Financial Analysis of Vodafone

Financial Analysis of Vodafone Vodafone group PLC is a British multinational mobile network operatorheadquarter in Newbury, England. It has formed in 1984 as a subsidiary of recal electronics PLC. It became an independent company in 1991 and changed its name to Vodafone group PLC on 2000.Vodafone is a world leading mobile telecommunications company. Vodafone provides a wide range of Communication services, including voice calls, SMS text messaging, MMS picture and video messaging, internet. Access and other data services Vodafone is the world largest telecommunication network company with 146 subsidiaries Vodafone directly own and manage about 2,200 stores around the world and they also have around 10,300 Vodafone-branded stores run through franchise and exclusive dealer arrangement, An industry with 5.6 billion customers with growth driven by increasing global demand for data services and rising mobile penetration in emerging markets. TYPES OF ORGANIZATIONS An Organization is a group of people that working together towards a common goal. There are 2 types of Organizations. Private Sector Public Sector Private Sector It is the part of national economy that is not directly controlled by the government. It provides more job opportunities for the people. So they will give a good support to the government. Private Sector includes sole traders, partnerships, joint ventures, limited companies, Co-operatives, clubs and societies. Sole Trader ship It has no complexities, with minimum interference of statutes, which is run by a single individual with his own capital, the decisions too being taken by himself. The most common business unit of the world is these. The main reason for this is that, ability of this business to be carried on without the necessity for adherence to rules. Partnerships It is a legal relationship between two or more individuals who are working together to achieve a specific goal. They should have an intention to earn profits, Collective responsibilities and a common destiny or goal. Joint ventures It is a short term association of a few persons in order to accomplish a specific task. Generally they do not use a business name. The joint venture is dissolved when the specific task is accomplished. This is a short term business type. Incorporate Companies In Sri Lanka institution registered under the companies ACT NO.7 OF 2007 is considered as an incorporated company. It includes Limited Companies, Companies limited by guarantees, unlimited companies, Offshore Companies, Foreign Companies. Public Sector It is the part of an economy that is directly controlled by the government. Public Sector is the largest sector of any economy in the country. It provides basic goods or services that cannot be provided by the private sector. It includes Gov. Departments, Gov. Corporations, and Gov. Companies. It is also known as State Sector or the Government Sector. Responsibilities of stakeholders Stakeholders are individuals, groups or organizations that have an interest in the activities and behavior of a business. They can be internal stakeholders, like employees and partners, or external, such as customers, suppliers, government or the media for example. All stakeholders can influence as well as be influenced by Vodafone. Every Stakeholder has responsibilities towards the Vodafone to achieve vodafones goals and objectives. Owners and share holders As the owner of a business, it is the responsibility to pay for employees and provide them with proper benefits, including sick time and health insurance. Aside from payment and benefits, responsibilities of an entrepreneur include listening to employee concerns keeping employees in good working conditions, and hiring and firing employees when needed. Managers The manager must be able to ensure that all requirements of his department are met on time and motivate employees to perform at their highest capabilities. He must also know exactly what each of his staff is capable of and give them work that they can complete effectively while also challenging them to achieve more. Staff and employees They have to perform their tasks carefully, keep business and professional secrets confidential. They have to follow the supervisors instructions and improve their abilities and skills. They have to be honest and polite to the company. Customers After using goods or services they have a responsibility to give feedback to the company. Customers have to provide clear and correct information about their needs and wants. And they have to give the correct information required. They have to be loyal and honest to the company. Suppliers They have to supply the good quality products to the company at right place at right time. They have to be honest to the company. Have an effective communication process with the company. Government They provide rules, regulations, lows, and policies for business. They have to find weather the business is legal or not and they can provide licenses for the sensitive products. Identify Vodafone profile Mission statement; To enrich customers lives through the unique power of mobile communication Vision statement; To be the worlds mobile communication leader Goals Goals are the clearly stated objectives of the company, Vodafone has stated six global strategic goals Delight our customers Built the best global Vodafone team Leverageglobal scale and scope Expand market boundaries Be a responsible business Provide superior shareholder returns Values Values are the beliefs of an individual or a group. Vodafone has four core values described internally as passions For customers For results For Vodafone people For the world around Vodafone Vodafone growth Vodafones Key revenue performance indicators Vodafone group PLC has shown their growth of revenue in this table. We also aim to lead the tablet segment, which is growing rapidly. We were the first operator to launch an Android Honeycomb tablet with the Samsung Galaxy Tab 10.1v and we have started to distribute the Apple iPod 2. During the year we introduced the Vodafone K4605 USB stick which provides theoretical peak data download speeds of 42.2 Mbps using 3G/HSDPA technology and a 4G/LTE USB stick which has the potential for faster download speeds. We also launched Vodafone WebBox and Vodafone TV services (Annual report-2011 page23). Vodafone market share We can clearly identify the market share of the Vodafone group has increased rapidly year by year. The good will of the vodafone has increased by providing perfect service for thie customers and could have create loyal customers. Different types of economic systems Capitalism (market economy) Capitalism is an economic system in which the means of production are privately owned and the firms mainly target profits, in competitive markets. it is known as market economy because it is seek to maximize satisfaction or profit through own decision regarding consumption or production. Characteristics all resources are owned by individuals The decisions about the allocation of those resources are made by individuals without government intervention No significant economic role for government is necessary. The concept of supply and demand plays a role in determining the pricing structure A market economy encourages competition. The U.S. is most commonly example for market economy which had many provisions that facilitated and protected the market economys characteristics.. Advantages: The market gives producers an incentive to produce goods that consumers want. The market provides an incentive to acquire useful skills. The price system encourages producers and consumers to conserve scarce resources. Disadvantages (1) A private market economy may be quite unstable (unemployment, inflation, growth) (2) Business may simply satisfy the wants they have created through advertising. (3) Prices may affect to the consumers (4) Markets just do not work in some areas such as public goods, and national defense Socialism (command economy) Characteristics The government creates a central economic plan for all sectors and regions of the country. The government allocates all resources according to the central plan. The goal is to use the nations capital, labor and natural resources in the most effective way possible The central plan sets the priorities for production of all goods and services. The goal is to supply enough food, housing and other basics to meet the needs of everyone in the country. Cuba, North Korea, China, Russia and Iran are the most commonly examples of command economies. Russias Go plan has been the most studied. It was also the longest running, lasting from the 1930s until the late 1980s. Advantages The govt. Will ensure a more equal distribution of income and wealth Essential goods/services will be provided to the community The govt. Can determine which goods are produced. 1. There is little consumer choice. 2. Little variety of goods and services 3. Loss of individual freedom 4. Leads to allocate and productive inefficiency 5. Subsidies on essential goods and services quickly lead to shortages. Mixed economy A mixed economy is an economic system that incorporates aspects of more than one economic system. This kind of economic system has both privately-owned and state-owned enterprises or that combines elements of capitalism and socialism, economic systems. Characteristics private sector business activity encouraged. taxes used to collect revenue to pay for state goods and services. The government also provides services such as education, health, military defense, legal and infrastructure to society. The government plays an important role in resolving economic problems faced by society advantages less inequality of income because intent of government is to have a balanced economic growth of an economy. allows individuals to run their business and make profits Goods and services are produced to benefit the society rather then to benefit the economy. Fiscal policy Fiscal policy is the use of taxes and government spending to control the economic activity of a country.the government uses this policy to continue, Economic growth Price stability Full employment Expansionary fiscal policy Before the government spending increase and before the tax rate reduction or both GDP is low because the price level of the economy is low. After increase G and reduction T, GDP is high because increase of the AD. Shifting the graph to the right. (AD to AD1 )This is accomplished by increasing aggregate expenditures and aggregate demand through an increase in government spending or a decrease in taxes. Expansionary fiscal policy leads to a larger government budget deficit or a smaller budget surplus. Crowding out effect C:Documents and SettingslankaDesktopquestion_24.gif Contractionary fiscal policy Before the tax increase and government spending decrease or both GDP is high because price level is high. After increase tax and decreased government expenditure increased AD is low, GDP is low and price level is low. Contractionary Fiscal Policy creates budget surplus shifting the graph to the left(AD1.to AD) . monetary Policy Monetary Policy consists of change in money supply to influence interest rates and thus the total level of spending in the economy. Monetary policy tools are, Open market operations This is the most important instrument to control the money supply and demand of the economy.FED buying bonds from banks and public to expand monetary policy by increasing bank reserves. FED selling the bonds to the bank and public to tight the monetary policy by reducing the bank reserves. Reserve ratio It is Designed to change the amount of required reserves. FED raises the ratios to cantrction the monetary policy. It means bank loose the reserves and reduce the ability of the creating money. FED lowers reserve ratios to expan the monetary policy, banks gain tha reserves and ability to create money. Discount rate Interest rate charge by FED on the loans they granted to commercial banks. Easy money policy (Contractionary monetary policy) It is the monetary policy that seeks to increase the size of the money supply by buying securities, lower the reserve rate and lower the discount rate. These all directly impact the interest rate.FED increase bank reserves by purchasing securities and at the lower rate bank can keep more money in the volute and create money. C:Documents and SettingslankaLocal SettingsTemporary Internet FilesContent.Wordfig115.gif It is the monetary policy that FED seeks to reduce money supply in the market by selling securities, increasing the reserve rate, and rising the discount rate. It is causes to reduce bank reserves and volute money at banks. It is decrease money supply in the economy. In the curve shifted to the left (Ms1 to Ms2) Fiscal policy impact to the Vodafone UK Because of the UK statutory tax rate reduced to 26%, effective from 1 April 2011 and the impact on the year end tax balances. EBITDA increased by 8.0% with the EBITDA margin increasing by 0.7 percentage points, reflecting higher service revenue. A shareholder in the Company who is an individual resident for UK tax purposes in the United Kingdom is entitled, in calculating their liability to UK income tax, to a tax credit on cash dividends we pay on our shares and the tax credit is equal to one-ninth of the cash dividend. The tax free allowance all income earners are allowed to earn an amount of income before they start to pay tax., the personal tax free allowance in the UK for 2011-2012 was  £7,475. Monetary policy impact to the Vodafone UK According to the Vodafone annual report, 45.9bn revenue performs in 2011 and it is 3.2% growth in compared with 2010. It is because the UK government expands the monetary policy by buying Bonds from people and it caused to money supply increased. People has more money to spend on Vodafone services and products there for the demand of the mobile customers are increased by 14.5% to 370.9 m. International trade The economic interaction among different nations involving the exchange of goods and services, that is, exports and imports. The guiding principle of international trade is comparative advantage, which indicates that every country, no matter their level of development, can find something that it can produce cheaper than another country. As a multi national company, Vodafone Global Enterprise manages the communication needs of over 560 of our largest multinational corporate customers. It provides a range of managed services which bring together every aspect of a customers telecommunications infrastructure, both fixed and mobile,(Annual report Vodafone group-2011) Advantages by international trade for Vodafone Quality of the product has been increased because of high competition with foreign businesses Having an open economy Growth of high technologically methods using by Vodafone group Increased company reputation world wide Market share has been increased Disadvantages smart phones and the tablet market begins to take off. markets remain competitive and the economic environment, particularly across southern Europe, is challenging. Foreign Industry regulators continue to impose lower mobile termination rates and lower roaming prices. The combination of competition and regulatory pressures. Increase prices of the Vodafone products because of tariffs. Emerging markets Definition The term emerging markets is commonly used to describe an economy with a GDP per capita substantially below the advanced world average and typically with a growth potential above the global average. According to the World Banks definition an emerging markets country has a Gross National Income (GNI) per capita less than approximately USD 9,000.(growing markets) The most exciting emerging markets are, BRICs( Brazil, Russia, India, China), Mexico, South Africa, Clombia, Hungary, Indonesia, Turkey, Poland, Malaysia,Chile,peru, Thailand. Barriers to entering emerging markets for UK businesses Differences in language and culture are important barriers to entering fast-growing markets like the BRICs. Global trade has always been vital to the UK UK firms looking to export for the first time continue to face too many barriers that put them at a competitive disadvantage to their overseas competitors. capital is drives many businesses to take on the risks of doing business in emerging markets. Considering about the success of Vodafones in emerging markets, The number of customers using mobile services in emerging markets such as India and Africa has grown rapidly over the last ten years, increasing by over 17 times, compared to nearly 130% in more mature markets such as Europe. increased revenue market share in India and Turkey. Approximately 75% of mobile customers are in emerging markets such as India and China. EU crisis This week BCC met with a delegation from APEX, the Brazilian trade and investment promotion agency. It is clear that there are vast opportunities in the country, as indeed there are in the other emerging markets, which UK firms are yet to take full advantage of. BCCs latest research confirms that the EU remains the most popular destination for UK exports. Just under half of Chamber exporters see the large and faster-growing BRIC economies of Brazil, Russia, India and China as the best prospective markets for increasing business over the next twelve months. Unfortunately, exporters to the fast-growing BRIC markets are the most likely to encounter barriers that hold back sales.

Science and Morality in Shelleys Frankenstein - Consequences of Technology :: Frankenstein essays

The Consequences of Technology Revealed in Shelley's Frankenstein      Ã‚  Ã‚   In Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein, written in the late nineteenth century, the author proposes that knowledge and technology can be dangerous to individuals and all of humanity.   Frankenstein was one of the first cautionary tales about scientific research.   Shelley's novel offers profound insight of the consequences of morally insensitive scientific and technological research.    Learn from me. . . at least by my example, how dangerous is the acquirement of knowledge and how   much happier that man is who believes his native town to be the world, than he who aspires to become greater than his nature will allow (Shelley 101)      Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   The popular belief of how Frankenstein came to be written derives from Shelley herself, who explains in an introduction to the novel that she, her husband Percy Shelly, and Lord Byron set themselves the task of creating ghost stories during a short vacation at a European villa.   According to Shelley, the short story she conceived was predicated of the notion as the eighteenth became the nineteenth century that electricity could be a catalyst of life.   In her introduction she recalls the talk about Erasmus Darwin, who had preserved a piece of vermicelli in a glass case, till by some extraordinary means it began to move with voluntary motion," (Joseph vii).   The extraordinary means forms the basis for Frankenstein.   Many people also believe that a nightmare that Mary Shelley had could also be partly responsible for the creation of the novel.      Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   At the time the novel was written, England was on the brink of leading the Industrial revolution in Europe.   The experiments of Huntsman (crucible steel manufacture), Newcome (steam-powered pumps), and Cochrane (coal tar production) throughout the eighteenth century in England were decisive in the initial transformation of England into an industrialized country (Burke 137, 173, 195).   The emerging age of technology appears to have found followers throughout the culture and to have become firmly reinforced by the time   Frankenstein was written.   Eric Rabkin (author), says that in England early in the eighteenth century, "there exist a populous discourse community that accepted the rhetoric of science" (Rabkin 39).   This rhetoric has proof extending back to the English Renaissance. Those sensitive to change and those prepared to embrace a rhetoric of change need not be scientists.   While scientists address a discourse community of scientists, novelists   Ã‚   address a wider discourse community of the literate.   If we can accept the earlier   argument that science and poetry are not ontologically antagonistic, then we might well hope to find fictional uses of the rhetoric of science . Science and Morality in Shelley's Frankenstein - Consequences of Technology :: Frankenstein essays The Consequences of Technology Revealed in Shelley's Frankenstein      Ã‚  Ã‚   In Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein, written in the late nineteenth century, the author proposes that knowledge and technology can be dangerous to individuals and all of humanity.   Frankenstein was one of the first cautionary tales about scientific research.   Shelley's novel offers profound insight of the consequences of morally insensitive scientific and technological research.    Learn from me. . . at least by my example, how dangerous is the acquirement of knowledge and how   much happier that man is who believes his native town to be the world, than he who aspires to become greater than his nature will allow (Shelley 101)      Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   The popular belief of how Frankenstein came to be written derives from Shelley herself, who explains in an introduction to the novel that she, her husband Percy Shelly, and Lord Byron set themselves the task of creating ghost stories during a short vacation at a European villa.   According to Shelley, the short story she conceived was predicated of the notion as the eighteenth became the nineteenth century that electricity could be a catalyst of life.   In her introduction she recalls the talk about Erasmus Darwin, who had preserved a piece of vermicelli in a glass case, till by some extraordinary means it began to move with voluntary motion," (Joseph vii).   The extraordinary means forms the basis for Frankenstein.   Many people also believe that a nightmare that Mary Shelley had could also be partly responsible for the creation of the novel.      Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   At the time the novel was written, England was on the brink of leading the Industrial revolution in Europe.   The experiments of Huntsman (crucible steel manufacture), Newcome (steam-powered pumps), and Cochrane (coal tar production) throughout the eighteenth century in England were decisive in the initial transformation of England into an industrialized country (Burke 137, 173, 195).   The emerging age of technology appears to have found followers throughout the culture and to have become firmly reinforced by the time   Frankenstein was written.   Eric Rabkin (author), says that in England early in the eighteenth century, "there exist a populous discourse community that accepted the rhetoric of science" (Rabkin 39).   This rhetoric has proof extending back to the English Renaissance. Those sensitive to change and those prepared to embrace a rhetoric of change need not be scientists.   While scientists address a discourse community of scientists, novelists   Ã‚   address a wider discourse community of the literate.   If we can accept the earlier   argument that science and poetry are not ontologically antagonistic, then we might well hope to find fictional uses of the rhetoric of science .

Jeannie Brown and Invasive Group A Streptococcus :: essays research papers

our everyday lives bacteria is constantly surrounding us, some of the bacterium that we encounter are beneficial to us but then there are the ones that are severely detrimental to our health. The way that they effect a persons body can differ from person to person. Many of the â€Å"microscopic foes† are very resilient and have a very fast reproduction rate. Not only do they reproduce quickly they sometimes seem to outsmart our immune system and not allow our bodies to fight the infection making it almost impossible to stop them. One thing that a lot if people rely on is the assistance of prescription drugs to get them better but even the drugs are not being effective and we can’t stop the pathogens from invading our personal places such as work, home, school, or anywhere. Even though modern medicine is advancing the pathogens could still get the get the best of us. The scary thing is we never know when the next pandemic or epidemic is going to arise. All it needs is s ome ordinary microbe to swap genes with a deadly germ to produce a â€Å"super pathogen† and it could happen to anyone, anywhere, as it did to Jeannie Brown who is from â€Å"our neck of the woods†. Jeannie Brown was a hard working thirty- two year old woman from Canton North Carolina. She worked two jobs to make ends meet at home for her and her ten year old son. Jeannie was insecure about her recent weight gain and that caused her to get sucked into depression. Not only was she stressed and depressed she also had high blood pressure which she was taking medication for. Jeannie needed a break and she decided that she was going to take one and go to Myrtle Beach with one of her friends for a relaxing three day weekend. After they got settled in at the beach Jeannie changed into her bathing suit and it was then when she noticed an unfamiliar feeling in her neck and behind her left ear. She also said that she felt as if there was a knot in her neck. Jeannie then asked her friend if she noticed anything different. There were no visible signs that would make them come to the conclusion that anything significant was wrong with her. Not â€Å"overreacting† to the situation they came to the conclusion that Jeannie had probably slept funny the night before, so they continued with there day relaxing on the beach.

How to Handle the Situation After Missing a Test or an Important Assign

How to Handle the Situation After Missing a Test or an Important Assignment If you have ever missed a test or failed to turn in a major assignment on time, then you know that the longer you’ve been gone, the harder it becomes to work on that late project. What can you do to break the cycle of avoidance and delay? Realize that your absence weighs heavier on your mind than the other person’s. Advisors are not losing sleep over late dissertation proposals and journal editors aren’t agonizing over missing manuscripts. The project is more important to you than anyone else. Remember, when you do get in touch, the person is unlikely to be angry and punitive. We tend to be much harsher about our own tardiness than we are about other people’s delays. Advisors know it is difficult to write dissertation drafts. Journal editors are accustomed to academics who take a long time to turn around R&R manuscripts. Lower rather than raise your standards when you’re running late. Don’t try to make your work more polished to make up for taking so long. Just try to get something sent out for feedback. End the cycle by chanting to yourself â€Å"A done dissertation is a good dissertation† or â€Å"A published paper is the only paper that counts.† Get in touch even before you have the â€Å"completed product† ready for review. Try to get in touch as soon as you know that you are going to miss the deadline. Let the person know that you are working on your project. Facing your fear of the other person’s disapproval and re-establishing contact, will help lower your anxiety so that you can get back to work Beware of setting deadlines you won’t be able to meet. If you are running late with a project, and you decide to resume contact, try not to set yourself... ...or the point. You’re late. You’re sorry. You’re now doing your best to complete the project. Try a â€Å"practice run† before clicking on the send button. I often advise coaching clients to write a draft of a difficult email without typing in the address to prevent sending an unfinished message accidentally. Often, clients report that once they’ve drafted a short ‘hello’ it feels surprisingly easy to send the email. Keep in mind that even if you get a negative reaction when you revive contact, at least you’ve faced your dread of the unknown. Anticipating how the other person may respond to your missed deadline can feel like a black hole of potential admonishment. Even if your advisor or colleague is angry, at least you can begin to repair the relationship rather than allow resentment to fester. Get in touch and get it over with. You are likely to experience relief.

Al Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula Essay

Stability in the Arabian Peninsula region has been a concern for the United States for some time now. AQAP poses a direct threat against the U.S. and U.S. interests of Stability and Security in the Arabian Peninsula. This instability and threat is why I have chosen the AQAP as the FTO to research making the next attack. The AQAP comes from the merging of the al Qaeda cells from Yemen and in Saudi Arabia. There are approximately one –two hundred members, with thousands of supporters. The merger took place in January 2009, due to the success of the Saudi Arabian government in destroying al Qaeda’s infrastructure in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. AQAP is a subsidiary of the al Qaeda, whose center of gravity is in Pakistan and Afghanistan, but works independently of its parent organization. Since formation occurred, they are responsible for a number of attacks on the â€Å"West† and are considered responsible parties of the â€Å"UPS and FEDEX cargo bombing attemptsâ €  (Kurczy, 2010). They were deemed a terrorist organization on December 14, 2009, by U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton. (Gerstein, 2010). Prior to the formation of AQAP, al Qaeda claimed responsibility for numerous attacks in Saudi Arabia and Yemen. Those attacks include: the 1993 attack on World Trade Center, 1998 suicide bombings of Embassies, the 2000 bombing of the USS Cole, and the 2008 car bombing outside the U.S. Embassy in Sana’ killing 19 people including 6 of the terrorists (Poland, 2005 ). AQAP has claimed to plan on targeting oil facilities, tourists, and security forces in the future. It is believed though that AQAP provided spiritual guidance by U.S. Citizen Anwar al Awlaki to U.S. Army Maj. Nidal Malik Hasan, who was the gunman behind the 2009 Ft. Hood killings and the December 2009 attempt to down a passenger airline to Detroit. Responsible parties to these terroristic events are said to be that of the top five â€Å"key leaders† of AQAP. These men include are in order of their rank from the top spot of leaders to the last. 1. Ibrahim Hassan al-Asiri, aka the bomb maker. He is believed to be the creator of the bombs intercepted in October last year on cargo planes. 2. Anwar al-Awlaki, aka the chief ideologue. He is suspected of being part of three unsuccessful terrorist attacks to include the Fort Hood Shootings (Bryant, C., & Kasinof, L., 2010), bombing attempt on airliner jet on Christmas, and the Times Square bombing on May 2. 3. Said Ali al-Shihri, deputy chief of AQAP. He is suspected of participation in  September 2008 US Embassy attack and the kidnapping of nine missionaries in June 2009 according to Fox News. 4. Qasim al-Raymi, military commander. He followed Osama bin Laden’s lead on media releases â€Å"building an ever-more sophisticated propaganda arm for al Qaeda in Arabian Peni nsula† (Kurczy, 2010). 5. Nasir al Wuhayshi, head of AQAP. Known as the personal secretary of Osama bin Laden (Kurczy, 2010). Most of AQAP is made up of fighters that returned from Afghanistan during the Russian invasion and fighters that have been serving in Iraq and Afghanistan. They lure new recruits who are sympathetic to al Qaeda and have animosity towards the U.S. and western nations. The recruiting pool is vast in the region with fighters fleeing Iraq and Afghanistan and relocating to Yemen and Somalia. Both countries have weak central governments that are conducive for lawlessness in the region and have vast ungoverned territory. Government cooperation with American counter-terrorism efforts has historically been spotty and portions of both populations are hostile to the United States. (Kerry, 2010) AQAP aims to overthrow the Yemeni government for its support to the U.S. and its offensive operations against al Qaeda. The group also emphasizes its global ambitions and desire to target western interests within the region. Additionally, AQAP has stated it will focus on cutting supply lines of western nations supporting Israel and looks to expand its influence throughout the region (Boucek, 2010). The animosity against the western nations continues to grow, as does the technology and ideas for new weapons. The newest information is that a poisoned perfume plot against religious and government officials was prevented due to arrest of 149 al Qaeda suspects. This is just an example of the creativity AQAP has come up with. Last summer the country’s Deputy Interior Minister had been attempted to be assassinated by a bomber with the weapon in his anus (Rawnsley, 2010). These weapons are just the newest form used by AQAP. Yemen has emerged as a major staging base for al Qaeda and other likeminded groups for attacking American targets within Yemen as well as to reach targets outside of Yemen including the United States. U.S. officials have warned that al Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula was a growing threat even before the failed 2009, Christmas Day airline bombing attempt (Kerry, 2010). In February 2009, Director of National Intelligence Dennis Blair stated that, â€Å"Yemen is reemerging as a jihadist battleground and potential regional base of operations for Al Qaeda  to plan internal and external attacks, train terrorists, and facilitate the movement of operatives.† (Rollins, 2010). The threat coming from AQAP is greater than the threat coming from al Qaeda’s central leadership located in Pakistan. AQAP is increasingly a more pressing concern for U.S. national security. AQAP has relative freedom of movement in the Arabian Peninsula and region which allows for its ability to increase its ranks through recruitment as well as its ability to train new recruits. Additionally, AQAP has also shown its ability to influence other like-minded individuals to conduct attacks to our homeland with little to no warning. AQAP has proven it has the means and capability to attempt to conduct attacks globally although it has yet to be successful. It is only a matter of time before they possess the ability and trained personnel that are able to conduct something equal to or greater than the attacks against the United States on September 11, 2001. AQAP poses a direct threat to the U.S. and U.S. interest of stability and security in the Arabian Peninsula. AQAP is capable of every threat that has been uttered against the US and western countries. The US as well as the other western territories that are considered allies against AQAP, can end or at least moderate the terroristic threat by â€Å"interdicting terrorists, disrupt their planning, restrict their travel, reduce the flow of financial (EO 13224 signed 9/23/01) and material support to terrorist groups, and enable partner governments to assert control over weakly governed territory where terrorists find sanctuary† (US Department of State, 2005). The Antiterrorism Assistance program is a well used deterrent against FTO’s such as AQAP. The AQAP became a bigger threat than al Qaeda, and the instability and security issues within the Arabian Peninsula are threats we must contend with. With the knowledge and training gained since the imperative attacks on American soil in 2001, we can deter and detain these terrorists and protect our homeland and allies. The ideologies and animosity against the US and other western nations are targeted towards the recruiting of others who sympathize with al Qaeda. Preemptive and retaliatory methods are other forces to use to impede the AQAP’s threats and/or attacks. It is also noted in the Country Reports that by American’s helping partner nations in the quest for improving their abilities to detect and prevent terrorist activities this will clearly enhance the overall security of all nations (US Department of State, 2005). References Boucek, Christopher (2010). Terrorism out of Yemen. Carnegie Endowment for International Peace. Retrieved from http://carnegieendowment.org/publications/index.cfm?fa=view&id=41705 References Bryant, C., & Kasinof, L. (2010, October 29). Suspicious UPS, FedEx packages raise new concerns about Al Qaeda in Yemen. Christian Science Monitor. p. N.PAG. Retrieved from EBSCOhost CPJ. (2008, April 15). Iraq: Journalists Abducted 2003-09. Retrieved March 15, 2011, from Committee to Protect Journalists: Defending Journalists Worldwide: http://cpj.org/reports/2008/04/abducted.php. Gerstein, Josh (2010). Clinton named Al Qaeda Yemen as terror group. Politico. Retrieved from http://www.politico.com/blogs/joshgerstein/0110/Clinton_named_AlQaeda_Yemen_as_terror_group_a_month_ago.html Kerry, John (2010). Al Qaeda in Yemen and Somalia: A ticking Time Bomb. Committee on foreign relations United States Senate. Retrieved from http://www.fas.org/irp/congress/2010_rpt/sfrc-aq.pdf Kurczy, S. (2010, November 2). Five key members of Al Qaeda in Yemen (AQAP). Christian Science Monitor. p. N.PAG. Retrieved from EBSCOhost. Poland, J. (2005 ). Understanding terrorism: Groups, strategies, and response s 2nd edition. Upper Saddle River: Pearson. Rawnsley, A. (2010, December 7). Danger Room What’s Next in National Security. Retrieved March 15, 2011, from Wired: http://www.wired.com/dangerroom/2010/12/al-qaedas-latest-weapon-poison-perfume/ Rollins, John (2010). Al Qaeda and Affiliates: Historical Perspective, Global Presence, and Implications for U.S. Policy. Congressional research Service. Retrieved from http://www.fas.org/sgp/crs/terror/R41070.pdf US Department of National Security. (2006). The National Security Strategy of the United States of America. Washington DC: USDOS. US Department of State. (2005). Country Reports on Terrorism 2004. Washington DC: US Government.

Female Gender Role and Video Games in the Modern World Essay

Video games are an electronic game that involves human interaction with a user interface to generate visual feedback on a video device. Sixty-five percent of the households in the U. S play video games and two out of five gamers are female. Approximately ninety percent of video games feature men on their covers, and most of the women that are shown on the covers are portrayed in sexual and seductive ways. Female gender roles in video games are primarily presented as sexual object prizes and victims, but on the other hand male gender roles are shown as heroes, villains, and SUPER STRONG! Even the story of the most popular videogame â€Å"Super Mario† is about a hero saving the princess from the super villain Bowser, the male turtle-like monster. This reveals that female gender roles in video games are dependent on men, and women are portrayed as weaker than male gender roles in the game. The battle of equality has been fought by women throughout the generations and cultures, and has now reached the video game industry. If we look at outcomes, women have prevailed in most industry statistics, and there is no reason to believe that their right to be respected, their leadership roles within the games and as well, their ability to produce and develop games within the market place will not be denied. In Katherine Fletcher’s piece â€Å"Confessions of a call of Duty girl: Women in games today, she says that, â€Å"about 40% of the gaming population is made up of women, yet we are severely under represented and if we are represented it is in an overtly sexual way. (Fletcher, 2010) To repeat a commonly held phrase, sex sells, in the gaming industry. According to Fruzina Eordogh, â€Å"Sexually charged conversation is the dominant voice,† (Eordogh) apparently, male gamers want to see â€Å"boobs and skin†. Women who are gamers are frustrated by the lack of respect for their gender playing and creating the games in an organization that, according to Fletcher’s, â€Å"seeks to a ddress the industry’s gender awareness about women in the games industry,† (Fletcher,2010) the hope that this organization will develop a fuller understanding of games and game playing associations. Video games are played globally and have the opportunity to educate cultures about gender equality within the game as well as the equality of game creators. The initial audience for video games was males and focusing on the younger generation. The people making the games were men, starting in their basements; some were professional programmer, hobbyists, and women came late to the math, science and technology related fields, so the men had the advantage from the beginning. Today the gaming industry is a huge global market with 67 billion achieved in 2012, and new reports forecast 82 billion by 2015 easily. It is obviously clear that women will work to be a part of this gaming industry as they were in the growth of film and television. Today there is greater gender equality in the acting profession as well as in production. It is to be noted that today more and more female characters are demonstrating a strength that writers and developers have previously denied them. The field can be challenged when, â€Å"EA Sports, responsible for the lion’s share of sports video games, was recently called out by a 12 year old girl for continually failing to include woman in its smash hit FIFA soccer series and the presence of hyper sexualized female characters is hardly a thing of the past. † (Morris, 2013) Things are changing even in the parts where they aren’t the star in the game; female characters are showing strength and character development. It will take time and constant vigilance for women to achieve gender respect and equality in the field It is interesting to note that women are enjoying the art of playing games. The average age of a gamer is 30 years old and has been playing for at least 12 years. 68 percent of all gamers are 18 years of age or older. 47 percent of players are women, and women who are 18 years of age are over one of the industry’s fastest growing demographics. Another interesting fact is that today, adult women represent a greater portion of game-playing population than boys age 17 or younger. With this demonstration of women involved in playing games, there must be greater sensitivity in gender roles in the games. Women will not put up with old stereotypical attitudes in these games. As their playing numbers increase women will become responsible for making financial decisions that will affect the success or failure of products. If women are not respected in gaming roles, they will make their preferences felt, and the number of sales for a particular product will fall short. As the gap between numbers of gender gamers lessens, the industry ill have to look at the decision of targeting or, creating female- targeted games similar to male targeted games. Possibly the goal should be gender neutral games. to encourage the creative role of women producers in the industry. The development of games that are gender neutral will probably end up to be the industry’s choice. There will always be a small percentage of male and female gamers that prefer the old style stereo typi ng of men and women, but as education today encourage gender neutrality, the majority of gamers will enjoy the neutrality of games. Women will be encouraged to move in to the leadership field with the exiting challenges of creating new products. As in any new field, confusion as to direction can make or break the bank. There is still discussion in the boardrooms about male and female directed games. Some female developers are working on female- only games and are calling them â€Å"the games by girls for girls. † These have been supported by companies such as her Interactive, Girl Games, Girl Tech, Silicon Sisters, and Purple Moon. These are female owned and female staffed. These companies hope to stimulate a female- only market stressing on the fundamental differences between what girls want and like as do boys want and like in gaming. It is of interest to note that older female gamers prefer the gender neutral games. The Wii game has certainly introduced the females to this type of gaming and it has been hugely financially successful. Financial success is always the deciding factor in the market place, and it makes sense to target the untapped female gamer population rather than restricting the market to males only. Keith Stuart, writer for The GuardiN introduces his Article by saying,† Nearly half of the UK’s video game players Re women, and now they are designing and writing them too, in lauding top sellers Gears of War 3, Deus Ex: Human Revolution, as well as Uncharted 3. These three were the biggest game releases last year, and all were written by women. Siobhan Reddy, Studio Manager at Media Molecule says that, â€Å"games development is becoming more appealing to girls as a potential career. † Women have grown up with technology all around them, and in an era where entertainment, games and music are combined. In conclusion, women are growing in the video game and not so dependent on men as leaders. In the singing, men use females in games as sexual objects and remained the hero-who-saved-the-women. As the time keeps passes, our generation enjoys and needs more and more gender neutral games. The sexual exploitation of women in gaming will become a thing of the past in the production of mainstream games, and there will continue to be steady growth in the female production of games. Women went through their struggle in film and television and are well-respected in this industry. There is a beginning recognition of respect for women who are pioneering this gaming industry. The populations of female gamers are rising every day as well, and some day in the future they may even outnumber the male gamers; and most of the game programming companies will do what the â€Å"money† says. So, I can guarantee you that in the near future there will be the same number of female gender video games as the male gender video games and that is gender equality. We will see more and more women in the production field, developing wonderful products for men, women and children.

Prison Health Care Agency Essay

There are many facets in the health care industry. Examples include hospitals, urgent care centers, physicians’ offices, medical labs, and more. One not really spoken about, is the prison health care system. Prison health care is the medical treatment of inmates in the United States Correctional Facilities (Means & Cochran, 2012) this is according to the report. The National Commission on Correctional Health Care (NCCHC) is a federal agency that oversees the medical needs of prisoners. According to the Bureau of Justice Statistics, â€Å"In 2012, the number of admissions to state and federal prison in the United States was 609,800 offenders (Carson & Golinelli, 2013). With these prison inmate statistics, clearly there is a need for health care in the prison system. The NCCHC is a federal agency that was constructed to improve the quality of health care in the prison setting. The NCCHC was founded in the early 1970’s. The American Medical Association (AMA) executed a study on the conditions of jails. The AMA found â€Å"inadequate, disorganized health services, and a lack of national standards† (National Commission on Correctional Health Care, 2013). The National Commission on Correctional Health Care states their mission is to improve the quality of health care in jails, prisons, and juvenile confinement facilities. They support their mission with the help of other national organizations, mirroring the fields of health, and law and corrections, examples include The American Bar Association, The American Medical Association, The Academy of Pediatrics, and The American Dental Association. The NCCHC cannot fulfill its’ mission without the proper structure within the agency. This organization is comprised of accreditation and facility services, health professional certification, education and conferences, standards and guidelines, and a board of directors from supporting organizations. These supporting organizations play a role in helping the NCCHC fulfill its’ mission and roles for the prison health care system. The board of directors role is ensuring all guidelines are adhered to and assessing the overall direction and strategy of the organization. The NCCHC  has many roles and standards for their organization. One of the most important is patient safety. Put in place are patient safety systems to ensure prisoners are receiving proper care. Another role of NCCHC is continuous quality improvement. Continuous quality improvement is the process of requiring each prison facility to complete a process study on inmates needing health care services. â€Å"Process studies examine the effectiveness of the health care delivery process. Outcome quality improvement studies examine whether expected outcomes of patient care were achieved† (Rechtine, D., 2008). There must be a review in the event of a patient’s death. Proper procedures must be followed. The NCCHC requires health care professionals to continue their education by completing annual certification classes. Initial health assessments must be performed on each new inmate within 7 days of arrival to the facility. These health assessments are to be given by board certified and trained registered nurses or midlevel practitioners, followed by a physician’s review. If a prisoner is at risk for suicide, there is a prevention program in place with treatment plans. Any inmate with special needs requires an individualized treatment plan provided by a doctor. The NCCHC has put in place a chronic disease program for inmates, which requires the physicians to document in a patient’s medical chart, making sure they are following the correct disease procedures. The impact that NCCHC have on health care is one that relates to their mission. The mission, role, and impact has a direct association with each other. Providing quality health care for incarcerated individuals. The commitment to continually improve health care in confinement facilities, to help these correctional facilities in improving their inmate’s health and the communities that they will return to, increase the efficiency of health services delivery, strengthen organizational effectiveness, and reduce the risk of adverse legal judgments (NCCHC, n.d.). â€Å"NCCHC offers a broad range of services and resources to help correctional health care systems provide efficient, effective, and high-quality care† (NCCHC, n.d.). An example of the National Commission on Corrective Health Care carrying out a duty is the commitment to treating inmates in a humane manner. The NCCHC, in partnership with supporting organizations, including the American College of Physicians, the American Medical Association, the American Nursing Association, the American Bar Association, the American Psychological Association, the  American Psych iatric Association, and the American Public Health Association. Through the standards the NCCHC has set, has persistently declared the components of a policy against mistreatment. â€Å"The Standards for Health Services in Prisons (2008) preclude, for example, health staff participation in non-clinically ordered restraint and seclusion, except to monitor health status (P-I-01 Restraint and Seclusion), or in the collection of forensic information (P-I-03 Forensic Information). They require informed consent of the patient for â€Å"all examinations, treatments, and procedures† and recognize the patient’s right to refuse treatment (P-I-05 Informed Consent and Right to Refuse), and protect inmates as subjects in human research (P-I-06 Medical and Other Research)† (NCCHC, 2012). â€Å"Other standards require medical autonomy in clinical decision making (P-A-03 Medical Autonomy), maintenance of confidentiality of health information (P-H-02 Confidentiality of Health Records), and patient privacy (P-A-09 Privacy of Care). NCCHC standards require documentation of patients’ health status at each encounter (P-H-04 Management of Health Records), with special attention to the medical and mental health of inmates under close confinement (P-E-09 Segregated Inmates)† (NCCHC. 2012). In regard to health care, the NCCHC has the best standards of care and are the most recognized and accepted. Medical personnel for the prison system must follow the policies and procedures set in each facility. These policies and procedures allow guidance, standardization, and consistency in practices, a nonfulfillment to comply with these rules and regulations places the nurses, patients, and institutions at risk. The NCCHC has the authority to establish that these policies and procedures are followed by all correctional medical personnel. â€Å"Policy topics are wide ranging. Applicable laws and standards should be incorporated into institutional policies, procedures and protocols for the correctional nurse. For example, they should reflect federal and state regulations for reporting public health concerns, conditions of abuse, rape, communicable diseases, trauma, unexpected and expected deaths and care of the mentally ill. Regarding standards, NCCHC standards address topics such as access to care, quality improvement, grievance mechanisms, patient and staff safety, medication services, screening and assessment, patient restraint and much more† (NCCHC, 2012). The NCCHC has a process for accreditation, certification, and authorization. The NCCHC offers a  voluntary accreditation health services program. They have offered this program since the 1970’s. The NCCHC has standards in place as a guide for any correctional facility to follow. The process of accreditation involves an external peer review to determine if the correctional institutions can meet the standards in their provision of health services. â€Å"The NCCHC renders a professional judgment and assists in the improvement of services provided† (NCCHC, 2012). NCCHC provides an Opioid Treatment Programs (OTP) for accreditation. OTP accreditation allows OTPs to achieve legally required certification from the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) of the United States Department of Health and Human Services. â€Å"The only SAMHSA authorized accrediting body that focuses on corrections, NCCHC has developed standards that are based on federal regulations but tailored for this field† (NCCHC, 2012). The NCCHC has accreditation surveyors that are formed of nurses, experienced doctors, health administrators and other health care professionals who have knowledge of the correctional system. The survey team reviews any medical records, including policies and procedures, interviewing of staff personnel, and inmates are included, along with touring the facility. There is an exit conference conducted at the end of the survey to talk over the primary outcomes. Specially trained surveyors visit correctional facilities seeking accreditation to measure compliance with NCCHC standards. These individuals share their time and knowledge because they are committed to the cause of improved quality in correctional health care (NCCHC, 2012). To become an NCCHC surveyor, one must complete 5 years of experience in correctional health care, a CCHP certification (or receiving one in a year), and the drive to participate in preparatory and follow on training. Surveyors must be health care professionals. Examples include, Medical Doctor (MD), Doctor of Optometry (DO), Doctor of Dental Surgery (DDS) Doctor of Dental Medicine (DMD), Nurse Practitioner (NP), Physician Assistant (PA), and Registered Nurse (RN), or have a Master’s degree. The utmost important requirement of a NCCHC surveyor is the need of devotion and obligation to improving the quality of correctional health care. References Carson, A., & Golinelli, D. (2013). Prisoners in 2012: Trends in Admissions and Releases, 1991- 2012. Retrieved from: http://www.bjs.gov/index.cfm National Commission for Correctional Health Care. (2012). Promoting Excellence in Health Care: About NCCHC. Retrieved from: http://www.ncchc.org/about/index.html Rechtine, D. (2008). NCCHC’s New Standards and the Role of the Physician. Retrieved from: http://societyofcorrectionalphysicians.org/corrdocs/corrdocs-archives/summer-2008/ ncchcs-new-standards-and-the-role-of-the-physician U.S. Department of Justice. (2012). About the Bureau of Prisons. Retrieved from: http://www.bop.gov/about/index.jsp