Competitors of CSR, ISO course in Hong Kong

Life cycle thinking for green and socially responsible products and services 10. Managing CARS along supply chains 11. Human Rights and Business 12. Fair operating practices governance and intellectual property 13. Consumer issues and sustainable consumption 14. IS026000 implementation 15. Socially responsible investment and course conclusion HOOK Baptist University 1 . 2 weeks before course commencement 2. SEC and EGGS 3. 75% attendance 1 . Environmental Management System Principles and Good Management Practice; 2. ISO 14001 :2004 Requirements and Standard Interpretation: 3.Improvement from the Previous ISO 14001 :1996 Standards: 4. Development and Structure of ISO 14000 Series; and 5. Transition Period for Certification. EGGS Group ISO 26000 – social Responsibility $5,000 (22 Hours) *Award of certificate Recognize and explain the benefits of adopting ISO 26000 Identify and prioritize core issues of social responsibility Identify and engage with Use existing systems to ensure core issues and principles are addressed Identify gaps in expertise and internal training requirements Set appropriate improvement targets Productivity Training InstituteCARS Workshop : Discuss the New Situation of CARS in Modern Business (7 Hours) *Have CARS auditing service for 1 hour Section 1 : Planning Introduction of new CARS standard? ISO 26000 Steps in managing CARS?Planning, Implementation, Reporting Stakeholder engagement ? understanding and integrating stakeholders need CARS planning matrix Section 2: Cases in CARS activities Environmental Protection – Waste / Energy Reduction, Education Employee Care – Work-life balance, corporate culture building and bonding Finding the niche in community support, e. G. MONGO, Social Enterprise Consumer Protection –Advertisement, Products/Service Description, Customer Complaint Handling Section 3: Implementation and Reporting Organizational Governance Monopolizing company-wide CARS involvement CARS reporting and co mmunication HOOKAH An in-defenestrating of international standards (ISO 26000) -What Does Social Responsibility Mean to Your Organization? -To provide an in-depth understanding of international standards (ISO 26000) in implementing social responsibility -To introduce latest management standard with regard to social responsibility Organization Governance Environment PerformanceFair Operating Practices Consumer issues Community Involvement and Development The Relationship of an Organization's Characteristics to Social Responsibility Understanding the Social Responsibility of an Organization for Integrating Social Responsibility Throughout an Organization Communication on Social Responsibility Enhancing Credibility Regarding Social Responsibility Practices Reviewing and Improving an Organization's Actions and Practices Related to Social Responsibility ISO 14000 courses S?S Group ISO 14001 :2004 – Environmental Management SystemsCarbon Matters courses Carbon matters and auditing leading scheme – Green Data Centre and Cloud Security Seminar Free seminar for 3 Hours Supporting corporate to have carbon auditing Security and standard of green data How to reduce cost and carbon emission through using green data Observation and edition of carbon emission and effectiveness of green data centre Electronic engineering system management Executive Diploma in Low Carbon Management and Sustainability Reporting Module 1 Low Carbon Management Fundamentals Module 2 Energy Management for Green Environment Module 3 Carbon Management for Green Environment Module 4 Corporate Sustainability Reporting Indoor air quality courses Occupational Safety & Health Council Indoor Air Quality in Workplaces 3. 5 Hours (Full attendance and pass in the final exam) Related legislation Health effects of air contaminants Occupational hygiene monitoring Preventive and control measures The use of occupational hygiene standards HUSK Space Workshop on Indoor Air Quality (IAC)-Field Sampling of Microbiological Parameters -The course consists of 2 half-day workshops with lecture and practical sessions *attendees will have satisfied requirement for being a Hong Kong Inspection Body Accreditation Scheme (HAS) The course consists of 2 half-day workshops with lecture and practical sessions.Topics for lecture include: Introductory Microbiology for indoor air Decontamination and disinfection Indicator micro-organisms and their significance Methods of sampling (indicator and pathogenic micro-organisms) Equipment and materials used in field sampling Pro's and con's of different sampling methods and devices transport considerations of samples. Topics for practical sessions: Basic microbiological techniques-aseptic procedures, disinfection, and proper disposal of microbiological waste. Indoor air sampling-sampling techniques, use and maintenance of sampling devices. Reading of results-total bacterial counts and total fungal count, interpretation.

Patho Pharm Concepts Diabetic Research Health And Social Care Essay

Type 1 diabetes can happen at any age. However, it is most frequently diagnosed in kids, striplings, or immature grownups. Hazard factors include: A household history. Anyone with a parent or sibling with type 1 diabetes has a somewhat increased hazard of developing the status. Geneticss: The presence of certain cistrons indicates an increased hazard of developing type 1 diabetes. In some instances – normally through a clinical test – familial testing can be done to find if person who has a household history of type 1 diabetes is at increased hazard of developing the status. Geography: The incidence of type 1 diabetes tends to increase as you travel off from the equator. Peoples populating in Finland and Sardinia have the highest incidence of type 1 diabetes – approximately two to three times higher than rates in the United States and 400 times that of people populating in Venezuela. Possible hazard factors for type 1 diabetes include: Viral exposure. Exposure to Epstein-Barr virus, Coxsackie virus, mumps virus or CMV may trip the autoimmune devastation of the islet cells, or the virus may straight infect the islet cells. Low vitamin D degrees. Research suggests that vitamin D may be protective against type 1 diabetes. However, early imbibing of cow ‘s milk – a common beginning of vitamin D – has been linked to an increased hazard of type 1 diabetes. Other dietetic factors: Omega-3 fatty acids may offer some protection against type 1 diabetes. Drinking H2O that contains nitrates may increase the hazard. Additionally, the timing of the debut of cereal into a babe ‘s diet may impact his or her hazard of type 1 diabetes. One clinical test found that between ages 3 and 7 months appears to be the optimum clip for presenting cereal. Some other possible hazard factors include if your female parent was younger than age 25 when she gave birth to you or if your female parent had pre-eclampsia during gestation. Bing born with icterus is a possible hazard factor, as is sing a respiratory infection merely after you were born. ( Mayo Clinic, 2012 ) Insulin is a endocrine produced by particular cells, called beta cells, in the pancreas. The pancreas is found behind your tummy. Insulin is needed to travel blood sugar ( glucose ) into cells, where it is stored and later used for energy. In type 1 diabetes, beta cells produce small or no insulin. Without adequate insulin, glucose physiques up in the blood stream alternatively of traveling into the cells. The organic structure is unable to utilize this glucose for energy. This leads to the symptoms of type 1 diabetes. This type needs insulin. The exact cause of type 1 diabetes is unknown. ( Medicine Plus, 2011 ) However, type 1 diabetes normally develops as a consequence of autoimmune pancreatic beta-cell devastation in genetically susceptible persons. Up to 90 % of patients will hold autoantibodies to at least one of 3 antigens: glutamic acid decarboxylase ( G AD ) ; insulin ; and a tyrosine-phosphatase-like molecule, islet auto-antigen-2 ( IA-2 ) . Beta-cell devastation returns sub-clinically for months to old ages as insulitis ( redness of the beta cell ) . When 80 % to 90 % of beta cells have been destroyed, hyperglycaemia develops. Insulin opposition has no function in the pathophysiology of type 1 diabetes. However, with increasing prevalence of fleshiness, some type 1 diabetic patients may be insulin immune in add-on to being insulin deficient. Patients with insulin lack are unable to use glucose in peripheral musculus and adipose tissues. This stimulates the secernment of counter-regulatory endocrines such as glucagon, epinephrine ( adrenaline ) , hydrocortisone, and growing endocrine. These counter-regulatory endocrines, particularly glucagon, promote gluconeogenesis, glycogenolysis, and ketogenesis in the liver. As a consequence, patients present with hyperglycemia and anion spread metabolic acidosis. Long-run hyperglycemia leads to vascular complications due to a combination of factors that include glycosylation of proteins in tissue and serum, production of sorbitol, and free extremist harm. Microvascular complications include retinopathy, neuropathy, and nephropathy. Macrovascular complications include cardiovascular, cerebrovascular, and peripheral vascular disease. Hyperglycaemia is known to bring on oxidative emphasis and redness. Oxidative emphasis can do endothelial disfunction by neutralizing azotic oxide. Dysfunctional endothelium allows entry of LDL into the vas wall, which induces a slow inflammatory procedure and leads to atheroma formation. ( Best Practice, 2012 ) The definition of type 2 diabetes mellitus, antecedently termed noninsulin-dependent diabetes mellitus, was late modified by the American Diabetes Association. Several standards may be used independently to set up the diagnosing: 1 ) a 75-g unwritten glucose tolerance trial with a 2-h value of 200 mg/dL or more, 2 ) a random plasma g lucose of 200 mg/dL or more with typical symptoms of diabetes, or 3 ) a fasting plasma glucose of 126 mg/dL or more on more than one juncture ( Wingard, and Barrett-Connor, 1995 ) . Fasting glucose values are preferred for their convenience, duplicability, and correlativity with increased hazard of microvascular complications. The term impaired fasting glucose has been defined as fasting plasma glucose of 110 or more and 125 mg/dL or less ( ( Wingard, and Barrett-Connor, 1995 ) . ) . Impaired glucose tolerance ( IGT ) is defined as a 2-h plasma glucose value of 140 or more and of less than 200 mg/dL during an unwritten glucose tolerance ( American Diabetes Association, 1997 ) . Persons with impaired fasting glucose and IGT are considered to be at high hazard for the development of diabetes and macrovascular disease ( Knowler, Martor, and Selander, 1997, and Alberti1996 ) . Although one tierce of these patients will finally develop diabetes, dietetic alteration and exercising can tak e down the hazard of patterned advance from impaired glucose tolerance to type 2 diabetes ; and may besides forestall the development of IGT in nondiabetic persons at high hazard ( Alberti, 1996 ) . Pharmacological agents may besides be of benefit in restricting the patterned advance from IGT to diabetes ( Knowler, Martor, and Selander, 1997, and Antonucci, Whitcomb, McClain, and Lockwood, 1998 ) . Type 2 diabetes mellitus is a heterogenous upset with changing prevalence among different cultural groups. In the United States the populations most affected are native Americans, peculiarly in the desert Southwest, Hispanic-Americans, and Asian-Americans ( Harris, Courig, Reiber, Boyko, Stern, and Bennet, 1995 ) . The pathophysiology of type 2 diabetes mellitus is characterized by peripheral insulin opposition, impaired ordinance of hepatic glucose production, and worsening I?-cell map, finally taking toI? -cell failure. The primary events are believed to be an initial shortage in insuli n secernment and, in many patients, comparative insulin lack in association with peripheral insulin opposition ( Reaven, 1998, and Olefsky, 1989 ) . I?-Cell disfunction is ab initio characterized by an damage in the first stage of insulin secernment during glucose stimulation and may predate the oncoming of glucose intolerance in type 2 diabetes ( Ward, Beard, and Porte, 1986 ) . Initiation of the insulin response depends upon the transmembranous conveyance of glucose and yoke of glucose to the glucose detector. The glucose/glucose detector complex so induces an addition in glucokinase by stabilising the protein and impairing its debasement. The initiation of glucokinase serves as the first measure in associating intermediary metamorphosis with the insulin secretory setup. Glucose conveyance inI? -cells of type 2 diabetes patients appears to be greatly reduced, therefore switching the control point for insulin secernment from glucokinase to the glucose conveyance system ( Leahy, 199 1, and Porte 1991 ) . This defect is improved by the sulfonylureas ( Luz, DeFronzo, 1989, and Groop, Latheiser, and Luzi, 1991 ) . Later in the class of the disease, the 2nd stage release of freshly synthesized insulin is impaired, an consequence that can be reversed, in portion at least in some patients, by reconstructing rigorous control of glycemia. This secondary phenomenon, termed desensitisation or I?-cell glucotoxicity, is the consequence of a self-contradictory inhibitory consequence of glucose upon insulin release and may be attributable to the accretion of animal starch within the I?-cell as a consequence of sustained hyperglycaemia ( Malaisse, 1996 ) . Other campaigners that have been proposed are sorbital accretion in the I?-cell or the nonenzymatic glycation ofI? -cell proteins. Other defects in I?-cell map in type 2 diabetes mellitus include faulty glucose potentiation in response to nonglucose insulin secretagogues, asynchronous insulin release, and a reduced transiti on of proinsulin to insulin ( Porte, and Kahn, 1989, and O`Rahilly, Turner, and Matthews, 1988 ) . An damage in first stage insulin secernment may function as a marker of hazard for type 2 diabetes mellitus in household members of persons with type 2 diabetes mellitus ( Groop, and Botazzo, 1986 ) and may be seen in patients with anterior gestational diabetes ( Nicholls, Chan, Ali, Beard, and Dornhorst, 1995 ) . However, impaired first stage insulin secernment entirely will non do impaired glucose tolerance. Autoimmune devastation of pancreatic I?-cells may be a factor in a little subset of type 2 diabetic patients and has been termed the syndrome of latent autoimmune diabetes in grownups. This group may stand for every bit many as 10 % of Norse patients with type 2 diabetes and has been identified in the recent United Kingdom survey, but has non been good characterized in other populations ( Groop, and Botazzo, 1986 ) . Glucokinase is absent within the I?-cell in some households wit h maturity-onset diabetes of immature ( Nicholls, Chan, Ali, Beard, and Dornhorst, 1995 ) . However, lacks of glucokinase have non been found in other signifiers of type 2 diabetes ( Matchinsky, Liang, and Kesevan, 1993 ) . Hazard factors for diabetes II include: Weight. Being overweight is a primary hazard factor for type 2 diabetes. The more fatty tissue you have, the more immune your cells become to insulin. Fat distribution. If your organic structure shops fat chiefly in your venters, your hazard of type 2 diabetes is greater than if your organic structure shops fat elsewhere, such as your hips and thighs. Inaction: The less active you are, the greater your hazard of type 2 diabetes. Physical activity helps you command your weight, uses up glucose as energy and makes your cells more sensitive to insulin. Family history: The hazard of type 2 diabetes additions if your parent or sibling has type 2 diabetes. Race: Although it ‘s ill-defined why, people of certain races â€⠀œ including inkinesss, Hispanics, American Indians and Asian-Americans – are more likely to develop type 2 diabetes than Whites are. Age: The hazard of type 2 diabetes additions as you get older, particularly after age 45. That ‘s likely because people tend to exert less, lose musculus mass and addition weight as they age. But type 2 diabetes is besides increasing dramatically among kids, striplings and younger grownups. Prediabetes: Prediabetes is a status in which your blood sugar degree is higher than normal, but non high plenty to be classified as type 2 diabetes. Left untreated, prediabetes frequently progresses to type 2 diabetes. Gestational diabetes: If you developed gestational diabetes when you were pregnant, your hazard of developing type 2 diabetes subsequently additions. If you gave birth to a babe weighing more than 9 lbs ( 4.1 kgs ) , you ‘re besides at hazard of type 2 diabetes. ( Mayo Clinic, 2012 ) Mr. Jenaro has type II diabetes. The fasting plasma glucose ( FPG ) trial, besides known as the fasting blood sugar trial, steps blood sugar degrees and is used to name diabetes. Relatively simple and cheap, the trial exposes jobs with insulin operation. Prolonged fasting triggers a endocrine called glucagon, which is produced by the pancreas. It causes the liver to let go of glucose ( blood sugar ) into the blood stream. If a individual does n't hold diabetes, his or her organic structure reacts by bring forthing insulin, which prevents hyperglycaemia ( high blood sugar ) . However, if one ‘s organic structure can non bring forth adequate insulin or can non suitably react to insulin, fasting blood sugar degrees will remain high. How the Fasting Plasma Glucose Test Is Done? The trial consists of a simple, noninvasive blood trial. Prior to being tested, a individual must non to eat for 12 to 14 hours. Because of this fast, the trial is normally done in the forenoon. Understanding the Results of the Fasting Plas ma Glucose Test: Doctors interpret trial consequences by looking at glucose degrees in the blood. Diagnosis classs include the undermentioned, measured in mgs per decilitre ( mg/dL ) : In the fasting plasma glucose trial, 70 mg/dL to 99 mg/dL is considered within the normal scope. A reading of 100 mg/dL to126 mg/dL suggests prediabetes, bespeaking an increased hazard in developing matured diabetes. A reading above 126 mg/dL is the threshold at which diabetes is diagnosed. Blood glucose degrees lower than 70 mg/dL imply an episode of hypoglycaemia, in which blood sugar is perilously low. If the consequences are marginal, other trials might be done, including the unwritten glucose tolerance trial or the postprandial plasma glucose trial. ( Close, 2008 ) Random Plasma Glucose Test: The random plasma glucose trial is a simple Blood sugar trial. The patient does non necessitate to fast for the RPG, which means if can be taken even if he/she has merely had something to eat or imbibe. This is normally performed in the exigency room or when a physician does non desire to wait to hold a fasting blood sugar trial performed. The trial is simple and can be performed in the infirmary or physician ‘s office by taking a blood trial and holding the degrees analyzed by a research lab. Consequences are normally processed within 24 to 48 hours if they ‘re being sent out to an independent lab. Hospitals can acquire a reading much quicker. A normal Blood glucose degree reading, without fasting first, of under 200 mg/dl is considered normal. At that point, if symptoms are present, the physician will get down looking at other grounds for the unwellness. However, a degree of over 200 mg/dl, particularly with symptoms of frequent micturition, inordinate thirst, etc. will bespeak a strong possibility of diabetes. ( Diabetes Info, n.d. ) Two hr postprandial serum glucose: The most common glucose tolerance trial is the unwritten glucose tolerance trial ( OGTT ) . Before the t rial begins, a sample of blood will be taken. The patient will so be asked to imbibe a liquid incorporating a certain sum of glucose ( normally 75 gms ) . The patient`s blood will be taken once more every 30 to 60 proceedingss after you drink the solution. The trial takes up to 3 hours. A similar trial is the IV glucose tolerance trial ( IGTT ) . It is seldom used, and ne'er used to name diabetes. In this trial, glucose is injected into the patient`s vena for 3 proceedingss. Blood insulin degrees are measured before the injection, and once more at 1 and 3 proceedingss after the injection. However, the timing may change. How to Fix for the Trial: Make sure that the patient chows usually for several yearss before the trial. Make non eat or imbibe anything for at least 8 hours before the trial. The patient can non eat during the trial. How the Test Will Feel: Some people feel nauseated, sweaty, faint, or may even experience short of breath or swoon after imbibing the glucose. However, serious side effects of this trial are really uncommon. When the acerate leaf is inserted to pull blood, some people feel moderate hurting. Others feel merely a asshole or cutting esthesis. Afterward, there may be some pounding. Normal Consequences: Normal blood values for a 75-gram unwritten glucose tolerance trial used to look into for type 2 diabetes in those who are non pregnant: Fast: 60 -100 mg/dL, 1 hr: less than 200 mg/dL, and 2 hours: less than 140 mg/dL. Note: mg/dL = mgs per decilitre Between 140 – 200 mg/dL is called impaired glucose tolerance. The patient`s physician may name this â€Å" prediabetes. † It means the patient is at increased hazard for developing diabetes. A glucose degree of 200 mg/dL or higher is a mark of diabetes. However, high glucose degrees may be related to another medical job ( for illustration, Cushing syndrome ) . Hazards: Veins and arterias vary in size from one patient to another and from one side of the organic structure to the other. Obtaining a blood sample from some people may be more hard than from others. Other hazards associated with holding blood drawn are little but may include: Excessive hemorrhage, Fainting or experiencing faint, haematoma ( blood roll uping under the tegument ) , and infection ( a rebuff hazard any clip the tegument is broken ) . Considerations: Factors that may impact the trial consequences: Acute emphasis ( for illustration, from surgery or an infection ) , vigorous exercising, several drugs may do glucose intolerance, including: Atypical antipsychotic medicines, including aripiprazole, olanzapine, quetiapine, risperidone, and ziprasidone, Beta-blockers ( for illustration, propranolol ) , Corticosteroids ( for illustration, Orasone ) , Dextrose, Epinephrine, Glucagon, Isoniazid, Lithium, Phenothiazines, Phenytoin, Salicylates ( including acetylsalicylic acid ) , Thiazide water pills ( for illustration, Microzide ) , Triamterene, and Tricyclic antidepressants. ( Medicine Plus, n.d. ) A1C: The A1c trial and eAG computation are used to supervise the glucose control of diabetics over clip. The end of those with diabetes is to maintain their blood glucose degrees as near to normal as possible. This helps to minimise the complications caused by inveterate elevated glucose degrees, such as progressive harm to organic structure variety meats like the kidneys, eyes, cardiovascular system, and nervousnesss. The A1c trial and eAG consequence give a image of the mean sum of glucose in the blood over the last few months. They can assist you and your physician know if the steps you are taking to command your diabetes are successful or need to be adjusted. A1c is often used to assist freshly diagnosed diabetics find how elevated their uncontrolled blood glucose degrees have been. It may be ordered several times while control is being achieved, and so several times a twelvemonth to verify that good control is being maintained. The A1c trial may be used to test for and name diab etes. However, A1c should non be used for diagnosing in pregnant adult females, people who have had recent terrible hemorrhage or blood transfusions, those with chronic kidney or liver disease, and people with blood upsets such as iron-deficiency anaemia, vitamin B12 anaemia, and hemoglobin discrepancies. Besides, merely A1c trials that have been referenced to an recognized research lab method ( standardized ) should be used for diagnostic or screening intents. In these instances, a fasting plasma glucose or unwritten glucose tolerance trial may be used for testing or diagnosing. Presently, point-of-care trials, such as those that may be used at a physician ‘s office or a patient ‘s bedside, are excessively variable for usage in diagnosing but can be used to supervise intervention ( lifestyle and drug therapies ) . Depending on the type of diabetes that you have, how good your diabetes is controlled, and your physician, your A1c may be measured 2 to 4 times each twelvemo nth. The American Diabetes Association recommends proving your A1c at least twice a twelvemonth. When person is foremost diagnosed with diabetes or if control is non good, A1c may be ordered more often. For diagnostic and screening intents, A1c may be ordered as portion of a wellness medical examination or when person is suspected of holding diabetes because they have marks or symptoms of increased blood glucose degrees ( hyperglycaemia ) such as: Increased thirst, increased micturition, weariness, blurred vision, and slow-healing infections. For supervising glucose control, A1c is presently reported as a per centum, and it is recommended that diabetics aim to maintain their A1c below 7 % . The study for your A1c trial besides may include an estimated Average Glucose ( eAG ) , which is a deliberate consequence based on your A1c degrees. The intent of describing eAG is to assist you associate your A1c consequences to your mundane glucose monitoring degrees. The expression for eAG con verts per centum A1c to units of mg/dL or mmol/L so that you can compare it to your glucose degrees from place monitoring systems or laboratory trials. It should be noted that the eAG is still an rating of your glucose over the last twosome of months. It will non fit up precisely to any one daily glucose trial consequence. The American Diabetes Association has adopted this computation and provides a reckoner and information on the eAG on their web site. The closer a diabetic can maintain their A1c to 6 % without sing inordinate hypoglycaemia, the better their diabetes is in control. As the A1c and eAG addition, so does the hazard of complications. In testing and diagnosing, some consequences that may be seen include: A nondiabetic individual will hold an A1c consequence between 4 % and 6 % . Diabetes: A1c degree is 6.5 % ( 47 mmol/mol ) or higher. Pre-diabetes ( increased hazard of developing diabetes in the hereafter ) : A1c is 5.7 % – 6.4 % ( 39 – 46 mmol/mol ) . The A1c trial will non reflect impermanent, acute blood glucose additions or lessenings. The glucose swings of person who has â€Å" brickle † diabetes will non be reflected in the A1c. If you have a haemoglobin discrepancy, such as reaping hook cell haemoglobin ( hemoglobin S ) , you will hold a reduced sum of haemoglobin A. This may restrict the utility of the A1c trial in naming and/or supervising your diabetes. If you have anemia, haemolysis, or heavy hemorrhage, your trial consequences may be falsely low. If you are iron deficient, you may hold an increased A1c measuring. If you have had a recent transfusion, so your A1c will be falsely increased ( blood preservative solutions contain high glucose degrees ) and non accurately reflect your glucose control for 2 to 3 months. ( Lab Trials Online, 2009 ) Diseases do non ever show the usual or â€Å" authoritative † marks and symptoms in the aged. Physiologic changes over the old ages of a long life seem to be responsible for damage of ordinance or map of many organ systems. Since map frequently is measured in clinical medical specialty by research lab testing, physicians often face hard clinical determinations as to the demand for farther rating of a patient based upon a laboratory trial consequence received. For the most portion, the research lab values obtained in aged individuals seem to fall into our traditional or alleged normal scopes, and small grounds supports the demand for separate sets of mention scopes for the aged. A few patients do demo abnormalcies on specific trials, and a few trial values can be expected more often than others to be out of line in healthy aged persons, specifically: serum alkaline phosphatase ( lifts to about 2.5 times the normal ) fasting blood glucose ( up to 135 to 150 mg/dl ) postprandial blood glucose or unwritten glucose tolerance trial ( increased supra normal to 10 mg/dl per decennary of age ) normal serum creatinine with the being of markedly decreased cre atinine clearance higher erythrocyte deposit rates ( up to 40 mm/hr ) haemoglobin ( lowest acceptable degree is 11.0 gm/dl in adult females ; 11.5 gm/dl in work forces ) BUN ( up to 28 to 35 mg/dl ) The presence of multiple diseases in aged patients, every bit good as the many medicines frequently taken, will no uncertainty be more of a beginning of confusion and alarm in the clinical correlativity of laboratory trial consequences than the deficiency of equal mention ranges specifically compiled for the aged. The inquiry â€Å" What trial consequence is important and raises intuition of disease? † will stay a portion of that all important integrating and correlativity of the information available to the doctor for the diagnosing and intervention of the patient. ( Kelso, 1990 ) Functions of Insulin: In add-on to its function of modulating glucose metamorphosis, insulin besides: Stimulates lipogenesis, diminishes lipolysis, increases amino acerb conveyance into cells, modulates written text, changing the cell content of legion messenger RNAs, stimulates growing, DNA synthesis, and cell reproduction. ( Diabetes Information Hub, n.d. ) Several endocrines oppose the action of insulin and, hence, will increase blood glucose. The chief endocrines that mediate this consequence are glucagon, growing endocrine, catecholamines, and corticoids. The addition in blood glucose can happen through suppression of insulin release, stimulation of glucose-yielding tracts ( glycogolysis, gluconeogenesis ) , or lessening of glucose consumption or usage by tissues. Jointly, additions in these endocrines can bring on a province of insulin opposition. Insulin opposition can besides be mediated by inflammatory cytokines ( TNF-alpha ) , fleshiness and gestation. Inflammatory cytokine s are thought to be responsible for insulin opposition observed in sepsis. Hyperglycemia in critical attention patients has been associated with a hapless result and has prompted the usage of glucose monitoring in such patients in human and veterinary medical specialty. In gestation, endocrines such as Lipo-Lutin can do insulin opposition ( this is thought to be mediated through growing endocrine release ) and consequences in gestational diabetes in worlds. Pregnancy-associated endocrines may besides lend to insulin opposition and hyperlipidemic syndromes in pregnant Equus caballuss, ponies and camelids. Glucagon: Glucagon causes an addition in blood glucose, by exciting gluconeogenesis and glycogenolysis and easing glucose release from hepatocytes. Low blood glucose is the chief stimulation for glucagon release from alpha cells in pancreatic islets. Catecholamines ( epinephrine/norepinephrine ) : Epinephrine from the adrenal myelin Acts of the Apostless via beta-adrenergic receptor s, whereas norepinpherine is released from nerve terminations and Acts of the Apostless on alpha2-adrenergic receptors. Norepinephrine and adrenaline have somewhat opponent effects on insulin release ( norepinephrine inhibits, epinephrine stimulates ) , but the net consequence of both is increased blood glucose. This occurs via stimulation of glycogenolysis and release of glucose from hepatocytes ( adrenaline ) , and indirectly through suppression of insulin release ( noradrenaline ) , and release of growing endocrine ( adrenaline ) and ACTH ( which increases hydrocortisone ) . The addition in glucose in response to catecholamines is normally transeunt ( chiefly due to intermittent release of catecholamines ) and can be rather pronounced in cats, cowss and camelids. Growth endocrine ( GH ) : This increases blood glucose by suppressing glucose uptake by cells. It besides promotes glycogenolysis in musculus tissue. Progesterone may do insulin opposition by exciting secernment of GH. G rowth endocrine is released from the pituitary by growing hormone-releasing endocrine, which is secreted by the hypothalamus normally in response to low blood glucose and adrenaline. Corticosteroids: These increase blood glucose by bring oning glucose release from hepatocytes and suppressing glucose uptake by cells ( through diminishing GLU-4 ) . Corticosteroids besides stimulate gluconeogenesis and glucagon secernment ( which besides increases blood glucose ) . ( Cornell University, n.d. ) The prevalence of type 2 diabetes, which represents approximately 90 % of all diabetes, additions with age and affects 18-20 % of people over age 65 in the United States ( with a significant per centum of these instances being undiagnosed ) . ( National Diabetes Data Group, 1995 ) Recent recommendations to test all grownups over 45 old ages of age for elevated glucose degrees, with retesting every 3 old ages, should well cut down the figure of undiagnosed diabetic patients. ( American Diabetes Association, 1997 ) In add-on to the 20 % of the aged population with blunt diabetes, another 20-25 % fit standards for impaired glucose tolerance, a province that is associated with a double addition in the incidence of macrovascular complications. ( Abrass, and Schwartz, 1998 ) I found an interesting survey about the prevalence of diabetes in the aged. This survey states: To measure the prevalence of diabetes, separating between aged persons with diabetes diagnosed in in-between age ( â€Å" middle age-onset diabetes † ) from aged persons with late diagnosed diabetes ( â€Å" elderly onset diabetes † ) and to measure the load of complications and control of cardiovascular hazard factors in these groups. Research and methods: We analyzed informations from 2,809 aged persons from the 1999-2002 National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey, a cross-sectional nationally representative study of the civilian noninstitutionalised population of the U.S. Consequences: Among grownups aged a†°?65 old ages, the prevalence of diagnosed diabetes was 15.3 % , stand foring 5.4 million persons in the U.S. The prevalence of undiagnosed diabetes was 6.9 % or 2.4 million persons. Aged persons with in-between age-onset diabetes had a much greater load of microvascular disease but have a similar load of macrovascular disease compared with persons with aged oncoming diabetes. Aged persons with in-between age-onset diabetes had well worse glycemic control ( proportion of persons with HbA1c & gt ; 7 % = 59.9 % ) compared with either aged oncoming ( 41.6 % ) or nonelderly persons with diabetes ( 55.3 % ) . Persons with aged oncoming diabetes were besides less likely to be taking glucose-lowering medicines. Decision: In this survey, we documented a high prevalence of diabetes among aged persons and high rate of hapless glycemic control in this population. Persons with in-between age-and aged oncoming diabetes appear to stand for distinguishable groups with differing loads of disease and perchance differing intervention ends. Future surveies of diabetes in aged persons may necessitate to see stratification based on age of diagnosing. ( Selvin, Coresh, and Brancati, 2006 ) . Risks of Diabetic Complications in Older Adults With Type 2 Diabetes. Before reexamining the benefits of specific curative intercessions, it is of import to see the magnitude of the hazards associated with type 2 diabetes in older grownups. Macrovascular disease: The morbidity and mo rtality associated with macrovascular events far outweigh the hazards of microvascular complications in older people with diabetes. In the United Kingdom Prospective Diabetes Study ( UKPDS ) , 9 % of type 2 diabetic patients developed microvascular disease after 9 old ages of followup, compared to rates of 20 % for macrovascular complications. ( Turner, Cull, and Holman, 1996 ) A In the United States, where diabetes is the 4th most common cause of decease, atherosclerotic macrovascular disease histories for every bit much as 75 % of all mortality in type 2 diabetes. ( Geiss, Herman, and Smith, 1995 ) A recent prospective survey indicated that patients with type 2 diabetes without a history of anterior bosom onslaught have equal, if non greater, hazards of myocardial infarction ( MI ) compared to those without diabetes who have had anterior bosom onslaughts ( 20.2 % vs. 18.8 % incidence of MI, severally, over 7 old ages ) . ( Haffner, Lehto, Ronnemaa, Pyorala, and Laasko, 1998 ) A Al though non from an intercession test, these informations suggest that older diabetic patients should be treated as sharply for diabetes and cardiovascular hazard factors as the secondary bar attempts presently aimed at people with known cardiovascular disease. Microvascular disease: Diabetess is the most frequent cause of sightlessness and nephritic failure in the United States, and the microvascular complications of diabetes rise with increasing continuance of disease and declining glycemic control. ( Klein, Klein, and Moss, 1996 ) A Although bettering glycemic control clearly reduces microvascular complications, it is of import to acknowledge that the incidence of terrible or end-stage microvascular complications is much lower for type 2 diabetic patients than for type 1 patients, presumptively because of their older age of oncoming and increased viing hazards for decease. ( Vijan, Hofer, and Hayward, 1997 ) Estimates of the life-time hazards of developing sightlessness due to diabetic retinopathy or of come oning to end-stage nephritic disease show the diminution in these hazards with progressing age of oncoming of type 2 diabetes. ( Vijan, Hofer, and Hayward, 1997 ) These estimations are similar to the ascertained rates of nephritic failure in the UKPDS test s but are slightly lower than ascertained rates of sightlessness, in portion because UKPDS rates included all causes of sightlessness instead than merely instances in which sightlessness was due to diabetic retinopathy. ( UK Prospective Diabetes Study, 1998 ) Arteriosclerosis: It is seen in patients of both Type 1 and Type 2 Diabetes mellitus Arteriosclerosis of the appendages is a disease of blood vass characterized by contracting and hardening of the arterias that supply the legs and pess. It consequences in lessened blood flour which can take to injury of nervousnesss and other tissues. Normally the consequence is seen in the legs and pess. Pain occurs in the legs while walking and is relieved with remainder. Numbness of legs or pess may happen while at remainder. There may be cold pess or leg. Muscle hurting may be felt in thighs or calves. There may be loss of hair on the legs and alteration in coloring material of the legs. Pulse is weak or absent in the limb. Arteriosclerosis is normally associated with ulceration, calcification and thrombosis. Calcium sedimentations in the walls of the arterias leads to contracting and stiffness of arterias. It is normally seen in patients above 50 old ages of age. The sick effects of accelerated coronary artery disease in diabetes are early oncoming of coronary arteria diseases, soundless myocardial infarction, intellectual shot and sphacelus of the appendages is 100 times more common in diabetes than in non-diabetes. Diabetic Nephropathy: Kidney harm from diabetes is called diabetic kidney disease. It is besides known as Diabetic glumerulosclerosis. In this a peculiar type of nephritic lesion is seen which may be diffuse or nodular. The diffuse lesion occurs chiefly due to generalised thickener of the cellar membrane of glomerular capillaries. The nodular lesion is in the signifier of rounded multitudes of hyaline stuff which are superimposed upon the diffuse lesion. These lesions are known as kimmelsteil Wilson orga nic structures. Initially, Diabetic kidney disease that is, diseased little blood vass in the kidney leads to leakage of protein in the piss. As the disease progresses, the kidney stops cleaning and filtrating blood. This leads to accretion of toxic waste merchandises in the blood. So, patient is kept on dialysis machine, which serves the intent of filtrating and cleaning the blood. Kidney organ transplant is done if the patient is non willing to travel under dialysis. Diabetic Retinopathy: Retinopathy is the commonest long term complication of diabetes. It is taking cause of sightlessness. These are diseased little blood vass in the dorsum of the oculus which causes the escape of protein and blood in the retina. Disease in these little blood vass may besides do the formation of Micro aneurisms. They appear as minute, discrete, round, dark ruddy musca volitanss near to the retinal vass. They look like ting bleedings. These are besides formation of new, brickle blood vass. Sudden hem orrhage from the new and brickle blood vass can take to retinal scarring and retinal withdrawal, therefore impairing the vision. Soft exudations are seen. But the difficult exudations are more common and are characteristic characteristic of Diabetic Retinopathy. They are xanthous in coloring material, have irregular, aggressively defined borders and may change in size from little pinpoints to big round spots. Besides, Retinopathy-diabetics are besides prone to cataract and Glaucoma. Diabetic Microangiopathy: It is characterized by cellar membrane thickener of little blood vass and capillaries of assorted variety meats and tissues such as the tegument, oculus, skeletal, musculus, kidney, etc. Similar type of cellar membrane inspissating many besides be seen in nonvascular tissues such as Peripheral nervousnesss, nephritic tubules etc. Diabetic microangiopathy chiefly occurs due to recurrent hyperglycaemia. Diabetic Neuropathy: It involves impermanent or lasting harm to steel tissue. Nerve tissue gets injured chiefly due to reduced blood flow and rise in blood glucose degrees. Approximately 50 % of patients, enduring from diabetes from last 10-20 old ages, develop Diabetic neuropathy. Some patients develop nerve harm earlier while few patients do non develop nerve harm. Diabetic neuropathy affects all parts of the nervous system but peripheral nervousnesss are most normally affected. It affects cranial nervousnesss or the nervousnesss from spinal chord or their subdivisions. Nerve hurt usually develops in phase. In earlier phases, prickling esthesis or intermittent hurting in celebrated peculiarly in the appendages such as pess. But in ulterior phase, the hurting is uninterrupted and terrible. At last, a painless neuropathy develops, that in there is loss of hurting esthesis in an country. The increases the opportunity of terrible tissue hurt because hurting does non alarm the patients to injury. Therefore, the common symptoms of diabetic neuropathy are Numbress , Tingling, Decreased esthesis to a organic structure portion, Diarrhoea, Constipation, Loss of vesica control, Impotence, Facial drooping, Drooping palpebra, Drooping oral cavity, Vision alterations, Weakness, Speech damage, etc. These symptoms normally develop bit by bit over old ages. Infections: Diabetics have increased susceptibleness to assorted infections, such as TB, pneumonias, pyelonephritis, carbuncles and diabetic ulcers. This may be due to hapless blood supply, reduced cellular unsusceptibility or hyperglycaemia. Heart Disease And Stroke: Patients with diabetes are four times more prone to develop Heart disease than those who do non hold diabetes. They may endure from Heart Attack, Chest Pain or Angina, High Blood Pressure, Stroke, etc. Patient with diabetes may develop soundless Heart Attacks that is bosom attacks that take topographic point without demoing any specifics symptoms. It is because in diabetics there is damaged nervus, so the patient does non experience an y chest hurting, and therefore is non cognizant of the oncoming bosom onslaught. ( Diabetes mellitus, n.d. ) To suit Mr. Jenaro`s linguistic communication barrier, a transcriber may be the perfect option. Other options are to supply Mr. Jenaro his instruction stuff in Spanish. There are several Web pages from which instruction stuff can be provided. When the patient is ill, he/she is under emphasis. To cover with this emphasis, the patient`s organic structure releases endocrines that help it fight disease. But these endocrines have side effects. They raise blood sugar degrees and interfere with the blood sugar-lowering effects of insulin. As a consequence, when the patient is ill, it is harder to maintain his/her blood sugar in your mark scope. Ketoacidosis taking to a diabetic coma can develop, peculiarly in people with type 1 diabetes. Peoples with type 2 diabetes, particularly older people, can develop a similar status called hyperosmolar hyperglycemic nonketotic coma. Both conditions are unsafe and can be dangerous. Making a Sick-Day Plan: Fix a program for ill yearss in progress. Work with his/her physician, or a diabetes pedagogue. The program will include when to name his/her diabetes squad, how frequently to mensurate blood sugar and urine ketones, what medicines to take, and how to eat. Besides, attach to his/her program a list of phone Numberss for his/her physician, diabetes pedagogue, and dietitian. Make certain he/she besides knows how to make them at dark and on weekends and vacations. Then when unwellness work stoppages, he/she will be ready. When to Name the Diabetes Team: He/she does non necessitate to name his/her squad every clip he/she has a snuffle. But he/she will likely desire to name if certain things happen. For illustration: He/she has been ill or hold had a febrility for a twosome of yearss and are n't acquiring better, he/she has been purging or holding diarrhoea for more than 6 hours, he/she has moderate to big sums of ketones in his/her piss, his/her glucose degrees are higher than 240 even though he/she has taken the excess insulin his/h er sick-day program calls for, he/she take pills for his/her diabetes and his/her blood sugar degree climbs to more than 240 before repasts and corsets at that place for more than 24 hours, he/she have symptoms that might signal diabetic acidosis or desiccation or some other serious status ( for illustration, his/her thorax injuries, he/she is holding problem external respiration, his/her breath odors fruity, or his/her lips or lingua are dry and cracked ) , he/she isn`t certain what to make to take attention of him/herself. He/she should be ready to state what medicines he/she has been taken and how much, how long he/she has been ill, whether he/she can eat and maintain nutrient down, whether he/she has lost weight, and what his/her temperature, blood sugar degree, and urine ketone degree are. To be prepared, maintain written records of all these things every bit shortly as he/she becomes ill. Keep his/her Notebook Handy: No affair what sort of diabetes she/he has, step his/her blo od sugar and urine ketones more frequently than usual. If he/she has type 2 diabetes, look intoing blood sugar four times a twenty-four hours may be plenty. He/she might merely necessitate to mensurate ketones if his/her blood sugar is higher than 300. If he/she does non hold a metre, talk to his/her diabetes educator about acquiring one. Diabetes Medicines: When sick, he/she will still necessitate to go on medical specialty for his/her diabetes. Even if he/she is throwing up, do n't halt his/her medical specialties. He/she need them because his/her organic structure makes excess glucose ( sugar ) when he/she are ill. If he/she has type 2 diabetes, he/she may be able to take his/her pills, or he/she may necessitate to utilize insulin for a short clip. In either instance, work with his/her diabetes team to develop his/her sick-day program. Food: Eating and imbibing can be a large job when he/she is ill. But it ‘s of import to lodge to his/her normal repast program if he/she can . In add-on to his/her normal repasts, drink tonss of non-caloric liquids to maintain from acquiring dehydrated. These are liquids like H2O and diet soft drinks. It ‘s easy to run low on fluids when he/she is purging or have a febrility or diarrhoea. Excess fluids will besides assist acquire rid of the excess sugar ( and perchance, ketones ) in his/her blood. But what if he/she ca n't lodge to his/her normal repast program? His/her sick-day program should incorporate a repast program. Try to take in his/her normal figure of Calories by eating easy-on-the-stomach nutrients like regular ( non-diet ) gelatin, crackers, soups, and applesauce. If even these mild nutrients are excessively difficult to eat, he/she may hold to lodge to imbibing liquids that contain saccharides. Aim for 50 gms of saccharide every three to four hours. His/her sick-day program may include regular ( non diet ) soft drinks. Other high-carbohydrate liquids and almost-liquids are juice, frozen juice bars, sh erbert, pudding, creamed soups, and fruit-flavored yoghurt. Broth is besides a good pick. To fix for ill yearss, have onhand at place a little stock of non-diet soft drinks, stock, apple sauce, and regular gelatin. Medicines to Watch Out for: He/she may desire to take excess medical specialties when he/she is ill. For illustration, if he/she has a cold, he/she may desire to take a cough medical specialty. Teach the patient to ever look into the label of nonprescription medical specialties before he/she purchase them to see if they have sugar. Small doses of medical specialties with sugar are normally all right. But to be on the safe side teach the patient to, inquire the druggist or his/her squad about sugar-free medical specialties. Many medical specialties he/she take for short-run unwellnesss can impact his/her blood sugar degrees, even if they do n't incorporate sugar. For illustration, acetylsalicylic acid in big doses can take down blood sugar degrees. Some antibiotics lower blood sugar degrees in people with type 2 diabetes who take diabetes pills. Decongestants and some merchandises for handling colds raise blood sugar degrees. Teach the patient that if he/she must travel to the exigenc y room or see a different physician than usual, to be certain to state that he/she has diabetes, or that he/she should hold his/her designation watchband in apparent position. ( Diabetets.org, n.d. )

How to Apply to the Senate Page Program

Have you ever considered taking some time away from your regular routine to pursue something new, exciting, and completely different? We probably all have, and while there are tons of opportunities that might fit the bill, few are feasible in terms of time commitment, academics, or financial concerns. But, for students interested in pursuing a career in politics, government, or law, there is one program that may address all of the concerns above. This program is offered both during the school year and during summer months, provides appropriate and rigorous academic course work during the school year, and actually pays you for the work you do. Oh, and it also comes with a ton of prestige and recognition. If this sounds like a good deal to you, read on to learn how you can apply to the Senate Page Program. The Senate Page Program is a fancy term for an official high school internship at the U.S. Senate in Washington D.C.. This program is offered only to high school juniors and provides the opportunity to work with actual senators and government leaders. Students in the Senate Page Program are sponsored by local senators and work for their sponsoring senator’s party in the U.S. Senate. Senate Pages are mostly messengers. They deliver messages and legislative materials to U.S. Senators, Congressmen, and other staff members at the Hart Senate Office Building. They also prepare the chambers for daily business and stand by for tasks while Congress is in session. While doing so, they gain important exposure in the fields of government and politics. The program is highly selective, with only 30 Senate Pages accepted each term.    There are four terms annually. One begins in the fall for four months, another begins in the spring for five months, and two shorter terms start at the beginning of each summer. During the school year, the Senate Page Program is a residential program. Pages live together in a dorm located two blocks from the Hart Senate Building. They take classes beginning at 6:15 AM daily and after classes, pages work while Senate is in session, typically from 10AM – 4PM, though sometimes much longer if Senate has not adjourned for the day. Pages are provided breakfast and dinner daily, and pay for their room and board out of the stipend they earn through working as a page. The stipend is generally modest, reportedly based off of a roughly $26,000 annual salary, and uniform costs are also taken from it. The summer term is slightly different. There is no academic component during summer months and pages are permitted to live with friends or relatives, rather than in the dorm. Dorm residency is still available for those who choose it. While enrolled in the program, students are held to exceptionally high standards for conduct and dress. Room inspections are conducted regularly and students should expect to spend 12-13 hours studying and working each day. It is a rigorous schedule and pages are required to have a doctor’s approval before beginning the program. Senate Pages must be in their junior year of high school. If you’re interested in the summer terms, you may be either a rising junior or a rising senior. You must be 16 or 17 years old, a U.S. citizen, and a student. In order to apply, you must have a GPA of at least 3.0. Pages are sponsored by individual senators. Each senator is usually given the chance to sponsor a page during only one term per year, and he or she generally alternates between male and female pages each year. Because you must apply through a senator, the exact application process and selection criteria vary. Many senators provide more precise information on their websites. Most senators will only sponsor students from the state they represent, but this is not the case for all senators. If you need to apply for a specific term and your senator is not sponsoring a page that term, you should not discount the opportunity. Instead, research nearby states to see if their senators sponsor out-of-state students. If you can’t find the information you need, call their office directly and ask. Our Early Advising Program helps students in 9th and 10th grade discover their passions and build strong academic and extracurricular profiles to succeed in high school. Because you apply for sponsorship directly through a senator, the application process varies by office. In most cases, you submit an initial application along with a resume and several written recommendations. In some cases you also need to submit a transcript and write an essay. If you advance past the first round, you will likely be invited for a series of interviews. The program is extremely competitive, so if you make it to the interview phase, be sure to practice ahead of time and arrive on time and dressed professionally.   Due to the competitive nature of the program, you will need to leverage every advantage that you can to your favor. It is politics, after all. For this reason, try to find personal and professional connections that will give you a leg above the rest. Some senators might require that you submit at least one recommendation from a teacher, adviser, or head of school. If this is the case, choose the most established professional who knows you well. If you have a good relationship with your head of school and you believe that he or she can speak specifically to your strengths, go ahead and ask for a recommendation. If, however, you aren’t sure that your head of school even knows who you are, work your way down the line of command until you find someone who knows you well. Another strong recommendation should come from a teacher who has instructed you in a related content area. This could be your AP U.S. Government teacher, your Mock Trial adviser, or another teacher who knows your abilities well. If you are asked for more than two recommendations, try to find someone who is well-connected and has political ties to supply the third. This is the time to call your uncle’s college roommate to arrange a lunch meeting, or hit up your best friend’s mother’s cousin for a coffee date. While these people may not know you very well, if they are connected politically, their word might carry much more weight than someone else’s. Although it is a general rule of thumb that you should not seek recommendations from people who do not know you well, if your senator seeks more than two recommendations, it is not a bad idea to try to find someone with political ties to supply the third recommendation. Don’t blindly ask for a recommendation from someone who hasn’t seen you since you were in diapers, though. Instead, arrange a time to meet together to discuss your plans and ambitions. When you do so, be not only honest about your intentions but also upfront about your qualifications. Your job is to clearly articulate to this person why you are qualified and deserving of becoming a Senate Page. If you can convince this person that you’re a worthy candidate, he or she might be able to convince your sponsoring senator. Also, keep in mind the weight of the favor this person is lending you. Be extremely gracious and make sure that you arrive early so that you don’t keep anyone waiting. Ask for advice and do as much listening as you do talking. Even if you don’t end up becoming a Senate Page, this person could be a valuable mentor if you intend to pursue a career in government or politics.   The Senate Page Program is one of the most competitive high school programs in the country. Each term, only 30 pages are selected nationally. Of these, 15 are males and 15 are females. It’s unknown exactly how many students apply each year, since all applicants go through a sponsoring senator, but it’s safe to say that only a tiny proportion of applicants go on to become Senate Pages. Also, remember that there are some factors that will impact your chances of becoming a page that are outside of your control. Like anything in politics, connections play an important role in identifying top candidates. Further, because the number of page roles is fewer than the number of senators, senior senators are more likely to successfully appoint a page and even then, senators may only sponsor one page per year.       Just because you don’t have any connections doesn’t mean you can’t become a Senate Page. It is completely possible to make your own connections as an involved high school student. If you’re interested in government or politics and you know that you want to become a Senate Page, start working towards it early in your high school career. You might volunteer in local government or politics. Get involved with your district representative or, during an election year, work on a political campaign. Some local government offices also have page programs that may serve as a good entry point for you. You can create meaningful connections through your own prolonged involvement in local and regional politics and government. If you’re interested in pursuing a career in politics or government but want some more guidance and insight into the process, consider ’s Mentoring Program , which provides practical advice on topics from high school activities and college applications to career aspirations, all from successful college students who have been in your shoes.

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Should Accounting Rules be Global - Essay Example The multinational companies have been required following the systems and accounting standards followed in the various economies of their operation for the preparation and reporting of financial statements. The companies have also faced difficulties in explaining their financial position to the investors due to the difference in the accounting systems in different countries that reflects various financial situations of the business (Basu, 1997). A globalized accounting system requires the establishment of harmonious accounting standards such as International Financial Reporting Standards (IFRS) that can help the users of accounting information to apply the same rule during preparation and interpretation of the accounting information. Various companies have gradually engaged in the establishment of "accounting standards that can be applied in more than one country" (Heidhues & Patel, 2012, p. 39). Some of the factors that influence the accounting system of the economy could be broadly categorized under the country’s historical origin, socio-economic demands, culture, institutional environment and many non-accounting factors such as values and beliefs (Gaffikin, 2007). These factors are different for every country. Also, the accounting systems of the countries vary from one another. The recent cause of suggestion for establishment of uniform accounting standards has been the expansion of businesses into the international economies (Gaffikin, 2007, p. 3). Having uniform global accounting standards will help businesses to compete effectively and compare the performances of affiliate businesses across the globe using standard information. The variation of accounting standards has affected number of sectors of the economy that require harmonization of accounting standards to make them operate smoothly (Zimmerman & Werner, 2013, p. 117). The operation of capital markets is affected by accounting principles since

The Doctrine of Privity of Contract and the Impact of the Contracts Essay

The Doctrine of Privity of Contract and the Impact of the Contracts Act 1999 - Essay Example 121, 1991) the Contracts (Rights of Third Parties) Act 1999 which essentially modified the doctrine of privity of contract and confers upon third parties a limited right of action relative to a contract which confers upon the third party a benefit. Ultimately a third party may enforce a term or condition of a contract if the contract â€Å"expressly† makes provision for the right of the third party to enforce a term of the contract.5 Secondly, a third party may enforce a contractual term if the term â€Å"purports to confer a benefit† on that third party.6 It is assumed that once parties to a contract confer on a third party a benefit under a contract, the contracting parties intend that the third party may enforce the term creating the relevant benefit.7 In Nisshin Shipping Co. Ltd. v Cleaves & Co. Ltd. it was held that the assumption that parties to a contract intend that a third party with a benefit under the contract can enforce the term creating the benefit can onl y be rebutted by substantial evidence to the contrary.8 In other words there must be proof that the contracting parties did not intend that the third party have enforceable rights under the contract. Otherwise the third party must be identified either expressly or by description in the body of the contract in order to get around the doctrine of privity of contract.9 Essay question – restraint of trade – employees and sale of business. Restraint of trade clauses in contracts of employment are intended by employers to safeguard against competition from former employees.10 Similarly, upon the sale of a business, a contract for the sale of the business may contain a covenant in which the vendor covenants not to engage in a business area for a prescribed period in order to safeguard against the deterioration of goodwill purchased by the purchaser.11 When a business is sold or transferred to another party, an existing restraint of trade agreement impacting an employee surviv es the transfer of the business.12 Like employment covenants for the restraint of trade13a covenant for the restraint of trade under an agreement for the sale of a business will be generally upheld when the restraint of trade covenant is reasonable.14 It was held in Dairy Crest Ltd. v Pigott that an employer may only enforce an agreement in restraint of trade for preventing unfair competition as opposed to competition altogether.15 Ultimately, the restraint of trade clause in a contract of employment or in the sale of transfer of a business must be reasonable in that it must be for the purpose of protecting a legitimate interest. For instance it would not be unreasonable for an employer or a purchaser to want to protect trade secrets or confidential information relevant to trade.16 In Danaway, Day & Co. Ltd. v De Braconier D’

Major thoughts or conclusions on role of intelligence in threat Essay

Major thoughts or conclusions on role of intelligence in threat managemenM - Essay Example It is very sad that most of the successes never get to the mainstream media as opposed to the failures. The agencies operate as devolved units that support the government in diplomacy as well as during wartime. The support was best witnessed during the clandestine elimination of Osama Bin Laden the slain Al Qaeda chief by special forces. In homeland security and defense, the intelligence protects the society from security threats and intrusions that would lead to endangering of the common person, as well as the government. In its various forms, the intelligence operates both strategically and tactically to ensure that accurate information is presented to the right authorities as and when needed. The processes involved in the information gathering stages from tasking, collection, processing and disseminating the information is of critical significance to the country in combating terrorism1. In carrying out intelligence duties, solid support from the police and other government agencies is very significant in preventing future attacks. Monitoring of the terrorist activities in unison with the police will ensure that threats are countered before they happened and that most networks are dismantled forthwith. Such unison calls for all arms of the government to give the intelligence agencies and officials the ultimate support possible for current and future security apparatus of the United States and the world. Conclusively, the intelligence is a crucial factor in the government that is often misinterpreted once threats occur but with the required support, the role played by the ladies and gentlemen in this facet remain of top most important to the US government and

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The Audience Assignment - Essay Example Every essay has a point to make, and the point is communicated to the potential audience and strives to instil some emotions or thought process into the people who are reading the article; therefore, the writer should bear in mind the people who read the essay so that he can chart out the point in an effective manner. The technique to writing an effective essay is to become one’s own audience at the time of writing the essay. Once the writer starts to write the essay, he should keep reviewing it so that he can know when he is making a mistake or how he should go about writing the essay so that the message is sent across easily and efficiently. Furthermore, he or she must be able to keep checking each and every paragraph of the essay and put himself or herself in another person’s shoes and comprehend from that point of view. If he or she is able to sense clarity within the essay, then the essay should go on; if not, then certain changes need to be made from the point of view of the targeted audience so that they will be able to understand the essay better. Every time that an author sets about to write a piece of persuasive text, the main thing to be kept in mind is who should be persuaded. Every essay is directed towards a particular group of people and aimed towards providing information to a particular aspect of society. If the author of the essay is able to persuade the minds of the targeted audience, then the main objective of the essay has been met. If not, then changes need to be made within the text in order to help the people understand what the essay is actually trying to say. For example, an essay on race cars would be directed at a particular group of people who are fanatics or contain a passion about the dynamics of racing and race cars; other people who have no idea about the same phenomenon will not be able to understand the point of the essay, no matter how hard they try, and will find it boring to read because of lack of understandi ng. Previously, two essays on personal reflection were written by me that were mainly aimed at a particular audience trying to understand the intricacies of writing essays and understanding grammar related to the same. The essay comprised comprehending personal reflection, prewriting strategies, as well as free-writing and focused writing etc, and could not have been understood by a lay man with no interest in writing essays or reading them. The second essay was directed towards an audience that would understand the need of having a child and how I felt when my first daughter was born. Not all types of audiences will be able to understand those emotions; thus, there was a specific type of people that could comprehend what I was trying to say within that essay. Simply speaking, it is important for any author to keep an audience in mind while writing an essay because the audience is the main object towards which the essay is to be delivered to. Every author wants his or her essays to be read by someone, appreciated, as well as criticised, and only a specific audience can do that for the author. The audience needs to be persuaded and made understood that the ideas within the essay written by the author are what he is trying to say and convey to other people with a view for them to inculcate the same within their lives. Furthermore, receiving a response from the audience helps the

The Introduction Of Billingual Education In Educational Institutions Essay

The Introduction Of Billingual Education In Educational Institutions Around America - Essay Example In many parts of educational development, bilingual education is treated as learning for non-American students. The use of their native language along with the inculcation of English to their vocabulary is the main aim of this program. According to educators, this is more likely an ESL program that would indeed assist foreign nationals living in the American territories to adapt to the society, especially with regards to children who are born in America. This would help the non-Americans to be ‘one’ with the American community in terms of language. To the educators, this is a way by which America could be able to overcome ethnic differences in the country. However, some language experts say that this is not an easy task for early childhood educators. The fact is that at times, some students come to the American region with a fluency on their native language already and thus may not have so much interest in knowing other languages more. Aside form this, according to some ‘English Only’ advocates, â€Å"bilingualism would only lead to an ethnic line of division between the nationalistic views of the natives of America† (Internet). Many educators are indeed amiable that bilingual education is an essential part of learning especially with children who are of different ethnic society in the United States. Many professional early child education experts consider that through the utilization of bilingualism in the educational systems, children would become more concern and highly, in connection with their language. ... However, some issues need to be addressed when bilingual education is being discussed. Scope of the Problem In many parts of educational development, bilingual education is treated as learning for non-American students. The use of their native language along with the inculcation of English to their vocabulary is the main aim of this program. According to educators, this is more likely an ESL program that would indeed assist foreign nationals living in the American territories to adapt to the society, especially with regards to children who are born in America. This would help the non-Americans to be 'one' with the American community in terms of language. To the educators, this is a way by which America could be able to overcome ethnic differences in the country. However, some language experts say that this is not an easy task for early childhood educators. The fact is that at times, some students come to the American region with a fluency on their native language already and thus may not have so much interest in knowing other languages more. Aside form this, according to some 'English Onl y' advocates, "bilingualism would only lead to an ethnic line of division between the nationalistic views of the natives of America" (Internet). The Pros of the Issue on Bilingual Education Implementation Many educators are indeed amiable that bilingual education is an essential part of learning especially with children who are of different ethnic society in the United States. Many professional early child education experts consider that through the utilization of bilingualism in the educational systems, children would become more concern and highly, in connection with their environment because of their

Game theory Essay Example for Free

Game theory Essay Game theory is a broad field of study that involves examining ways in which strategic decisions are derived. The study is applied in areas where strategic interactions among rational players produce outcomes with respect to the preferences of those players (Fudenberg Tirole 1991). Game theory is a branch of applied mathematics that is mostly used in the social sciences situations like, economics, psychology, political science, and philosophy. The theory is also used in other fields like, biology, engineering, political science, international relations and computer science. Game theory can be classified as; non-cooperative (or strategic) games and co-operative (or coalitional) games (Fernandez Bierman 1998). Non-cooperative games are involved with how intelligent individuals interact with one another in an effort to achieve their own goals. Co-operative games are where players co-operate in their moves (strategies) to achieve the desired common goals. ‘Strategic-form’ or ‘normal form’ games and ‘extensive form’ games. ‘Strategic form’ games are games where actions by players are taken simultaneously and order of the play is irrelevant to the game’s outcome. ‘Extensive form’ games are games where actions are taken by the players in a sequence and order of play is relevant to a games outcome. They are usually presented in a tree diagram. Symmetric and Asymmetric games; Asymmetric games are where the payoffs for playing a particular move depend only on the other player’s strategies. Symmetric game is where identities of the players can be changed without changing the payoff to the strategies. Zero-sum games and non-zero sum games; Zero-sum games are where the total benefits to all players add up to zero (Camerer 2003). In non-zero sum games, the total benefits do not necessarily adds up to zero. Discrete and continuous games; discrete games have finite number of players, moves, events and outcomes. Continuous games have infinite numbers. The basic elements of game theory are; an agent (an entity with preferences/options), game (All situations in which at least one agent can only act to maximize his utility through anticipating responses to his actions by one or more other agents), utility (amount of benefits/welfare an agent derives from occurrence of an event), payoff (an ordinal utility number assigned to a player at event of a certain outcome), outcome (an assignment of a set of payoffs, one to each player in the game), strategy (player’s plan on which action to take to achieved his/her desired payoff) and trees and matrices (ways of representing games that is based on order of play) (Fernandez Bierman 1998). Game theory is based on the following assumptions: Players in a game are able to make their own preferences i. e. they are free agents. Players are economically rational and they can, assess outcomes, calculate paths to outcomes and choose actions that they think will yield their preferred outcomes. Agents’ purpose is to maximize their utility. Game outcome depends on the actions taken by the players (Camerer 2003). Game theory has been used to explain in different fields to explain varied phenomena. In economics, game theory has been employed to explain business behaviors and economic conditions. Economic theories have embraced game theory in explaining and exhibiting certain economic behaviors. Economists have used other related theories in trying to understand rational interaction of strategic economic decisions that are made by people. These theories are closely linked to game theory and they include, decision theory, general equilibrium theory and mechanism design theory. Decision theory is a game theory of a single player against nature that focuses on preferences and the formation of beliefs (Fernandez Bierman 1998). The theory is used to demonstrate how best to acquire information before making a decision. Equilibrium theory is a branch of game theory that deals with trade and production and mostly with where there are relatively large number of individual consumers and producers (Fudenberg Tirole 1991). It is widely used in the macroeconomic analysis of broad based economic policies like monetary and fiscal policies, stock markets analysis, interest and exchange rates studies. Mechanism design theory is built on game theory but have special focus on the consequences of different types of rules (strategies). Example of a game theory is price game used by companies in a duopolistic market to increase their market share. In a duopoly market, two firms control the market and they use factors like prices, quality products and services, promotions, branding and promotion to compete over the market share (Samuelson 2008). When market share of one company increases, the other company’s share decreases. Firms in sectors that sells homogeneous products (e. g. energy sector), uses pricing strategy to win increase their market share. Taking example of two oil companies in a duopolistic market in current oil price surge, the companies are faced with problem of adjusting their prices upwards since this will adversely affect the demand of their oil products and thus reduce their revenues. Increase in crude oil prices has been experienced in the world, and oil and petroleum companies have to increase their retail prices upwards to realize earnings from their venture. Companies also have objective of increasing the volume of their sales, by increasing the market share of their products. Since petroleum companies trades homogeneous products, the main marketing tool to increase their market share is price. For two companies in a duopoly market, if one company increases its prices, and other maintains or even reduces, the former loses market share to the latter. Both companies face the following possibilities from their moves; reduction of market share of their products and hence their future revenues and profit or reduction in their profit margin or loss and hence shrink of their financial performance and growth in the future. Therefore each of the firms is faced with dilemma of which move to take in this situation of sharp increase in their raw materials. The two firms have the following strategic problem; to ensure profitability of their companies amid high cost of their sales, and pressure to maintain their prices at competitive price over their rivals in order to increase demand of their products. These are conflicting goals that management of each company must resolve by making strategic price decisions. Pricing strategies for the two firms are either to increase the price that would results to increase in revenue and retain its market share, reduce price which results to increase in market share of its products or maintain the price (Ibid 2008). Each company want to maximize its utility in the pricing moves i. e. to select a move that will see its market share maintained or increased and also ensure profitability of the company. Each strategy that the companies may take have implications on the other i. e. move by one firm affects the other firm. Example, in case of one firm decreasing its prices, this will affects negatively market share of the other as the demand of the former company’s product increases. Therefore, each company is expected to take choice that will result to its favor. Since the two firms are competing for success in their business, there is no cooperation expected while making this very important pricing choice. However, both firm being the only supplier in the market, they can cooperate and set their price mutually in a way that will ensure that no company will lose out to the other. Such arrangements are common in oligopolistic markets, where producers when faced by price pressure mutually agree to set their prices at the same level that will maintain the market share levels. In this game, each player (company) prefers to increase its market share over the other over maintaining the current market share. Therefore, they are taking conflicting moves to win over the other. The information about the available strategic choices is available to both firms. Both firms also know the current market share of their products and prices of the rival group. Each company has information about the strengths of the other company and knows how much they can support low prices in the price wars. They also know that the cost of crude oil has increased in the world market and that price was the tool to increase their revenues and growth. The only information both companies do not have is which choice their rival make and when. Companies will not make price changes at the same time; therefore the company that will make price changes after the other will have advantage over the other as it has prior information that is very important in making the pricing decisions. This game is an extensive game and the moves are in a sequence order. Therefore, timing of their moves is very important as it will give the second company advantage to make a well informed move. Using a hypothetical case, we take example of one company making first move and then the other follows. Using the game tool we can get the possible outcomes and solutions in an economic situation like ours. The payoffs assigned to each possible result indicate situations where a company can benefit (high payoffs) or lose out to the other competing company (low payoffs). Using a hypothetical example of oil companies BP Inc and Shell Plc as companies that operates in a monopolistic market, we can examine outcomes of pricing moves made by the two companies. The game can be used to give solutions to the price problem in a tight monopolisic market. The pricing game is based on the following assumptions: both BP Inc and Shell Plc are rational entities and in their moves their objectives are to increase their market share. Both firms make a sequential move on pricing that take extensive form (Fudenberg Tirole 1991). Shell Plc makes their decision after the BP Inc makes their pricing move. There is perfect market information symmetry (all company has all market information). Other factors that affect influence market share of the companies are constant. Strategies employed are price increment, price reduction or maintaining the price level. Payoffs (utility functions) for the moves are assigned as: Company that increases its market share over the other gets 5, company that losses its market share to the other gets -5. The payoffs represent the companies gain or loss in market share. The range for payoff is from -5 to 5, with both the lowest and the highest value representing the highest gain and the highest loss. The medium values represent an outcome of moderate change in the market share of the companies. The game can be represented in a tree diagram as follows: BP Inc P^ Pv PÂ ¦ Shell P^ Pv PÂ ¦ P^ Pv PÂ ¦ P^ Pv PÂ ¦ (0, 0) (-5, 5) (-2, 4) (5, -5) (3, 3) (4, 2) (4, 0) (2, 4) (2, 2) If BP Inc increases its prices ( P^) due to increased world crude oil prices, and shell Plc increases (P^) too the outcome will be (0, 0) i. e. their market share would not change but their sales may reduce due to decreased demand. If Shell Plc reduces (Pv) the prices after BP Inc has increased its prices, the pay offs are (-5, 5) i. e. BP Inc will loss its market share at a rate that is same as one Shell Plc will increase its market share. In the scenario that BP Inc will raise its prices and Shell maintains its prices (PÂ ¦), the payoffs are (-2, 4) i. e. market share for BP will reduce (Pv) but at low rate compared to Shell increment rate will be. On the other hand, if BP Inc reduces its prices first and then Shell raises its prices, the outcome will be (5, -5) i. e. market share for BP will increase at a rate that’s same as the one Shell Plc will lose its share. If both firms reduces their prices, the payoff is going to be (3, 3) i. e. their market share will not change but their sales will be better (higher revenue than if prices are higher). However, if BP reduces its prices but Shell maintains its price, the pay off will be (4, 2) i. e. BP’s market share will increase comparatively higher than Shell’s. In the last scenario, in case BP maintains its price level but Shell Plc increases its price the outcome payoff will be (4, 0) i. e. BP’s share will increase over Shell’s at relatively higher rate. But if BP maintains its prices and Shell reduces its prices, the pay off will be (2, 4) i. e. Shell Plc will increase its market share at a higher rate than BP Inc. In the last possible scenario, if both BP and Shell maintains their prices, the payoff will be (2, 2) i. e. there is not going to be changes in the market share, though both firms will have higher sales than if they raise their prices. The game theory provides the solution that the second (shell) should take a move to reduce its price, if BP increases as it will greatly increase its market share. Also it can get increased market share and profit if it maintains its prices, after BP increases its prices. To the company that makes the first move, the best solution is to maintain the price level as it will have higher payoffs without risking the move by the Shell. These options are the only one that will increase their market share and profitable growth. The price game theory can be used to understand economic changes in duopolistic markets. The game can be used in making strategic pricing and marketing decisions. The approach is important to economic theorists in describing the economic rationale that relates to commodity prices, demand and supply dynamics (Guala 2005). Despite the usefulness of game theory, there are some challenges to this theory. The assumptions on which the theory is based sometimes do not hold (Fernandez Bierman 1998). Game theorist assumption that players always act in a way to directly maximize their utility sometimes is violated by human behaviors i. e. in practice, human behavior often deviates from this model. This is because of the following factors that need to be considered; irrationality, new models of deliberation, and different motives (). In real life some people tend to respond irrationally in a situation where they are ideally expected to respond rationally. Also different people are motivated by different things and thus tend to respond differently in the same situation. To this end some theorists take game theory as tool for suggesting how people should respond but not as a tool to predict human behaviors and that game theory is used to explain strategic reasoning rather than strategic behaviors. Other limitations of the theory are based on the assumptions that prices changes are the only factors that will affect the demand of the oil products and consequently the market share. In real life there are rational factors that affect the market share of a product or a company. Quality of products and services, brand strength, promotions and other marketing strategies influences the demand of a product and its market share. Companies may also be motivated by other factors other than increasing market share when making pricing decisions. The theory also does not assign specific values to specify to what percentage a company gain or lose the market share. Since it’s an economic analysis it should give outcomes that can be easily understood and that make economic sense. However, the theory is very important in giving the general description of how individuals are expected to respond given a certain economic conditions. In the economic field the theory has been instrumental in explaining behaviors of firms and individuals’ producers and consumers. The theory is also very important in understanding how strategic decisions relate. Reference: Camerer, C. (2003). Behavioral Game Theory: Experiments in Strategic Interaction. Princeton: Princeton University Press Fernandez, L F. ; Bierman, H S. (1998), Game Theory with Economic Applications, Addison-Wesley Fudenberg, D. , and Tirole, J. (1991). Game Theory. Cambridge, MA: MIT Press Guala, F. (2005). The Methodology of Experimental Economics. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press Samuelson, L. (2005). Economic Theory and Experimental Economics. Journal of Economic Literature 43:65-107.

Company †Strengths and weaknesses Analysis Essay Example for Free

Company – Strengths and weaknesses Analysis Essay Application Assignment †¢Application Assignment on Situational Analysis and SWOT common to all themespgs MM-112 to MM-122 PART B and C (to be submitted together) (15+ 5 Marks) Company –Strengths and weaknesses Analysis Remember this assignment is in continuity to the previous marketing assignment. Here we do a strength and weakness analysis for our company vis -a- vis competitors. We need to know: A. What special strength/ competence or assets company has to satisfy the needs of customers? B. Who competes with us in meeting those needs and what is their competence, strength or asset? Can we scale our own firm and the major competitors on those competencies and strengths? This kind of an analysis follows a 3-step process. 1Identification of all our Competitors. Competition does not stem only from products or firms that compete directly for your market share but also from any company that satisfies the same customer need. (Refer to the ‘Market concept of competition’ at the end of the assignment ) 2List the areas in which your organization or the competitor has the competence. Needless to say that these areas should be industry relevant. An indicative list of the areas in which a firm can have strength / competence is listed below. Innovation ?Ability to develop innovative products ?Amount of Rs. spent on RD ?Patents that a company has to its credit ?Technical product or service superiority Manufacturing ?Favorable Cost Structure ?Flexible production operations ?Access to Raw materials ?Quality of work force ?Capacity ?Outsourcing Finance- Access to capital ?Ability to generate funds in the short and long run ?Ability to use debt and equity financing ?Parent firms willingness to finance Management ?Quality of top and middle management ?Knowledge of business ?Culture ?Strategic goals and plans ?Entrepreneurial thrust ?Planning or operation system ?Loyalty ?Quality of strategic decision making. Marketing ?Product quality reputation ?Product differentiation ?Brand name recognition ?Customer orientation ?Breadth of the product line ?Segmentation ?Distribution ?Retailer relationship ?Advertising / Promotional skills ?Sales force ?Service Customer base ?Size and loyalty ?Market share ?Growth of segments served This list is only indicative to serve as a guide to the major areas in which a firm can have strength/ competence. You can add on or delete items to suit to your company and industry. 3Scaling your organization vis a vis the competitors on the parameters listed above-The Competitive strength Grid *(Please refer exhibit at the end of the assignment) Once the strengths / assets relevant to the industry have been identified, one has to scale one’s own firm and the major competitors on those strengths. One such grid has been done for the Luxury car market. The left side of the grid identifies the areas in which a luxury car maker can have strengths/ competencies namely product quality, product differentiation etc. On the right side various brands have been scaled with either less than average, average or above average position with respect to the strength/ competence identified. For ex. Cadillac has above average position in product quality, average when it comes to product differentiation and less than average on dealer satisfaction, all 3 areas being key to success in a car market. Assignment questions 1. Identify all the major competitors to your product. (Already done in part A of the assignment) †¢ICICI bank †¢HDFC †¢SBI †¢Deutsche Bank †¢Citibank †¢Goldman Sachs 2. Identify and list all the major strengths/assets/ competencies relevant to your industry. Core competencies: †¢Customer service †¢Risk management Compliance †¢Strategy Development †¢Strong leadership and management †¢Sales, marketing and Operations †¢Client base and brand 3. Scale your firm and any two other competitors on these strengths in a Competitive Strength Grid as is shown in the example. HSBCICICI bank Deutsche Bank †¢Customer service †¢Reach to the customer is good †¢Good relationship management †¢Premier clients focused cells †¢Reach to the customer is good †¢Premier clients focused cells †¢Reach to the customer is good †¢Good relationship management †¢Premier clients focused cells †¢Risk management Compliance †¢Credit Risk †¢Operational Risk †¢Market Risk †¢Credit Risk †¢Operational Risk †¢Market Risk †¢Credit Risk †¢Operational Risk †¢Market Risk †¢Strategy Development †¢Reach to global markets †¢Presence in emerging economies †¢Specific to one country †¢Reach to global markets Strong leadership and management †¢Business expansions Leadership support †¢Culture of developing and retaining leaders †¢Strong international management and leadership †¢Business expansions regionally †¢Strong management presence †¢Business expansions Leadership support †¢Strong international management and leadership †¢Sales, marketing and Operations †¢Consumer / Transactional Sales †¢Advisory / Relationship Management Sales †¢Consumer / Transactional Sales †¢Advisory / Relationship Management Sales †¢Consumer / Transactional Sales †¢Advisory / Relationship Management Sales Client base and brand †¢History and strong brand †¢Your local banker approach †¢Internationally renowned brand †¢Strong regional brand †¢History and strong brand †¢Internationally renowned brand 4. Do you have a competitive advantage superior to that of the competitor in any or more area? Do you see major areas for improvement in any competitive area? The areas of competitive advantage are: †¢Strategy Development †¢Reach to global markets †¢Presence in emerging economies †¢Strong leadership and management †¢Culture of developing and retaining leaders Strong international management and leadership †¢Client base and brand †¢History and strong brand †¢Your local banker approach †¢Internationally renowned brand Areas for improvement: †¢Larger presence in retail operations in emerging economies †¢Leveraging technology to increase efficiency, access to markets and risk management †¢Innovation by providing weekend banking and banking in non official hours PART C Assignment question 1. Based upon PART A and Part B of the assignment, consolidate the Strengths , Weaknesses, Opportunities and Threats for your organization into a SWOT Grid.