Reforms in China Essay

Many reforms have been introduced in China since it attained its independence but the most significant ones took place after 1978. These reforms are very popular in the history of China as the economic transformation is all attributed to them. The need to introduce the reforms was the urgent political as well as economic urgency to revive the Chinese economy which was headed for doom. Communism failed to see the country realize its goals of industrialization. Instead it had seen the country compromise its food security and it was clear that development would not be realized self sufficiently. There was need to introduce new and different policies to help change the country’s economy. The reforms were successful in the sense that they liberalized prices, diversified the banking systems and promoted the development of the private sector which was almost inexistent. The state sectors would gain increased autonomy and would operate in a free economy as a way of increasing their efficiency. Despite all these positive effects of the reforms, important issues that emerge calling for serious or vital considerations if they are to be addressed effectively. This paper aims at classifying the CPS reform strategy and establishing if it is a sinified socialist or an authoritarian developmentalist. CPS reform strategy is authoritarian developmentalistic in nature. The reforms have been successful in improving the people’s standards of living and as Randall explain in his book China Modernizes – Threat to the West or model to the rest? the life expectancy rate has risen. (Peerenboom, 2007). China has been registering economic growth year after year and this is expected to go on for quite a long time. It has promoted trade liberalization and embraced capitalism but the role of the state is also significant and cannot be undermined. The state is responsible for the regulation as well as the control of important sectors of the economy. It also ensures that the conditions are effective for the effective operations of business. Privatization was to be encouraged with the introduction of the reforms. It strengthened the private sector which was almost inexistent during the era of communism. The reforms have brought about mixed feelings to the Chinese people. Despite the economic benefits that came with the reforms it is argued that they brought about separation or segregation among the Chinese people. China introduced the reform as it wanted to revive the economy as well as to increase its independence where the aspect of foreign dominance would be eliminated. The political leaders at the time internalized the need for intensive economic development and there were focused to enhancing industrialization. A socialist nation is one where the state has much control over almost all aspects. Such systems are condemned in the sense that they create minimal incentives to encourage innovation. In general, the issue of efficiency is one that raises much concern in as far as such states are concerned. With the reforms the government control on prices would be minimized and consequently the market distortions that were caused would be eliminated. If power is decentralized the various levels of government would have the autonomy necessarily to enable them work effectively and efficiently. Allowing state corporations to operate within the limits of the market forces of demand and supply would see to it that prices reflected the actual prices. It is this ideology that would enhance the effectiveness of such bodies. As China moved away from the initially practiced socialism it continued to undermine nationalism and the economic aspect was placed above the other aspects. The resultant effect of this practice was the intensive distortions in the economy as well as in the political arena. The popular values that ensured that the people’s interests remained the government’s major role were replaced by the need to develop. As Randall explains in his book China Modernizes – Threat to the West or model to the rest? chapter four democracy in the Asian countries remains a highly debatable issue and it creates mixed reactions in people. The real sense of democracy does not seem to be felt as can be seen in the manner in which elections are carried out. In any democratic nations elections are carried out to let the people have a say in the matters concerning their nation. They act as a measure that checks on how a country is run. Good leaders are generally elected or re-elected to continue with the projects they have established. However, the manner in which most Asian countries conduct their elections is quite questionable and it raises concerns as to whether the main reason for the elections is to ensure that democracy prevails. They are characterized by chaos and people would go the extra mile of disrespecting the rule of law to secure their position in power. The response of the common man as regards to this issue is hostile in nature. If people are denied the right to freely and fairly participate in the running of their own nation then they end up opting for harsh measures. (Peerenboom, 2007). Tun-jen, Jacques and Deborah argue there is need to reform the political organization too. Power in China has not been reformed and the same powers that the first generation had are the same powers that the four generation has. (Huang, 2005). A good illustration to prove the reality of this statement is the fact that just as the earlier leaders had much power in as far as the military was concerned so are the current leaders. There is need to change the political system especially the party organizations. This would lead to their effectiveness in addressing issues as they emerge. The political leadership should move with the times as different times are characterized by different and unique issues. Tun-jen, Jacques and Deborah suggest that if the government is to regain its lost glory tarnished by the rampant corruption that jeopardizes its very legitimacy then the political leadership must be reformed. It must change in a manner that makes it relevant to the newly emerging situation. (Amin, 2005). The reforms can be explained as ‘authoritarian developmentalistic in nature. The political elite who form the government are committed to ensuring that development remains a highly valued national goal. To attain this goal they have set necessary institutions to design, implement the state led development projects. Although capitalism is embraced in such a state this is not without some restrictions. The institutions with the role of ensuring that policies set in place are geared towards the economic development of the nation makes it hard for other parties to make their contribution. This exclusivity of some institutions at that expense of the majority causes much conflicts or tension. The capitalism exercised in China is limited to the extent at which the state intervention is ensured. Policies that are allowed are those that pave way for rapid industrialization and more preference is given to the structures or institutions that would be of a positive impact in as far as economic development is concerned. The reforms failed to let the market operate effectively as with the mixed economy government control in market was inevitable. As Randall explains in his book China Modernizes – Threat to the West or model to the rest? chapter four, bureaucratic privileges were not effectively addressed and the country’s power structure was not effectively addressed thus undermining democracy. As a result of this the common man feels detached from the same system that is supposed to ensure that his interests are amicably dealt with. The government has failed in fulfilling its responsibilities effectively as can be seen in the way it exhibits laxity in the implementation of laws that ensure the protection of its citizens. Public participation is highly disregarded in as far as policy making is concerned. The reforms were to bring about significant changes which should be felt by the entire system. (Peerenboom, 2007). Consequently there is need to implement changes in the legal as well as the political institutions. Some aspects of socialism should be adopted to ensure that economic development is not at the expense of the common man. For there to be effective development it is important that countries must embrace democracy. Whenever democracy is undermined then the chances for intensive demonstrations are increased and this is not good for the economy. If people are not allowed to have a say in their affairs they may opt for the harsh ways of expressing their views. Again, if consultation is not done the policies to be implemented may not necessarily the best for the people. Democracy invokes varying or rather conflicting views as some argue that its efficiency is correlated to state of the country in question. To this regard they argue that its effectiveness would be felt in the developed countries. (Peerenboom, 2007). However, in some developing countries with many groups where there is minimal chance of one group dominating the others it can well exercised. In the current position, democracy only works to benefit a few people in the society. The elite who stand a better position in society whether in the aspects of power or money tend to benefit at the expense of the majority poor. Democracy does not address the same issues it was introduced to deal with. In any cases it only works to perpetuate conflicts as the commoners will strive to use whichever means at their disposal to have their voice heard. The inefficiencies that ‘democracy’ is characterized with include the lack of transparency by the elite n society. This paves way for irregularities in the system as the political elites are not answerable to anyone. They are reluctant to meet the needs or interests of the people even though that is their major role. Another important characteristic of this democracy as explained by Randall in China Modernizes – Threat to the West or model to the rest? is the poor dissemination of information. The reason behind such practice is the need to keep the people in the dark in the running of the state. As the saying goes, ‘what you do not know does not bother you’, if people are not aware of the actual evils of their systems then they would not air their views on the same. Again, if only the positive information is disseminated then the people are less likely to condemn the system or even make contributions in the running of the system. (Peerenboom, 2007). In chapter four of his book, China Modernizes – Threat to the West or model to the rest? , Randall explains how China prides in the way it has successfully alleviated millions from poverty. However their efforts can be countered by the fact that it has not dealt with the issue of inequalities effectively as the gap between the haves and the have-nots is very wide. (Peerenboom, 2007). The government is however committed to ensuring that education and healthcare are given much priority and this can be seen in the introduction of free schooling and subsidized medical care in the rural areas. There exist significant disparities in as gender is concerned and women tend to for instance register higher illiteracy rates compared to men. The minorities also seems to have been neglected by the current system and thus there is need to address their interests. Although the Chinese people need to address the main issues affecting them especially the inequality and corruption such efforts are hindered by the lack of sufficient resources. The social groups that would have come in handy in enhancing this lack the financial power to operate effectively and efficiently. Randall in China Modernizes – Threat to the West or model to the rest? describes the civil societies as too weak to meet their challenge. Jianfu Shen in his article, Population Growth, Ecological Degradation and Construction in the Western Region of China, the population growth is also an issue that the Chinese government should address. (Shen, 2004). It is critical for it to promote equality among its citizen so that it has a unified growth. The issue of inequality is also cited as one that calls for urgent redress by Tun-jen Cheng and others in China Under Hu Jintao: Opportunities, Dangers and Dilemmas, (Friedman, 2005). The issue of environmental degradation is also highlighted and it has intensified as industrialization continues to be embraced. In China the elections do not address the people’s problems. (Peerenboom, 2007). This is evident in the sense that the problems of inequality, corruption, poverty and human suffering are not resolved after elections. The elected government seems to forfeit its role in addressing the problems at hand. Politics is dominated by the political elite who are in close links with the business elite or are themselves in business. Money also plays an important role in influencing the elections as the affluent give money to attract more votes. The authoritarian developmentalistic reform strategy gives room for social evils like political violence as well as rampant corruption. Corruption is a major setback in China as Randall explains in chapter five of his book, China Modernizes – Threat to the West or model to the rest? There is need to ensure that the existing institution especially the legal system reform so that they can effectively deal with it. The role of the legal system cannot be underestimated in as far as economic development is concerned. Law and order must be maintained to create conducive environments for the people. If the rule of law is well adhered to then the chances for corrupt dealings will be minimized to a large extent. The legal systems would ensure that property rights are respected and this will be effective in ensuring that businesses flourish. (Peerenboom, 2007). This paper has by and large explained the aftermath of the reforms as a way of defining the strategy’s position. The reforms produced varying effects as some benefited at the expense of others. Whether the reforms brought about economic growth is undisputable given the fact that they saw the country emerge from just another developing country to register an increment in the country’s GDP year after the other. Many people were relieved from poverty as their incomes rose and so did their standards of living. However there is another aspect of the reforms that is not only worrying but needs to be addressed. The reasons that make the reform strategy take the form of an authoritarian developmentalist by limiting the people’s voice or say is irrelevant need to be well addressed. Lack of effective democracy where important human rights are not respected makes the reform strategy a failure in the sense that it undermines important issues that it ought to be addressing. References Randall Peerenboom. 2007. China Modernizes – Threat to the West or model to the rest? ` Oxford University Press Yanghong Huang, 2005. `Is the Chinese State Apparatus Being Revamped? ` in Tun-jen Cheng, et. al. ,eds. , China Under Hu Jintao: Opportunities, Dangers and Dilemmas, River Edge, N. J. : World Scientific Publishing Company, Samir Amin, 2005. `Theory and Practice of the Chinese Market Socialism Project: Is Market Socialism an Alternative to Liberal Globalization? ` in Tian Yu Cao, ed. , The Chinese Model of Development, London and New York: Routledge,. Edward Friedman. 2005. `Jiang Zemins Successors and Chinas Growing Rich-Poor Gap,` in Tun-jen Cheng, et. al. ,eds. , China Under Hu Jintao: Opportunities, Dangers and Dilemmas, River Edge, N. J. : World Scientific Publishing Company Jianfu Shen, 2004. `Population Growth, Ecological Degradation and Construction in the Western Region of China,` Journal of Contemporary China, 13, 41 (November 2004): 637-661

Gender Inequalities in the Workplace Essay

Describe and analyse gender inequalities in the workplace? ’ Gender inequalities in the workplace have been an ongoing issue for many years, which has mainly been central to women in the workplace, as senior management has prioritised men over women. This has made it very difficult for women to work their way up to management as women are considered to be incompetent compared to the men in the workplace. The wage gap between men and women has raised much debate, as men are generally more likely to get paid more than women. There has been much confusion that sex and gender are the same but actually there is a vast difference between the two concepts as gender is the social, cultural and psychological difference between a male and female. Where as sex is refereed to the biology of a individual in other terms the sex that an individual is born for example a male or female. Gender socialisation is a key aspect to understand the differences between men and women as the way society portrays them is very different. http://www. msu. edu/user/yarbrou7). Gender inequality is highlighted in the status that men and women have in society as men are considered to have better jobs, which then leads men becoming wealthier then women. The primary social institutions where gender inequalities occur is in educational systems, family life and the workplace. Gender has been considered an unlimited dimension that has been based on the different status of men and women, which has been inn effect for decades. However the feminist movement in the 1960’s established resurrection by studying gender issues, which highlighted that inequalities towards women have been in place in the social system of society as men are considered to be the breadwinners and women, should be housewives and mothers. (http://www. msu. edu/user/yarbrou7/) . Cultural inequalities consisted of women not being able to vote, achieve a higher level education and have the ability to own their own property as men were since to be responsible for the wellbeing of a woman. In relation the era of the seventies brought with it assured rights that allowed women to vote for the first time, which made women feel that they did have existence in the society that they live in. Voting rights brought women a sense of existence but inequalities still remained in the social institutions that have been developed to make individuals independent in society. These inequalities are still existent in salaries and employment in the 21st century. In the workplace there have been various types of gender inequalities that have affected each post an individual has been allocated by an employer. As women are becoming more educated their has been a rapid increase in the amount of women that are professionals in the workplace as a result educated women are still being under paid as men are considered to be more competent workers. In manual workplaces unions are considered the primary means for women to take control over what actions should be placed in order to change the working environment as a majority of women are generally underpaid in manual industries. (http://www. eldis. org/static/DOC12479. htm) In the workplace there are various formations of gender inequalities that are in affect, which have been highlighted in the wage gap between men and women who are employed in the same workplace, job security for men is in affect initially as they are told by there senior where as for women they are required to prove that there purpose in the workplace has added to the effective run of the entire department as well as the whole organisation. Men further have the ability to achieve alternative employment more conveniently as women have the added pressure of domestic duties in the home that includes child rearing. http://www. eldis. org/static/DOC12479. htm) Sexual exploitation and violence towards women has occurred for years, which has mainly been initiated by senior management as they generally feel that they have the authority and dominance to over power women. In order for men to maintain and understand that it is vital to under go change in terms of women being treated as equals j ust as men are a number of issues need to be considered by men both in the workplace and in the (home. http://www. infoplease. com/ipa/A0763170. tml) Men need to understand that the domestic duties around the home need to be divided so those women have the ability to go out and make a career for themselves just as men do. Men being able to keep their masculinity is an important factor of being a man as many men feel that when their wives go out to work they have lost there purpose as being the man of the house as women as just as capable of carrying out the same responsibilities in the workplace as men, which can be very threatening for a majority of men. Social stigma has influenced the fact that men are afraid of being undermined by a women but can be acceptable by a fellow male colleague. Furthermore men should accept and adapt to equality in the workplace as a result of much of the work load can be shared as well as new ideas can be generated that the male colleagues may not have explored. The advantages of women becoming equal in the workplace can generate a better standard of living for men as the pressure for men being the sole breadwinner can be shared along with sharing the duties in the workplace. This will encourage a better atmosphere in the workplace as the male colleagues will have less pressure to produce certain tasks by a given deadline as women are able to help with the performance and outcome of the task. The importance of women sharing the workload allows men to be more active fathers, as they will have the time and energy to spend with their children rather then having women playing an active part in the child’s life. The functionalist perspective on gender inequalities are evident as Talcott Parsons suggests that in order for socialisation to be clear it is important that individuals are able to have a supportive and stable family as Parsons believes that the family life is the most precise and effective way for individuals to understand sexual divisions that occur in social institutions home. (http://www. infoplease. com/ipa/A0763170. tml) This suggests that sociologists are more concerned in the way society segregates men and women to explain why gender inequalities occur and how changes can be made in order to make society a institute that is bases on each individual being treated equal regardless of age, sex or gender. Gender wage gap highlights the significant difference in salary that women get compared to men. It has been estimated that on average women earn 23. % less than men do. This figure highlights that majority of employers value the role and exist of the male workers which are indicated in the salary that they take home each month, where as women are paid less regardless of the time and energy that they put in the workplace. Stockyard and Johnson (1992:32) have both recognised that there are significant differences in wages between men and women although both sexes carry out full time jobs. In 987, the average wage for a male in America was $28,313 where as the wage for women was $18,531, which works out to be approximately 65% of a male workers wages. Stockyard and Johnson have indicated that ‘lower pay does not represent lower qualifications than men have or employment in areas that require less education’. This suggests that education is the key to a better-paid job not the fact that gender affects the amount of wages an individual is entitled to. Grint (1994:203) suggests that the main reason to why women are treated unequally is dependent on the class position of their husband as the ‘higher the class of the male the higher the class of the female’. This suggests that if a woman has a husband or a partner of a higher social class then the women is more likely to be respected by society, where as if a woman is from a lower social class then the women is most likely to be treated unequally. Gamarnikow, Morgan, Purvis and Taylorson (1983:99), in relation have highlighted the fact that ‘working class women’s oppression as inextricably linked with their exploitation as workers’. This suggests that working class women are vulnerable in the workplace as they have no choice but to expect the conditions of work as the value of the money they are getting is too valuable to give up although they are being exploited. Furthermore, employers are able to target individuals to exploit in the workplace in relation to wages and hour of work. Siltanen (1994:120), has further highlighted that ‘men work most commonly in higher grade occupations’, which suggests that women are ‘less likely to be near the top of occupational ladders’. Gamarnikow, Morgan, Purvis and Taylorson (1983:101). The disadvantages of what has been indicated by Siltanen (1994), is that employers have recognised that women are less likely to apply or be nominated for promotion, where as male colleagues are favoured over women even through many of the women have the same level of experience and education as the male colleagues in the workplace. This has provided to be discrimination towards women, which in many cases can result in women having a low self-esteem. It has been noted by Jacobs (1995) that generally women in the workplace are more likely to be more experienced than men. However, as women have numerous domestic duties in the home such as child rearing it makes it much more difficult for women to continue a career as well as weighing the responsibilities in the home. This factor is the primary factor that effects the position of women in the workplace. Arber and Ginn (Grint, K, 1991) have noted that gender inequality has been predominantly initiated by cultural norms which have been adapted in the work and domestic sphere. The domestic sphere has been commonly associated with the women being the secondary breadwinner who are defiantly likely to give up work in order to provide a stable environment for their children, as the fathers are predominantly the primary breadwinners. Where as work sphere is mainly cultural, which is associated with work responsibilities that have hindered women to develop themselves adequately. In conclusion, the analysis that has been researched to determine gender inequalities in the workplace highlight that the gender wage gap is a primary problem which women have been facing for a number of years. Although society today portrays men and women to be equal there are still inequalities that exist within the workplace. Examples of such inequalities are that women at work are the ones who appear to be weak, when in actual facts women have been seen to be extremely strong in the workplace. In my opinion I believe that inequalities in the workplace are still existence but are gradually dying down. However, it is also dependent on the type of employment that men are women are involved in which effects the inequalities that arise in the workplace.

Problems in School Essay

Education is the most important factor for the development of human civilization. It is one of the ways that can help us to achieve our goals in the future. However, there have been many problems raised throughout the year in regarding to what our school system should be practicing to improve education. These problems consists of self-discipline, longstanding bullying and the case about school uniforms should be lessen in order to have a positive dispositions on education. Discipline and balancing is important in a student’s life. Sometimes, the person who has the freedom to do anything she wants will have the tendency to lose self-discipline and balance between extracurricular activities and academics. There was a time in my life when I thought I would not be able to finish high school because I got distracted by the social life around me. We could only be young once, as the clichà © goes. Indeed, I truly lived my teenage life to the fullest, to the point of over-living it. In fact, I was still in my early teens when I started going steady with my social life than school. My mother had a hard time straightening my head. However, the consequences of my actions had sadly taught me a lesson. I failed some of my classes when I was in freshman. Also, I joined volleyball and cheerleading in my junior year which completely gave me a hard time catching up with our lessons. I was forced to attend the after-school tutoring. Stumbling upon of having no discipline and balance between school, sports and social life are regrettably sad. Yes, I have a lot of learning, and acknowledge that school must be prioritized. Second, bullying has a real negative effect on the victim’s life. Those who are constantly bullied can be pushed to the breaking point, where they could end up hurting themselves or others. I have a school mate back when I was senior, and he had trouble coping with things since his parents got divorced. Over the last few months, he has neglected his school works, and gotten a few face piercing that were prohibited in our school. A few of his classmates have become hostile towards him because of the sudden physical changes, and his lack of social etiquette. The controversy have suddenly escalated as they have pushed him onto the ground, kicked him in the stomach, and locked him in the bathroom. Also, a few of the school jocks were standing in the hallway joking around when they spot their smaller classmate struggling to carry his school books. One of the jocks sticks his foot out and deliberately tripped the boy. They all laughed and called the boy names such as, â€Å"clumsy† and â€Å"dork†. Bullies pick on students who they think are physically weak, and unpopular with their peers. So, whether bullying comes in many different forms: both from cyber bullying to physical bullying, it is consider wrong and it has to stop. Lastly, clothing has become a way of self-expression on how a person dresses, and it usually reflects on their personality. The most common issue is some students being harassed by other students for the way they dress, and how they appear. When I was sophomore, gang violence has become a big concern throughout my high school. Gangs choose colors to wear which lets people know to which gang they belong to. Students, who do not know of this issue, wear that certain color during dress down day, and some of them got hurt because they were not aware of the specific gang colors. Then, I noticed all students nowadays must go out and have the new fashion trends, and style. However, not all parents are able to go out of their way to buy their children clothes. So, uniforms save not only the students for getting harass base on what they wear, but also for the parents who are already busy working to give and support our necessities. Uniforms cause children to be more civilized and mature in what they are doing. It is great for schools to implement a policy on school uniforms because it provides more focus to learning, reduces peer pressure, and increases school pride. Attitude can alter every aspect of a person’s life, including his or her education. Student’s attitudes on learning determine their ability and willingness to learn. Furthermore, it is never too late to improve our educational system. Every school should be more advance and provide a good learning environment first because a highly effective school profoundly enhances student’s prosperity.

Issues In Diversity Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words - 2

Issues In Diversity - Essay Example To bring change in the society on homosexuality, I will teach the individuals on society norms and their importance. The society’s norms and values are broken when homosexuality is practiced. Basing the issue of homosexuality on religion, it is against religion and is considered as a sin that should not be allowed at any given time. Teaching the society on the value of religion will also help in putting an end to homosexuality. Homosexuality is viewed as a behavior that is outside what religion expects of us and through practicing it one does something outside what is intended for them. The society needs to know that the issue of homosexuality has affected many Families and broken so many relationships (Baker, 2012). Teaching the society on the importance of right interpretation of civil rights will also help in putting an end to homosexuality. I think homosexuality is promoted due to misdirection or misinterpretation of civil rights. Homosexuality does not have a stand when based on moral issues. Individuals who are pro-homosexuals base their arguments on their personal preferences. However, they do not stop to think if their personal preferences are contradicting the personal preferences of other individuals. Homosexuality can only be put to an end if every individual stops to think of it in a moral perspective and thinking of other people’s

Politics of interdependence Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

Politics of interdependence - Essay Example Euro constitution voting had shown the same reaction as three major European states: France, Belgium and Netherlands voted against Euro constitution. Analysis shows that such a response was resulted by geopolitical changes in Eastern Europe as in the year of 2004 Moldova, Ukraine and Georgia proclaimed their decision to enter European Union in the nearest future. These three countries have developing economies with high economical growth rate of 8-12% which is one of the key economical factors for entering the EU, where economical growth is very moderate (approx. 2-5%). Membership in the European Union will mean remarkable growth of investments, free trade with Europe and economical stability. But the benefits of the EU from the membership of these countries are questioned. The year of 2004 was one of the most difficult, as EU was enlarged by Poland, Czech republic, Slovakia, Baltic states. Besides, negotiations about future membership of Romania and Bulgaria provoke a lot of fear in eyes of European conservatives. Debates about possible membership of Turkey in the European Union have been continuing for nearly forty years, as there are a lot of obstacles for Turkey to enter the European Union even in the new century. ... Besides, there exists a vivid contrast between relatively developed coastline regions with tourist infrastructure and remote inland mountainous rural areas with extensive undeveloped agriculture. Even though that Turkey began to show economical progress starting since middle 1990's and had tamed high inflation rate, a lot of economical problems remain to be unsolved. Another very important obstacles are cultural and religious difference with traditional European and Western values, supplemented by constant instability in the neighboring states : Iraq, Iran and Balkans. Muslim Turks who posses different cultural and religious values find passive opposition and rejection in today's Europe, which became multi-cultural and multi-national in relatively short period of time in 1990's after the collapse of Pro-Soviet bloc of Warsaw Pact members and growing instability in North Africa (Libya, Morocco and Algeria) and Middle East. Immigrants, who occupied the major low qualification jobs started to be stereotyped, and it's even used in today's official press: "It was as depressing as it was predictable that this first spasm in response to the treaty's rejection in France and the Netherlands would be succeeded by calls for a halt to the Union's expansion. If French voters were living in fear of losing their livelihoods to Polish plumbers and the impeccably liberal Dutch were running scared of Islam, how could politicians contemplate a new influx of Croatian electricians and Turkish carpenters" 1 Perhaps, it would be incorrect to reject and deny all positive changes in Turkey and deny its role in the international trade and trade with countries of the European Union, but at the

Responses Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 1

Responses - Essay Example Toby Stephens was portrayed as a very rich and passionate individual with an unkempt appearance and who seems to have a mystery to himself. He just does not seem the person he has played in films like die another day, so I would say that he acted really well. Ruth Wilson as Jane Eyre was also very sensible and composed just like the book describes the character as a woman of intellect. The best part was that Ruth Wilson’s eyes actually have a very deep feel to them as if she is scanning a person’s character with her look. In the 1996 version of the film, I personally felt that William Hurt looked like a sweet lover with nothing going beyond that face which I felt Toby Stephens was able to convey; Charlotte Gainsbourg does not look as unconventional a heroine as does Ruth Wilson. Chapters 23-28 in the book are part of the time when Jane is in Thornfield. The first time Jane Eyre sees Bertha is when Bertha comes in her room one night and tears apart her wedding gown. Bert ha was Mr. Rochester’s first wife who had lost control of her senses, which was a disease that ran in her family. I really liked the connection of the red cloth that hung from the window of the room where Bertha was locked.

Abortion Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 7

Abortion - Essay Example Sinnott and Robert (467), argue that one can use pills that terminate the life of the embryo or go through medical processes of abortion. In this article, I will discuss the disadvantages of abortions, and some of the long-term effects one has to carry on after the procedure. I will also discuss on the legal nature of the act and the religious view of the practice. From a religious point of view, I agree that, killing of any human life is wrong, and there is no any legible reason for life termination. All life begins at conception and hence fetuses are just innocent beings and no killings are justifiable by law and religious holdings. I view it that, every being is unique, and termination of any life means the extinction of an individual with a unique genetic code (Sinnott and Robert 469). Out of biological knowledge, I understand that genes carry desirable traits that are rare and desirable giving organism’s unique qualities. The different aspects like knowledge, performance, or significant physical appearance may be in the genes of the terminated embryos. I agree with Sinnott and Robert (470) that, all humans have their potentials no matter how they may seem; hence, every life has a mission to accomplish, and thence it is wrong to terminate any life that may not yet be born. I agree with him that it is wrong to destroy foetus and no killings are justifiable. I find the act of causing pain on other living creatures wrong. Abortion causes pain moreover, sufferings to the foetus which later results to its death. My opinion remains that, however young the foetus is during the time of abortion it still causes it pain and sufferings, which is un-acceptable on any living creature. Governments that have legalized on abortion allow killings, and this means tolerating un-ethical practices in the societies. According to my thinking, this is lack of respect for young life. It is a terrible thing, and it results to under populating some regions since the

How newspapers will use social media and internet to expand readership Term Paper - 1

How newspapers will use social media and internet to expand readership in the future - Term Paper Example avvy world thus, the social media is strong enough to take over the traditional forms of transmission of news like newspapers, radio, television etc due to faster and better communication among people, rapidity of spread of news, an increase in readership, as well as a growing need to adapt and become environment friendly. Newspapers and radio channels are far behind than television today in terms of the spread of news for the sole reason that with the click of a channel or press of a button one can both see or hear the news on the go, as and when it takes place. Newspapers, even though they provide the audience with a chance to spend time reading and enhancing their knowledge, arrive a day later, by which time the person may already be well versed with the news. Newspapers however have a tangible form that many people are attached to and not willing to give up. Yet, it must be understood that newspapers can make use of the social media in order to expand their readership in the future as more and more people are logged onto the internet these days. Students, workers as well as professionals and home makers – almost everyone and anyone have an account on a social networking website. Thus in order to tap the potential, newspapers can exploit these platforms and display their news banner there, a ttracting readers onto their websites and thus help them in enriching themselves by displaying their news. (Rani Malla) Today, a number of newspapers have online editions, like Wall Street Journal and New York Times to name a few; these newspapers put up everything and more on their online versions, where people may subscribe and get hourly updates on the world’s events. Newspapers can also take over social networking websites to attract more readers by creating their pages and groups and involving forums for communication over the news among various people. Moreover, blogs and online journals are encouraged by newspaper reporters and writers in order to increase

Short analytical memo report Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Short analytical memo report - Essay Example The research investigated three charitable organizations within the Halifax regional municipality to establish ways through which the company can support the organizations humanitarian activities through other charitable acts in addition to direct fiscal assistance. The investigative undertaking took advantage of various research methods such carrying out surveys, correlation and a case study of two charitable organizations within the Halifax region, Research Methods (2011).The report begins by an individual description of the two charitable organizations followed by an attempt to match the organizations activities and the company’s objectives. This forms the main body of the report while the summary explains how the particular charity is more beneficial to the company than the rest. Finally, the report concludes by declaring a recommendation. According to Parker Street (2011), this registered non profit agency is responsible for the provision of food, furnishings, skills improvement, and mentoring and support assistance to residents of Halifax regional Municipality. The organization commenced its operations in early nineteen eighties as a food bank. The furniture part commenced operation in mid nineteen nineties at a dissimilar location before combining to form the present major organization. Over the years, it has progressively participated in charitable activities. Parker Street is charity organizations that respect the existence of individuals and are involved in activities to eliminate racism, poverty and other social ills and injustices. They strive to build societies that are concerned about people’s welfare irrespective of their areas of origin, devout affiliations or social and political stand, (Parker Street, 2011). Notably, it formed the IT program in the year 2001 in collaboration with the local Nova Scotia Community college through which scores of students

Costing of Zara Article Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Costing of Zara - Article Example Essentially, the main purpose of business is to generate profits. When the company is in a position to generate more revenue from its operations, that is if it is operating to capacity, it is able to expand its operations. Growth of business in this particular case entails that the company can employ more people which in turn helps to generate more revenue. This is very important in as far as sustainability in the company’s long term operations are concerned. It can also be noted that for Zara to operate below capacity, it is a strong disadvantage to its financial performance. Such companies invest large sums of money to set up manufacturing plants and they must operate above capacity to recover the money that has been invested in the first place. When the company has recovered the money that has been invested, it is in a position to generate surplus revenue commonly known as profit. Any viable company should be in a position to generate profits from its operations. This can help the company to operate viably in the long run. The other disadvantage of operating below capacity is that the company may face problems in terms of meeting the maintenance costs of the equipment used in the manufacturing of fashionable clothes. A company that is operating below capacity is not able to meet all its operational costs as a result of the fact that it would be generating limited revenue. This means that the company may be forced to borrow from other financial institutions in order to sustain its operations in the event that the equipment has broken down. The company should be in a position to buy spares and meet other operational costs in the event that it has encountered some problems in its operations. This can only be possible if it is operating above capacity. To a certain extent, the only advantage that can be derived by Zara for operating below capacity is that it is in a

Moral Standing of Abortion Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Moral Standing of Abortion - Essay Example This paper is an attempt to undertake an objective approach to develop an unbiased and a logically sound thesis aiming at implying a set warrant of the issue by arguing that abortion is morally wrong and unjust, however only under special circumstances (like rape or mother`s like at risk) can abortion be justified as a morally sound decision. Abortion is defined as â€Å"the expulsion of a  fetus  from the  uterus  before it has reached the stage of viability† (Encyclopedia Britannica). The biological makeup of an embryo or a fetus, by any standard, resembles that of a human as the genetic makeup of the cells of the embryo is the same as that of a human, and the viability stage reaches at week 20 when the embryo fully resembles that of a human. Thus, at the stage of viability it would be only sane to regard abortion as an immoral act as murdering an innocent life negates all the principals of morality. However, under special circumstances, the woman may be allowed to a bort the baby, especially when the woman`s life is at stake or if the baby will result in the mental trauma for the woman in case the embryo is a result of rape or sexual abuse. However, if the woman was engaged in a voluntary act which resulted in the conception of an embryo, it would be insane to kill the baby if the embryo has reached the stage of viability. Thus, in any case abortion is an immoral act as an embryo older than twenty weeks is as alive as a grown up human being. However, some cases may be considered as exceptional ones and in some special circumstances abortion can be deemed as a moral act. Firstly, when the life of the mother is at stake for the reason that giving birth to the baby will risk the life of the mother, abortion is absolutely moral. Secondly, if birth resulted from rape or any kind of sexual abuse, which would cause mental trauma as the birth would constantly remind the woman of the unfortunate incident, thus in this case the woman should have the free dom to choose if she wants the baby or not. Thirdly, factor of viability is of importance to decide whether or not abortion is immoral i.e. an embryo if any younger than twenty weeks is conceived it will be fair enough to abort the baby as it won`t be a viable one. In this case, it is important to analyze the arguments and propositions put forth by Thomason (1971) which are referred to by many pro choice advocates. Thomason (1971) tries to negate the conclusion derived by two propositions that firstly, human embryo has the right to life, and if human embryo has the right to life it is morally impermissible to kill him. Thus, it is sensible enough to conclude that it is impermissible to kill the human embryo. However, she tries to negate the conclusion by replacing the second proposition by the relative rights of the mother and the child, i.e. she claims that the mother has a right to take decisions about her body and the fetus has a right to life. In other words, she is trying to ar gue that the pro-life advocate will then regard abortion as a breach in the rights of the mother as opposed to the rights of the baby. Though the argument seems to be valid, but it lacks soundness as it is a clear example of the fallacy of inappropriateness. Though it is true that a mother has rights, but at the same time she should be responsible enough to take precautionary

Comparative Study of Personal Financial Planning Essay Example for Free

Comparative Study of Personal Financial Planning Essay It is generally seen that people have a misconception that financial planning is about saving more and spending less but that is not the case, it is more about saving the right amount so that future goals can be met. The objective of financial planning is * To ensure that the right amount of money is available in right hands at right point of time in the future to achieve the desired goals and objectives. It * Provides direction and meaning to your financial decisions. * It allows you to understand how each financial decision you make affects other areas of your finances. Financial planning and investments can be undertaken by anyone with a clear assessment of ones inflow of funds and the goals that need to be achieved from time to time. Keywords: Financial planning, wealth management, investment instruments, real estate Introduction Financial planning is achieving your financial goals in the most efficient manner. The broad areas of financial planning include Investment planning  -Your wealth will only grow over time if you have invested it in assets. Investment planning  deals with the kind of investments an individual should invest in to get the best out of his wealth. In this the risk and return profiling of an individual is done based on his life stage, spending requirements with respect to his income and wealth, time horizon and liquidity requirements and various individual specific constraints. Investment Planning is important because it helps you to derive the maximum benefit from your investments. | Cash flow planning   In simple terms, cash flow refers to the inflow and outflow of money. It is a record of your income and expenses. Though this sounds simple, very few people actually take time out to find out what comes in and what goes out of their hands each month. Cash flow planning refers to the process of identifying the major expenditures in future (both short-term and long-term) and making planned investments so that the required amount is accumulated within the required time frame. Cash flow planning is the first thing that should be done prior to starting an investment exercise, because only then will you be in a position to know how your finances look like, and what is it that you can invest without causing a strain on yourself. It will also enable you to understand if a particular investment matches with your flow requirement| | | 3. Retirement planning   Retirement planning means making sure you will have enough money to live on after retiring from work. Retirement should be the best period of your life, when you can literally sit back and relax or enjoy your life by reaping benefits of what you earn in so many years of hard work. But it is easier said than done. To achieve a hassle-free retired life, you need to make prudent invest ment decisions during your working life, thus putting your hard-earned money to work for you in future. Planning for retirement is as important as planning your career and marriage. Life takes its own course and from the poorest to the wealthiest, no one gets spared. We get older every day, without realizing. However, we assume that old age is never going to touch us. The future depends to a great extent on the choices you make today. Right decisions with the help of proper financial planning, taken at the right time will assure smile and success at the time of retirement. Retirement Planning acquires added importance because of the fact that though longevity has increased, the number of working years havent.Tax planning   Tax evasion is illegal but tax minimization is legal. Thus you can reduce your tax liability by planning effectively. With proper tax planning you can increase your after tax income. |   | 5. | Children future planning- It is essential to plan for the future of your children. The purpose of Childrens Future Planning is to create a corpus for foreseeable expenditures such as those on higher education and wedding and to provide for an adequa te security cover during their growing years. Savings alone is no longer enough.

Supply Chain Management Of Nescafe Marketing Essay

Supply Chain Management Of Nescafe Marketing Essay This report comprehensively discusses the distribution channel network which is used by Nestle to sell its Nescafe coffee brand in the market. The report discusses upon various channel partners involved in this process and the roles played by each channel partner in the whole distribution process. The report also discusses about how the smooth functioning of the distribution channel is ensured and who are designated with this task. Report also discusses about marketing and promotional techniques used by Nescafe, their pricing strategy. The report further discusses about physical distribution management, inventory management, storing and warehousing, transportation. Distribution costs involved, payment terms and debtor control, flow of information related to inventory, sales and payments have also been discussed. We have also focused on how communication flow takes place in between channel partners, how conflict management takes place in between the channel members. We have also focused on various aspects of demand and supply management strategies which are adopted within Nescafe. INTRODUCTION About Nestle India: Nestle is one the leading Nutrition, Health and Wellness company. It was founded in 1866 by Henri Nestle in Vevey, Switzerland, where its headquarters are still located. The company employs 2,80,000 employees and have factories and operations in almost every country in the world. Nestle sales for 2009 were CHF 108 bn. Nestle India was set up in 1961 at Moga (Punjab) was followed soon after by its second plant, set up at Choladi (Tamil Nadu), in 1967. Consequently, Nestlà © India set up factories in Nanjangud (Karnataka), in 1989, and Samalkha (Haryana), in 1993. This was succeeded by the commissioning of two more factories at Ponda and Bicholim, Goa, in 1995 and 1997 respectively. The seventh factory was set up at Pantnagar, Uttarakhand, in 2006. The 8th Factory was set up at Tahliwal, Himachal Pradesh, in 2012. The 4 branch offices in the country help facilitate the sales and marketing of its products. They are in Delhi, Mumbai, Chennai and Kolkata. The Nestlà © India head office is located in Gurgaon, Haryana. About Nescafe: Nescafe is a brand of instant coffee made by Nestle. Nescafe coffee comes in many different forms, flavors and sizes. After eight years into development, the coffee powder was first introduced on April 1st, 1938 in Switzerland. In the  United States, the Nescafe name was used on its products until the 1960s. Later, Nestlà © introduced a new brand in the US called Tasters Choice, which supplanted Nescafe for many years. Tasters Choice was also introduced into Canada at the same time, and continues to be sold as a separate product, branded as superior to Nescafe, and is higher priced. CHANNEL PARTICIPANTS AND CHANNEL STRUCTURE OF NESCAFE Channel Partners There are various channel partners involved in the distribution of Nescafe. Nestle has 8 factories in India. From these factories, Nescafe coffee passes on through several channel partners: DC (Distribution Centers): Nestlà ©s distribution centers are specialized buildings, with refrigeration and air conditioning where many Nestle products along with Nescafe are stored for distribution other channel members. It is one of the most basic parts of the order processing and fulfillment process. It can be said that these distribution centers are company owned warehouse. It is important to note that distribution centers can be of many types such: Retail Distribution Center- distributes goods to retail store Order Fulfillment Center distributes goods directly to consumers Cross-Dock facility doesnt not stock the products but distributes to other destinations Super Stockiest The Company keeps their stock with super stockiest to pass it on next channel members like wholesalers, retailers and consumers. Usually there is a separate super stockiest for every district. Wholesalers: They buy in bulk. The company usually provides them discounts on the bulk purchases. Wholesalers help the company break the bulk quantities by further selling the product to retailers in small quantities. Retailers: Retailers sell the coffee directly to consumers through retail shops. These retail shops can be traditional Kirana stores (also known as General Trade) or Supermarkets and Hypermarkets ( known as Modern Trade). E.g. Spar Hypermarket. Here it is important to note that because of the bulk purchases done by hypermarkets, the company may sell its product directly to such channel member engaged in modern trade, thereby reducing number of level of channel distribution and costs. NESTLE primarily uses two types of product channel distribution structures in order to deliver the NESCAFE COFFEE products from manufacturer to consumers. The channel structures are as follows: A B Consumers Retailer (Modern Trade) DC (Distribution Center) Consumers Retailer (General Trade) Wholesaler Cash Distributor (Super Stockiest) Manufacturer DC (Distribution Center) Manufacturer In the above diagram above, we can see that Nestle uses two kinds of channel structure to distribute Nescafe coffee to the consumers, depending on the area of operations and available resources in that area. In the structure A, we can see that from the factories, the product does to the distribution center (DC) where it is stocked for further distribution. From DC to product moves to super stockiest, who further supply it to wholesalers? From wholesalers the product moves to retailers. In structure A, these are traditional retailers having Kirana or traditional stores. Such structure is more successful in unorganized market. Nescafe coffee is then sold to end consumers through such stores, where it is put to display. In structure B, the coffee moves directly to retailers from distribution centers. From retailers the product is then sold to consumers. This structure is more successful in modern trade where retailers sell the products through supermarkets and hypermarkets in an organized retail market. Eg. Big Bazaar, Spar Hypermarket, Reliance Fresh etc. Packaging Nestles Nescafe Coffee is packaged in sealed airtight containers made out of glass/plastic and even in sealed bags of varying size and quantities which are further enclosed in cardboard boxes. However glass is the preferred choice of packaging material as according to Nestle, it is a natural material composed mainly of sand. To make their packages aesthetically appealing, the company prefers glass as any shape and size can be give to it. Further, glass packaging is tamper resistant, inert, non-porous and impermeable to chemical interactions. It also protects from degradation of the coffee by moisture and oxygen. The coffee is sold in varying quantities varying from small sachets of a few grams to pack sizes of 1Kg. http://www.designbridge.com/media/23501/nescafe_original_copycat_Carousel.jpghttp://mams.rmit.edu.au/eprcok6x99ck.jpghttp://www.yowazzup.com/coffee/images/nescafe-canned-drinks-special-edition.jpg Logistics For the logistics and transportation purposes, the companys distribution centers maintain their own fleet of commercial vehicles. Due to nature and scale of its operations, Nestlà ©s own fleet of transport vehicles helps it reduce third party costs, delays and conflicts arising out of it. However, super stockiest use third party logistics support in order to further pass on the product to the next channel partner. A third party logistics provider helps much part of the operations such as transportation, distribution and warehousing. Marketing/Promotion For marketing its Nescafe coffee brand, Nestle uses 360 degree promotional activities like heavy advertisements on Television, newspapers, internet and social media, public relation activities, vending machines in colleges, offices, departmental stores and many places such places which have high foot fall. Nestle is known to spend almost 40% of the marketing budget allotted to promote Nescafe brand on Television advertisement by roping in well known Celebrities to promote their coffee. Regular advertisements are carried out in leading national and local newspapers, magazines, to promote the existing Nescafe products, or whenever a new flavor of Nescafe coffee is launched. These advertisement focuses on the supposed superiority and uniqueness of Nescafe coffee over other brands. CHANNEL CONFLICT MANAGMENT Sales officer, Brand manager and Nutritional officers are involved in managing the channel structure. They visit the market and channel distribution partners from time to time to weed out any conflicts, and at large, to make sure the smooth functioning of the channel. Sales officer ensure that the projected sales figures are being met through various partners. He assigns territories, quotas and monitors the members of his sales team. Sales manager directly acts upon the sales figures and quotas set my executive level. Any conflicts in channel structure will generally cause disruption in sales. Sales manager will therefore interact with various channel partners on a regular basis to diagnose and resolve any conflicts as quickly as possible. Nescafes brand managers are engaged to ensure successful implementation of the promotional and marketing activities as per the objectives of the management. They analyze the sales figures, prices and guide advertising campaigns. Nescafes brand managers even contact retailers directly to promote their coffee brand. Nutritional officers meet the doctors and inform them about the products of Nestle. The conduct seminars for doctors and arrange symposiums. They ensure recommendation of Nutrition Range by Health Care Professionals through Ethical Detailing, Scientific meetings and conferences in accordance with Head Office guidelines. Nutrition officers also monitor and track any recent development in the field of Nutrition and serve as a reliable source of information. Nutritional officers are also act as a reliable source of market intelligence in their respective territories. They are usually aware of stock levels, its freshness, prices of own and competitor products. Thus using their knowledge of the market dynamics, they also help in the functioning of the distribution channel structure for Nescafe. PRICING STRATEGY Pricing is one of the four elements of the marketing mix, along with product, place and promotion. Pricing strategy is important for companies who wish to achieve success by finding the price point where they can maximize sales and profits. Companies may use a variety of pricing strategies, depending on their own unique marketing goals and objectives. Nescafe basically uses three types of pricing strategy. They are as follows Comparative pricing General way of pricing Economic pricing Comparative pricing: For formulating pricing strategy the company uses comparative pricing which is dependent on return on investments put in by the company, future growth opportunities in the market and potential expansion options. Various types of costs are also taken into consideration when formulating a pricing strategy, like distribution costs, advertisement expenses and margin on the product. General Method: what they actually used to do is they already fixes the rate of discount on a certain amount of good, like if u will purchase 10 packets of Nescafe we will give you five percent discount on the overall cost associated in buying that 10 packets Nescafe, however these rules are flexible, and actually varies from product to product, because at last the main motto is to sell the product as well as customer satisfaction. Economy Pricing: Economy pricing is a familiar pricing strategy for organizations Companies like nestle which takes a very basic, low-cost approach to marketingnothing fancy, just the bare minimum to keep prices low and attract a specific segment of the market that is very price sensitive. Physical Distribution Management Who is responsible for designing and setting up channel? There are various authorities who are responsible for designing and setting up channel. The authorities are sales head, head of field operation, marketing head, area head and sales officer. How the ware housing is managed? Is there a CF agent? The warehouse varies from product to product in Nescafe. Any distributer who wants to take the authority of warehousing the product has to satisfy certain protocols which are assigned by Nestle. Like if anyone want to take warehousing they should have own their own building. That building is called as product zone which consists of wooden racks as well as refrigerated section for storage of products. Yes, there is a CF agent in the whole process of delivering the product from manufacturer to consumer in Nescafe. Like they have RD (Regional distributor) who used to distribute the products on the small scale over a certain region of a particular city. Logistics and its cost? Logistics means having the right thing at right place at right time in a right cost also. Logistics covers three sections. Inventory management Storage and ware housing Transportation 1. Inventory Management Nescafe uses the SAP (system application and products) software, inventory management software (highly confidential) the distributer, the branch manager, the area manager, the branch head, sales officer, CEO, BOD are connected with the link .Everybody have a separate user name and password, so that anybody at any instance of time can get all the information like the total number of sales within a particular region, total inventory within the particular region, the total number of goods that are under process. This software also helps in order to keep track of current status of the products, condition of product, shortage, excess, total number of specific product etc. in Nescafe basically what they used to do is they first see the total number of sales for a particular item in last 4-5 month, and on the basis of that data they predict the future sales for the upcoming 5month and then they on an average used to stock the product in advance so that it can suffice the requirement of cons umer at any instance of time. And due to this reason the product shortage chances becomes so less approximately zero. 2. Storage and Warehousing: The warehouse varies from product to product in Nescafe. Any distributer who wants to take the authority of warehousing the product has to satisfy certain protocols which are assigned by Nestle. Like if anyone want to take warehousing they should have own their own building. That building is called as product zone which consists of wooden racks as well as refrigerated section for storage of products. http://www.pioneervending.co.uk/userimages/013-2.jpghttp://hyperspaceportfolio.files.wordpress.com/2011/10/nescafe-led-animated-poster-2.jpg 3. Transportation For transportation in Nescafe the distributer basically has their own vehicles while the super stockiest generally hire the third party logistics which taking care of transfer of goods. As an example the Nescafe in UK had hired Aceme 3p logistics services for 5 years in order to serve their product. http://www.ermewa.de/catalogue/img_bandeau/12-ermewa-nescafe.jpg Distribution cost The distribution cost of Nescafe varies with respect to the intermediaries. The company itself has to bear the distribution cost in transferring the product from manufacturer to distribution centre as well as to cash distributer. From cash distributer to wholesaler, the cash distributer has to pay the distribution cost. When product moves from wholesaler to retailer the wholesaler has to bear the distribution cost similarly in next lever the retailer has to bear the distribution cost. Payment terms and Debater control In Nescafe there is no hard and fast rule but basically they adopt three strategies for payment terms and debater control. In the first strategy when the company is giving their product to distributer/customer they have to sign a cheque that agrees to pay the money within certain days (max 10 days). While in second strategy one has to make the payments within 6 to 15 days, if its needed then they can extend the policy. In third strategy the customer can take the product by paying 5% on the spot by agreeing that they will pay the balance after selling the products. But company used this strategy very rarely. The payment term basically depends on certain factors like regularity of the customers, also the amount of quantity they are taking, past record of the customer. Communication/Information flow Inventory Data Nescafe uses the SAP(system application and products) software, inventory management software(highly confidential) the distributer, the branch manager, the area manager, the branch head, sales officer, CEO, BOD are connected with the link . Everybody have a separate user name and password, so that anybody at any instance of time can get all the informations like the total number of sales within a particular region, total inventory within the particular region, the total number of goods that are under process. This software also helps in order to keep track of current status of the products, condition of product, shortage, excess, total number of specific product etc. in Nescafe basically what they used to do is they first see the total number of sales for a particular item in last 4-5 month, and on the basis of that data they predict the future sales for the upcoming 5month and then they on an average used to stock the product in advance so that it can suffice the requirement of cons umer at any instance of time. And due to this reason the product shortage chances becomes so less approximately zero. Sales Data Sales data basically comprises of order placement, total number of sales for a particular product in particular region, what are the quantities that sold in particular region in previous times, billing order, profit for particular product or overall profit. Since we have discussed that Nescafe uses the inventory control software, in that software one block is there with the name reports. In that block one sub block is there with the name sales. By visiting that sub block we can gather all the information about sales. Payment Data It basically comprise of mode of payments like credit, cash, invoice. Same as like we gathered the sales data there is a sub block named payment options in which we will get all the information regarding the total payment for a particular region, total due, total canceled payment for particular region or overall. Critical Analysis Supply Chain Management: Supply chain management  (SCM) is the management of a network of interconnected  businesses  involved in the provision of  product and  Service packages required by the end customers in a  supply chain. Supply chain management spans all movement and storage of  raw materials work-in-process inventory, and finished goods from point of origin to point of consumption. Order Fulfilling Time The most important feature of Nescafe is that they have a very fast order fulfilling time. The average day for a particular product to be delivered from the day of order is 1-2 day. Nescafe can deliver the product on the same day in which they had got the order or on the very next day, and this variation basically depends on the transportation. Minimum Order Quantity There is no specific limitation for the minimum order quantity at Nescafe, but like others they love to take the bulk quantity order and serve them up to its best. Payment/Outstanding At Nescafe the period of payment basically depends on various factors. some of the factors like from what time you are associated with the company, you are a regular customer or a visiting type of customer, what is your total requirement, if you are an old customer then they might check your previous record in order to check that whether you are paying the payments on time or not. Generally the average payment time ranges from 6-15 days. DEMAND MANAGEMENT Nescafe uses the SAP(system application and products) software in order to keep track of current status of the products, condition of product, shortage, excess, total number of specific product etc. in Nescafe basically what they used to do is they first see the total number of sales for a particular item in last 4-5 month, and on the basis of that data they predict the future sales for the upcoming 5month and then they on an average used to stock the product in advance so that it can suffice the requirement of consumer at any instance of time. And due to this reason the product shortage chances becomes so less approximately zero. Speed of processing for complaint regarding supplies Nescafe trying to keep their trust trough all aspect of their services. Even in the case of sale if they are getting any complaint they will try to resolve it on the very same day they got that particular complaint or they will solve it within coming 24 hrs. CONCLUSION After scrapping up and intense analysis of data we reach out with important informations regarding the supply chain management of Nescafe. Our information clearly reveals that Nescafes supply chain management has both positive and negative faces. The positive aspects are like it has a very strong brand name backup of Nestle. Nescafes products are diversified in various flavors. They are making their products by keeping in mind that the products should be of nutritious values. Nescafe has a very great research and development team. In FMCG sector Nescafe is the only one company using software (highly confidential) for inventory management. They have a very strong strategy for conflict management. They are very fast in delivering products as well as taking suitable action on complaints regarding supplies. The customer can opt best payment option from companies payment terms and conditions. If we are pointing out the negatives then we can say Nescafe has no that much grip in rural areas. They are following price point portfolio system. Company always tries to emphasis the products science side than food side. RECOMANDATION It will be better for company if they reduce the price of products according to the areas they are serving. Also if they can extend the business for rural areas it will increase their profit.

The Definition Of Methodology

The Definition Of Methodology The purpose of this chapter is to present the research methodology adopted in this study. It first outlines the philosophical assumptions underpinning this research, discussing the researchers constructivist approach. The next section defines the scope and rationale for the research design, and details of data analysis. It also provides an overview of the data collection methods used for this research. The chapter concludes by discussing issues of rigor and trustworthiness and ethical considerations. 3.1.1 Definition of Methodology According to Polit and Beck (2004) methodology refers to ways of obtaining, systematizing and analysing data. Creswell (2003) portrays methodology as a coherent group of methods that harmonize one another and that have the capability to fit to deliver data and findings that will reflect the research question and suits the researchers purpose. Bowling (2002) explains that methodology is the complete structure of the research study; the size and sample methods, the practices and techniques utilized to collect data and the process to analyse data. 3.2 Research Design Burns and Grove (2002) define a research design as a blueprint for conducting a study with maximum control over factors that may interfere with the validity of the findings. The overall purpose of this study is to contribute further to the role-definition process of the ambulance nurse in Malta. In order to reach the overall purpose of this study a qualitative exploratory descriptive design will be used to identify, analyse and describe factors related to the nature of interventions and care nurses deliver in the pre-hospital setting and to explore barriers and facilitating factors perceived by ambulance nurses that hinder or enhance PHC in Malta. 3.2.1 Research Philosophy The context in which research is carried out establishes were the researcher wants to go with the research and what is sought to be achieved. It is therefore imperative that the researcher is clear about the paradigm issues that guide and enlighten the research approach, as they are reflected in the methodology applied in the research and help place the research into a broader context (Thorpe Lowe, 2002). This research study is associated with the constructivism paradigm. Consequently, the researcher will discuss the ontology and epistemology in relation to this research. 3.2.1.1 Constructivism Constructivism seeks to undertake research in its natural setting; therefore, constructivism which is developed from the naturalistic philosophy disputes positivism and post-positivism views of knowledge and science (Appelton King, 2002). Thus, the aim of constructivism is to identify the diverse knowledge that people own, this is done by seeking to attain some consensus of meaning but at the same time remaining open to new explanations (Denzin Lincoln, 2003). Constructivist research, therefore, may identify a spectrum of diverse views and insights that would be overlooked within the narrow confines of conventional positivist inquiry. In view of these issues, constructivism is the most indicative research paradigm to use for this research as this philosophy will aid in exploring through description participants experiences, views and thoughts in a more humane way, by presenting ambulance nurses quotes and developing themes rather than presenting results in statistical form. 3.2.1.2 Ontology When considering a research paradigm, the researchers first requirement is to locate a position on the nature of reality (Appelton King, 2002). In the ontological theory, reality is subjective and multiple as seen by the participants in the study. Hence the researcher will use quotes and themes in words of the ambulance nurses to provide evidence on different perspectives. This is done by articulating, appreciating and making the research participants voices and concerns and practice visible. In the constructivism stance, the researcher is obliged to give a true picture of reality (Schwandt, 2001). Truth is achieved by seeking to comprehend the shared meaning and embedded meaning of both the participants and the researcher. This may be apprehended by building up a researcher-participant interaction in the natural environment rather than in a controlled environment (Denzin Lincoln, 2003). 3.2.1.3 Epistemology Conversely, in the epistemological assumption the aim of the researcher is to try and lessen the distance between what is being researched and oneself (Creswell, 2003). Within constructivism, the ontology and epistemology merge because the knower is inseparable from what may be known within the overall construct of a particular reality (Schwandt, 2001). The constructivist, ontological and epistemological positions have specific implications for me as a researcher wishing to explore these ambulance nursing issues. As a staff nurse working in another ambulance service, I acknowledge that my account of reality of PHC may serve to enhance the description of the phenomena under study. My role as a researcher is to be actively engaged with the research process. Therefore, an emic position is taken which allows me to build data, which is generated rather than collected. Within constructivism, the ontology and the epistemology approaches are interwoven and cannot be detached as with the positivist and post positivist paradigms (Appelton King, 2002). 3.2.1.4 Disadvantages of Constructivism Constructivism, whilst being an ideal paradigm for the inquiry may have its own limitations and it is central that the researcher takes these into consideration. A limitation of constructivism is that by trying to explain the phenomena, the researcher will be stuck in trying to give an infinite number of interpretations which may result in less explanatory power (Appelton King, 2002). Thus, working with the constructivism paradigm, the researcher is obliged to be conscious in seeking equilibrium between the contribution of informants and ones own to ensure an authentic account of the phenomena. Moreover, certain issues and steps in the methodology of this study were taken into consideration in order to avoid any pitfalls. 3.2.2 Qualitative Research Qualitative research refers to inductive, holistic, emic, subjective and process-oriented methods used to comprehend, interpret and describe a phenomena or setting. It is a systemic, subjective approach used to describe meaning (Burns Grove, 2003). Qualitative research is more associated with words, language and experiences rather than measurements, statistics and numerical figures. Researchers using qualitative research take a person centred and holistic perspective to understand the phenomenon, without focusing on specific concepts. The original context of the experience is unique, and rich knowledge and insight can be generated in depth to present a lively picture of participants reality and social context (Holloway, 2005). Regarding generation of knowledge, qualitative research is characterised as developmental and dynamic, and does not use formal structured instruments. In turn it involves the systemic collection and analysis of subjective narrative data in an organised and intuitive fashion to identify the characteristics and significance of human experience (Holloway, 2005). Qualitative researchers are concerned with the emic perspective to explore the ideas and perceptions of the participants. The researcher tries to examine the experience from the participants point of view in order to interpret their words. The researcher therefore becomes involved and immersed in the phenomena to become familiar with it. The immersion of the researcher helps to provide dense description from the narrative data gathered from the participants, to interpret and portray their experiences, and to generate a more comprehensive understanding. However, immersion cannot be obtained without a researcher-participant trusting relationship. The relationship is built through basic interviewing and interpersonal skills. In qualitative research, the researcher is required to be a good listener, non-judgemental, friendly, honest and flexible. Brink and Wood (1998) point out that the qualitative data collection methods are flexible and unstructured, capturing verbatim reports or obser vable characteristics and yield data that usually do not take numerical forms. 3.2.3 Qualitative Description Approach Within a qualitative framework, and an interpretive stance, this research is concerned with identifying and describing factors regarding the pre-hospital nursing care in Malta. For this study a qualitative descriptive research design will be used. Sandelowski (2000) points out that a qualitative descriptive study is seen as less interpretive than interpretive descriptive studies as they do not require researchers to move as far into their data. However, all inquiry entails description, and all description entails interpretation (Sandelowski, 2000). Although no description is free of interpretation, basic or fundamental qualitative description, as opposed to, for example, phenomenology or grounded theory description, it necessitates a kind of interpretation that is low inference, this low inference interpretation in qualitative descriptive studies entails the presentation of facts in an everyday language (Neergaard et al. 2009). 3.2.3.1 Design features of Descriptive Qualitative Research Qualitative descriptive design is a typical eclectic but reasonable design that well considers a combination of sampling, data collection, analysis, and re-presentational techniques (Neergaard et al. 2009). Sandelowski (2000) explains that qualitative description is especially amenable to obtain straight and largely unadorned answers to questions of special relevance to practitioners and policy makers. Neergaard et al. (2009) explicate that the qualitative descriptive design favours to use an interview guide somewhat more structured than other qualitative methods though it is still modified and transformed as themes emerge through analysis. They continue to explain that the strategy of content analysis is the most commonly used method of analysis in qualitative description (Neergaard et al. 2009). A straight descriptive summary is the likely outcome of qualitative descriptive studies, which should be organized in a way that best encloses the data collected (Sandelowski, 2000). 3.2.3.2 Strengths and Weaknesses of Descriptive Qualitative Research All research methods have their limitations, and qualitative description is often criticized for lacking of clearness and the lack of theory based approach (Giorgi. 1992). However, this criticism is only vindicated if qualitative description is used for the wrong principles. Neergaard et al. (2009) emphasize that qualitative description should be the method of choice when a description of a phenomena is wanted. Furthermore, qualitative description has been criticized for its lack of rigor and for being flawed, when it comes to judging its credibility. However, Milne and Oberlee (2005), converse about enhancing rigor in qualitative description by focusing on strategies such as authenticity, credibility, criticality and integrity. Qualitative description may be seen as too subjective because description is always attributed to the researchers perception, inclinations, sensitivities, and sensibilities (Sandelowski, 2000). In order to reduce this, the researcher must put an emphasis in m eeting the criteria of integrity and neutrality (Milne and Oberlee, 2005). Qualitative description may be seen as a functional method when the researcher intends to focus on describing experiences of patients, relatives and health care professionals and when the researcher wants to understand their views on patient-professional interaction and the organization of the health care system (Sandelowski, 2000). Strength of qualitative description is more evident in mixed method approaches and in studies which need to develop their own questionnaire. Neergaard et al. (2009) point out that qualitative description performed prior to the development of a questionnaire or an intervention can give very significant and useful information. Qualitative description has also be an appropriate qualitative method for small interview studies were one needs to gain preliminary insight into a particular topic (Neergaard et al. 2009). Sandelowski (2000) also highlights a great advantage of the method is that it is suitable if time or resources are limited. 3.2.3.1 Rational for choosing descriptive approach According to Burns and Grove (2003) descriptive research is designed to provide a picture of a situation as it naturally happens. It may also be used to justify current practices and identify factors that hinder or enhance practice as one gets a whole picture from the informants (Burns and Grove, 2003). Qualitative descriptive study is the method of choice when straight descriptions of a phenomena are desired, Sandelowski (2000) explains that qualitative description is especially useful for researchers wanting to know who, what and where of events. Qualitative description will be used in this study to describe and document the perceptions and experiences of what different skills are used while delivering PHC and when they are mostly used. The design will also be used to explore what facilitators and barriers are encountered when delivering PHC. 3.3 Population and Sample 3.3.1 Population Parahoo (2006) defines population as the total number of units from which data is collected, such as individuals, artefacts, events or organizations. Burns and Grove (2003) describe population as all the elements that meet the criteria for inclusion in a study. They continue to explain that the researcher must recognize a list of characteristics that requisite to be eligible part of the target population. The criteria for inclusion in this study were staff nurses who work in Accident and Emergency Department at Mater Dei Hospital, and have at least five years PHC experience. 3.3.2 Sample Polit and Beck (2004) define a sample as a proportion of a population The sample was chosen from the target population as defined in the inclusion and exclusion criteria. A carefully selected sample can offer data representative of the target population from which it is drawn. However, the aim of qualitative research is to raise insight into a phenomenon rather than assume representativeness. To reach the purpose of this study a purposive sampling technique will be used. Bowling (2002) explains that a purposeful sample is a deliberate and non random method, which aims to sample a group of people with a specific characteristic. The main characteristic of the selected participants in this study is being knowledgeable about the topic, because of their involvement and experience in PHC. Sandelowski (2000) explains that purposive sampling is a preferred method when using qualitative description as it is deemed information rich. 3.3.3 Sampling process The sampling process for this study was carried out in two phases, purposeful sampling for the interviews and a random selection from a group of purposeful selected participants. 3.3.3.1 Phase 1 For the first phase of data collection eight nurses were purposely selected for semi-structured interviews. Purposeful sampling methods were used based on the nurses who have special training in pre-hospital and are considered more experts in the field. This non-probability sampling technique was used since the researcher wanted to get a more in depth description of the pre-hospital nursing care offered. The researcher informed the nursing officer to distribute an invitation letter to the selected participants and those that agree to participate in the study were given a consent form. 3.3.3.2 Phase 2 The sample for second phase where the focus group was carried out was selected randomly from purposefully selected nurses who satisfied the selection criteria (5 years experience in the ambulance service), since the aim of the focus group is to identifying specific issues commonly related to nursing care in the pre-hospital setting. Ten to twelve nurses were randomly selected by the nursing officer who presented them an invitation letter with information about the study. Those who accept the invitation were asked to consent their participation in the focus group by filling out a consent form after having had their queries addressed by the researcher. 3.4 Data Collection Qualitative data collection is the precise, systemic gathering of information relevant to the research problem, using methods such as interviews, participant observations, focus group discussions, narratives and case histories (Burns and Grove, 2003). Data collection techniques in qualitative description usually include minimal to moderate structured interviews and focus group interviews (Neergaard et al. 2009). 3.4.1 Methods of Data Collection Data was collected in two phases. Phase one included data collection by means of semi-structured interviews, were the researcher interviewed nurses who are experts in the field and by the way of their clinical experience and having received specialized training in PHC. Phase two included a focus group which had the aim of identifying specific issues, and add quality to the data obtained from the interviews. The data will be presented and discussed in the results and discussion chapters respectively. 3.4.1.1 Semi Structured Interviews According to Kvale (1996), using a qualitative interview offers the researcher an opening to understand the phenomena under study from the perspective of the interviewee. In this study face to face semi-structured interviews were deemed appropriate as this method is particularly efficient in collecting data which involves opinions and perceptions. Polit and Beck (2004) converse that when performing semi structured interviews the researcher has to prepare in advance a written topic guide, which is a list questions to be covered by the respondents (Appendix 2). The interviewers function is to encourage participants to talk freely about all topics on the list, and to provide as much detail as they wish, and offer illustrations and explanations (Polit and Beck, 2004). 3.4.1.2 Advantages of interviews Among the main advantages of semi structured interviews there are the benefits of conversation that is carried out between the researcher and the informant. However, the conversations are purposeful ones that require advance thought and preparation, so the researcher must not enter into them casually. These face to face interviews can probe fully for responses and clarify ambiguities. Bowling (2002) points out advantages of interviews are that one can check misinterpretations and inconsistencies, and that interviews can provide rich quotable material which enlivens research reports. Kvale (1996), also find interviews beneficial to the participants as they can freely communicate their perceptions and experiences to the researcher. 3.4.1.3 Disadvantages of interviews Nevertheless, despite the many advantages of interviews, there are some limitations for this method of data collection, mainly the fact that interviews can be expensive and time consuming, and there is the potential of interview bias. According to Bowling (2002) techniques for reducing interview bias include good interview training and managing to establish rapport with the participants by putting them at ease, and appearing non-judgmental. 3.4.1.4 Focus Group interviews Another method of data collection used in this study is a focus group interview. Neergaard et al. (2009) recommend the use of focus groups when using qualitative description as focus group interviews seem pertinent to get a broad insight into a subject. According to Parahoo (2006), a focus group discussion is an interaction between one or more researchers and more than one participant for the purpose of collecting data. Holloway (2005) states that in focus group discussion researchers interview participants with common characteristics or experiences for the purpose of eliciting ideas, thoughts and perceptions about a specific topic or certain issues linked to the area of interest. Therefore, in this study the researcher will carry out a focus group discussion with the nurses who deliver PHC, based on findings from previous face to face interviews to elicit discussion on the objectives of the study. 3.4.1.5 Advantages of focus group interviews Focus group discussions have several advantages in obtaining qualitative data. Contrary to face to face interviews, focus group meetings are cheaper, and are quicker in obtaining valuable data (Parahoo, 2006). Bowling (2002) points out that one of the main strengths of focus group meetings is that it makes use of group dynamics which stimulates group discussion to gain insight and generate ideas in order to pursue a topic in greater depth. Parahoo (2006) also points out that participants are provided with an opportunity to reflect and react to the opinion of others with which they may disagree or of which they are unaware. Holloway (2005) also finds focus groups advantageous as they give the opportunity to the participants and researcher to ask questions and informants can build answers on others responses. 3.4.1.5 Disadvantages of focus group interviews Nonetheless, Holloway (2005) also highlights limitations of a focus group as the researcher may find difficulties in managing debate and controlling the process. A disadvantage in focus group discussion may also be due to some participants being introvert while others may dominate the discussion and influence the outcome, or perhaps even introduce bias (Holloway, 2005). Therefore, the researcher must create a good climate to stimulate all informants to participate and keep a balance between participants. Another disadvantage when using a focus group to collect data is the fact that recordings can present problems. Parahoo (2006) stress that taking notes during focus group discussions is not feasible since many people may me talking at the same time. They also point out that tape recordings may only record those that are nearer to the recording making transcription a problem. 3.5 Data Analysis Data analysis is a mechanism for reducing and organising data to produce findings that require interpretation by the researcher (Burns and Grove 2003). Field and Morse (1996) points out that data analysis can be a challenging and creative process characterized by an intimate relationship of the researcher with the participants and the data gathered. 3.5.1 The researchers role in data analysis As researcher reflexivity, bracketing and intuiting were used to lay aside preconceptions regarding the phenomenon being studied and also carried out data analysis simultaneously with data collection. The intellectual process identified by Field and Morse (1996) were followed during data analysis. These comprise of comprehension, synthesising, and theorising. The researcher synthesises the data by putting the pieces together which will enable the researcher to comprehend what is actually going on, then the researcher can prepare a detailed description of the phenomenon under study and give explanations and determine correlation with data gathered (Field and Morse 1996). 3.5.2 Content Analysis Qualitative content analysis is the analysis strategy of choice in qualitative descriptive studies (Sandelowski 2000). Qualitative content analysis is a dynamic form of analysis of verbal and visual data that is oriented towards summarizing the informational content of the data (Polit and Beck 2004). Bowling (2002) explains that with content analysis, the key themes and concepts are identified in the transcripts, and are categorised. Sandelowski (2000) explains that qualitative content analysis is a reflective and interactive process, were the researcher continuously modify their treatment of data to accommodate new data and new insights about the data gathered. Content analysis was carried out for the analysis of data from both face to face interviews and focus group discussion. 3.6 Robustness of Study Critiques of qualitative research may argue that it is impossible to ensure a positivist approach of validity and reliability in qualitative work; however, naturalistic researchers have adopted other measures to ensure rigour and trustworthiness of the qualitative study (Shenton, 2004; Silverman, 2001). In order to pursuit a rigours and trustworthy study, the constructs proposed by Lincoln and Guba (1985), will be followed. These four constructs consist of credibility, transferability, dependability and confirmability. 3.6.1 Establishing Rigor and Trustworthiness A research studies is trustworthy when it reflects the reality and ideas of the participants. Lincoln and Guba, (1985) add that trustworthiness of research depends on the extent to which it delves into participants experiences apart from their theoretical knowledge. In this study trustworthiness was guaranteed by the researcher by putting aside preconceived ideas about the phenomenon under study and returned to the informants to ascertain that the description was a true reflection of their opinions and perceptions. According to Polit and Beck (2004) credibility is similar to internal validity in quantitative research. Adopting a well established research method is one measure that can confirm credibility and ensure internal validity of the study. Bowling (2002) recognises the importance of incorporating correct operational measures for the concepts being studied. Therefore, importance was given so that the most adaptable methodology and methods used were suitable for this study. A thick description of the phenomenon under scrutiny was conveyed in detail so the actual situation that was investigated is understood. Lincoln and Guba (1985), stress the close ties between credibility and dependability, arguing that, in practice, a demonstration of the former goes some distance in ensuring the later. Without this detailed description it will be difficult for the reader of the final account to determine the extent of credibility and dependability. Another measure to ensure credibility is that the researcher shows familiarity with the culture of the participating organisation. Since the researcher works in a similar setting and was previously employed in the department which is being studied, gives the researcher a good understanding of the culture of the participants. However, the researcher must give special attention so that professional judgements are not influenced and must acknowledge this in order to reduce researcher bias. According to Shenton (2004), random sampling is also a great way to guarantee credibility and can help to reduce the researchers bias. However, random sampling in qualitative research may not always be possible. In this study a purposive selection technique was used to give the researcher control in choosing participants with different levels of experience. Even though a purposive selection was carried out, participants had the right to withdraw from the study and they were not required to disclose an explanation. Besides being ethically correct this ensured that participants were genially willing to take part in the study and that they were prepared to offer data freely giving more credibility to the study. Lincoln and Guba (1985) consider member checks, peer scrutiny and debriefing sessions important provisions that can be made to bolster a studys credibility and reliability. The researcher checked data during collection and perform dialogues with participants. Informants were also asked to read transcripts in which they have participated for verification. The researcher carried out debriefing sessions with supervisors and was open to peer scrutiny, in order to help identify the development of new ideas and interpretations which may assist the researcher to refine the research methods and strengthen arguments brought up from data collected. These meetings also helped the researcher recognise any biases. Transferability is related to the external validity of the research project. Since qualitative assignments are specific to a small number of particular environments and individuals, it is practically impossible to demonstrate that findings are applicable to other situations (Shenton, 2004). However, in order to offer transferability of findings the researcher ensured that sufficient contextual information about the phenomenon under investigation was provided to allow readers to have a proper understanding of it. 3.7 Ethical Considerations Research has many ethical implications and participants rights, such as the right to refuse to participate to the study, right to refuse to answer certain questions, the right for confidentiality and the right for informed consent, which should at all time take precedence over research objectives (Parahoo, 2006). Therefore, throughout all the stages of research process, it was ensured that ethical principles were maintained so participants were safe guarded against harm. Participants had the right to choose not to participate and similarly the right to withdraw at any point. In this regard, participants were informed of the study in writing and were asked for their consent to participate to both the face to face interviews and the focus group. The consent letters were distributed to the nursing officer who was instructed to pass these on to the selected nurses. In the consent letter, participants were informed about the confidentiality of their responses and also that some of the responses might be quoted to add value to the presentation of results and discussion in the study. However, they were also ensured that measures were taken so that no individual respondent was identified. After completion of the study all data collected and recordings of interviews and the focus groups will be destroyed. Gathering of all relevant permission from the hospital authorities, Data Protection Officer and University Research Ethics Committee of the University of Malta to carry out this research study were sought. (Appendix)