate of 20% in month one, 10% in the second month, and 5% in the third, returning to baseline in the following months. With annual averages for provider revenues, this cost amounted to $11,200 in the first year. Although their five-year net benefit per provider was $86,400 and the â€Å"net financial return to a health care organization from using an ambulatory medical record system is positive across a wide range of assumptions (Wang, et al, 2003, p. 401),† the authors cautioned that several variables could affect the net revenues organizations could expect. The patient mix can affect revenues depending on the number of capitated versus fee-for-service patients served by the health care organization. With capitated arrangements, savings to the patient resulting from decreased use of utilization of services, revenues accrue to the provider. However, less utilization of services in fee-for service arrangements result in loss of revenue to the provider, but the payer (i. e. the insurer) saves in expenses. They did postulate that these insurers might provide incentives to providers using EHR realizing that their profits could be increased with more providers utilizing these systems, The study evaluated cost savings from drug suggestions and warnings provided by the EMR software, which aided in prescribing of formulary drugs and prevention of adverse drug events. However, the study was not able to evaluate the intangible cost savings from averted malpractice claims, injury to patients, or reduced quality of life of clients. Additional tangible and intangible savings that were not included due to unavailability of sufficient data were reductions in malpractice premium costs, decreased staffing needs, less paper charting-related storage and supply costs, increased provider productivity, generic drug substitutions, enhanced reimbursement resulting from proper coding, and reduced denials related to insufficient documentation of medical necessity (Wang et al, 3003 p. 402). Limitations of the study cited by the authors included the fact that the research model was centered on primary data from their institution, published literature estimates, and an expert opinion panel which they convened. They also conceded that EMR implementation might produce other costs, including greater system integration expense for larger institutions dependant on the complexity of the various system interfaces involved. Additionally, although effectiveness of electronic medical record interventions has been well-established in inpatient settings, there is less certainty of their effects in the outpatient environment. Other costs could be related to decreased or lost productivity during unexpected network or computer system downtime, reassignment of clinical staff, or redesign of the workflow process (Wang et al, 2003, p. 402). Obviously the above results are based on one study utilizing results from a group of ambulatory clinics making it difficult to extrapolate data to a hospital setting even when that hospital has significant outpatient programs. Indeed, Thompson and Fleming (2008) pose questions regarding the uality and quantity of data found in existing literature, suggesting that health care institutions be cautious in their information sources in order to be better informed in the EMR decision-making process. The authors state that amount of comprehensive studies are lacking requiring hospitals to obtain more sources containing information they are seeking and rigorously compare data so that they can better extrapolate the results to their individual organizations (Thompson & Fleming, 2008 ). They also caution using staff time savings as a factor unless that variable is given a value and that it is used to actually cut costs. For example, if an average of 30 minutes per staff member is realized in utilization of the EMR, how will that impact staffing? Will staffing needs be reduced allowing for fewer staff members per shift, resulting in actual cost reductions? If staff are able to complete other duties that would have required use of overtime or coming in on days off, this would also decrease expenditures. However, the authors point out that staff members are often allowed to perform other tasks that don’t result in salary reductions, although this is implicit when staff time saving related to EMR is discussed (Thompson & Fleming, 2008). It is obvious that the decision to adopt an electronic medical record is not an easy one to make given all the variables discussed previously, but the information presented thus far has not taken into account the more recent changes produced by health care reform. These changes are discussed in the following paragraphs. The American Reinvestment and Recovery Act provides incentives for eligible providers (EP) and health care organizations (i. e. those who serve a defined percentage of Medicare and Medicaid recipients) for the implementation of EHR. The use on EMR and EHR are have often been used interchangeably, but they are not the same. An electronic medical record is the legal record of the care a patient receives from a health care provider or institution during their encounter with either entity. The electronic health record belongs to the patient and encompasses the entirety of their care across all providers within a community, region or state (Garets & Davis, 2006, pp. 2-3). For the purposes of reimbursement, however, providers must use a certified EHR (EHR Incentives, p. ). The recovery Act has appropriated $140,000,000 for each of fiscal years 2009 through 2015, with an additional $65,000,000 for 2016 to be used for administrative funding. Funds are to be made available until completely utilized. â€Å"In coordination with the Office of the National Coordinator (ONC) for Health Information Technology, CMS will develop the policies, such as the definition of ‘meaningful use,’ needed to implement the incen tive program (DHHS, 2009). In addition, it will be necessary to provide education to eligible participants to facilitate their understanding of all the conditions and guidelines regarding their eligibility, the selection of Medicare or Medicaid incentive programs, the incentive payments, and the demonstration of â€Å"meaningful use. † Recovery Act reporting compliance will require guidance to individual states, which will involve Federal and State staff time and require modification of accounting and payment data reporting systems (DHHS, 2009). When the aforementioned requirements were set forth by the DHHS in 2009, the meaningful use guidelines had not yet been established. Following is a link to the summary overview for meaningful use objectives of EHR* (Blumenthal & Tavenner, 2010) as it currently stands, which outlines the steps individual providers and health care institutions (hospitals, ambulatory care centers, clinics, et al) must take in order to receive stimulus funds for the costs associated with implementing electronic health systems (EHR). The initial payments will be made beginning in 2011 depending on each state’s timing in adoption of the Medicare and Medicaid programs. For hospitals, the calculation is based on the volume of Medicare and or Medicaid patients served, but the baseline payment is $2,000,000. Each program is separate, but EPs and institutions can apply for one or both programs, however if they choose only one program, they cannot later add the other, so it benefits them to choose both at the outset since they can drop out of either one at any time (EHR Incentives). Given the stakes of not participating, providers should work diligently to eet all the requirements set forth in order to maximize the return on investment they should obtain in simply adopting EHR. The incentives offered will merely help them realize those return sooner rather than later. Finally, given the state of internet security and the government’s desire to push providers toward electronic data capture, it is only natur al that there would be concerns regarding EMR and EHR technology. Advantages of EHR over paper records include an expansive storage capability, availability of the data from many access points at the same time, and nearly immediate retrieval time (Gurley, 2003). The paper record is fragmented and depending on the charts used (e. g. some tend to fly open when dropped, causing paper to be scattered), pieces of the record can be lost. Additionally, when a patient is hospitalized more than once, their old chart must be retrieved in order to provide continuity of care. Electronic systems bypass this and allow clinicians to obtain information from previous visits much more quickly allowing the patient to have a streamlined entry to and exit from the system. Electronic health records also have built-in medical alerts and reminders allowing providers to be notified of abnormal lab results, potential drug interactions, and timing of tests required for monitoring blood levels associated with certain conditions or as a side effect of medications. It can also provide evidence-based practice plans for certain diseases and disorders facilitating the provider’s choices in judging the right path in caring for each patient. The electronic software allows the clinician to capture information enabling them to provide payers with the outcome based criteria they require in reimbursing the physician. Finally, EHR provides a major step in ensuring patient safety by clearly written order entry by physicians avoiding the mistakes that can occur with handwritten orders when those entries are illegible (Gurley, 2003). The major disadvantage of EHR adoption appears to be the costs associated with implementing them. According to Kent Gale, start-up costs could range from between four and five million dollars for a smaller (200-bed) hospital to $100,000,000 for an organization with three hospitals. He went on to tate that a typical 400-bed facility with a more extensive EHR would likely spend between $20,000,000 and $30,000,000 (Byers 2010). Also, unless one is technologically-savvy, there can be considerable learning needs on the part of physicians and staff. In these cases, it is much better to have systems that are more intuitive and user-friendly in order to get everyone onboard. As previously mentioned, privacy concerns are at the forefront in people’s minds where electronic documentation is concerned. Security measures must be ever-evolving in order to meet the challenge and audits of access to medical data must be done to ascertain the appropriateness of information access. Paper records have also had the potential for unauthorized access without the knowledge of the patient or provider and these invasions of privacy are much harder to detect (Gurley, 2003). Essentially, the electronic record has its advantages and disadvantages, but with all the benefits they can provide to patients, providers, insurance companies, as well as the government in collection of statistics, it appears to be the best choice for all concerned. With a great deal of effort and constant vigilance, electronic health records can provide for safer, more cost efficient care, and conserve resources for use in other areas that are currently lacking. I believe that in the end, Howard Regional’s decision to adopt EHR will result in huge savings and increased revenues that will benefit not only the organization, but the communities they serve. References Blumenthal, D. , & Tavenner, M. (2010, August 5). The â€Å"Meaningful Use† Regulation for Electronic Health Records. New England Journal of Medicine, 363, 501-504. Retrieved from http://ww. nejm. rg/doi/full/10. 1056/NEJMp1006114? ssource=hcrc Byers, J. (2010, November). EMR implementation: One day at a time. CMIO: Information, Evidence & Effectiveness in Medicine, Digital. CMIO. net, 10-12. Retrieved from http://d27vj430nutdmd. cloudfront. net/5165/51383/51383. pdf Department of Health and Human Services Report (2009). Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services: Medicare and Medicaid Incentives and Administrative Funding. Retrieved from http://www. hhs. gov/recovery/reports/plans/hit_implementation. pdf Dolan, P. L. (2011, May 2). Electronic medical records: What your data can tell you. American Medical Association: American Medical News. Retrieved from http://www. ama-assn. org/amednews. EHR Incentives: Eligibility. (n. d. ). Retrieved July 18, 2011, from Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services website: https://www. cms. gov/pf/printpage. asp? ref=http://www. cms. gov/ehhttps://www. cms. gov/pf/printpage. asp? ref=http://www. cms. gov/ehhttps://www. cms. gov/pf/printpage. asp? ref=http://www. cms. gov/EHRIncentivePrograms/15_Eligibility. asprincentiveprograms/01_Overview. asprincentiveprograms/01_Overview. asp Garets, D. , & Davis, M. (2006, January 26). Electronic Medical Records vs. Electronic Health Records: Yes there is a difference [White Paper]. Retrieved from A HIMSS AnalyticsTM website: http://www. himssanalytics. org/ Gurley L. (2003). Advantages and Disadvantages of the Electronic Medical Record. American Academy of Medical Administrators, 2004. Retrieved from http://www. aameda. org/MemberServices/Exec/Articles/spg04/Gurley%20article. pdf Munsey, P. (2011, March 26). Howard Regional up to the challenge. Kokomo Perspective. com. Retrieved from http://www. kokomoperspective. com Shi, L, & Singh, D. A. (2008). Delivering health care in America: A systems approach. Sudbury, MA: Jones and Bartlett Publishers. Thompson, D. L. , & Fleming, N. S. (2008, July). Finding the ROI in EMRs. Healthcare Financial Manager, 62(7), 76-81. Retrieved from http://www. hfma. org/publications/hfm-Magazine/hfm-Magazine Wang, S. J. , Middleton, B. , Prosser, L. A. , Bardon, C. G. , Spurr, C. D. , Carchildi, P. J. , †¦ Bates, D. W. (2003, April 1). A cost benefit analysis of electronic medical records in primary care. American Journal of Medicine, 114(5), 397-403. Retrieved from http://www. amjmed. com/article/S0002-9343(03)00057-3/fulltext

Performance Management System Essay

Purposes: – * It will be linked on performance, be a fair and transparent system * Rewarding the employees for their contribution to the growth of the organization in alignment with the strategic organizational goals * Rewarding their achievements as well as their contribution to their teams * Motivating individuals by indicating their position in the organization structure. * Motivate the employees in order to increase their efficiency * Foster a healthy employment relationship and commitment. Use – This system will be a vital component of the performance appraisal process as it will interpret the evaluation of the entire process and route the end result to a more meaningful conclusion for the appraise and the appraiser. It system will be used to build trust in the employee that diligence, perseverance and hard work is acknowledged and rewarded by the organization. This will ensure the best of the employees to come up and contribute to the overall growth of the organization. Frequency – Annually, March – April every year after the initial stages of performance appraisal process have concluded. Responsibility- The appraiser will have the authority to recommend the appraiser for the incentives and rewards. This will be further evaluated by the concerned the Head HR of the project and then of the Unit and approved. Format – Reward System will consist of financial as well as non-financial incentives. 1) Financial Incentives a. Merit and performance based incentives It is a tangible form of recognition and motivates employees to achieve more in the tryst of achieving and producing worthwhile results. Based upon the bracket to where the employee scores on the final evaluation of the performance appraisal system, the employee can be rewarded performance incentives in the following way – Rating| Incentive – Salary hike| Excellent(5)| + 20 % raise in the salary| Very Good(4)| +15% raise in the salary| Good (3)| +10 % raise in the salary| Average (2)| +5 % raise in the salary| Poor(1)| NA| The rating will be based on the objective scores of the final evaluation based on statistical calculation and the range of these will be defined precisely and clearly. A. Team based incentives * The team successfully completing the project before the deadline, * complying with the business standards of the organization, * fulfilling all the contractual obligations and expectations of the client * Providing a innovative solution that surpasses the stated expectations of the client Will ensure a 5 % hike in the salary of the team members known as Team Bonus. For every successful implementation of the project by the team on the client end, the team will be eligible of additional 7% profit share generated by the project implementation. This incentive will be disbursed among the team equitably. B. Competency and skill based incentives This component will reward those employees which showcase exceptional level of competencies inclusive of the behaviours and attribute of the appraise and the KSAs for their job level i.e. knowledge of the domain working in, interpersonal skills of the individual, team management skills and other defined competencies important for the job level. The reward will be +2% raise for each competency in which the employee is exceptionally outstanding. 2. Non-Financial incentives – A. Publication of achievements in the online journal of the organization Achievements of the employees for developing an innovative solution, path breaking discoveries will be published in the online journal of the organization. B. Inclusion in the hall of fame The employees will be included in the Hall of Fame for doing research and publishing their findings in the International Journals of high recognition. C. Best Team player award of the month This award will be nominated by the team members and recommended by the Team Lead and if the condition exists that no one is eligible for it in a particular month then it can be omitted too for that month. It will be published on the online portal of the company and will include an exclusive company sponsored dinner for the employee and his/her family. An employee can receive this award a maximum of 4 times a year only. D. Best Team player award of the year This award will be based on the overall feedback of all the employees based on the comprehensive performance appraisal report. Every team can recommend maximum of 2 members for this award. The review committee constituted for every location will further evaluate the contenders for the position and based on these parameters the award will be given. The other incentive related with this award will be 3 day – 4 night company sponsored holiday for the employee and spouse. E. Star team of the year This award will be based on the targets achieved by the team, compliance with the standards set by the organization, timeliness, team cohesiveness (which will be inferred from the performance appraisal of all the members of the team) and based on the recommendation of the DC Project Head. A star team will get an additional bonus of 5 % for that year. Performance Improvement Plan (PIP) The Performance Improvement Plan – (PIP) is designed to facilitate constructive discussion between the appraisee and appraiser and to clarify work performance to be improved. It is implemented at the discretion of the appraiser. Once the appraisee has developed the plan, the document is reviewed by the appraiser to determine if the activities outlined will help the employee to attain the desired level of performance. The supervisor will monitor and provide feedback to the employee regarding their performance and may take additional disciplinary action, if warranted. The below form needs to be filled by the appraisee during the Performance Appraisal Process: Performance to be improved| The employee lists the activities they will initiate to improve performance – including skills to be improved and changes made to meet work performance expectations. (List short and long term goals to be accomplished as applicable.)| Targeted date for improvement – by when?| Expected results| Dates reviewed by employee and supervisor| | | | | | The appraiser should jointly review the form above and the following 6 items needs to be answered with the appraisee when using the document. 1. State performance to be improved (be specific and cite examples). 2. State the level of work performance expectation and that it must be performed on a consistent basis. 3. Specify the support/resources you will provide to assist the employee. 4. Communicate your plan for providing feedback to the employee (meetings, with whom and how often). 5. Specify possible consequences if performance standards are not met. Potential Appraisal Please complete the following Appraisal of Potential for your employee. This Appraisal concentrates on other types of tasks, or other greater responsibility the employee is capable of doing, and in what direction their personal interests lead them. * In your opinion, what skills, knowledge talent, qualities should be developed or strengthened? Please be specific. * What is he/she personally doing to become more proficient in his/her assignment, and to prepare for more responsibility? * What are your plans and recommendations for a development program for this employee? Be specific. * What do you see as this employee’s next step positions? * What specific performance results were achieved during this review period (include all quantitative measures)? * Indicate major performance results achieved in the supervision of others. Include such items as staffing, delegating, motivating, resolving conflict, and development of staff. * Describe how well performance results were achieved compared to position  standards and specific performance requirements. * Comment on the methods and approach used by the employee in performing the job. Rate the employee on the following characteristics or how does the employee fair on following behavioural characteristics: * Decision making * Independent * Confidence towards the job * Handling stress and pressure * Inter-personal skills, both with superiors and subordinates * Leadership, motivating and conflict handling

Marketing plan (simple example) Essay

1.0 EXECUTIVE SUMMARY This marketing plan consists of the whole planning for launching our new product which is Safi For Men. Safi For Men concern of the men consumers who really care about their appearance or well known as metrosexual guys. In this marketing plan, we provide the information included the company description, strategic focus and plan, SWOT analysis, industry analysis, competitor analysis, consumer analysis, product-market focus, marketing program as well as marketing budget planning. In the end of this marketing plan, we provide a few pictures of our new products as the appendices. 2.0 COMPANY DESCRIPTION Safi was founded in 2011 started to lead the Halal brand which consists of a unique and comprehensive range of skincare, personal care and toiletry products developed exclusively to meet the needs of modern Muslim women and men. Made with the finest natural ingredients that conform to Syarak requirements and certified HALAL by a stringent independent body – JABATAN KEMAJUAN ISLAM MALAYSIA (JAKIM), SAFI is firmly steeped in Muslims traditions with products that are alcohol and gluten-free. Safi is manufactured in ISO and â€Å"Good Manufacturing Practice† (GMP) certified production facilities. Safi endeavours to provide the best quality products to meet the growing needs of our consumers. To ensure product quality, consistency and flexibility of supply, Safi are manufactured 100% in factories located in Malaysia. All Safi’s products conform to international standards, including Federal Drug Authority (FDA), European Economic Community (EEC)/COLIPA, the British Pharmacopoeia (BP), Cosmetics, Toiletries & Fragrance Association (CTFA). Safi had succeeded in marketing their products include skin care and personal care such as toothpaste and fragrance. The latest one is Safi Shayla which targeted to female consumer who are wearing scarves. 3.0 STRATEGIC FOCUS AND PLAN 3.1 – MISSION A leading brand of Wipro Unza (Malaysia) Sdn. Bhd. No. 1 Halal Brand in Malaysia Specific focus on the Malay/Muslim consumers 3.2 – GOALS Long Term To be the leading halal skin care product in Malaysia To be the best halal skin care product To further penetrate halal skin care product both in local and global term Short Term To strengthen and enhance brand identity as well as brand awareness to achieve brand loyalty among customers ï‚ · To utilize every possible medium of mass media in advertising activities to reach awide range of audience ï‚ · To exceed sales expectation and sustain a greater growth yearly 3.3 – CORE COMPETENCY AND SUSTAINABLE COMPETITIVE ADVANTAGE The strategy for Safi is appeal to a target group who are looking for Halal personalcare products, and give them the best their money can buy in terms of an overall brand experience. Safi also is the market leader in Halal personal care market who’s targeting of Malay/Muslim consumer. Therefore, it depends to Safi to set the benchmark of innovation and market expansion. 4.0 SITUATION ANALYSIS 4.1 – SWOT ANALYSIS STRENGTH The first halal skin product in Malaysia 100% natural ingredients Affordable WEAKNESSES Small capital compared to the competitors Less consumer awareness and consumer adoption towards other products such as personal care (shampoo, deodorant and toothpaste) OPPORTUNITIES Emerging market in Halal cosmetics High growth market Beauty concern lifestyle THREATS A lot of competitors who offered almost the same function for each product The competitor’s price which is too high compare to Safi’s products which lead to perceived quality and product comparison 4.2 – INDUSTRY ANALYSIS: TRENDS IN SKIN CARE AND PERSONAL CARE PRODUCTS IN MALE MARKET According to Barker (2013), the worldwide skin care market grew from $1577.8 million in 2007 to 2737.4 million in 2012. The market is being driven by consumers in the Asia-Pacific region, which accounted as much as $1623. 1 million in 2012. Overall the industry has more than double in size since 2007. This gives the opportunity to Safi in to enter the men’s market. Tyrimou (2014) report that the sun care collection has an average growth of 15% over past five years. This will give opportunities to Safi in producing products for sun care since the average growth is quite high for the past five years. According to Sarah (2009), the vitamins in camel’s milk is higher compare to goat milks. In contrast, goat’s milk contains higher calcium in its component. Therefore, Safi take this opportunity to enter the market by producing skin care for male consumers by offering the camel’s milk based skin care products. 4.3 – COMPETITORS IN THE INDUSTRY 4.3.1 Garnier Garnier is a mass market cosmetics brand of L’Orà ©al that produces hair care and skin care products. The company started as Laboratoires Garnier in 1904, and was acquired by L’Orà ©al in the 1970s. Current product lines include Fructis shampoos and conditioners, and Nutrisse hair colour. Garnier is sold in numerous countries worldwide, with specific product lines targeted for different skin types and cultures. In 2011, Garnier partnered with TerraCycle to promote up-cycling of product containers and the introduction of biodegradable products. Market Share: 26% Strength: Wide range of product brand Product Range: UltraLift Pro, Retinol, Pure Active, Vital Restore and others Price: RM6.00 – RM20.00 Unit of sales: Per bottles Positioning: Garnier offers a wide range of product for skin care customers Advertising Campaign: Television commercials and promotions 4.3.2 Clean & Clear Clean & Clear is a line of dermatology products owned by Johnson & Johnson. The brand was originally developed by Revlon as a line of sensitive skin personal care items in 1957. The â€Å"Clean & Clear† name was based on products that contained no fragrance or dyes, and left no residue after rinsing. In 1991, Revlon sold Clean & Clear to Johnson & Johnson. Their primary focus is on skincare for young women, but has extended their range to include products treating a wider range of conditions, recently launching a line of products â€Å"SOFT† focused on facial moisturizing. Clean & Clear is currently available in 46 countries. Market Share: 8% Strength: Wide range of product brand Product Range: Deep Action, Active Clear, Clear Fairness and others Price: RM6.00 – RM20.00 Unit of sales: Per bottles Positioning: Clean & Clear offers a wide range of product, especially for young adults Advertising Campaign: Television commercials and promotions 4.3.3 L’Oreal The L’Oreal Group is the world’s largest cosmetics and beauty company. With its registered office in Paris and head office in the Paris suburb of Clichy, Hauts-de-Seine,France, it has developed activities in the field of cosmetics. Concentrating on hair colour, skin care, sun protection, make-up, perfumes and hair care,the company is active in the dermatological, tissue engineering and pharmaceutical fields and is the top nanotechnology patent-holder in the United States. Market Share: 19% Strength: Wide range of product brand Product Range: L’Oreal Paris, L’Oreal Luxe and others Price: RM6.00 – RM20.00 Unit of sales: Per bottles Positioning: L’Oreal offers a wide range of product for female consumers Advertising Campaign: Television commercials and promotions 4.4 – CUSTOMER ANALYSIS According to Bryant (2013), more men are participating in a skin care regime. A new report on the male grooming sector from Mintel reveals that some 58% of men aged 18-24 and 63% of those 25-34 report that they use a facial moisturizing product. This is in stark contrast to the 32% of those aged 55-64 and 29% of men over 65 from other age demographics claiming to do the same thing. When it comes to personal care products, men are nothing if they’re not loyal. More than half of all men (52%) say they tend to stick to the same brands of toiletries and grooming products. In addition, 34% of men like to smell their personal care products before buying them and 20% favour 2-in-1 products to save time. Multi functionality and proof of high efficacy should be key, as these would tend to be the main characteristics that men expect from a product (Euromonitor, 2012). In another study shows that, in terms of product offerings, many companies are moving beyond basic skin care and shaving with products segmented by skin type, such as sensitive skin, anti-acne and anti aging (Kanlian, 2006). Euromonitor (2012) report that one common factor that defines category dynamics, however, is the fact that men, either urged by employment instability or greater media impetus or another, are finding the activity of looking after their appearance and adopting a beauty routine ever more appealing. This has coincided with the release of numerous new products at different price points, from male-targeted shampoos, to men’s specific eye treatments and even Blemish Balm creams and concealers, inspired from the female market. 5.0 PRODUCT-MARKET FOCUS 5.1 – Marketing and Product Objectives Our marketing objective is to successfully reach men consumer who is really concerned about their appearance or well known as metrosexual. Therefore, we applied marketing strategies as much as we can in order to achieve our objectives. Our strategies are as follows: Advertising through media such as television and radio. Advertising through website and social network such as create a page in Facebook and through Instagram. Hire Izzue Islam as the ambassador for our Safi For Men. Offer with low price at the beginning and later will increase the price as well as the demand is increasing. Bundle promotion such as buy Safi For Men, get a free Shick razor. On the other hand, our product objective is to close the gap exist between products offered to the market. By entering to male market in skin care segmentation, plus a new product development which is camel’s milk based products, we are hoping to increase our sales and larger market coverage as the Halal products offered. Safi For Men offered products that can handle such oily face, whitening, moisturizing as well as acne problem. 5.2 – Target Market Our target market is men consumer ages between 18 to 35 years old. As the best study shows that men who are concerned more about their appearance are those who are between this age. 5.3 – Customer Value Proposition Halal products for those who are concern of using halal products. 5.4 – Point of Difference Our new products, Safi For Men is a totally new product development, whereas we are using camel’s milk as the based for this product offered. Camel’s milk provides Vitamin A, B and E which is good for skin care. 6.0 MARKETING PROGRAM 6.1 – Product Strategy Product line Safi For Men offered camel’s milk based products in the form of solid soap, and facial wash 2-in-1 which is facial wash+toner. Unique Product Quality Camel’s milk provides Vitamin A, B, C, and E. Research shows that camel’s milk contains more vitamin A and E compared to cow’s milk. Vitamin A is an effective treatment towards the skin problem such as acne and psoriasis. Vitamin B provide warmth and circulates the skin and promote the immune function of the tissues which is something tired or overwhelmed skin finds difficult to maintain. Vitamin C can whiten the skin and protect from Ultra Violet rays. Meanwhile, Vitamin E provides hydrates skin, leaving it smooth and moisturized. 6.2 – Price Strategy For 40g products may costs around RM 15.00. The price might be higher than other facial wash in an existing market, but there is a significant difference in term of the effectiveness and the cost of manufacturing is a little bit higher due to import camels’ milk from foreign countries, such as Egypt. 6.3 – Promotion Strategy For ambassador, we are hiring local actor Izzue Islam. The reason is he owns the fair skin and we found that by using celebrities, it is much easier to  reach consumers. The significant advantage is whenever we are organizing events to reach the consumers; the involvement of them is relatively high. Other than that, we are using Cents-Off Coupons which customers can get for every RM 50.00 and above in a single receipt. This will attract them to make a purchase. 6.4 – Distribution Strategy SAFI distributed the products to the hypermarket and all convenient stores such as Giant, Tesco and Mydin. Other than that, consumers may also buy through online such as priceme.com. REFERENCES Barker, C. (2013). Euromonitor Analyst Identifies Key Male Skin Care Trends retrieved from http://www.cosmeticsdesign-asia.com Bryant, S. (2013). More Men Adopting Skin Care Habits retrieved from http://www.ad-ology.com Euromonitor International (2012). Men’s Changing Beauty Habits retrieved from http://blog.euromonitor.com Kanlian, S. (2006). Courting The Male Consumer retrieved from http://www.beautypackaging.com/ Sarah, M. (2009). Comparison of Camel, Cow, Goat and Buffalo Milk retrieved from http://www.sarahmelamed.com Tyrimou, N. (2014). Beauty Innovation Round-Up April 2014 retrieved from http://www.portal.euromonitor.com

International Business Project Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

International Business Project - Essay Example Recommendations are given at the end on the viability of the business opportunity. As this project is on identification of a business opportunity for an American consumer product in a foreign country, it will analyze this opportunity for an American burger chain, The Counter, for its custom-made burgers for the leading emerging market country, India. It will discuss the viability of introducing a yet another burger type, distinct with its unlimited variation range. The Counter’s custom-made burgers are a unique concept in the fast-food chains of burgers because their combination range offered to consumers is quite vast – more than 312,000 – to appease to customers’ taste-buds with their endless range of combinations. The concept is very challenging. The idea itself is innovative in the sense that The Counter dares to give a tryst to new delicacies by experimenting. Their menu offers Build Your Own Burgerâ„ ¢ Sheet, with various Market Selection and Signature Burger/Bowl alternatives in their restaurants (The Counter, 2015). Currently, The Counter is operating from North America, Ireland, and Saudi Arabia, offering various reward points to the member customers on their purchases. Considering the appreciative remarks by the GQ magazine, as â€Å"one of the 20 Hamburgers to eat before you die† and â€Å"Best Burger† on OPRAH ®, The Counter is expanding its outlet numbers all across the U.S. It is the right time that expansion happens further in foreign locations as well of this fast food and quick service restaurant chain (The Counter, 2015). Indian food market although boasts of consumers’ localized tastes but people have a liking for trying brands, and love to taste a range of products at various costs irrespective of the fact they can afford it or not. Most of such people belong to middle class. Incidentally, Indians spend nearly 40 percent of their average household income on food and transportation, while

Post Confederation Canadian History Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2250 words

Post Confederation Canadian History - Essay Example As a ruling myth, nationalism was used to eclipse other social divisions, especially class, by positing an overarching national identity that promoted relations of domination and discouraged an effective, united challenge to the system through scapegoating 'others.' In the nationalist discourse of the social reform movement, concepts of race and nation were fused and simultaneously based on the principles of exclusion and inclusion. Consequently, as Robert Miles argues for the similar British case, 'racism' formed 'the lining of the cloak of nationalism.' Gender ideals -- women's 'respectable' role as domestic manager, reproducer, and nurturer -- also interacted with concepts of nation, race, and class in the reform project as women's proper role in the domestic sphere was considered essential to 'Canadianizing' the working class. State intervention in the housing sphere in the interwar period was limited when compared with initiatives in the post-Second World War era; fewer than 7000 houses were built under government auspices in the period. But the discourse of housing betterment, along with its counterparts in other areas of social policy and the practical measures implemented at the local level, assisted in strengthening the popular fiction of 'Canadian' supremacy and spreading the bigoted message that 'outsiders' (however loosely defined) were to blame for the country's problems. This attitude dovetailed neatly with the divide-and-rule strategy pursued by government officials increasingly concerned with the intense class struggles of the period. Social planning experiments were circumscribed but nevertheless emblematic of significant developments in the history of the Canadian state and reform ideas. Central to this process was the contribution of housing reformers to the question of what constituted the Canadian nation and, more crucially, a 'proper' Canadian. Reform-minded state officials sought popular legitimacy by reinforcing pre-existing notions of the dangerous 'other' -- non-British, non-white 'races' and 'nations' and, increasingly, urban native-born and British immigrant workers -- in stark opposition to the ideal of the cherished and respectable 'white British Canadian.' Simultaneously, the reform tendencies of the period sustained and deepened the conviction that women's role was solely in the home as nurturer and Canadianizer of the 'race.' Through reform propaganda and practical implementation of various housing reform measures, it proved useful for reformers to attribute social and economic afflictions to the so-called inferiority and 'un-Canadianness' of various social groups --immigrants, women, and workers -- rather than to structural flaws in the capitalist sys tem itself. 'Reform' in the First World War period can be defined as an approach advocating state intervention in the economy and society to alleviate the social problems of capitalism and thereby preserve the system itself. The role housing reform could play, as part of the larger project of securing social consent by stabilizing family structures and contributing to the construction of a distinct national identity, constituted a pivotal concern in the discourse of the reform effort. Yet without losing sight of this distinct regulatory thrust from above, it is also necessary to chart

Criminal Law Prosecutors Perspective Research Paper

Criminal Law Prosecutors Perspective - Research Paper Example Accordingly, this brief essay will examine the moral and ethical ramifications, as well as unique perspectives, that the prosecuting attorney faces with relation to the many different cases that are brought before him/her. The fact of the matter is that the role of the prosecuting attorney is oftentimes equally ethically grey as that of the defense attorney. This is due to a number of reasons which will be detailed in the following analysis. Furthermore, the underlying motives of the prosecutor will be analyzed along with commonly held misconceptions regarding the nature of their work and the type of justice that they are tasked with upholding. Firstly, a prosecuting attorney is encouraged to obtain convictions; regardless of the level of guilt. This encourages a situation in which many individuals are punished for crimes they either did not commit or did not commit to the degree that the State is interested in punishing them for. Furthermore, the drive to obtain convictions oftentimes dulls the sense of justice that the State should ultimately be pursuing. As prosecuting attorneys are interested in increasing their overall conviction tally, they are oftentimes oblivious to the legality and/or legitimacy of the cases that they prosecute. A further complication of the role and perspective of a prosecutor is the fact that they are often encouraged to disregard the moral standard in which a certain crime is prescribed to be punished. What is meant by this is that the prosecuting attorney is intimately aware of the penalty for infraction of a given law; however, this penalty is not always upheld when it comes time to prosecute the crime (Silbert 1718). The reason for this can be any number of things from the fact that the criminal has agreed to cooperate with the prosecution, another party involved has chosen to inform the authorities as to the specific details and nature of

Strategic Audit for the Body Shop Research Paper - 1

Strategic Audit for the Body Shop - Research Paper Example The company, from the very beginning, tried to present itself as the leader in corporate social responsibility. Throughout its history, the company fought against human right abuses and abuse of animals and plants. Environment protection was an important part of the agenda of the company. As a result, the company gained a large number of environmental friendly customers in America and Europe, and this helped develop a standard image in Asia and the Middle East too. The company always promoted five core values which are as follows. Against animal testing: The company claims that it will not purchase any ingredient that is tested on animals for cosmetics purposes. In addition, the company campaigns against cosmetics tests on animals. Instead of testing on animals, the company depends on human volunteer trials like skin patch tests. In 1986, the company joined the ‘Save the Whale Campaign’ along with Greenpeace. In the 1990s, the company conducted a number of campaigns agai nst animal testing. Protecting the environment:Â  The company, throughout its history, has supported all activities aimed at environmental protection. In 2001, the Body Shop joined Greenpeace in the effort to raise awareness of the global warming. In addition, in its environmental policy, the company promoted the idea, ‘reduce, recycle, and reuse’. The company’s policy of recycling, and encouraging customers to refill their products by reusing bottles won the heart of many environment-friendly customers around the world.... 3. Human rights Throughout its history, the company fought for human rights. To illustrate, in 2000, the company started ‘Make your Mark’ campaign with their 3,000,000 customers signed up. The program intends to address human rights issues, especially in neglected areas. Undoubtedly, the Body Shop gets a lot of publicity in the effort to promote human rights. An example of this company’s human rights efforts is the fight for the rights of Ogoni people in Nigeria that won the wrath of Nigerian government. 4. Support Community Trade Through this program, the company collects ingredients and accessories from small producers around the world, especially from underprivileged societies. The company ensures fair prices, and this money goes back to the society to improve their lives’ basic needs like water and education. Presently, the company has trades with more than 42 community trade suppliers in more than 26 nations around the globe. To illustrate, as stated i n The Body Shop International values Report (Living our values, 2009), its palm oil comes from Columbia, coconut oil from Samoa, timber from Russia, Peppermint oil from Norfolk, cocoa butter from Ghana, Soya oil from Brazil, beeswax from Africa, and Footsie Roller from India. However, one has to doubt if the step will help such communities become independent as they tend to be totally dependent on the company for survival. 5. Self-esteem Te Body Shop always advocated the promotion of self-esteem especially in women. According to the company, it is about respecting oneself, looking after body and soul, and being proud of what one is. In 1998, there came a publication named ‘The Body and Self Esteem’ that was meant to raise awareness on the issues of

Mid-term history exam Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words - 3

Mid-term history exam - Essay Example In fact, fabrics made in the home with techniques that remained largely unchanged since the Middle Ages. The machines used within the home to make textile fabrics were small and either hand-powered or powered by hand. The Industrial Revolution, however, replaced these hand-powered machines with coal and put the manufacturing responsibilities in the hands of a centralized factory system (Backer). These coal-powered technologies, along with the steam engine, are the most commonly cited cause of the Industrial Revolution (Hudson). James Watt’s development of the steam engine allowed the transformation of fuel into mechanical work, which quickly became a staple instrument in a variety of different industries including powering locomotives, ships, textile machines, and automobiles. However, other explanations may aid in explaining why the Revolution occurred. One theory states that capitalism is responsible for the Revolution, insofar as capitalism incited merchants to take more co ntrol over their workers. When workers were paid a piecework rate in a factory, as opposed to the home, workers would produce more in order to have a better lifestyle. Centralization of material production into factories was the inevitable result of the capitalist system (Backer). Another theory looks at the differences in scientific knowledge between countries and tries to look at the Revolution in terms of what countries and cultures were able to think â€Å"mechanically† (Backer). In need, one of the first countries capable of such â€Å"mechanical† thinking was Great Britain, which is commonly believed to have been the first country to industrialize. In the case of England, science and dissemination of practical scientific knowledge played a large role. At that time, the new science of Newton was clearly associated with applied science. Those scientists disseminated their knowledge to an interested public for commercial and practical reasons through talks like the famous Boyle lectures and by various scientific societies like the Royal Society of London (Hudson). In many ways, the development of science in England and the development of industrialization in England were inextricably tied together. â€Å"By the end of the century it was simply assumed that the mechanization of manufacturing, and hence of labor, required a working knowledge of Newtonian science† (Jacob 167). Also, the concentration of knowledge into the limited land mass of the British isle may also have played a role in contributing to industrialization. Even though England was a source of new scientific knowledge, it would have been difficult to disseminate that knowledge if the country was less densely populated like continental Europe (Jacob 160-163). The Industrial Revolution left a number of social effects on England throughout the rest of the 19th and 20th centuries. For one, it led to the birth of the modern factory and, consequently, the modern city that develop ed around the factories. These factory towns brought in employees from all of the country looking for opportunities in the new industrialized world. A negative consequence of this was, of course, child labor. Child mortality rates increased throughout the industrialization period because parents would send their children off to dangerous employment in specialized tasks within the factories (Hudson). Although child labor existed prior to industrialization, it became a present phenomenon in society, in which children as young as four

The workmanship of risk CRAFTS, skill and the quality of materials Essay

The workmanship of risk CRAFTS, skill and the quality of materials - Essay Example Obviously when he does not and relies on manual tools he subscribes to the workmanship of risk theory. The discussion that follows demonstrates how. According to Edward Luci-Smith, craft has endured three stages throughout history. In the first stage, craft endured a period where all objects were created purely by hand. The emphasis was on craft and it mattered not whether the object crafted was decorative, ritual or purely utilitarian. The second and third stages occurred from the Renaissance period onward and during the second stage there was marked distinction between fine arts and craft. This was primarily during the Renaissance period. By the time of the Industrial Revolution craft was distinguished from those objects handcrafted and those objects produced by machine. (Lucie-Smith, 1981, 83-85) It was this last stage of craft that gave rise to Pye’s Workmanship of Risk and Workmanship of Certainty theories. With the advances in technology craft took on a different dimension. Man could rely on his own skill to create an object or he could rely on the advances in technology to create objects with a greater certainty that those objects would turn out the way they were designed. Contemporary craft has evolved into a â€Å"high-quality, unique one-off art object and limited-quantity design work.† (Kikuchi, 2004, 235) Craft by definition requires a specific knowledge and skill to a point where it reflects workmanship, function and art. (Kikuchi, 2004, 236) To this end contemporary craft challenges the mass production of objects that are turned out automatically because this kind of production: In distinguishing between the workmanship of risk and the workmanship of certainty, Pye maintains that the latter is not possible without the former. (Pye, 1995,23) While the dynamics of workmanship of certainty permits mad to put out objects in mass quantities

Cast study Case Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Cast - Case Study Example Exports of agricultural produce constitute Brazil’s major revenue earner. Brazil’s manufacturing industry lacks competitiveness because there is no comparative advantage in the industrial sector. The cost of energy, raw materials and wages is high and the consequence is the escalation of the manufacturing costs. Brazil has failed in the quest to keep the industrial operating costs below those incurred in other countries. Therefore, the countries with lower operating costs are more competitive in manufacturing compared to Brazil. Brazil’s governments in the 20th and 21st centuries have been eagerly developing a world class manufacturing strategy. The government’s course of action is aimed at switching from the agricultural based economy to one that is industrial based. The government wanted to protect the local industries from international competition by imposing taxes on imports through the practice of protectionism. For Brazil to move its resources from the uncompetitive industrial sector to competitive industries, comparative advantage should be given prior consideration. The country should stick to developing agriculture and diversifying the use of agricultural products. For instance, sugar cane can be used to produce more ethanol whose demand is high. Sugar cane is primarily used to produce sugar but diversification will provide a platform for the production of ethanol. The global ethanol trade is lucrative and Brazil would have an upper hand in the international market as a result of its comparative advantage with regard to agriculture. For effective competitive advantage, the agricultural resources should be developed and harnessed into different industries to diversify products coupled with the expansion of the global market (Chaddad, 2014). President Rousseff’s policies limit Brazil’s dependence on foreign goods but they disregard the aspect of comparative advantage. The

Research paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words - 6

Research Paper Example The woman-centric themes of the poems shall be dealt with in this paper. The formal innovations that these poets have made in their poetry shall also be an important part of this paper. This paper shall also look at the divergences within their poetry. Obviously, even though women share many of their concerns, to say that their concerns are identical would be to reduce the complexity and depth of the issue at hand. This paper shall argue that the feminist content of these poems needs to be looked at in terms of the need for solidarity amongst women of all ideological orientations, arising out of their experiences as women in a patriarchal society (Hoffman 48). Anne Sexton’s poem â€Å"Cinderella† speaks of the problems inherent within fairy tales. It speaks of the harmful stereotypes that are perpetuated within and through such stories. The stereotype of the wicked stepmother is one such stereotype. The importance of Sexton’s poem lies in its ability to subtly pi nt at such stereotypes and laugh at them while at the same time rebuking society for believing in them. When she says, That's the way with stepmothers. (373), she intends the reader to detect the sarcasm within the lines. This is intended to reveal the extent to which women in such stories are victimized and portrayed as villains. The reference to the ball as a â€Å"marriage market† (373) is another instance when events that are considered important in popular imagination are deconstructed and viewed as events with social and economic significances. Sexton continues with themes of relevance to women in â€Å"Her Kind† where she expresses solidarity with women of another era. She refers to witch-hunts that have taken place in history, arguing that ‘witches’ were just women who were different from what a patriarchal society wanted them to be. Sexton herself was considered to be a woman different from conventional models of femininity. This may have led her to express her solidarity with other marginalized groups of women from history. Greg Johnson concurs with this view in his review of Diane Wood Middlebrook’s biography of Anne Sexton (408). Sexton repeatedly uses the line â€Å"I have been her kind† (405) in order to emphasize the importance of such solidarity. Her life is important here also because it reveals how difficult it is for women, even famous poets, to lead their lives in a patriarchal society. The self-positioning of female subjectivity in Sylvia Plath’s poetry spans across the subjects of sexuality, history, kinship and heavily politicised and gendered notion of rationality. The focus of the essay shall be on â€Å"Daddy,† â€Å"Lady Lazarus,† and â€Å"Metaphors.† In â€Å"Daddy† one finds the coalescing of the identities of her father and a tyrannical political leader. Owing to the immediate historical backdrop of the poem, the Second World War, one may well speculate t hat the reference here is to the Nazi regime of Adolf Hitler. The analogy between her father and Hitler points to the collusion between patriarchy and dictatorships. It is against the Nazi ideal of racial purity that the speaker establishes her own identity as proudly hybrid when she says â€Å"With my gipsy ancestress and my weird luck/And my Taroc pack and my Taroc pack/I may be a bit of a Jew.† (631) This repudiation of purity enables her to construct her identity outside the rigidly deterministic

Tesco organization structure Essay Example for Free

Tesco organization structure Essay In 1961 Tesco Leicester entered the Guiness Book of Records as the largest store in Europe and in 1968 Tesco opened its first superstore in Crawley, West Sussex. Supermarkets revolutionised the way people shopped and by the 1970s Tesco was building a national store network to cover the whole of the UK, which it continues to expand to this day, while also diversifying into other products. In 1974 Tesco opened its first petrol stations, and would become the UKs largest independent petrol retailer. By 1979 total sales topped  £1bn, and by 1982 sales had doubled to more than  £2bn. In 1987 Tesco successfully completed a hostile takeover of supermarket rival Hillards for  £220m. The battle for top spot In the 1990s Tesco continued to tighten its grip on the UK with more store openings and an agressive marketing campaign in an attempt to overtake Sainsburys as the UKs leading grocer. In 1992, the company launched is slogan every little helps, followed by the Tesco Value range in 1993. This was followed by the launch of the Tesco Clubcard scheme in 1995, helping Tesco to overtake rival Sainsburys as the UKs largest food retailer. 1996 saw the retailer introduce its first 24-hour store while it also expanded overseas opening shops in Poland, the Czech Republic, and Slovakia. In 1997 Tesco appointed Sir Terry Leahy as chief executive. Tesco.com was launched in 2000 and the supermarket continued to expand its range of products, which now includes clothes, electricals and personal finance products. In 2004 Tesco entered the broadband market. Two years ago, in 2006, the retailer announced ambitious plans to open stores in the US under the name Fresh and Easy and funded by existing resources. Tesco now operates in 13 countries. Today it reported that group sales were  £51.8bn in the year to February 23 2008. Pre-tax profit rose to  £2.8bn. In 2008 the retail giant took its conquest of the UK one step further by buying up some rival Somerfield stores on remote islands in Scotland, giving Tesco a presence in every single postcode area in the country. As it stands there is only one postcode in the UK in Harrogate in North Yorkshire which does not have a Tesco. Every little hurts As the supermarket giant has grown, so too has the number of places in the UK dubbed Tesco town. In Inverness more than 50p in every pound spent on food  by the citys 66,000 residents is done so at a Tesco checkout and similar dominance in other towns has sparked controversy. Because of their size, supermarkets have been accused by some of abusing their position by forcing smaller local shops out of business. According to non-profit organisation Ethical Network, local communities could be losing inward investment of up to  £100bn every year because of supermarket centralisation. In 2001 a blackmailer failed in an attempt to extort  £5m from Tesco through a parcel bomb campaign and was jailed for 16 years. In 2008 Phillip McHugh, a former tax inspector, was jailed after threatening to bomb Tesco stores unless they gave him  £1m. Mr McHugh sent 76 letters to the company threatening to blow up shops and poison customers by contaminating food, promising that blood will flow unles s they gave into his demands.

Contrast Womens Position In The Mauritian Sociology Essay

Contrast Womens Position In The Mauritian Sociology Essay There has been a marked change for the better in our overall approach towards the women in Mauritius. Gone are the days when their place was considered to be behind the four walls of the house and their only job was confined to looking after the household affairs. But now they can be seen working shoulder to shoulder with men in every sphere of life. This is undoubtedly a good sign and an indication of their emancipation. It is a known fact that women have played an active role in the economic development of Mauritius since its independence in 1968. In the period 1983-2001 the number of women in full-time employment rose by 81 per cent, from 93,000 to 168,700. Women now represent 51 per cent of the population (608,458 out of a total population of 1,205,665) and 35 per cent of the labour force (186,400 out of 538,500). The share of women in total employment stands at 34 per cent in 2001, up from 23 per cent in 1972. As in most developing countries, womens increased economic importance has been the result of a gradual process of change and not an explicit policy focus. But it is important to stress that since ratifying the UN Convention on the Elimination of all Forms of Discrimination Against Women in 1984, the Mauritian Government has undertaken a number of significant legal reforms to remove all instances of discrimination against women in Mauritian law. However, while the economic empowerment of women has known significant progress over the decades, there is still a long way to go to raise their standard of living to be at par with that of their male counterparts in the work sector. Women in the Mauritians public and private sector Women still have to strive to be at the same level of their male counterparts in the Mauritian public and private work sector. According to Central Statistical Office, employment in the General Government Sector decreased by about 500 from 74 300 (52,100 males, 22,200 females) in March 2006 to about 73 800 (51 200 males, 22 600 females) in March 2007. Three out of four persons employed in General Government were males. Male workers were predominant in all activity groups, except in Real estate, renting and business services where the female employees accounted for 66 percent of the total employment in the activity. It is to be noted that female employment in Public administration and defence; compulsory social security, Education and Health and social work together accounted for around 96 percent of total female employment in General Government. Employment by Ministry/Department and gender in the General Government, March 2007 Government Services Male Female Total Budgetary Central Government 37 367 16 975 54 342 Office of the President, Judicial and National Assembly 503 245 748 Prime Ministers Office 12 465 1,033 13 498 Ministry of Foreign Affairs, International Trade 157 169 326 Ministry of Agro Industry and Fisheries 220 242 462 Ministry of Education, Culture and Human Resources 5765 5811 11576 Ministry of Labour, Industrial Relations and Employment 276 233 509 This table show that the majority of public jobs are being allocated to males rather than their females counterparts, hence, perpetuating the notion of gender inequality in the public work sector. In the private arena too, the scene is more or less the same. Men are the more preferred employees and dominate almost all the spheres of work. Occupation-wise, women are largely confined to low level, low paid jobs, such as machine operators in the EPZ enterprises, clerk, typists and shop assistants. Nearly 60 per cent of women work in the manufacturing sector, of whom 91 per cent in the textile factories. 75,000 employees in the private sector earn less than Rs 5000. 75 per cent of them are women. Only 14 per cent (or one in seven) of women in full-time paid employment in the private sector hold senior management or professional posts. Despite the positive developments that had taken place in Mauritius in this modern era with respect to the increase in womens employment, the promotion of their human rights and their economic independence, this inequality between man and woman in the labour force still insists although we are all now talking about combating gender inequality. For example women are more likely to be employed in jobs like sales girls, clerks, assistant, speakers, whereas on the other hand, jobs with big positions and which require leadership skills such as ministers, managers, engineers, doctors, lawyers are mostly reserved for men. Why is it so? The statistics are showing us that girls are outperforming boys in primary, secondary and tertiary education. How come they are not allocated the big post public or private jobs in the country. This is the question that renders us perplexed. Women continue to aspire for leadership positions in all spheres of governance in both the public and private sector. H owever it has not been easy we can say. Historically, leadership has carried the notion of masculinity and the belief that men make better leaders than women is still common today. Although the number of female leaders has increased, they are often named as an afterthought. This belief that men lead and women follow is so impregnated in the Mauritian mind that the second sex though intelligent are being deprived of many facilities in the workforce. They are not treated fairly as their male counterparts in the work setting. Despite efforts made to ensure that female representation is achieved at all levels of governance, women are still underrepresented in many government and non-government organizations particularly in positions of power and leadership (de la Rey, 2005). From statistics presented by Sadie (2005) on the Southern African Development Community (SADC) parliamentary structures, it is evident that the target of 30% representation by women in political and decision-making structures of member states was not met, except in South Africa and Mozambique. For instance, by 2004 the proportion of women in parliament was 15.4% in Angola, 15.9% in Botswana, 12% in Lesotho, 14.4% in Malawi, 17.14% in Mauritius, 25% in Namibia, and while South Africa and Mozambique had 32.8% and 37.2% respectively. Great strides have been made in the political realm, and womens participation in both the freedom struggles and democratic processes of many African countries including Mauritius have been notable. However, this participation has not always translated into equal representation in political leadership positions. Once elections are conducted, and positions are assigned, one realizes that women are no longer visible, thus, we can notice that in politics, women have been marginalized because men monopolize the decision making structures and are in the majority. Moreover, in education and academic circles too, the picture is more distressing especially if one looks at higher education. One would expect that things would change faster in this environment. After all, as Carleene Dei (2006) observed, universities are traditionally viewed as centres of free thought, change and human development. But leadership in higher education is still a mans world and universities are male dominated institutions. Men also dominated positions at professorial and senior lecturer positions. It is therefore quite evident that men dominate the governance and management levels of higher education institutions. Consequently, men have the decision-making power and authority regarding strategic direction, and allocation of resources. Various factors are at work in limiting womens potential to aspire to positions of leadership both in the public and private sector. Sadie (2005) advanced the argument that women face the patriarchal system where decision making powers are in the hands of males. Despite womens education and entry into the job market, the womans role is typically one of homemaker. The man, on the other hand, is bread winner, head of household and has a right to public life .Confining womens identity to the domestic sphere is one of the barriers to womens entry into politics. The media too has a major part in influencing and perpetuating the second sex as being inferior. For example, they always portray women to be sensitive, calm, caring, looking after children and men as being assertive, courageous, and valiant. Thus, it is not surprising to see men dominating the work arena. The table below shows that all types of public and private jobs are mostly suited to men rather than female. Women dominate in the clerical sector only. Employment by occupational group and sex, 2009 However, despite inequality prevailing, there are some women who were able to transcend cultural barriers, stereotypes and rise to positions of leadership (whether in politics or elsewhere), such as Margaret Thatcher, Sonia Gandhi, Julia Gillard. But these are exceptions and exceptions do not make the rule! In fact, it has been argued that women themselves are often reluctant to run for public positions and this is partly attributed to cultural prohibitions on women speaking in public or going to public places. Political campaigning for instance, requires that one travel extensively, spend nights away from home, go into bars, and for women it means meeting men. Women who struggle for public office have to consider the risk of being labelled loose or unfit as mothers and wives, and being socially stigmatized. Such considerations make many women shy away from politics, and positions that put them in the public eye. Furthermore, in other public and private arenas also, womens access to leadership positions has been hindered by discrimination and stereotyping. Women are more or less persecuted for seeking an executive position. This is largely due to societys attitude toward appropriate male and female roles. Women have to face the sticky floor, preventing them to get access to the high position jobs. In fact, the recruitment processing itself is discriminating women. For instance, in the private sector, the manager will choose a married man employer rather than a married woman in the recruitment process. Since they all have the prejudices that women can fall pregnant at anytime, they will have to take maternity leaves, thus, hampering the productivity of the company during their absences. Therefore, with a male worker, there is no such problem. Hence, men are more favoured and are more likely to be recruited. Comparison of salary in the public v/s private sector If the public service, decrying those at the top of the wage scale are worse off compared to the private sector, in the private sector, it insists that the preservation of jobs is more important than salary increases that might putting the company at risk. In the private sector, employees whether men or women are better paid than in the public sphere. The table below shows this evidence. Its source is from MEF. Types of jobs Public sector Private sector Receptionist / Telephonist Between Rs 8400 and Rs 16000 Between Rs 5,000 and Rs 28,210 Human Resource Officer Between Rs 17,200 and Rs 26,400 Between Rs 15,358 and Rs 41,420 Secretary Between Rs 9600 and Rs 21400 Between Rs 10,167 and Rs 29,434 Human resource manager Between Rs31,250 and Rs 45,000 Between Rs 35,000 and Rs 94,600 Civil Engineering Between Rs 22,000 and Rs 45,000 Between Rs 20,375 and Rs 65,300 General worker Between Rs 6,425 and Rs 10,200 Between Rs 6,205 and Rs 18,300 Conclusion and Recommendation Women continue to enter the workplace in increasing numbers in all developed countries. Several factors account for this trend. An increasing number of economies have become industrialized, the service sector has grown opening up positions for women, and growth in public and not-for profit sectors have created new opportunities for women. However, the pace of advancement for women in the top position jobs continues to be slow and uneven in different countries and cultures. Women still cannot crack the marble ceiling and are thus at a disadvantage despite they possess lots of skills and aptitudes. Educational institutions can help by teaching the equality of the sexes through lessons. Further, the family too should not be biased and give the same kind of upbringing to the sons and daughters. Boys should be made to help in the domestic chores as much as the girls. The mass media should also project the picture of the women as an equal with the same desires, ambitions and intelligence. True liberation of women is possible only when our overall attitude is changed!

Huawei Human Resource Management (HRM)

Huawei Human Resource Management (HRM) The Human Resources Challenge of Huawei - Cultural clash Introduction Background of Huawei In 1987, Ren Zhengfei, then 44 years old, founded a telecom equipment-trading firm in Shenzhen, China, with startup capital of CNY 21,000. By the end of 2014, Huawei had 170,000 employees in more than 170 countries and regions, serving more than one-third of the world’s population, and leading the world in international patent applications. Over 30 years, it has grown to become the largest telecom company in the world. As well as that, it has operations and representative offices in more than 100 countries and serves over 1 billion users worldwide. Huaweis success boils down to two fundamental elements: the changing technology environment and the creativity of its people, so we can realize that employees play a very important role in Huawei and the human resources management is very crucial to Huawei Human resources challenges of Huawei According to Fang Lee Cooke (The International Journal of Human Resource Management, 2012, p.1845), there are several challenge to HRM in host countries and management responses of Huawei. First, because salaries are based on performance levels, inexperienced local new hires may have lower wages. Second, unlike local employment laws, as foreign companies, they need to comply more strictly with these laws than China. Third, how to strike a balance between employee development and cost-effective employee disbursement is sometimes a dilemma because HCN employees need training and development opportunities and then leave more famous Western multinationals. Fourth, multiculturalism and diversity management is another issue. Huawei may be one of the few Chinese companies that actively adopt the concept of multiculturalism and diversity management. Fifth, the lack of approval from local employees and their employers and the lack of acceptance of the corporate culture of Chinese enterprises are a double challenge to the issue of retention. The key challenge Cultural clash is one of the key human resources aspects that affected Huawei. Huawei as a multinational company, the objective existence of the companys internal cultural differences, is bound to cause cultural conflicts in the enterprise. As the process of global integration accelerates and the flow of human resources in multinational enterprises like Huawei continues to accelerate, this cultural friction will increase day by day and gradually begin to manifest itself in the internal management and external operation of transnational corporations, resulting in the loss of market opportunities for transnational corporations and the inefficiency of the organizational structure and make the implementation of the global strategy in trouble. Therefore, this essay will attempt to demonstrate how the Huawei can solve this problem and develop better for its brighter future using human resources management practices. Main discussions Huaweis problem of human resources While Huawei successfully achieved its trans-national development, Huawei also encountered many challenges in its human resources management. The transnational management practice of Huawei shows that one of the important factors that affect transnational management is that various cultural conflicts arise from the differences in value orientation and behavior among people from different cultural backgrounds. How to realize the absorption and integration of culture has become a problem that Huawei constantly solves in transnational management. How to solve the cultural conflict of human resource management in Huawei With the continuous expansion and development of overseas affiliates of Huawei, Huawei conducts cross-cultural human resources management mainly through the following tactics: Localization strategy Localization strategy which means the concept of global adaptation is the business trying to integrate into the target market, and strive to become a target market strategy adopted. The essence of localization is the process of multinational corporations integrating production, marketing, management and personnel into the economy of the host country in an all-round way. Generally, they conduct a series of surveys to understand the actual local economy, culture and customs. At Huaweis overseas offices, everyone strives to create an atmosphere in which everyone, regardless of nationality and race, is a Huawei employee. Both Chinese and foreign cultures constantly collide and merge with each other. Under the influence of Huaweis culture, Huawei is gradually presenting its diversified and international characteristics. With the gradual implementation of localization business strategy, the ratio of Chinese and foreign employees in overseas institutions of Huawei continuously changes. Culturally compatible strategy Culturally compatible strategy is also the most important thing which need to understand the differences between different cultural concepts. Therefore, Huawei needs to integrate cultural differences into the overall marketing strategy to ensure that the realization of business goals will always be a major issue. For instance, Huawei’s employees in Uzbekistans offices regularly attend local weddings, travel to cities on holidays, watch ballets and learn about local culture and customs. Whenever an employee is on his birthday, everyone congratulates on sending a gift collectively. Cross-cultural training strategy Huawei implements cross-cultural training strategy. As international enterprises become the most important intercultural organizations in the world, the source of human resources is increasingly showing an international trend among a considerable number of enterprises. More and more people of different colors become colleagues. The employees from different countries and nations have different cultural backgrounds. Employees values, needs, attitudes and behaviors are quite different. Such cultural differences within the enterprise inevitably lead to cultural conflicts. At the same time, due to cultural differences, the human resources management concepts, human resources management systems and methods of different countries vary. As a result, the human resources management concepts and management methods among the managers in the enterprises also continuously impact and collide. In the daily operation of enterprises and foreign exchanges, if employees are lack of the knowledge and skills of intercultural communication, the differences between cultures will create misunderstandings and unnecessary friction, which will affect the work efficiency and reduce the competitiveness of enterprises. Therefore, the cultural difference is also an obstacle that must be overcome in the internationalization and transnational management of human resources. Huawei employees will receive relevant training in the training department before leaving the country, such as the local cultures and related products. Daily training also includes seminars, language training, books, websites, discussion and simulation exercises and more. These trainings enhance the adaptability of employees with different cultural backgrounds and promote communication and understanding among people of different cultural backgrounds. Through continuous cross-cultural training, cross-cultural awareness has gradually developed among employees and learned to regard cultural differences as differences without distinction between good and bad, helping employees to be good at standing with people of different cultural backgrounds considering each others point of view, cross-cultural conflicts are greatly reduced. Common values management. A reason why a company can become a good company, a very important reason is that it has successfully created a kind of core values ​​and mission to enable all employees heartfelt identity, as the core values ​​of the enterprise culture once being all staff sincerely agree or share, it will affect peoples thinking and behavior patterns. HuangWeiwei (dedication – the Huawei Philosophy of Human Resources Management) claims that Huawei doesn’t like to make too much money. And the profits are not its motive – growth is. This aspect of the enterprise culture is what drives its HRM policies and approaches. In addition to regulating and managing overseas institutions under Huaweis business conditions, Huaweis corporate culture restricts every employees behavior in an invisible ideology. Even away from overseas, the militarized management style from Huawei headquarters is still not diminished. Huawei believes that only those who persist in fighting unjustly for the collective can form a united community. Therefore, Huawei advocates desire-driven, decent means, so that the formation of a group of vigorous, good management style. Huawei believes that unity and cooperation, collective struggle is the soul of Huawei. No one in Huawei has the privilege, and everyone shares the common aspiration and hardship, equality for all. Any individual interest must serve the collective interests and integrate individual efforts into the enterprise. Huawei integrated this common value, the entire enterprise burst out of the incredible combat effectiveness. So we could realize that in human resources management, only understanding cultural differences and respecting multi-culture can improve the ability of cross-cultural management. Suggestions for Huawei Cross-cultural Human Resources Management Under the multi-cultural background, the core of human resource management lies in how to integrate the scattered and isolated functions, responsibilities and activities in human resource management. By coordinating the operation of human beings and creating the competitive advantage of enterprises. In order to give play to this advantage of enterprises, Huawei can consider the following aspects in implementing cross-cultural human resources management: Firstly, Huawei should strengthen cross-cultural selection and training. Cross-cultural selection and training can enhance peoples responsiveness and adaptability to different cultural traditions, promote communication and understanding among people of different cultural backgrounds, mitigate cultural conflicts and enhance teamwork and corporate cohesion. The specific measure is that Huawei should try to select those who have the skills and qualities of a global manager. They should love the new culture, have the adventurous spirit, have strong interpersonal skills and work hard with people from different cultures to understand their opinions and attitudes. Such a global manager can adapt to the requirements of cultural integration and they also have to attend a series of trainings about the language, culture and personal occupation of so as to better adapt to the future work. Huawei should also adopt some new cross-cultural training methods, such as setting up intercultural communication programs, setting up global service projects and setting up business institutes. Secondly, based on the common understanding of culture, Huawei should establish the strong corporate culture according to the requirements of the external environment and the strategic development of the company. It helps Huawei not only to reduce cultural conflicts, so that each employee can put their thoughts and behavior with the companys business operations and objectives together, but also to make the subsidiary and the parent company closer. At the same time, it can establish a good reputation in the international market and enhance the transnational corporations ability of cultural change. Thirdly, Huawei should enhance cross-cultural communication. In order to ensure the effective implementation of effective communication in cross-cultural enterprises, Huawei must establish a culture of mutual understanding and mutual respect between management, management and employees as well as between the company and the outside. In addition, Huawei must actively establish a variety of formal and informal, effective and invisible cross-cultural communication organizations and channels, so that every employee in the enterprise have more opportunities to express their opinions. Some successful companies often organize seminars, classes and language training within the enterprise and enhance the role of managers by effectively promoting communication with people, teams and organizations through the use of media such as books, bulletin boards, websites, videos and television. As a result Huawei could improve business efficiency and maximize the effectiveness of cross-cultural human resources management. Fourthly, Huawei should enhance the localization of employees. As local managers have a deep understanding of local culture, they are easily accepted by employees and at the same time provide a promotion channel for local employees. Therefore, they have strong incentives. Local employees are familiar with the local customs, market dynamics and government regulations, hiring local employees will undoubtedly facilitate cross-cultural enterprises in the local market development and gain a firm foothold. In the development of intercultural human resources, most large multinational corporations have proposed the strategy of employees’ localization and continuously raised the proportion of senior and middle-level managers in the country. The management concept of local affairs managed by local people is being gradually realized. To some extent, the implementation of this concept can make cross-cultural enterprises eliminate cultural friction, develop their own adaptability to local culture, and its unique foreign culture affect the host countrys cultural environment, showing a companys great tolerance to multiculturalism , So Huawei could attract more outstanding employees and enhance their competitiveness. Through the above measures, the effectiveness of cross-cultural human resources management at Huawei will be greatly enhanced so that enterprises can implement effective and strategic personnel planning in a multicultural environment. Conclusions With the continuous expansion and development of Huaweis overseas subsidiaries, Huawei, as the leading telecom solution provider in the world, has faced the challenge which is cultural conflicts in the implementation of human resources management. In order to solve the conflicts caused by cultural differences, Huawei implement cross-cultural human resources management, mainly through the implementation of localization strategies, cultural compatibility strategies, cross-cultural training and common values management strategies. Huawei mainly implements localization strategy when implementing cross-cultural human resources management, including staff localization, localization management, R & D localization and localization of partners. There are more than 100 countries around the world applying their products. International markets have become the main source of Huawei’s sales. In all countries and regions, Huawei has set up hundreds of branches and dozens of research institutes. More than half of its employees are local employees, and more and more local employees have become local technical backbone. Huawei has established training centers around the world, which greatly enhance Huaweis ability to provide high-quality training in these regions. While maintaining sound management, Huawei persists in its localized operation globally and has made great contributions to its countries and regions. As well as that, Huawei has established branches in more than 100 countries around the world, investing locally, setting up sales and service offices, research and development centers, training centers, technical support centers and factories, and hiring local staff. This not only deepens Huaweis understanding of the local market, but also raises the local employment rate, enhances the technical level of local engineers and promotes the development of the local economy. In addition, Huawei regards employee training as the most basic level of cross-cultural management. Cross-cultural training for employees, including training on basic knowledge of culture, training on cultural conflicts, and training on cultural adaptability, has been conducted. In terms of value management, Huaweis corporate culture affects every employee as an invisible ideology. Huawei creates the unique wolf corporate culture and it requires employees to develop the habit of learning, to have a good learning ability and a unique sense of innovation and awareness. In summary, cross-cultural human resources management has an important impact on the survival and development of Huawei and also plays an important role in the productivity of Huawei. A successful human resources management will bring a value-added effect of 1 + 1> 2 to the enterprise, otherwise, it will have a negative impact and hinder the development of the enterprise. References Fang Lee Cooke The International Journal of Human Resource Management, 2012, p.1845 Huang Weiwei Dedication the Huawei Philosophy of Human Resources Management Huawei The startup that became the largest telecom company in the world

The Strengths and Weaknesses of the Cosmological Argument for the Exist

The Strengths and Weaknesses of the Cosmological Argument for the Existence of God The cosmological argument seeks to prove the existence of God by looking at the universe. It is an A posteriori proof based on experience and the observation of the world not logic so the outcome is probable or possible not definite. The argument is in three forms; motion, causation and being. These are also the first three ways in the five ways presented by Aquinas through which he believed the existence of God could be shown. Aquinas regarded Aristotle as the principal philosopher so many of these concepts originate in the thinking of Aristotle. One example of the cosmological argument is the argument of causation. Everything has a cause. Everything itself has a cause. But, you cannot have an infinite number of causes. Therefore there must have been an uncaused causer, which causes everything to happen without itself being caused by anything else. Such an uncaused cause is what people understand by 'God'. This idea was revisited by William Lane Craig who developed the Kalam cosmological argument. He reinforced the contention that the universe must have had a creator by firstly proving that the universe if finite. He proves this by explaining that the present would not exist in an actual infinite universe, because successive additions cannot be added to an actual infinite. The present does exist, as a result of a chronological series of past events. The universe must be finite. Craig seeks to prove that the universe must have had a beginning in time and that there must have been a creator who was uncaused. The Kalam argument makes the cosmologi... ...but does not prove there was a being that started this. The beginning of the universe could be put down to coincidence followed by the evolution of life. However, it does not disprove the existence of an uncaused causer. How do we not know that God was not responsible for the big bang? In conclusion we can see that there are many reasons to believe that the universe must have had a beginning. Both from a philosophical and scientific point of view. However, this cannot be proved, we are still able to question the idea. It is also debatable as to whether or not a personal creator was involved. This is down to personal belief and faith in God. I do not personally believe that the cosmological argument is strong enough to prove the existence of God. But, it is very convincing in proving that the universe had a beginning.