iSteelAsia A Secure, Neutral Steel Trading e-Commerce...

I Steel Asia case iSteelAsia is a secure, neutral steel trading e-commerce platform created by Andrew Cho Fai in december 1999 for steel industry professionals. Indeed, iSteelAsia enables users to purchase and sell steel, network with a global community of steel traders and find informations and news concerning steel industry. 1) Describe briefly the market itself and the market conditions (positive / negative trends, opportunities / threats) under which iSteelAsia developed. Identify more specifically the threats that the company faces or may face in the near future. The market under which iSteelAsia developed is the market of the Steel in Asia. After, the crisis of 2001, the global steel market have known a development of†¦show more content†¦Moreover, there is an other danger that the players don t manage or don t want to deal with this new e-commerce kind of trading and finally prefer to trade with tradionnal companies, and that the customers stay cagey of this system of trade. Indeed, the players may not trust new technologies or may not want to change their habits, or don t have enough knowledge to feel confident to deal with this kind of companies. Eventually, the iSteelAsia have to worried about competitors, notably about US and Europe competitors (they are more advanced in e-commerce technology). So they have to all the time innovate and up-to-date their skills and knowledge to don t lost their market share. Also, there is an other risk because of the Asian boom technologic. Indeed, there will be a lot of news local start-up, so a lot of news competitors on the market. Besides, the news competitors should have better knowledge because they just graduated from graduate schools. 2) Describe what iSteelAsia offers to the market (use the value delivered to the customer  « benefits/costs  » framework) and more particularly the way through which iSteelAsia used e-commerce to offer more to the customer, compared to its previous,  « tradionnal  » operations. IsteelAsia proposes a neutral vertical portail, offering online trading and informations about the steel industry. Globally, it proposes a global view of the steel market, for instance about the prices and the economic trends. It

Human Behavior Nature vs. Nurture Essay - 1733 Words

Scientists and biologist have argued the Nature versus Nurture debate for decades. This debate is about the degree to which our environment and heredity, affects our behavior and developmental stages. According to this debate, nature can be described as, the behavior of a person is occurring because of their genetic makeup. Since the behavior of a person is due to their genetic makeup, then, it (nature) should also influence a person’s growth and development for the duration of their life. However, the nurture side of the debate says, the cause for an individual’s behavior is because of environmental factors. This would mean that the influence from our family (immediate and extended), friends and other individuals would mold our behavior.†¦show more content†¦Depending on the amount of serotonin within an individual’s body, this hormone would affect their mood. In other words, each person will respond differently to total gridlock traffic. A person who h as a significant amount of serotonin in their body during gridlock traffic may only be annoyed, meanwhile a person who has extremely highly levels of serotonin in their body might yell, be annoyed, and want to start an altercation with other drivers. Reif et al (2007) argument was to see if the gene serotonergic neurotransmission could lead to the development of violent behaviors as well as to see how the gene interacts with environmental factors. For this study, Reif et al (2007) had a sample of 184 male adults who were split into groups of violent and nonviolent. The researchers for this study predetermined that if there were large amounts of negative environmental factors during childhood it would associate violent behaviors to arise (Reif et al, 2007). In their findings, approximately 45% of the violence group and 30% of the nonviolent group had low levels of serotonin their system; however, the interaction between the childhood environment and the serotonin showed there were hi gh levels of negative childhood influences that later caused violent behavior in those individuals (Reif et al, 2007).Show MoreRelatedNature Vs. Nurture : Human Behavior1453 Words   |  6 Pagesa human’s behavior is determined by genes is ridiculous. Human behavior is not genetically pre-determined; rather, it is a result of environmental influences. The influences we surround ourselves with is how we are going conduct yourself. Humans are influenced by other humans. Our behavior is determined by who we want to be like and look up too and that has nothing to do with our genes. A human’s behavior is by choice not inherited. Many people argue over this topic nature vs. nurture. AccordingRead MoreNature vs. Nurture1117 Words   |  5 PagesThe nature versus nurture debate is one of the oldest issues in sociology (Davidson, 1991, n.p.). The debate centers on the relative contributions of genetics and environmental factors to human behavior (Davidson, 1991, n.p.). Today, the majority of experts believe that behavior and development are influenced by both nature and nurture (Macionis, 2009, p. 73). The biggest question now is which one affects human development more: nature or nurture? According to Macionis (2009, p. 72), in the pastRead MoreNature Vs. Nurture : Addiction1102 Words   |  5 Pages Nature vs. Nurture: Addiction Introduction Psychology is a developing science which studies the mental functions, processes, and behaviors of an individual. In the science of psychology, many debates arise; nature vs. nurture is one of the most popular ones. These psychological debates are followed by research, backing up either nature or nurture or both. Nature suggest heredity impacts human psychological development; nurture suggests the environment impacts our psychologicalRead MoreNature vs Nurture: Do Genes Or Environment Matter More? Essay1300 Words   |  6 PagesNature versus nurture has emerged as one of the most heated debates in the 21st century. It is more aligned towards the internal and external factors that comprise human beings behavior. The internal factors are innate and perceived to be genetically revolved as opposed to the external factors that are influenced by the environment and individuals’ experiences. However, scholars in different fields have researched on the relationship between natu re and nurture without due success and this has createdRead MoreNature Vs. Nurture Debate878 Words   |  4 Pages are personalities and traits produced by genetics or shaped by the environment? Or, is there a relationship between nature and nurture with regards to child development? The debate continues. While some believe â€Å"nature and nurture work together, others believe they are separate and opposing influences† (McDevitt, 2010). Nature vs Nurture In regards to the nature vs. nurture debate, â€Å"this debate is a major issue in many social science disciplines and is concerned with the influence that biologyRead MoreGenetics Human Behavior Essay1351 Words   |  6 PagesGenetics Human Behavior The world of Genetics is one that is both fascinating and interesting. When tackling how genetics plays a role in behavior, one must look within the scope of what genetics is before dealing with how it plays a significant role in one’s behavior. Simply put, genetics is the study of genes. It is a biological component within the entire study of biology itself. Scientists who study genetics and perform research do so with the intent to learn more aboutRead MoreNature Vs Nurture Essay882 Words   |  4 PagesNature vs Nurture The discussion about nature and nurture can be considered one of the oldest problems in psychology, the main question of which is: Are human traits present at birth or are they developing through experience? (Meyers, 2013). The natural side of the discussion asserts that the facial features and the way of their development strictly through DNA and genetics are transmitted by parents and grandparents. The nurture side of the debate argues that we are born with a clean list andRead MoreNature vs. Nurture: a Biblical Perspective1531 Words   |  7 PagesRUNNING TITLE: Nature vs. Nurture Nature vs. Nurture: A Biblical Perspective Ouida Lynne Heath Psychology 101, Module 5 Professor Roberts December 17, 2009 Nature vs. Nurture: A Biblical Perspective The Nature versus Nurture debate has been ongoing for centuries. People have tried to gain power through knowledge in determining what causes the human â€Å"mind to tick.† For centuries leaders and scientists haveRead MoreNature vs. Nurture: Parents or Environment Essay example571 Words   |  3 Pagesunderstand, thus making the topic of nature vs. nurture extremely controversial. The debates always show that nature and nurture contrast but then there may be evidence that suggest that the two are linked and a person is actually an enigma characterized by the mixture of predisposed genetics and environmental influences. The idea that nature and nurture are joined is great to oppose nativists, people on the nature side, and empiricists, people sided with nurture. As mentioned before, the topic isRead MoreEssay on Nature vs Nurture1052 Words   |  5 PagesNature vs. Nurture M. B. Liberty University Psychology 101 Nature vs. Nurture There has been extensive debate between scholars in the field of psychology surrounding the Nature vs. Nurture issue. Both nature and nurture determine who we are and neither is solely independent of the other. â€Å"As the area of a rectangle is determined by its length and its width, so do biology and experience together create us.†(Myers, 2008, p. 8) Carl Gustav Jung, and leading thinker and creator of analytical

Commerce Clause Health Care Free Essays

The Commerce Clause was merely placed in our Constitution to ensure that states couldn’t establish laws or regulations that would hinder with trade and economic commerce, in result gave Congress the power â€Å"to regulate Commerce with foreign Nations, and among the several States, and with the Indian Tribes. † To me, the Commerce Clause was once legitimate in the sense that the economic activity was mainly trade based and to prevent the intense rivalry among states, Congress needed to have the power to control interstate commerce to render conflicts. When creating and establishing the Commerce Clause I believe it could have been thought through and furthermore written in a more distinct and detailed way to accommodate the issues we have had. We will write a custom essay sample on Commerce Clause Health Care or any similar topic only for you Order Now Because it wasn’t stated, U. S. Supreme Court ruled Congress to control intrastate commerce as long as the commerce significantly affects commerce involving more than one state, resulting from Gibbons v. Ogden. Sometimes I wonder if it’s realistic to think Congress will get to the point of controlling every aspect of our life, until something like the Affordable Care Act comes into consideration and keeps me questioning, what will be next. The Government’s argue is, under the Commerce Clause that Congress has the power to mandate the Affordable Care Act. Their philosophy is that Congress can demand people to buy health insurance, and if they refuse, then it would be affecting interstate commerce weakening the Act’s other developments. Their reasoning is that there are individuals who currently do not have medical insurance that are making a remarkable amount of visits to the doctor. In result, leaving hospitals reaching out to insurance companies to recover what they didn’t get paid for treating the non-insured. Consequently, insurance companies will start raising premiums higher and higher which will penalize those who already have insurance and those who reach out for insurance where premiums have raised to a point that it is unaffordable for the average citizen, then the problem will get worse. The argument against the Affordable Care Act is that it violates the Commerce clause regarding the fact that Congress has the power to regulate interstate commerce and intrastate commerce as long as the conflict in commerce is among more than one state. Some states, like Virginia, have passed or are in consideration of declaring a law that the Affordable Care Act can’t be enforced in their States. In the article on the Reuter’s website it says, â€Å"State legislators in Maine, Montana, Nebraska, Oregon, Texas, and Wyoming have introduced bills that establish penalties, including fines and jail time, for any agent seeking to enforce the healthcare law within their states’ borders. Congress has the power to do most of which they feel capable of doing and if they can prove a good enough argument to the Supreme Court that inactivity affects interstate commerce then I think no matter what the States arguments are going to be shut down. Regarding tax, the Government argues that if their power under the commerce clause doesn’t support the mandate, then they will implement the power of Congress to tax. The mandate was Congress’s solution to those who decided they weren’t going to get health insura nce, preventing cost shifting. Cost shifting was their answer as to why they can force the individual mandate and it’s because the â€Å"failure to purchase insurance has a substantial and deleterious effect on interstate commerce. † The Government believes that health care at some point in life is unavoidable, whether it’s an emergency or through insurance, that’s why they have created the individual mandate penalty to refrain from premiums rising. The main argument against the mandated tax is that when lobbying for the bill, President Obama stated that there would not be a new tax involved with the individual mandate requiring coverage. But the penalty will be collected through tax filings and the Federal Government says that the fine is in their power to levy. From the Reuter’s article it says, â€Å"States say the U. S. Government does not have the authority to charge the fine and point to the discrepancy between Obama’s statements and the U. S. Government’s arguments. † Government regulation in business is everywhere, from advertising, employment and labor, privacy, environmental, and safety and health issues. The ultimate reason there are so many regulations is so that consumers are protected and it helps businesses to thrive at the same time. What is so interesting about the law is that we have a firm foundation, but the law will always be changing because with time there will come a new circumstance with no precedent that will cause a controversy like the Affordable Care Act itself. I just hope it doesn’t get to the point that the Government abuses its powers given to them by the framers who created our Constitution to resolve conflict, not create it. How to cite Commerce Clause Health Care, Papers

Training Staff

Question: Howto analyze two poplar notebooks in a detail way so that it can able to depict the best suitable machine for the training staff? Answer: Technological evaluation has enforced organizations to restructure their business operation process. It induces organization to utilize technologies like portable computers, smartphones so that employees can able to perform their job responsibilities from any locations. Thus, it not only helps the employees to perform their responsibility more effectively but also helps organization to complete their entire task within the given timeframe. Therefore, the report will focus on HP Notebook - 15-AC647TU and Microsoft Surface Pro 4 in order to assess the best possible one for the organization. Purpose: The purpose of this report was to analyze two poplar notebooks in a detail way so that it can able to depict the best suitable machine for the training staff (Sigmar, Hynes Hill, 2012). Apart from analyzing the user-friendly attitude of these notebooks, the report also wants to analyze which one of these notebooks can be carried easily. Since, training staffs often have to carry their notebooks to various client locations. Scope: Since, the prime purpose of the report was to analyze the best possible notebook for the training staffs so that they can able to carry it easily to the several client locations. It provides scope for the report to analyze its use on the corporate sectors as well as the features that can benefits corporate operations. Method: For gathering information, the report has utilized Australian PC Authority magazine as well as other business magazines as well (Bargiela-Chiappini Nickerson, 2014). The information relevant to these selected notebooks is also collected from the company websites. The report has considered company Limitations: The report has assessed few limitations for both the selected notebooks. The limitations are mentions as follows:à ¯Ã†â€™Ã‚ ¼ Additional information apart from those which are provided in the company websites are very difficult to accessà ¯Ã†â€™Ã‚ ¼ Very minimum availability of both the notebooks in the local retail stores which induces organization to become more biased towards the online purchaseà ¯Ã†â€™Ã‚ ¼ The report has also found that proper information regarding the up-gradation of the software packages which eventually creates obstacles in assessing the best possible notebooks for the trainers Assumptions: The report has assumed that all the necessary software that are required for the organization to fulfill their task (Rogerson-Revell, 2014). Especially, the software package that is necessary for the trainers is included in both the devices. Thus, the report has considered that the company will able to utilize both the devices for the providing training purpose. In addition, as every employees in the organization are well equipped with the advance new technology, the report has assumed that implementation of either of these selected device will not create any difficulties in the organizational process (Meredith, 2012). The report also assumes that warranty period for these two selected device are same so that it does not provide any advantage at the time of assessment. Background: Since, the prime purpose of the report to is to identify the best possible notebook for the organization that can provide help to the trainers to provide effective training for the convenience at the convenient places of the client (Mai Hoffmann, 2014). The organization will have to focus more on the training perspectives, as it will help the organization to conduct businesses with the clients much more effectively. Findings: The report has gone through an in-depth analysis in order to asses both the selected device. As mentions earlier, the report has utilized several tools and techniques in order to gather accurate information about both devices (Cardon Marshall, 2015). The findings for the selected devices are as follows:2.1 HP Notebook - 15-AC647TU: Cost: $384 Weight: 2.1 Kg Size: (W x D x H) 157 x 175 x 24.3 mm Screen size: 15.6" Clarity of screen image: Very high resolution, set at 1366 x 768 pixels. The high resolution allows people to see all the details. However, at the same time, it is very easy on the eyes. RAM: 4 GB, RAM can be raised to a maximum 8 GB for $1140 Disk Drive: CD-ROM and 500 GB Speed of the CPU: 1.6GHz Intel Pentium Quad-Core N3700 Battery capabilities: Li-ion battery 4 cell. Therefore, it is expected that the smart battery will able to fulfill the requirement of the organization. However, the report has highlighted that organization will able to utilize the device in a much m ore effective way if the battery life of device could have been a little higher (PC Tech Authority. 2016). Service agreements and warranties: the report highlighted that two years warranty for each parts Microsoft Surface Pro 4: Cost: $899 Weight: 766 grams Size: (W x D x H) 292.10 x 201.42 x 8.45 mm Screen size: 12.30" Clarity of screen image: The report identified that resolution of the device is set at the level 2736x1824 pixels (PC Tech Authority 2016). Therefore, the device is capable of describing every detail. However, like the previous devices, this particular device is also very easy to the eyes. Thus, it will allow the users to utilize the device for a longer period of time. RAM: 8GB, upgrade available, $242 for 16 GB. Disk drives: 256 GB drives are available for this particular device. Therefore, the report assess that memory device is comparatively lower than other device. Speed of the CPU: this particular device utilize an extremely newly version of the core m3 processor that allows multitasking in a smother way (Kankaanranta Lu, 2013). In addition, it is also very capable of implementing any software that can allow the trainers to conduct training session in an effective way. Battery capa bilities: - 2.5 hours from a lithium-ion battery Service agreements and warranties: for this particular device, the organization has provided three years guarantee. Therefore, it will comparatively provide more assistance to the organization to conduct the training program effectively. Initial cost: The report assess that the price difference between the selected two devices is significant (Chumikov et al., 2016). As a result, organizations will have to keep in mind before the selection of any particular device for training purpose. From the cost perspective, it is obvious that Microsoft notebook will have additional features as compared to HP products. Weight and size: From the above table it can be assess that HP notebook is comparatively heavier than the Microsoft product. Therefore, it can be observe that Microsoft notebook can be easily carried over different places according to the client requirements in order to implement training program effectively. Furthermore, lightweight of Microsoft notebook will allow easy use for the users (Crews Stitt-Gohdes, 2012). Screen size: The above table highlighted that HP products has the advantage. Since, it has the larger screen size as compared to Microsoft Notebook. In addition, Guffey Loewy (2012) mentions that larger screen allows to implement training program effectively, as it has the potential to provide greater view to the learners. Furthermore, larger screen size creates lesser strain to the eyes when it had to be use for a longer period of time. Thus, it might induce organization to select HP notebook for the implementation in the training program. Clarity of screen size: However, the above specification highlights that screen resolution of Microsoft notebook is much higher than the HP notebook. Therefore, it is obvious that Microsoft notebook will able to provide high quality visualization for the clients. Hence, it also can provide benefit to the training program that the organization is looking to implement at the different location according to the client convenience. Hard disk and RAM size: From the above table, it can be assess that the RAM in the HP notebook is just 4 GB as compared to the 8 GB RAM in the Microsoft notebook (Okoro Washington, 2012). Thus, it is expected that Microsoft notebook will able to provide much faster implementation of any given task which is necessary for the effective implementation of the training program.However, the above mention specification also highlights that hard disk or storage device is far higher for the HP notebook as compared to the Microsoft one. Thus, it reflects that HP notebook will allow organization to store more important information than Microsoft device. As mentions by (Sigmar, Hynes Hill, 2012) higher storage device is essential for the corporate usage. Since, many important notes or document will have to be stored in such a way so that it can be accessed at any given point of time. Speed of the CPU: From the above specification, it can be assess that Microsoft notebook is far more advance as compared to the HP notebooks. Therefore, Microsoft notebook will allow the organization utilize the training program in a much more effective way (Berry, 2013). However, the CPU of HP notebook is also a high quality product that has the capability to perform several tasks at a given point of time. Nevertheless, if the comparison is made on the selected two notebooks, Microsoft notebook will have the upper hand. Battery capability: The above mention specification highlights that battery backup of both the selected devices are almost same. Therefore, it will not provide any advantage to any of the selected devices. However, both the selected devices have 2.5 hours of battery backup (Wang, 2013). Thus, it is not up to the expected level of the organization. Warranties and service agreements: From the above table, it can be assess that Microsoft is providing three years of service warranty as compared to HPs two years. Thus, it will automatically influence the organization to select Microsoft notebook for the implementation of the training program at the selected client places. However, HP also provides two years of warranty for the every parts of the device. Conclusion: After the investigation of both the devices, it can be assess that Microsoft notebook has greater advantages that the HP notebooks. Since, the above assessment highlights that Microsoft has higher specification in the most of the categories. Therefore, it will automatically induce organization to select Microsoft notebook for the training program. However, as mentions earlier HP device is much cheaper as compared to the Microsoft device. Therefore, it is expected that HP will not able to provide specifications as compared to Microsoft device. However, from the specification of the HP device it can be assessing that it will able to provide proper help to the training program for the organization. Recommendation and implementation: The recommendation of the report as follows:à ¯Ã†â€™Ã‚ ¼ Organization firstly will have to consider the factors that it will need to consider before selecting the device for the training program. Since, if organization priorities cost over the specification, HP notebook will have to be selected by the organization. On the other hand, if organization priorities quality over the price, it will have to select Microsoft device over the HP one.à ¯Ã†â€™Ã‚ ¼ For the full utilization of the devices, the organizations will have to provide proper net connection to the employees. Since, proper implementation of the training program will require video conferencing, online call with clients and employees that cannot be possible without proper net connection. References: Bargiela-Chiappini, F., Nickerson, C. R. (2014). Writing business: Genres, media and discourses. Routledge.Berry, P. (2013). The impact of globalization and technology on teaching business communication: reframing and enlarging world view, methods, and content. American Journal of Business Education (Online), 6(1), 57.Cardon, P. W., Marshall, B. (2015). The hype and reality of social media use for work collaboration and team communication. International Journal of Business Communication, 52(3), 273-293.Chumikov, A., Korolev, V., Meskon, M., Albert, M. (2016). BUSINESS COMMUNICATION IN MANAGEMENT OF PROJECTS. à Ã‚  Ãƒ Ã¢â‚¬ ¢Ãƒ Ã¢â‚¬ Ãƒ Ã‚ Ãƒ Ã… ¡Ãƒ Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ Ã¢â‚¬  Ãƒ Ã¢â€ž ¢Ãƒ Ã‚ Ãƒ Ã‚  à Ã… ¡Ãƒ Ã… ¾Ãƒ Ã¢â‚¬ ºÃƒ Ã¢â‚¬ ¢Ãƒ Ã¢â‚¬Å"à Ã¢â‚¬  Ãƒ Ã‚ ¯, 166.Crews, T. B., Stitt-Gohdes, W. L. (2012). Incorporating Facebook and Twitter in a service-learning project in a business communication course.Business Communication Quarterly, 1080569911431881.Guffey, M. E., Lo ewy, D. (2012). Essentials of business communication. Cengage Learning.Kankaanranta, A., Lu, W. (2013). The evolution of English as the business lingua franca signs of convergence in Chinese and Finnish professional communication. Journal of Business and Technical Communication, 27(3), 288-307.Mai, R., Hoffmann, S. (2014). Accents in business communication: An integrative model and propositions for future research. Journal of Consumer Psychology, 24(1), 137-158.Meredith, M. J. (2012). Strategic communication and social media an mba course from a business communication perspective. Business Communication Quarterly, 75(1), 89-95.Okoro, E. A., Washington, M. C. (2012). Workforce diversity and organizational communication: Analysis of human capital performance and productivity. Journal of Diversity Management (Online), 7(1), 57.PC Tech Authority. (2016). PC Tech Authority. Retrieved 5 July 2016, from https://www.pcauthority.com.auRogerson-Revell, P. (2014). Pronunciation matters: U sing English for international business communication. Pronunciation Matters Accents of English in the Netherlands and Elsewhere, 137.Sigmar, L. S., Hynes, G. E., Hill, K. L. (2012). Strategies for teaching social and emotional intelligence in business communication. Business Communication Quarterly, 75(3), 301-317.Wang, J. (2013). Moving towards Ethnorelativism: A Framework for Measuring and Meeting Students' Needs in Cross-Cultural Business and Technical Communication. Journal of Technical Writing and Communication,43(2), 201-218.

WordPress Widgets 101 What They Are and How to Use Them

As you begin designing your first WordPress site, there are a few basic features youll want to become familiar with. For example, youll need to learn how to use default content types such as pages and posts. In addition, its essential to understand the ins and outs of WordPress widgets.Widgets are simple elements you can use to build your websites sidebars  (and potentially other areas, as well). They enable you to easily add text, links, and various types of information to designated areas (determined by your theme). The default WordPress widgets are sufficient for many sites, but you can also download additional options if youd like.In this post, well tell you everything you need to know about widgets. This includes what they are, how to use them, and what options they provide. Plus, well introduce a few plugins you can use to add even more widgets to your site. Lets take a look! Understanding how widgets work is essential, since they are a very simple way to customize your site and include the exact elements you want.How to add a widget to your WordPress siteTo add a widget to your site, youll need to log in to your dashboard, then navigate to Appearance → Widgets:Here, youll see a list of the default WordPress widgets, each with a title and brief description. On the right, youll find one or more designated widget areas, with headers (such as Sidebar or Footer) to tell you where theyre located. Depending on your theme, there may already be some widgets in these areas.To add a new widget, simply click on it and drag it over into a widget area:You can do the reverse to remove widgets from your site. And you can also drag individual widgets up or down to reorder them. Thats it! If you view the front end of your site, you should see the new feature:In addition to the method above, its also possible to add widgets to your site using the WordPress Customizer. The process is quite similar, just located inside the WordPress Customizer. And the advantage of that approach is that you can see what your widgets will look like on the front end of your site in real time.Beyond that, many of the default widgets include various customization options as well. Lets take a look at some of the most important features you have access to.WordPress default widget optionsOut of the box, WordPress comes with a small but useful collection of widgets. The ones you use will depend on your sites needs and audience, but there are a few that are worth checking out regardless.First up, the Text widget is the most versatile of these modules. If you drag one over to your widget area and open it by clicking on the arrow in the top right corner, youll see two boxes:Theres a space for a title, then a miniature version of the WordPress editor. Using this widget, you can add nearly anything to your sidebar. This could be simple text, a collection of links, or a media file.Next, take a look at the Search widget:This module is as simple as they come. The only customi zation choice here is the title (which is optional). However, this widget is crucial, since it will add a fully functional search bar to your site. Providing visitors with a search feature helps them more easily find what theyre looking for.Finally, check out the Recent Posts widget:As the name suggests, this will add a list of your most recently published posts to your widget area. This is a smart way to encourage visitors to explore your latest content. You can add a custom title, configure how many posts will be displayed (up to ten), and decide whether to display each posts date.We recommend taking some time to look through the rest of the basic widget options. Youll find that they provide a lot of flexibility. If you want even more choices, though, there are some handy plugins that can help you out.How to expand your widget selection WordPress Popular Posts Author(s): Hector CabreraCurrent Version: 4.2.2Last Updated: December 6, 2018wordpress-popular-posts.4.2.2.zip 90%Rati ngs 3,510,683Downloads WP 4.7+Requires While the default WordPress widgets are sufficient for many sites, some users may want additional options. Fortunately, it isnt hard to find plugins that will expand your collection of widgets.For example, there are a number of plugins that simply add a single new widget to your dashboard. These include:WordPress Popular Posts: This plugin provides you with a customizable widget that shows off your most visited posts within a particular time range.Image Widget: With this widget, youll get a more flexible and customizable image module than the default WordPress option.Recent Posts Widget With Thumbnails: An upgrade to the existing Recent Posts widget, this one lets you add a thumbnail image to each post in the list.If youre looking for something more comprehensive, you can also find plugins that overhaul the entire widget experience. Wed recommend checking out:SiteOrigin Widgets Bundle: With this plugin, you get a whole new collection of wid gets, such as a Slider Widget and a Social Links Widget.Custom Sidebars: This plugin makes your existing widget areas more customizable, such as by enabling you to add different widgets to specific pages.Whatever youd like to do with your widgets and sidebars, its likely theres a plugin that can help. With a little effort, youll have your widget areas customized to perfection in no time!ConclusionWidgets are a simple WordPress feature, but one that should not be overlooked. Using widgets, you can customize your sidebars with no knowledge of design or coding. Plus, adding them to your themes widget areas is as simple as dragging and dropping them, then tweaking a few settings.To start using WordPress widgets on your site, youll simply need to navigate to Appearance → Widgets in your dashboard or access the WordPress Customizer. Then, you can drag whatever widgets youd like to use into your sidebars or footer. There are plenty of default options that enable you to include text, a search bar, and more. For additional flexibility, you can turn to plugins such as WordPress Popular Posts  and  Custom Sidebars.Do you have any questions about how to use WordPress widgets on your site? Give us a heads-up in the comments section below! Learn what #WordPress #widgets are and how to use them on your site

Articles review Essay Example

Articles review Essay Example Articles review Essay Articles review Essay Articles review Head start This program provides finances to agencies involved in offering comprehensive services to underprivileged children. They specifically concentrate on children who are preschoolers and they teach them basic skills in reading and mathematics. These are important skills for children since they will need them in further learning. The program concentrates with children from birth up to when they are three years. The program prepares children socially and cognitively for school life. They do this by providing health, nutrition and social services (Bierman et al, 2008). Head start does not only mind children but also families. The most involve families are those with children who are enrolled in this program. The agencies encourage parents and guardians to participate in the development of their children. When parents take part in their children’s learning, they also improve their literacy level and progress on their employment targets. This program started during President Lyndon Johnson era. He campaigned for great society and it was justified as an investment in education. The council of economic advisors approved it and operations began. Impact of the article This study is essential to general educators, parents and guardians. These parties will learn how to assist children with bad behavior. Some children do not reform from bad behavior because their parents or guardians do not follow an effective criterion of intervening. This article teaches parents and guardians that it is vital to follow –up after consulting and implementing behavior management techniques (Noelle, 2002).

Does power inevitably corrupt the powerful Essay

Does power inevitably corrupt the powerful - Essay Example From this perspective it could be argued that the simple ability to control others is by its nature a corruption of other peoples will and as such, power is inherently corruptible. However in practice this may not be true. Ultimately it could be argued that power does often corrupt however it does not necessarily have to corrupt. There is little question that in many circumstances in history people have been greatly corrupted by power. According to Haddock (2006) there have been several examples in history of people exerting their power over others. On one side of the spectrum one finds powerful men such as President Lyndon B. Johnson who would often hold meetings whilst he was sitting on the toilet (Demonstrating a kind of contempt over his coworkers) to a megalomaniac such as Joseph Stalin who killed millions. One issue regarding power that has arisen is the idea that people may be hardwired for egocentric power rather than simple institutional power. However it remains the case th at many people do achieve a great deal of power yet do not necessarily have to demonstrate their egocentric power over others. Many people who achieve professional success remain quite humble in their regular life. Bailey & Dash (2006) Highlighted that Billionaire Warren Buffett has lived in the same home in Omaha, Nebraska for over forty years. Moreover the billionaire remains committed to homespun values such as shunning executive payouts, avoiding investing in technology companies and frequently criticizing tax policies that benefit the rich. Having demonstrated that some powerful people do not necessarily exert egocentric power it is the case that according to haddock (2006) there are many people that do flex their ego muscles once they reach a certain level of power. This may be achieved through taking childish liberties, through sexual dominance over weaker people or through making outlandish purchases. Ultimately stride to egocentric power can be manifested through any number of mechanisms. The question of how the exercise of egocentric power affects followers can cover a wide range, owing to the fact that people respond differently to different treatment. On one end of the spectrum people could respond very negatively to egocentric behavior, such as creating deep feelings of insecurity, negative self esteem issues etc. However it could be argued that strong negative reinforcement from a leader could ultimately motivate the underlings to perform better. Anybody who has trained extensively for competitive sports would have likely experienced the effect of a trainer or coach shouting critiques and personal insults designed to motivate the trainee to do almost anything to win approval. However it could also be that people simply do not respond one way or the other and simply not strongly affected by egocentric behavior whatsoever. The issue of whether or not a leader can do anything to help combat the effect of power corrupting it long and storied. Accordi ng to Tertullian as espoused by Wehner (2009) it was a classical Roman tradition that generals would tour the streets after a military success (Much like the veterans parades today). However in the Roman tradition the Imperator (Equivalent to a commander) would be trailed by his servant who would be paid to whisper into the ear of his master â€Å"

Look at Ginsberg's Howl. How would you characterize the world that Essay

Look at Ginsberg's Howl. How would you characterize the world that Ginsberg describes Is he being accurate or is he using hyp - Essay Example The characters he mentions are called â€Å"angelheaded hipsters† (Part 1 Section 3) which makes me think of films about flower power and Woodstock. Many of the incidents he mentions such as being â€Å"expelled from academies† (Part 1 Section 7) or going â€Å"whoring through Colorado in myriad stolen night-cars† may well refer to actual incidents which occurred. I found the details of drug use and car stealing quite shocking. The structure of the first section of the poem in a long single sentence means that the reader experiences it all as a rushed and jumbled stream of consciousness. Piling one image upon another makes it into hyperbole. In the second section the repetition of the name â€Å"Moloch† gives the catalogue of â€Å"visions! omens! hallucinations! miracles! â€Å"ecstacies!† a sinister connotation, suggesting that some evil god is influencing American society for the worst. This is a Judeo-Christian concept, and it contrasts with ot her multi-cultural references such as â€Å"negro streets at dawn† (Part I, Section 2), â€Å"Mohammedan angels† (Part 1, Section 5), â€Å"the Chinaman of Oklahoma† (Part 1 Section 28). Section three was a very sad lament for Carl Solomon where the poet leaves aside all the flourishes and just repeats his solidarity. This part was quite moving. References Ginsberg, A. (1955) â€Å"Howl†. [Poem] Available online at: http://www.wussu.com/poems/agh.htm

Advanced Persistent Threats Against RSA Tokens Case Study

Advanced Persistent Threats Against RSA Tokens - Case Study Example Likewise, in the entire hoax, there was a requirement of evaluating homeland security that also pertains to Information technology infrastructure. The Information technology infrastructure was not the only consideration, as these attacks affect vulnerabilities pertaining to federal information systems and any organization that acquires information systems. However, there were several laws that were passed in the congress after September 11 terrorist attacks. In the process, a series of homeland security presidential directives were issued for sustaining domestic security. However, on the other hand, despite an economic turmoil from September 11 attacks, the aviation industry continues to grow at a rapid pace and is considered as a fundamental transformation. Moreover, there is also a significant change for managing air traffic via net-centric approach. The acquisition of this change will replace the traditional approach for controlling air traffic that is constructed on Information t echnology solutions. By focusing on security, there is a significant increase in utilizing computerized systems onboard of an air carrier. Likewise, these systems facilitate high airborne and internally located system connectivity, operational and maintenance requirements. Moreover, the net-centric ATM connectivity raises concerns for cyber security threats and vulnerabilities. Propagation threats are critical because it is capable of rapidly broadcasting traffic on the Internet along with bypassing intrusion detection systems. Likewise, for augmenting the primary phase of work propagation, it uses a ‘hit list’ comprising of overflowed users i.e. users consuming heavy bandwidth. By identifying users, worm spreads itself at a rapid pace when compared to traditional spreading worms. Moreover, this type of attack saves a considerable amount of scanning time by only attacking a visible target. In the context of any cyber threat to an airport, the airport cannot be the prima ry target, as the Spanair flight JK5022 crash was successful by one of the contributions from a Malware. Vulnerabilities Existed in the System / Attack Methods Computer network intrusions are becoming very sophisticated and advanced and they have enforced a challenge for modern computer network based organizations. Likewise, a new class of challengers called now as ‘Advanced Persistent Threats’ (APT) demonstrates a well-planned and sponsored, highly skilled hackers targeting highly classified data for gaining competitive edge specifically in corporate businesses, law firms, military networks, national or international politics (Cole, 2012). Likewise, these highly skilled cyber criminals utilize sophisticated tools and methods that are constructed to disrupt computer network defense semantics without being detected. As per Mr. Mike Cloppert, is a Co-Chair of the cyber threat intelligent summit says that the cyber threat intelligence can facilitate organizations to mainta in an information classification and protection mechanism based on the priorities of these cyber criminals. As a result, the likelihood of success for these hackers will become low. Moreover, organizations can than plan accordingly for the targeted information and can counter these complex advanced persistent threats. Information security management team requires authentic and on time information for constantly monitoring new and potential threats and techniques. Likewise, exploiting the received information will improve a resilient defense posture of an organization. The number of RSA tokens implemented up till now exceeds 40 million and another 250 million are mobile software, as that leads the market for enabling

SWOT Analysis Indian Pharmaceutical Industry

SWOT Analysis Indian Pharmaceutical Industry Strengths 1. India is regarded as having an edge over China in terms of qualified, English-speaking manpower and fair protection of intellectual property rights supported by well-developed judicial system. (Appendix IV gives more information on IPR status in India). 2. India has skilled scientists/technicians/management personnel at affordable cost leading to low cost of innovation/ manufacturing/capex costs/ expenditure to run cGMP compliance facilities and high quality documentation and process understanding. 3. The country has well developed chemistry, R D and manufacturing infrastructure with proven track record in advanced chemistry capabilities, design of high tech manufacturing facilities and regulatory compliance. 4. The healthy domestic market with rising per capita expenditure is another significant strength enabling achievement of economies of scale. The country also has a strong marketing distribution network. 5. India is considered a desirable destination for off shoring of data management functions for clinical trials and also due to its rich biodiversity and strength in Chemistry which are essential for drug discovery. 6. The country has significant ability to circumvent API Patents. India has filed a number of non-infringing process patents. The country has a recent success track record in circumventing formulation patents. Proven Legal skills to evaluate IP and commercial strategies are available at least in select top companies. 7. The present domestic regulatory environment though in need of further improvement has been conducive to the growth of an emerging pharmaceutical industry. Weaknesses 1. Low investments in innovative RD continue to be a major weakness of Indian pharmaceutical industry. 2. Diffused nature of the Indian pharmaceutical industry means that only about 20 to 30 companies are large enough to bear the transactions costs associated with sustained exports to and compliance with entry regulations of the developed markets. 3. Majority of companies lack the ability to compete with MNCs for New Drug Discovery, Research and commercialization of molecules on a worldwide basis due to lack of resources. 4. Strong linkages between industry and academia which are essential for growth of the industry is lacking in India. 5. Comparatively small domestic market size due to low medical and healthcare expenditure in the country. 6. The country has at times shown inadequate regulatory framework or compliance and enforcement regime, reflected in occurrences such a production of spurious or low quality drugs. 7. Competency in API/Formulation, intellectual property creation, facility design and maintenance, global regulatory affairs, legal intricacies, and managing international work force is limited to a few players among the big players. 8. Rapidly increasing costs of skilled manpower such as scientists/ regulatory compliance personnel / pharmaceutical lawyers/ international business development personnel is pushing up the cost of innovation. Ability to evaluate contracts/alliances etc., is available only in top companies. Significant lacuna in this area exists and companies are falling into traps created by the competitors. Institutionalisation of learning in the following areas is restricted: Regulatory affairs knowledge for different countries and continents Process and product patents procedures knowledge for different countries and continents. 9. Sales and marketing knowledge is inadequate due to lack of understanding of international Pharmaceutical marketing/pricing practices and market environment in various countries. 10. Inadequate manufacturing practices in comparison to those accepted in developed world such as change of API source, change of manufacturing locations, equipment etc, with out proven stability/ bioequivalence may be creating inadequate technical work force for exports. The national drug regulatory system though evolved substantially, has been in the need of strengthening its manpower and systems requirements. 11. Inadequate emphasis on Biosciences in education system leading to slower development in areas related to Biology giving away advantage to China. Opportunities India is faced with significant export opportunities, such as: i. US$40 billion worth of drugs in the U.S.A and US$25 billion worth of drugs in Europe are expected to go off patent soon. Assocham estimates that Indian manufacturers may capture 30 percent of that market. This translates to an opportunity of US$19.5bn which is significant considering the countrys current exports of approx. US$7.25bn. However the figures need to be appropriately deflated since Indian opportunity will lie in generics equivalent of branded or patented drugs, which would be cheaper. ii. Generic launches by Indian manufacturers have increased in the United States from 93 in 2003 to 250 by 2008. iii. Compulsory licensing provisions negotiated in the Doha Round, allows for countries to import cheaper generic versions of patented drugs in the interests of public health. Thailand and South Africa have already started such initiatives from which Indian firms have benefited. 2. Due to the cost advantage in contract manufacturing Research multi-national companies find it compelling to shift their production bases to countries offering such cost advantage. Typical of the industry which requires approval of manufacturing facilities by various drug regulatory agencies of the world involving a very high cost, once such business finds base in India it would continue with it for at least one half to two decades. 3. Licensing deals with MNCs for NCEs (New Chemical Entities) and NDDS (New Drug Delivery Systems) offer new opportunities for Indian manufacturers. 4. Marketing alliances for MNC products in domestic and international market is another emerging opportunity. 5. Contract manufacturing arrangements with MNCs is estimated at 10% of patented markets estimated at US$450bn which is approx. US$45bn. 6. India has a very high potential for developing as a centre for international clinical trials due to its rich diversity. 7. India can become a niche player in global pharmaceutical RD and possibilities exist for expansion of biotechnology generics (also known as bio-similars) and biopharmaceuticals. 8. There is a possibility of greater returns from an Indian entry into mature and more remunerative markets like Brazil, Japan, CIS, Russia, etc. 9. The Work Programme for the European Medicines Agency 2007 identifies greater co-operation with India especially in the field of traditional and herbal medicines and remedies. Emerging preference for traditional medicines and herbs in the developed markets including lifestyle products and food supplements also presents an opportunity for the country in traditional medicinal systems Herbal based products. 10. A rise in life expectancy generally, and increase in the population of the old, particularly in the developed world is causing higher expenditure from respective national health budgets compelling them to move to cheaper APIs and formulations which are Indias forte. 11. Unleashing of a plethora of preferential trading arrangements, both bilateral and regional, offers opportunities for India to negotiate preferential access to partner markets for Indian pharmaceuticals in the long term and in a sustainable manner. Threats 1. Product patent regime poses serious challenge to domestic industry unless it invests in research and development. 2. RD efforts of Indian pharmaceutical companies are hampered by lack of enabling regulatory requirement. 3. Drug Price Control Order puts unrealistic ceilings on product prices and profitability. 4. Export effort is hampered by procedural hurdles in India as well as non-tariff barriers imposed abroad. For example: i. Indian manufacturers are prevented from bidding for government contracts as US permits bidders only from countries that are signatories to WTO Agreement on Government Procurement. ii. Indian manufacturers have to submit separate state level applications for marketing drugs in the United States as there is no nation-wide system of application even where FDA approval has been received. 5. Lowering of tariff protection has increased competition in domestic markets resulting in erosion of profitability. 6. Mergers and acquisitions by foreign companies particularly multinational corporations of afew Indian generic leaders may completely change the direction of Indias pharmaceutical movement neutralising its thrust on generics and cost competitiveness. 7. The generics market in developed countries may be affected by a number of factors: i. The release of authorized generics by major drug manufacturers. ii. New mid-sized players, establishing themselves in the generics market. iii. Increased competition due to newer Chinese and East European manufacturers. (E.g. there has been massive state level investment by China in the biotechnology sector though at present India still has the edge due to IP laws.) iv. TAs entered into by the United States of America with third countries (e.g. the Morocco-U.S.A FTA) may be harmful to Indian pharmaceutical exports because of provisions for increases in patent terms, etc. The United States enters into a number of FTAs with different countries and while the exact text of these agreements differ from country to country, each of these agreements contains provisions which can be damaging to Indian exporters of pharmaceuticals partly also because of their provisions on patents. These FTAs contain a large number of provisions which increase patent terms for pharmaceuticals by allowing for patentability of new uses of discovered inventions and by increasing patent terms by taking into account the time taken to process claims (evergreening). These provisions go beyond TRIPS and hence it may not be possible to challenge these under the WTO Dispute Resolution process. However, the compatibility of these provisions with Article XXIV of the GATT needs to be examined. 8. Specific non-tariff and para-tariff barriers being increasingly adopted by other countries such as long transaction time taken for registration of drugs, insistence on completing long process for registration when the drug may actually have gone through the most rigorous process of registration such as the USFDA; insistence on allowing imports of only those drugs which are registered in some developed countries, etc. PORTERS FIVE FORCES MODEL (a) INDUSTRY COMPETITION The Indian Pharmaceutical Industry is highly fragmented with around 250-300 manufacturing and formulation units in organized sector which contribute to only 70% of the market share of the total sales in the country. The concentration ratio (proportion of total industry output by the largest firm in the industry) for the industry is very low. Also government subsidies have led to the proliferation of many small players. Since the Product Patents were not valid in the country till 2005, the differentiation in the product is very low. The key driver in this industry is the cost-competitiveness. After 2005, major MNCs like Pfizer GSK started introducing newer products in the market thereby increasing competition in the industry. Many small players that are focused on a particular region have a better hand on the distribution channel, making it easier to succeed, albeit in a limited way. An important fact is that, pharmaceutical is a stable market and its growth rate generally tracks the economic growth of the country with some multiple (1.2 times average in India). Though volume growth has been consistent over a period of time value growth has not followed in tandem. Earlier it was easy for Indian pharmaceutical companies to imitate pharmaceutical products discovered by MNCs at a lower cost and make good profit. But today the scene is different with the arrival of the patent regime 2005 which has forced Indian companies to rethink its strategies and to invest more on RD. Also contract research has assumed more importance now. (b) BARGAINING POWER OF BUYERS The unique feature of pharmaceutical industry is that the end user of the product is different from the influencer (read doctor). The consumer has no choice but to buy what doctor says. However, when we look at the buyers power, we look at the influence they have on the prices of the product. In pharmaceutical industry, the buyers are scattered and they as such do not wield much power in the pricing of the products. Due to the extremely fragmented nature of industry government policies like DPCO ( Drug Price Order Control), 1970 under which the power to control prices is with the NPPA ( National Pharmaceutical Pricing Authority) the low power of buyers does not have much effect on the manufacturers. Except in generic OTC medicines, the buyer does not normally switch medicines. (c) BARGAINING POWER OF SUPPLIERS The pharmaceutical industry depends upon several organic chemicals. The chemical industry is again very competitive and fragmented. The chemicals used in the pharmaceutical industry are largely a commodity. The suppliers have very low bargaining power and the companies in the pharmaceutical industry can switch from their suppliers without incurring a very high cost. However, what can happen is that the supplier can go for forward integration to become a pharmaceutical company. Companies like Orchid Chemicals and Sashun Chemicals were basically chemical companies who turned themselves into pharmaceutical companies. The fragmented nature of the organic chemicals industry prevents it from having much bargaining power over the manufacturers as the switching cost is low for the manufacturers. (d) BARRIERS TO ENTRY Threat of new entrants in the Indian Pharmaceutical sector during pre-2005 era used to be low as the capital requirement for the industry used to be very low from 1970s till 2005 because of the absence of product patents and heavy dependence on reverse engineering or Process Patent phenomenon but post 2005 it has become a huge burden on the part of new entrants to establish Manufacturing facilities of International Regulatory standards to tap the potential of generic exports and domestic consumption demand . That major barriers to entry are : The presence of economies of scale in manufacturing, RD, marketing, sales etc capital requirement financial requirements. The existing companies have advantage in terms of costs involved in launching new drugs formulations. The new companies would find it difficult to achieve this. Differentiation of products from the existing products in the market creating brand awareness in the minds of doctors pharmacists. New entrants will face difficulties in gaining trust of doctors/patients and they also need to develop efficient distribution channels preferred arrangements with doctors/pharmacists. Regulatory policies including patents, regulatory standards. The Indian Patent Act, 1970 recognized process but not product patents. The introduction of Product Patent 2005 of TRIPS part of WTO agreement has led to huge barriers for potential entrants. But to be noted it is unlikely to discourage new entrants, as market for generics will be huge in the near future as the demand for generics by all the developed economies has increased by leaps and bounds as their governments are drawing plans to effectively manage the health expenditure budget by switching from branded drugs to generic versions. (e)THREAT OF SUBSTITUTES This is one of the great advantages of the pharmaceutical industry. Whatever happens, demand for pharmaceutical products continues and the industry thrives. One of the key reasons for high competitiveness in the industry is that as an ongoing concern, pharmaceutical industry seems to have an infinite future. However, in recent times the advances made in the field of biotechnology, can prove to be a threat to the synthetic pharmaceutical industry. Also in developing countries like India, the traditional medicines also play a major substituting role. CONCLUSION This model gives a fair idea about the industry in which a company operates and the various external forces that influence it. These five forces of competition interact to determine the characteristics and the attractiveness of an industry. The strongest forces become dominant in determining profitability and become the focal points of strategy formulation. However, it must be noted that any industry is not static in nature. Its dynamic and over a period of time the model, which we have used to analyse the pharmaceutical industry may itself evolve. Going forward, we foresee increasing competition in the industry but the form of competition will be different. It will be between large players (with economies of scale) and it may be possible that some kind of oligopoly or cartels come into play. This is owing to the fact that the industry will move towards consolidation. The larger players in the industry will survive with their proprietary products and strong franchisee. In the Indian context, companies like Cipla, Ranbaxy and Dr.Reddys are likely to be key players. Smaller fringe players, who have no differentiating strengths, are likely to either be acquired or cease to exist. The barriers to entry will increase going forward. The change in the patent regime has made sure that new proprietary products come up making imitation difficult. The players with huge capacity will be able to influence substantial power on the fringe players by their aggressive pricing thereby creating hindrance for the smaller players. Economies of scale will play an important part too. Besides government will have a bigger role to play. PEST ANALYSIS To understand the implications of the environment on any industry it is imperative to study the four cardinal influencers on the industry namely Political, Economic, Social and Technological factors. It is rather unfortunate that in India these factors have a rather disproportionate influence on the functioning of a commercial organization. From the days of independence the business environment has been overly regulated by a handful of bureaucrats, middlemen, businessmen and politicians. Its only a decade since the country has seen an emergence of a political thought that encourages free enterprise. A welcome change indeed! (P)olitical Factors 1. Today there is political uncertainty in the air. A combination of diverse political thought have got together to cobble together a rag-tag coalition, that is riddle with ideological contradictions. Therefore, any consistent political or economic policy can not be expected. This muddies the investment field. 2. The Minister in charge of the industry has been threatening to impose even more stringent Price Control on the industry than before. This is throwing many an investment plan into the doldrums. 3. DPCO which is the bible for the industry has in effect worked contrary to the stated objectives. DPCO nullifies the market forces from encouraging competitive pricing of goods dictated by the market. Now the pricing is determined by the Government based on the approved costs irrespective of the real costs. 4. Effective January, 2005 the country goes in for the IPR (Intellectual Property Rights) regime, popularly known as the Patent Act. This Act will impact the Pharmaceutical Industry the most. Thus far an Indian company could escape paying a patent fee to the inventor of a drug by manufacturing it using a different chemical route. Indian companies exploited this law and used the reverse-engineering route to invent a lot of alternate manufacturing methods. A lot of money was saved this way. This also encouraged competing company to market their versions of the same drug. That meant that the impurities and trace elements found in different brands of the same substance were different both in qualification as well as in quantum. Therefore different brands of the same medicine were truly different. Here Branding actually meant quality and a purer brand actually had purer active ingredient and lesser or less toxic impurities. Product patent regime will eliminate all this. Now, a patented drug would be manufactured using the same chemical route and would be manufactured by the inventor or his licentiates using the chemicals with same specifications. Therefore, all the brands of the same active ingredient would not have any difference in purity and impurities. The different brands would have to compete on the basis of non input-related innovations such as packaging, color, flavors, Excipients etc. This is the biggest change the environment is going to impose on the industry. The marketing effort would be now focused on logistics, communications, economy of operation, extra-ingredient innovations and of course pricing. 5. In Pharma industry there is a huge PSU segment which is chronically sick and highly inefficient. The Government puts the surpluses generated by efficient units into the price equalization account of inefficient units thereby unduly subsidizing them. On a long term basis this has made practically everybody inefficient. 6. Effective the January, 2005 the Government has shifted from charging the Excise Duty on the cost of manufacturing to the MRP thereby making the finished products more costly. Just for a few extra bucks the current government has made many a life saving drugs unaffordable to the poor. 7. The Government provides extra drawbacks to some units located in specified area, providing them with subsidies that are unfair to the rest of the industry, bringing in a skewed development of the industry. As a results Pharma units have come up at place unsuitable for a best cost manufacturing activity. (E)conomic Factors 1. India spends a very small proportion of its GDP on healthcare ( A mere 1% ). This has stunted the demand and therefore the growth of the industry. 2. Per capita income of an average Indian is low ( Rs. 12,890 ), therefore, spending on the healthcare takes a low priority. An Indian would visit a doctor only when there is an emergency. This has led to a mushrooming of unqualified doctors and spread of non-standardized medication. 3. The incidence of Taxes are very high. There is Excise Duty ( State Central), Custom Duty, Service Tax, Profession Tax, License Fees, Royalty, Pollution Clearance Tax, Hazardous substance (Storage Handling) license, income tax, Stamp Duty and a host of other levies and charges to be paid. On an average it amounts to no less than 40-45% of the costs. 4. The number of Registered Medical practitioners is low. As a result the reach of Pharmaceuticals is affected adversely. 5. There are only 50,00,000 Medical shops. Again this affects adversely the distribution of medicines and also adds to the distribution costs. 6. India is a high interest rate regime. Therefore the cost of funds is double that in America. This adds to the cost of goods. 7. Adequate storage and transportation facilities for special drugs is lacking. A study had indicated that nearly 60% of the Retail Chemists do not have adequate refrigeration facilities and store drugs under sub-optimal conditions. This affects the quality of the drugs administered and of course adds to the costs. 8. India has poor roads and rail network. Therefore, the transportation time is higher. This calls for higher inventory carrying costs and longer delivery time. All this adds to the invisible costs. Its only during the last couple of years that good quality highways have been constructed. (S)ocio-cultural Factors 1. Poverty and associated malnutrition dramatically exacerbate the incidence of Malaria and TB, preventable diseases that continue to play havoc in India decades after they were eradicated in other countries. 2. Poor Sanitation and polluted water sources prematurely end the life of about 1 million children under the age of five every year. 3. In India people prefer using household treatments handed down for generations for common ailments. 4. The use of magic/tantrics/ozhas/hakims is prevalent in India. 5. Increasing pollution is adding to the healthcare problem. 6. Smoking, gutka, drinking and poor oral hygiene is adding to the healthcare problem. 7. Large joint families transmit communicable diseases amongst the members. 8. Cattle-rearing encourage diseases communicated by animals. 9. Early child bearing affects the health standards of women and children. 10. Ignorance of inoculation and vaccination has prevented the eradication of diseases like polio, chicken-pox, small-pox, mumps and measles. 11. People dont go in for vaccination due superstitious beliefs and any sort of ailment is considered as a curse from God for sins committed. (T)echnological Factors 1. Advanced automated machines have increased the output and reduced the cost. 2. Computerization has increased the efficiency of the Pharma Industry. 3. Newer medication, molecules and active ingredients are being discovered. As of January 2005, the Government of India has more than 10,000 substances for patenting. 4. Ayurveda is a well recognized science and it is providing the industry with a cutting edge. 5. Advances in Bio-technology, Stem-cell research have given India a step forward. 6. Humano-Insulin, Hepatitis B vaccines, AIDS drugs and many such molecules have given the industry a pioneering status. 7. Newer drug delivery systems are the innovations of the day. 8. The huge unemployment in India prevents industries from going fully automatic as the Government as well as the Labor Unions voice complains against such establishments.

Jesus Christ: The Importance of his Miracles Essay examples -- Religio

Jesus Christ: The Importance of his Miracles Throughout history many people have given messages. They were trying to make people consider the messages. They would say that they would do something with out actually backing it up, or they would say they are someone with out proof. Jesus had made many messages that said that he was â€Å"the messiah†, the son of god. The performance of miracles had strengthened Jesus’ message. Because Jesus had done miracles to back up his message, people actually believed he was the messiah, Son of God. Many people believe Jesus actually performed miracles but some people believe he did not. In the book by Washington F. Jarvis (p 65) it defines miracle as â€Å"an occurrence which we cannot explain in terms of our present knowledge and understanding of how things work in the world around us.† Many people believe that Jesus did perform the miracles but few still believe they were phony. In the book by Washington F. Jarvis (p 65) it states that â€Å"many dispute this portrait of Jesus; many deny the possibility of miracles and find the gospel miracle stories embarrassing fairy tales.† There were people who were not too confident that Jesus actually performed the miracles. Many people also thought that Jesus was a troublemaker, if in fact he was the messiah, the son of god. In the book by Washington F. Jarvis (p 66) it says that â€Å"because Jesus broke the law by healing on the Sabbath, and because he attracted many adherents, he came to be regarded by the establishment as a dangerous trouble maker.† Many people thought if he could heal people he should know when to do it or when not to do it. They believed that he could perform miracles but that he was a trouble make or that he was working for the devil or something evil. Many people did think he could heal people. In the book by Washington F. Jarvis (p 65) it says that â€Å"but the gospels portray Jesus as a miracle- worker and credit him with the power to heal sickness and to alter the natural order.† Even though people could see that he could heal people, some still wanted to deny that he was a miracle worker. People knew that he was a miracle worker in the book by Washington F. Jarvis (p 66) it says that â€Å"when we read the gospels accounts, what strikes us the most is the fact that no one in Jesus’ time, friend or enemy, ever indicated the slightest doubt that Jesus did miracles.... ... his fingers in to his ears, spat and touched his tongue. He looked up to the heaven and said ephphatha, ‘be opened’ in Aramaic, and the man was cured (mark7: 31-7). Jesus also performed another miracle with a blind man. In the book by E. P. Sanders (p 145) it says â€Å"in Bethsaida a blind man was brought to him. He took him outside the village, spat on his eyes, and laid his hands on him. The man’s sight was partially restored: he could see people, but they looked ‘like trees walking’ Jesus again put his hands over his eyes, and his sight was restored (mark 8:22-6). In conclusion Jesus could perform miracles and the way he did them strengthened his message. The performance of miracles did strengthen his message because of the witnesses that had seen him. Even though there were many doubts about Jesus there were also people who knew he was working for God. BIBLIOGRAPHY 1. Jarvis, Washington F. And still is ours today the story of Jesus New York: The Sea Bury press1980 2. Porter, Roy J. Jesus Christ the Jesus of history, the Christ of faith England, London: Duncan Baird publishers ltd 1999 3. Sanders, E. P. The historical figure of Jesus England: The Penguin group 1993

Enhancing Employee Job Satisfaction Essay

1.Executive Summary Communication problems often become apparent due to their consequences. If a department suffers from high staff turnover, this often can be a sign of poor communication between and supervisor and the team. If the team doesn’t understand what is expected from them, received unclear instructions or is not sure about the overall strategy and why they are asked to do what they do – all issues down to poor communication – they often feel dissatisfied and this can result in employees leaving the business after a relatively short period of time. Another cause that can justify reviewing if there are any departmental communication problems is low motivation, productivity and poor business performance. If staff does not receive the information they require or do not feel appreciated, valued and kept informed they might not go the ‘extra mile’ for their employer. They might feel frustrated and can’t see the point of what they are doing and this in turn leads to poor performance. Open and regular disagreements between managers and the team, such as open conflict or rejected appraisals, are also a clear sign of communication issues and should be looked into. But suspecting that a departmental issue is down to poor communication is not sufficient to bring improvement about. Once you suspect that there are communication problems how do you find out for sure enabling you to target them? A good method of identifying if there are communication problems is to talk to the involved parties and try to gain an understanding about their opinion. Why do they think the department underperforms? Do they feel they get all the information and feedback they need to do the job? What would they change if they could? Are their opinions heard and accepted? I is important to keep this feedback confidential in order to ensure that honest feedback is received – either through anonymous surveys or through individual conversations with a neutral party such as an HR manager. Another method is to question staff about the things they should know, e.g. how their work fits in with the business strategy and why they do what they do. If they are not able to answer these questions, it is likely that communication is insufficient or ineffective. Identifying communication problems between managers and staff can be easily identified using above suggestions. By rectifying these major positive impacts on business performance and employee satisfaction can be achieved. A final suggestion on how to identify communication problems between managers and staff is to observe how both parties interact. Are conversations kept courteous and respectful and show trust or are they sharp and without showing signs of a good relationship. Body language should also be observed to identify if both parties listen to each other and communicate effectively or if information is not taken in and heard or offered effectively. A review of the key communication channels used can also be very valuable, e.g. email should be used for clear step to step instructions to ensure understanding, but at the same time direct communication face-to-face or per telephone is needed to ensure a relationship is developing and queries can be easily resolved. 2.Background of the study To avoid the consequences of job dissatisfaction. Employees lack motivation, perform poorly and possess negative attitudes means that they are dissatisfaction on the jobs. These symptoms can directly affect a company’s profit and vision. We should understand the reasons why employees are unhappy at work. Understanding the causes can help us find the right solutions. To improve employee motivation and performance, we wonder how to get employees to work with a higher degree of effort. What motivates an employee to perform varies from employee to employee. Some people work to satisfy needs, meet goals or fulfill accomplishments. Motivation to perform is not a rule that can be enforced; it comes from within the employee. To inspire motivation, we must create a work environment that encourages employees to feel motivated. Improve employees’ engagement to prevent unhappiness, turnover and even profit declines. To improve teamwork, is to realize the importance of teamwork and become proactive about having colleagues work together as an important element of the business. We need to improve and enhancing employee’s job satisfaction, engagement, collaboration and teamwork to resulting in increased productivity. Employees are a company’s livelihood. How they feel about the work they are doing and the results received from that work directly impact company’s performance and, ultimately, its stability. For instance, if employees are highly motivated and proactive, they will do whatever is necessary to achieve the goals as well as keep track of performance to address any potential challenges. Employees have low motivation is completely vulnerable to both internal and external challenges because its employees are not going the extra mile to maintain the company stability. An unstable ultimately underperforms. 3. Introduction and background of Hotel 3.1 Introduction & background of Hotel We are one of Hong Kong’s best designed hotel are perfect choice for travelers who demand the best short term stay and long term accommodation. Since we opened in 1997, our hotel in central Hong Kong has been recognized by guests and the hospitality industry for its outstanding performance. The 350 guest rooms are all tastefully furnished and are completed direct telephone line with voice mail. Our equipped kitchenettes include microwave, induction cooker and refrigerator and broadband internet access are available in our hotel. Location Situated in the heart of Hong Kong Island, superbly located in the mid-levels commanding spectacular views of Hong Kong Island and Victoria harbor. It is also a prestigious address that enjoys the proximity to prime business districts of Central and Admiralty. Attraction The Hong Kong Park and Botanical Garden are in the proximity, with lush greenery and ample open space nearby Central MTR station and Hong Kong’s popular nightspot Lan Kwai Fong are also within 10 minutes walking distance. Well connected by public transport to the main shopping district areas, Causeway Bay Hong Kong. It is perfectly located in an area with a mix of history, art & culture, and a touch of stylish contemporary. Antique shops, art galleries and designers boutiques scattered around, together with high rise office buildings, massive shopping centre and party venues of Lan Kwai Fong and SoHo. 3.2 Hotel Structure The Hotel structure that’s split into two basic groups: administrative and operations. The administrative side of the structure includes such departments as sales and marketing, accounting and human resources. The operations side is generally split further into food and beverage and rooms. Both administration and operations report to the general manager. The administrative group is fairly straightforward. Any function that does not consistently interact with the guests or impact the service level falls into this group. The operations group is a bit more complicated. Food and beverage, for instance, might include the hotel’s restaurants, bars, nightclubs, banquets department, catering department and sometimes room service. Rooms might include the front desk and front-door personnel, housekeeping, concierge, guest services and sometimes security and engineering. Human Resources Department The human resources department plays a vital role in a hotel’s efficient operation. The functions of the human resources department are employee recruitment, benefits administration and training. Although the human resources department recruits, interviews, and screens prospective employees, the final hiring decision rests within the department in which the potential employee will be working. Accounting Department The accounting department’s responsibilities are include recording financial transactions, preparing and interpreting financial statements and providing the managers of other departments with timely reports of operating results. Other responsibilities, carried out by the assistant controller for finance, include payroll preparation, ac-counts receivable, and accounts payable. Rooms Department Responsibilities of the rooms department include reservations, guest reception, room assignment, tracking the status of rooms (available or occupied), prompt forwarding of mail and phone messages, security, housekeeping of guest rooms and public spaces such as lobbies, and answering guests’ questions. This very department provides the services guests expect during their stay in the Hotel. The front office is usually considered one of the most important departments in a hotel because that is where the most interaction with the hotel guests takes place. Frequent and consistent communication among front-office functions is critical. Reservations, for instance, must communicate with the front desk each day about the number of rooms that have been presold. The front desk must communicate with housekeeping staff members to let them know when guests check out. Management for all front-office departments must stress consistent and frequent communication to ensure a smooth-running operation. The housekeeping department is vital to attracting and keeping guests through its role of maintaining top quality decor, cleanliness and service. The housekeeping department includes many roles in the service staff of a hotel. Aside from room attendants, who tend to room cleanliness, the department includes gardeners, maintenance men, bellhops, laundry staff and floor managers, as well as, occasionally, customer service professionals. Food and Beverage Department Food and beverage department is to provide food and drink to a hotel’s guests. Arrange multiple events scheduled for the guest. A coffee shop, gourmet restaurant, room service, banquet halls and function rooms where food and beverages are served. This department is an integral place in the hotel which is responsible for the systematic and the actual Service of food and beverage to the general public or customers as per the order in any F &B outlets. Marketing and Sales Department The marketing and sales department’s managers who make up the marketing and sales department are sales, or the selling of the hotel facilities and services to individuals and groups. Sales managers sell rooms, food, and beverages to potential clients through advertising, attendance at association and conference meetings and direct contacts. The marketing and sales department is also removed from most of the day-to-day operational problems faced by other departments. The division of work among the sales managers is based on the type of customers a hotel is attempting to attract. Engineering Department The engineering department’s responsibilities include preventive maintenance; repair; replacement; improvement and modification to furniture, fixtures, and equipment; and ensuring uninterrupted provision of utilities (gas, electricity, water). Preventive maintenance involves routine checks and inspection of the key components of all equipment. Maintenance of recreational facilities may be part of the engineering department’s responsibilities. the engineering department’s responsibilities include preventive maintenance; repair; replacement; improvement and modification to furniture, fixtures, and equipment (FFE); and ensuring uninterrupted provision of utilities (gas, electricity, water). Organization Chart – Appendix I 4.Methodologies 4.1 Questionnaire (anonymous) A staff questionnaire is an effective tool used to find out what the employees feel about the organization, it policies, work environment, job responsibilities, co-workers, superiors etc. In any work environment, it is important for the upper management to be aware of what its staff wants and expects; this will lead to better retention of employees and a mutually productive relationship between the staff and the boss. Staff questionnaires to discover what are employees really thinking. These are completed on an anonymous basis usually once or twice a year. Because the employees can’t be identified we are more likely to get honest answers. This information can be revealing; it may also help to tackle hidden problems quickly and, more importantly, before staff gets blown out of proportion. Sample of Questionnaire – Appendix II 5.Analysis & finding of current problems 5.1Problems in communications Some employees might also be afraid or not feel comfortable to speak up about problems they are having with other co-workers. Some employees might think that if they speak up about trouble they are having they will be frowned upon for future projects. 5.2Employees initiative and commitment Some employee not willing to handle multiple tasks, responsibilities and take on new challenges. Hidden interest in and no enthusiasm for the job and completes assignments slowly and non-efficiently. Not able to adapt to new situations and changing work priorities and responsibilities when needed. 5.3Employee job dissatisfaction Staff expects to get a commensurate reward. The wage should be fair, reasonable and equitable. Employees who feel stuck in their job position are less motivated to maintain high productivity. Managers with poor leadership skills tend to offer little feedback on employees’ performances. 5.4Inter-department conflicts A manager or employee will know an important piece of information, and assume that because he knows it, then everyone else must know it as well. 5.5Employees’ behavior Employees feel threatened by fellow employees, experience workplace burnout, lack respect for management and feel unappreciated. 6. Conclusion Businesses without effective staff communication suffer from lost profits, poor productivity and poor employee morale. In order to solve many business problems, employees need to be able to collaborate and cooperate effectively. Good communication can encourage employees to work harder, solve problems together and work towards a common goal. It is the job of every supervisor, manager or boss to make sure employees are communicating effectively. If a department suffers from high staff turnover, this often can be a sign of poor communication between and supervisor and the team. If the team doesn’t understand what is expected from them, received unclear instructions or is not sure about the overall strategy and why they are asked to do what they do – all issues down to poor communication – they often feel dissatisfied and this can result in employees leaving the business after a relatively short period of time. Another cause that can justify reviewing if there are any departmental communication problems is low motivation, productivity and poor business performance. If staff does not receive the information they require or do not feel appreciated, valued and kept informed they might not go the ‘extra mile’ for their employer. They might feel frustrated and can’t see the point of what they are doing and this in turn leads to poor performance. Employees feel dissatisfied with their jobs at one point or another. Some employees leave their jobs for better opportunities, while others choose to stay. Employees with low job satisfaction can negatively affect a company because they typically lack motivation, perform poorly and possess negative attitudes. These symptoms can directly affect a company’s bottom line. Managers should understand the reasons employees are unhappy at work. Understanding the causes can help managers find the right solutions. One of the primary reasons for job dissatisfaction results from companies underpaying workers. The stress of paying bills with limited income causes many workers to feel dissatisfied with their jobs. A lack of career growth and advancement is another reason why employees are dissatisfied at their jobs. Employees who feel stuck in their job position are less motivated to maintain high productivity than those who do not. Workers feel valued when employers include them in their long-term plans and show their appreciation through promotions. Employees who move up in an organization and receive just compensation to reflect their title and responsibility changes usually commit themselves to the company for the long term. A lack of interest in the work is another reason why employees are unhappy. Most employees want to perform job duties that are engaging and challenging. Monotonous work causes an employee to experience boredom. Bored and unchallenged employees experience little incentive to concern themselves with workplace productivity. The nature of employees’ work accounts for the most situational influence in workplace satisfaction. A key reason employees perform poorly in the workplace is poor management. Managers with poor leadership skills tend to offer little feedback on employees’ performances. Micromanaging and dictating to employees instead of motivating them can cause a decrease in employee productivity. Poor communication is one of the main causes of conflict between employees in the workplace. This can result in a difference in communication styles or a failure to communicate. For example, a manager reassigned an employee’s task to the employee’s co-worker but failed to communicate the reassignment to the employee. This may cause the employee to feel slighted, which can transform into animosity among the two employees and the manager. Failing to communicate in the workplace may cause employees to make incorrect assumptions and believe workplace gossip. Poor communication in the workplace not only causes conflict but decreases productivity and employee morale.

The Chernobyl Nuclear Accident

The Chernobyl Nuclear Accident The Chernobyl disaster was a fire at a Ukrainian nuclear reactor, releasing substantial radioactivity within and outside the region. The consequences to human and environmental health are still felt to this day. The V.I. Lenin Memorial Chernobyl Nuclear Power Station was located in Ukraine, near the town of Pripyat, which had been built to house power station employees and their families. The power station was in a wooded, marshy area near the Ukraine-Belarus border, approximately 18 kilometers northwest of the city of Chernobyl and 100 km north of Kiev, the capital of Ukraine. The Chernobyl Nuclear Power Station included four nuclear reactors, each capable of producing one gigawatt of electric power. At the time of the accident, the four reactors produced about 10 percent of the electricity used in Ukraine. Construction of the Chernobyl power station began in the 1970s. The first of the four reactors was commissioned in 1977, and Reactor No. 4 began producing power in 1983. When the accident occurred in 1986, two other nuclear reactors were under construction. The Chernobyl Nuclear Accident On Saturday, ​April 26, 1986, the operating crew planned to test whether the Reactor No. 4 turbines could produce enough energy to keep the coolant pumps running until the emergency diesel generator was activated in case of an external power loss. During the test, at 1:23:58 am local time, power surged unexpectedly, causing an explosion and driving temperatures in the reactor to more than 2,000 degrees Celsius- melting the fuel rods, igniting the reactor’s graphite covering, and releasing a cloud of radiation into the atmosphere. The precise causes of the accident are still uncertain, but it is generally believed that the series of incidents that led to the explosion, fire, and nuclear meltdown at Chernobyl was caused by a combination of reactor design flaws and operator error. Loss of Life and Illness By mid-2005, fewer than 60 deaths could be linked directly to Chernobyl- mostly workers who were exposed to massive radiation during the accident or children who developed thyroid cancer. Estimates of the eventual death toll from Chernobyl vary widely. A 2005 report by the Chernobyl Forum- eight U.N. organizations- estimated the accident eventually would cause about 4,000 deaths. Greenpeace places the figure at 93,000 deaths, based on information from the Belarus National Academy of Sciences. The Belarus National Academy of Sciences estimates 270,000 people in the region around the accident site will develop cancer as a result of Chernobyl radiation and that 93,000 of those cases are likely to be fatal. Another report by the Center for Independent Environmental Assessment of the Russian Academy of Sciences found a dramatic increase in mortality since 1990- 60,000 deaths in Russia and an estimated 140,000 deaths in Ukraine and Belarus- probably due to Chernobyl radiation. Psychological Effects of the Chernobyl Nuclear Accident The biggest challenge facing communities still coping with the fallout of Chernobyl is the psychological damage to 5 million people in Belarus, Ukraine, and Russia. The psychological impact is now considered to be Chernobyls biggest health consequence, said Louisa Vinton, of the UNDP. People have been led to think of themselves as victims over the years, and are therefore more apt to take a passive approach toward their future rather than developing a system of self-sufficiency.† Exceptionally high levels of psychological stress have been reported from the regions around the abandoned nuclear power station.   Countries and Communities Affected Seventy percent of the radioactive fallout from Chernobyl landed in Belarus, affecting more than 3,600 towns and villages, and 2.5 million people. The radiation-contaminated soil, which in turn contaminates crops that people rely on for food. Surface and ground waters were contaminated, and in turn plants and wildlife were (and still are) affected. Many regions in Russia, Belarus, and Ukraine are likely to be contaminated for decades. Radioactive fallout carried by the wind was later found in sheep in the UK, on clothing worn by people throughout Europe, and in rain in the United States. Chernobyl Status and Outlook The Chernobyl accident cost the former Soviet Union hundreds of billions of dollars, and some observers believe it may have hastened the collapse of the Soviet government. After the accident, Soviet authorities resettled more than 350,000 people outside the worst areas, including all 50,000 people from nearby Pripyat, but millions of people continue to live in contaminated areas. After the breakup of the Soviet Union, many projects intended to improve life in the region were abandoned, and young people began to move away to pursue careers and build new lives in other places. In many villages, up to 60 percent of the population is made up of pensioners, said Vasily Nesterenko, director of the Belrad Radiation Safety and Protection Institute in Minsk. In most of these villages, the number of people able to work is two or three times lower than normal. After the accident, Reactor No. 4 was sealed, but the Ukranian government allowed the other three reactors to keep operating because the country needed the power they provided. Reactor No. 2 was shut down after a fire damaged it in 1991, and Reactor No. 1 was decommissioned in 1996. In November 2000, the Ukranian president shut down Reactor No. 3 in an official ceremony that finally closed the Chernobyl facility. But Reactor No. 4, which was damaged in the 1986 explosion and fire, is still full of radioactive material encased inside a concrete barrier, called a sarcophagus, that is aging badly and needs to be replaced. Water leaking into the reactor carries radioactive material throughout the facility and threatens to seep into the groundwater. The sarcophagus was designed to last about 30 years, and current designs would create a new shelter with a lifetime of 100 years. But radioactivity in the damaged reactor would need to be contained for 100,000 years to ensure safety. That is a challenge not only for today  but for many generations to come.