What’s Cause of Poverty in Africa?

Introduction: â€Å"Poverty is a state of not having enough money to take care of basic needs such as food, clothing and shelter† (Audu). In another word, people do not have sufficient income to purchase enough food. Africa is a continent known for its deep history and rich culture but also know as a continent battling against poverty and disease (Audu). Poverty in Africa has been rising for the last quarter century while it has been falling in the rest of the developing world.Poverty doesn’t result from just one or two causes. The problem entrenched poverty is extremely difficult to solve because of different factors and all interacting with one another. Three main sections cause poverty in Africa are economic, political and external. Body: Economic: Employment is the main route out of poverty for poor people in an undeveloped country. The government does very little to create more jobs for African nations even with students that graduates from college can’t fin d work.With the unemployment rate increase, a lot of Africans have turned into armed robbers, blood money rituals, and secret cults organization, migrating outside Africa and turning into prostitution in order to survive. Therefore, the economic productivity is low but poverty rate is high. When leaders are not accountable to those they serve then there is a sign of corruption. Corruption both in government and business place heavy cost on society because it plays a major cause and a result of poverty. It’s because poverty can be fought in the presence of strong institution, and equitable distribution of resources (Collier).However, programs that designed to fight poverty in Africa are not fully implemented because the funds end up in the hands of corrupt individuals, who pocket the majority (Bartle). This emphasizes poor governance because those in authority have failed to apprehend the corrupt. Therefore, it requires a non-corrupt government to turn public income into human development outcomes and strengthening of business confidence, economic and social. Political: Social inequality starts from cultural ideas about the relative worth of different genders, races, ethnic groups and social classes (Bartle).According to Jeff Stats, in African history, apartheid laws defined a binary caste system that assigned different rights and social spaces to different races, using skin color to determine the opportunities available to individuals in each group. Base on this law it’s very inequality for people in Africa because people who are in low class will never able to change their level since they don’t have the opportunity and options to change it. External: With constant war and conflict in Africa makes it very difficult to farm, to work for living or earn money.It’s hard to start ordinary life because many men are forces to flee from their homes to fight for the war. This will make the continent’s productivity goes down and pover ty rates go up. Another factor that cause poverty in Africa is diseases such as malaria, HIV, and TB. When a member in a household is affected by any of those diseases there is very little resources are spent on treating the sick. This lead to people who are left behind with no resources to support themselves and the situation is worsened by poor health facilities.

My Inspiration on my life Essay

As I thought of who I admired most and was successful at their job, I began to think of famous people and people involved in my academic and athletic careers. I realized that I was looking at the wrong people in my life. These people have passed through my life, yet the person who had the most impact was one who affected me every day. My mother, by far, has had the greatest impact on my life and I admire her far more than anyone else. Her heart and determination are something that I can only hope that I too will someday have. The reason my mom is successful at her job and I admire her so much is that, without her I would not be able to do the basic things that I do today. She taught me so much and has had a huge impact on my life. My mother may not be the top of the charts at her job that she works on the week days (Working at the Pentagon), but she over achieves in her job of being a mom. She is successful at her job because she was able to raise my sister and me to be the people we are today, from the very beginning of our life to now. I have watched her struggle with running a household, giving my sister and me rides, and working every week at her job. I did not realize as a young child how much courage, strength, and determination it took to take on this work. She never hesitated to drop everything to rush my sister and me to dance, soccer, church, or wherever we needed to go. I could always look up from the sidelines of a game to see her cheering me on. She has never given up on me and she always tries her hardest to do what’s best for me. I admire my mom far more than anyone because even though she might have been having the busiest day of her life, she always somehow made time for family. She also taught me that if you believe in yourself you can achieve anything. She would push me harder to help me accomplish my goals and she taught me to do things with 110% effort. My mom has shown me that with determination and perseverance one can accomplish a nything. I have seen my mother give up as she struggled to be a better person, raise a family, and work a job, but she has always supported me in all my choices. She strived to make my sister and me strong people with independent minds. I look to her in hopes that someday I will be as happy, as strong, and as well-spoken as her. She has taught me the most important thing in life – never give up on your dreams. I thank her dearly for helping me become who I am today. I would have never made it as far as I have without her help. Read more:Â  The person I admire essay example

Gestational Diabetes Essay

The clinic RN reviews Amanda’s prenatal record prior to performing a nursing assessment. Amanda has given birth twice, once at 35-weeks (twins) and once at 39-weeks (singleton). All of these children are alive and well. She has had one spontaneous abortion at 9-weeks gestation. 1. How should the nurse record Amanda’s obstetrical history using the G-T-P-A-L designation? A) 3-2-0-1-3. B) 3-1-1-1-2. C) 4-1-1-1-3. D) 4-2-1-0-2. Correct answer(s): C The nurse notes that Amanda’s fasting 1 hour glucose screening level, which was done two days previously, is 158 mg/dl. 2. The nurse recognizes that what information in the client’s history supports a diagnosis of gestational diabetes? A) Maternal great-aunt has insulin dependent (Type 1) diabetes. B) Youngest child weighed 4300 grams at 39-weeks gestation. C) Trace of protein noted in urine specimen at last prenatal visit. D) Client is 64 inches tall and weighed 134 prior to pregnancy. Correct answer(s): B Further Glucose Screening Amanda is scheduled for a 3 hour oral glucose tolerance test in 5 days, and is told to arrive at the lab at 8:30 am. Amanda asks if there are any special instructions for the test in addition to fasting for 8 hours immediately prior to the test. 3. Which instruction should the nurse give the client? A) Only coffee or tea is allowed once the fasting level has been drawn. B) Follow an unrestricted diet and exercise pattern for at least 3 days before the test. C) Write down questions and call the laboratory for instructions the day before the test. D) Smoking in moderation is allowed up until the time the test begins. Correct answer(s): B Amanda asks the nurse why she wasn’t tested for gestational diabetes until she was almost 28-weeks gestation. 4. The nurse’s response should be based on the understanding of which normal physiologic change of pregnancy? A) Maternal insulin crosses the placenta to regulate fetal glucose levels throughout pregnancy. B) In the first trimester, estrogen and progesterone cause an increase in maternal fasting glucose levels. C) Hormonal changes in the second and third trimesters result in increased maternal insulin resistance. D) Fetal insulin production increases each trimester, forcing the mother’s body to produce more glucose. Correct answer(s): C Interdisciplinary Client Care Amanda’s 3 hour Oral Glucose Tolerance Test indicates that she does have gestational diabetes. The RN phones Amanda and arranges for her to meet with the CNM and perinatologist, as well as an RN diabetes educator and a registered dietician (RD) the next day. The perinatologist and CNM discuss gestational diabetes with Amanda and after seeking input from Amanda, outline their suggested plan of care, which includes dietary control and glucose self-monitoring. After the perinatologist and CNM leave, Amanda appears confused and asks the RN, â€Å"Does this mean I will always have diabetes?† 5. Which response should the nurse give to the client? A) â€Å"You will need to be periodically evaluated for Type 2 diabetes for the rest of your life.† B) â€Å"There should be no problem as long as you do not have to use insulin during this pregnancy.† C) â€Å"There is no need to talk about this now. We’ll discuss it at your first postpartum visit.† D) â€Å"Tell me what worries you about the possibility of developing Type 2 diabetes after your pregnancy ends.† Correct answer(s): A After all her questions are answered, Amanda is scheduled for a return visit with the CNM in one week, and is escorted to the office of the registered dietician (RD). The RD discusses the need to control carbohydrates while maintaining an appropriate carbohydrate-protein-fat ratio to promote consistent weight gain (based on the woman’s body mass index), prevent ketoacidosis, and encourage normoglycemia (euglycemia). Amanda is then introduced to the RN diabetes educator. She asks the nurse to clarify what the RD told her about the content and timing of her meals. 6. Which response should the nurse give to the client? A) Eliminate the bedtime snack if heartburn develops after eating. B) Choose complex carbohydrates that are high in fiber content. C) Increase the percentage of protein in the diet if anemia develops. D) Vary timing of meals and snacks based on individual preferences. Correct answer(s): B The RN diabetes educator makes a plan of care to teach Amanda to monitor her glucose levels. The RN diabetes educator discusses the use of self-glucose monitoring and gives Amanda verbal and written guidance about optimal glucose levels at each glucose testing point throughout the day. The nurse also provides instruction about calibration of the glucose monitor, fingerstick technique, and use of the monitor for testing. After reviewing the instructions and a successful return demonstration, the diabetes educator and Amanda agree to meet after Amanda’s prenatal appointment to follow-up on today’s teaching/learning. 7. Which fingerstick blood glucose (FSBG) testing protocol should the diabetes educator recommend for Amanda? A) Only if symptoms of hypoglycemia or hyperglycemia occur. B) Prior to breakfast (fasting) and two hours after each meal. C) Before and two hours after all meals, at bedtime, and during the night. D) Once daily until glucose levels are stabilized, then weekly. Correct answer(s): B A Complication Occurs Amanda manages her gestational diabetes with diet. She experiences a few episodes of postprandial hyperglycemia, but does not have to go on insulin. At her 36-week prenatal visit, the CNM assesses Amanda and finds that there is no increase in fetal growth since the week before. When questioned further, Amanda tells the CNM that the infant has seemed to â€Å"slow down† a little the last few days. After consultation with the perinatologist, a biophysical profile (BPP) is scheduled and Amanda is admitted to the hospital’s antepartum unit. The antepartum RN performs a nonstress test (NST) as part of the BPP. 8. The nurse recognizes which fetal heart rate (FHR) changes indicate a reactive nonstress test? A) Persistent late decelerations associated with three uterine contractions, lasting 40 to 60 seconds each in a 10 minute period. B) An increase in the FHR baseline to 170 beats per minute, lasting for at least 20 minutes. C) Marked, long term FHR variability in response to contractions caused by nipple stimulation. D) Two episodes of acceleration (> 15 beats/minute, lasting > 15 seconds) related to fetal movement in a 20 minute period. Correct answer(s): D Amanda has a non-reactive Non-stress Test. She is taken to the ultrasound department for completion of the BPP and her total score is 6 (Fetal Breathing Movements = 2, Gross Body Movements = 0, Fetal Tone = 2, Reactive Non-stress Test = 0, and Qualitative Amniotic Fluid Volume = 2). Based on this score, the perinatologist recommends an amniocentesis be completed to assess for lung maturity prior to making a decision whether to induce delivery for Amanda the next day. 9. Prior to the amniocentesis, which action should the nurse take first? A) Administer Rh immune globulin (RhoGAM) if client is Rh negative. B) Assist the client to the bathroom and ask her to empty her bladder. C) Apply the external fetal monitor to evaluate uterine contractility. D) Clean the abdomen with betadine solution and sterile 4 by 4s. Correct answer(s): B Amanda and her fetus are monitored for two hours after the procedure and display no adverse effects so the external fetal monitor is discontinued. The amniocentesis reveals fetal lung maturity and an induction is scheduled for the next morning. At 2 a.m. Amanda complains of increased uterine discomfort. She is contracting every 10 minutes and while the antepartum nurse is in the room, Amanda’s membranes rupture spontaneously. 10. Which action by the nurse takes priority? A) Notify the CNM and perinatologist of the changes in Amanda’s status. B) Transfer Amanda to the labor-delivery-recovery (LDR) suites. C) Reapply the external fetal monitor to evaluate the fetal heart rate. D) Start an intravenous line using an 18 gauge or larger intravenous catheter. Correct answer(s): C

Business Improvement and change Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Business Improvement and change - Essay Example In addition, my plan will also work to improve the skills set of the production executive in Nestle Malaysia since they will acquire necessary skills needed to help in solving the environmental constraints within the organization. Moreover, changes will also be noticed in the working culture of factory as the plan will work toward making it accommodate the various elements of change coming along its way (MANWANI, 2008, p.65). In the factory changes will be noticed on the diversity of the organizational culture as my plan will provide the organization with a system of assessing the impact of equality in different departments when handling organizational changes. At the rural factory, the changes that will be noticed will be between the frontline managers as my plan will provide them with a job security to assure them against the uncertainty of loosing their jobs while working for the organization. Also, there will be changes in frontline managers under this department as my plan will provide a system of work that will witness an increase in the production levels (PIPPIN, RONALD, 2009,p.374). Despite succeeding with my implementation plan, I will experience problems in alignment of resources of rural and urban factories since the rural workers may not readily accept my implementation plan to guide them. Secondly, I will also experience problems in trying to convince some of the best frontline managers in the urban centers to relocate to rural centers for equity. This is will be occasioned by the fact that most frontline managers in rural areas are not good as compared to the urban ones (REIFER, 2002). Implementation Approach I will approach the aspect of change within the organization using three interacting elements which are cultural modification, building capacity efforts and introducing infrastructures which are supportive, strengthening and long lasting. This will provide the needed leadership support which will be essential in formulating good values and no rms, resources and skills that will promote stakeholders involvement into the formulation of various departments and systems of the organization. In sum the approach will aim at improving innovativeness of the different programs used and incorporated within the organization to ensure productivity of the organization. Cultural transformation within the organization will assist the different managers present at the organization to promote research and change within the different departments or processes they are in charge. Building capacity efforts within the organization will assist in creating awareness between the different employees and managers available at the organization. This will clearly highlight the expectations and communication to help in achieving the goals and objectives within the organization. Use of infrastructures which are supportive will tremendously help the organization to achieve its production goals because it will provide the existing workers and managers of the organization with the required educational programs and expert resources needed in attaining productivity (FLORAC & CARLETON, 1999). The Implementation Plan Grouping activities within the organization has an added advantage to the productivity since it points to the various points where problems might

Read this stories and pull out imporatant 3 qoutes from each story Essay

Read this stories and pull out imporatant 3 qoutes from each story (6qoute) - Essay Example As a cripple, I swagger†. (p 1) â€Å"I wake up in the morning feeling the way most people do at the end of a bad day, and I take it from there. As a result, I spend a lot of time in extremis and, impatient with limitation, I tend to ignore my fatigue until my body breaks down in some way and forces rest. Then I miss picnics, dinner parties, poetry readings, the brief visits of old friends from out of town. The offspring of a puritanical tradition of exceptional venerability, I cannot view these lapses without shame. My life often seems a series of small failures to do as I ought†. (p 2) â€Å"A friend who also has MS startled me once by asking, "Do you ever say to yourself, Why me, Lord?" "No, Michael, I dont," I told him, "because whenever I try, the only response I can think of is Why not?" If I could make a cosmic deal, whom would I put in my place? What in my life would I give up in exchange for sound limbs and a thrilling rush of energy? No one. Nothing. I might as well do the job myself. Now that Im getting the hang of it†. (p 8) â€Å"It was at that moment I realized the deceit I had been living under. Children growing up in the American Southwest, drinking contaminated milk from contaminated cows, even from the contaminated breasts of their mothers, my mother--members, years later, of the Clan of one-Breasted Women†. (p 2) â€Å"But one by one, I watched the women in my family die common, heroic deaths. We sat in waiting rooms hoping for good news, always receiving the bad. I cared for them, bathed their scarred bodies, and kept their secrets. I watched beautiful women become bald as cisplatin, Cytoxan, and Adriamycin were injected into their veins. I held their foreheads as they vomited green-black bile and I shot them with morphine when the pain became inhuman. In the end, I witnessed their last peaceful breaths, becoming a midwife to the rebirth of their souls.

Section three of country study Term Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Section three of country study - Term Paper Example With this concern, this paper would primarily deal with the recommendations of the type of optimal international strategy and organizational structure which should adopt by Victory State Bank for its international expansion especially in China. Optimum International Strategy An optimum international strategy implies sound global strategies that answer the possible questions concerning the matter of foreign expansion programs. It is to be stated that international business is much more complicated than domestic business as international business includes the involvement of various countries and each single country has its own culture, rule and policies (Hill, 2012). Specially mentioning, development of optimum international strategy holds great significance in the subject of international business. Strategies made for a global dynamic setting implies mitigating the conditions accustomed within the prevailed global environment. Relating to optimum international strategy, Victory State Bank could establish foreign affiliates in order to avail strong ownership, internationalization and location advantages among others. In this regard, a model of foreign expansion needs to be prepared which will work as a blueprint of the planning procedure. The model relating to foreign expansion represents that Multi National Corporations (MNCs) thoroughly involve in conducting cost-benefit calculations for every probable entry methods like exports, hybrid modes and licensing among others (Spirig, 2011). The aforesaid elements would eventually support Victory State Bank to conduct its international venture effectively. Organizational Structure Organization structure generally comprises certain imperative activities such as allocating, coordinating along with supervising the tasks related to the attainment of organizational goal. Depending upon the aim of the organizations, organizational structure changes in every case. In accordance to this particular study, the primary task of t he Victory State Bank would be to analyze the business market of China where it tends to expand its different services. In this regard, initially the bank needs to allocate funds for making considerable investments in order to build dynamic infrastructures in China. With regard to the organizational research of Victory State Bank, it has been viewed that the bank has international presence especially in Europe along with different states of New York City. The organizational culture as well as the structure of the bank can be viewed as quite a flat one leading by Joseph J. LiBassi as the Chairman of the Board. The supply as well as the distribution channels of the bank are viewed to scatter in the region where it performs different operational functions It is to be stated that the operations of the Victory State Bank are highly affected by the competitive and economic conditions such as government policies, market interest charges and the policies of the regulatory bodies. Ss China i s often regarded as a politically stable country, so there must not lay big concern regarding this particular matter. It is worth mentioning that China is regarded as one of the highest growing countries with an impressive gross domestic product (GDP) growth rate along with enormous

Hospitality History Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Hospitality History - Essay Example As many organizations continue to struggle in the market segment, the hospitality industry continues to record impressive profits (Gray, 2009). Statistics in the US reveal that between 2009 and 2014, the industry has been postulated to create 17% more jobs to people. The industry has been providing young people with well paying jobs and of these, 21% are aged between 16 and 20 years. This implies that the industry has a great future because a bulk of its workers is young people, who are growing in experience every year. The success that this industry is currently enjoying has not originated out of the blues. The foundation was set hundreds to thousands of years ago, and there has been gradual evolution over time. However, with evolution of the hospitality industry, profit generation has been injected into the process whereby, visitors are given noteworthy treatment in exchange for money. The money in turn is used to expand the industry. Therefore, the difference between hospitality f rom medieval times and the current era is that, the former was not a profit generating course while the latter is a large industry that generates a lot of profit and employs very many workers (Clayton, 20070. The hospitality industry’s origins span back to the colonial era in the late 17th century. Later, it began to take shape, evolving into the dynamic industry that we know in the current world. In its development, it has encountered world wars, natural calamities and social changes, but none of these suppressed the industry. Even in the biblical setting, we are introduced to hospitality whereby visitors were well received by people from other areas. For example, Abraham had his tent, and upon looking at it closely, he felt that if visitors saw that he had one entrance, they would not feel welcome. He, therefore, decided to create four entrances to his tent, visitors would be encouraged to come. After he did this, visitors multiplied in numbers, and many of them would pass by his tent as they were travelling. Abraham would welcome and feed them well and after a few days, they would continue with their journey. Later, Japanese dynasties, Native American Indians and European Monarchs set up quarters in their residences for visitors where meals and recreational facilities were offered (Lashley, 2008). Early hospitality was noted in Greek and roman cultures as early as 40 BC. During this era, people began travelling which necessitated the establishment of hospitality cultures. Later in the medieval period, English travelers emerged. During this period, people started using other transportation means apart from foot transport. Stagecoach became the favored form of transportation and inns were established for travelled. As time went by, the hospitality industry grew and became a bit profitable. Furthermore, employment opportunities were enhanced in the industry. In the renaissance period (16th century), there was a high demand for taverns and inns since tra velers were increasing in numbers. The first hotel in this period was the Hotel de Henry IV that was built in 1788. With a bed capacity of 60 beds, it provided noteworthy services to travelers. This was the beginning of hotel establishment in the hospitality industry. Coffee houses were a popular destination for business travelers (Cummings, 2009). The 18th century marked the beginning of the New World.

As part of the Strategic Planning module, students are required to Essay

As part of the Strategic Planning module, students are required to analyze a case study and write a report to the CEO to help hi - Essay Example Table of Contents Introduction – Company background 3 Analysis of IKEA’s Business Model and its Strategic Positioning (Question 1) 3 IKEA’s Internationalisation Strategy 4 The internationalisation in the USA (question 2) 5 Current Asian markets (China and Japan)(question 3) 6 Further Asian Expansion (question 4) 8 Current Business Environment (question 5) 9 PESTEL 9 Industry analysis 10 SWOT 11 TOWS 13 References 14 Appendix 1 – The IKEA Concept 16 APPENDIX 2 Ikea’s International presence 19 Introduction – Company background Founded in 1943 by 17-year-old  Ã‚  in Sweden, IKEA is named as an acronym comprising the initials of the founder's name (Ingvar  Kamprad), the farm where he grew up (Elmtaryd), and his home parish (Agunnaryd, in  Smaland, South Sweden). Today, IKEA is the world’s largest furniture retailer, having pioneered the concept of selling furniture in kits that are later assembled by customers in their own home (IKEA 2011). With its base in Sweden, the company retails affordable flat-pack furniture, accessories, and bathroom and kitchen items in its 253 stores spread over 24 countries at the end of the 2008 financial year. According to IKEA’s data, the company had worldwide sales of about â‚ ¬23.1 billion in the 2008/09 fiscal year – Figure 1 (IKEA 2011). ... IKEA sells a lifestyle that signifies hip design, thrift, and simplicity and targets customers that are seeking value and are therefore willing to participate in the production process by serving themselves, taking the goods, and then assembling them if necessary. It therefore seems as it targets a market niche. The fact that IKEA does not hold a large market share in the geographic markets, except Sweden (Thompson and Martin 2005) may be taken by some as indication that a differentiation strategy is incompatible with high market share as argued by Porter (1980). However, IKEA’s 25% market share in Sweden and its growing market share in other countries (Caplan 2007, Datamonitor 2010a, 2010b) may be taken as an evidence of the opposite. Furthermore, one may argue that the company follows a cost leadership strategy, as it tries to position at the market based on price as its positioning of being ‘different.’ Porter (1985) identified several aspects of establishing c ost leadership, including creating a good product, drawing advantage from many sources, and making cost of part of the organisation’s culture. All these aspects have been integrated into IKEA’s strategy and allow the company to engage in innovative cost management. IKEA’s CEO announced in 2007 that the company has succeeded in reducing prices by approximately about 17% over the last five years (Caplan 2007). Indeed, the company is able to integrate both a differentiation and low cost strategy in such a way that it can pursue both an operational excellence strategy and a product leadership strategy, something that few companies have been able to achieve (Kaplan and Norton 2000). In terms of operational excellence, IKEA’s success is based on the

ORGANISATIONAL CHANGE AND ANALYSIS Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3000 words

ORGANISATIONAL CHANGE AND ANALYSIS - Essay Example The 21st century has seen the emergence of adaptive organization styles to cope with these increasingly evolving changes in the economic, technological and social-cultural environment. This has had an impact on the traditional organization structure from the previous bureaucratic to today’s emerging post-bureaucratic or otherwise known as network model of organization. A closer look at today’s organizations will show that both the human and structural components have been on a constant change path (Casey 2002). Casey (2002) further observes that today’s organization has faced some form of revolution that has been created by the ever increasing quest for modernity. The issue that arises in this observation is, therefore, what are the causes of such changes and to what extent the present corporate organizations have embraced the change or shown the signs for those changes. This paper therefore examines the various factors that have led to the shift from the bureauc ratic style to that of post-modernism or network model of organization by looking at structures and the human factors. It also tries to ascertain the extent to which today’s organizations have embraced these changes. ... To begin, the revolution of the information and communication technology has been a major influencing factor in the way organizations have been operational. Processes, functions and the general environment of operations in organizations have changed and corporations have felt this change in a massive way. Organizations have encountered and experienced surprising changes in the twenty first century more than that of the industrial revolution (Castells 2011). Decisions are today made more promptly because top management have shed off some of their decision making responsibilities with the emergence of new technology or computer information systems such as decision support systems. They have improved accuracy and the time taken to make decisions and they have facilitated involvement of many people as opposed to the previous bureaucratic style where lower cadre employees had to wait several days for final decisions to be made (Heyderbrand 1989). Information technology has also effectivel y improved the way feedback is sought from the top management. For instance, today you do not have to book an appointment to meet the manager; instead you could just send him or her an email and you will be sure that there will be response soonest they access their mails. Another influence that technology has brought into organizations is the rise of professional workers who are more independent in thinking and decision making and the reduction of manual workers who depend on supervision and orders for them to perform their tasks appropriately (Frenkel 1999). This has in turn reduced bureaucratic tendencies of relying on orders and waiting for instructions from the top organs as will be further seen in this discussion. To plainly relay the

The Two Gentlemen of Verona by William Shakespeare Essay Example for Free

The Two Gentlemen of Verona by William Shakespeare Essay â€Å"Proteus is an early sea-god and one of several deities whom Homer calls the Old Man of the Sea. His name suggests the first, as protogonos is the firstborn. He became the son of Poseidon in the Olympian or of Nereus and Doris, or of Oceanus and a Naiad, and was made the herdsman of Poseidons seals, the great bull seal at the center of the harem. He can foretell the future, and will answer only to someone who is capable of capturing him. And from this word came the adjective protean which means versatile, mutable, and capable of assuming many forms. It has positive connotations of flexibility, versatility and adaptability (www.http%3a//en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Protean)†.   I was able to watch the play, The Two Gentlemen of Verona by William Shakespeare last November 9. Here, I chose Proteus, who was one of the two gentlemen of Verona, as the character to be analyzed. Primarily, Proteus’ objective was to attend the court as his father Antonio believes that this should be the fate of a young man. However, this objective evolved into something different as the play progressed. Because his presence at the court became the way where he was reunited with his best friend and fell in love with Silvia. This was where all the complications started and gave twists to the lives of the characters in the play. He later was determined to win Silvia, the daughter of the Duke of Milan despite all odds. Proteus changed a lot in terms of his attitude as his affection for Silvia becomes an obsession. Because as Proteus met Silvia, he eventually forgot his lover Julia who was left behind at Verona. He did everything to win her including betraying his long-time friend Valentine who was the true love of Silvia. He became disloyal to Julia and a traitor to his best friend because of his obsession with Silvia. The characters in the play have direct effects on Proteus as the play progressed. For example, Valentine taught him how to be a good friend at the beginning of the play but later, they became rivals as they both fell in love with the same woman. He was trusted by Valentine that he confessed his plan to escape with Julia from the palace of the Duke but then betrayed Valentine by telling the Duke about their plan. This resulted to Valentine being exiled. Julia, Proteus’ lover, taught him what true love is, that she chose to disguise as a page and serve Proteus despite the fact that she was used by Proteus to pursue his interest on Silvia. Up until the end of the play, he showed Proteus what love really means. And Silvia, being so much in love with Valentine, showed Proteus how it is to be loyal to a lover as she managed to keep her trust and faithfulness with Valentine despite all the bad words Proteus told her about her lover. Until the end, Silvia taught Proteus how it is to be a great lover. Proteus as a character in the play did not show any inner conflicts about his desire to woo Silvia because he showed extreme determination to fulfill this. He neglected his love affair with Julia and betrayed his best friend for this objective. He even attempted to force himself to Silvia at the end of the play because he was so desperate. The actor used his body and skills very well to convey the character of Proteus. He stressed innocence through his eyes and voice and showed power and domination through his diction and face. He showed why the name Proteus is so fitted to the character as this name implies â€Å"a sea god who can change his shape at will† (http://www.viennatheatreproject.at/education/teachermaterial/) because he managed to fit his gestures and facial expressions in every scene of the play. SOURCES; The Shakespeare Project. (2004, October). William Shakespeare’s Ttwo Gentlemen of Verona: A Modern Version. Retrieved November 13, 2006 from http://www.viennatheatreproject.at/education/teachermaterial/Teacher_Material_TWO_GENTLEMEN_OF_VERONA.pdf#search=proteus%20%20objective%20on%20the%20play%20two%20men%20of%20verona Proteus (2006, November 7). Retrieved November 13, 2006 from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Protean

Designing and Integrating Information System

Designing and Integrating Information System 1. INTRODUCTION As computer technology changes at fast pace, many businesses sectors also upgrade their computer system constantly in order to stay competitive. For such, the function has become indispensable asset of the companies that process enormous amount of data and complex transactions. Payroll is an example of a complex transaction a company has. Its preparation is crucial since it involves accounts and requires confidentiality. The use of an integrated information system will facilitate the accomplishment of jobs easier, faster and more efficiently. According to Kanchov (2006), application program is the bridge between the users and the database, where data are stored. Thus, a well-developed application program and database ensure the reliability, flexibility, and functionality of an information system. Information technology use aims at increasing the efficiency and reliability of management and monitoring of records. Steven M. Bragg (2006) says that in payroll system the timekeeping function is coming under increasing attack, as cost accountants realize that the cost of administering a detailed timekeeping system is exceeding the value of the result information. This issue can be resolved either by reducing the level of timekeeping effort until the effort expanded equals the utility of the resulting information (which may result in the complete elimination of the timekeeping function) or by more fully automating the timekeeping and payroll functions, so that the cost of the system administration is reduced to the point where it is once again a cost-effective means of tracking labor activities. According to Chowdury (2008), Inventory System is known to be used by many financial institutions. PIM (Perpetual Inventory Method) system maintains an up-to-date record of accurate level of goods at hands by ensuring that stocks are accounted for at all times. The process includes details of all recording purchase and sales receipts and issues and running balances of all stocks. In line with this, the researchers proposed for Balaod Mindanaw Incorporated a LAN Base system for a fully secured and reliable data, easy maintenance, and quicker data retrieval. Balaod Mindanaw Incorporated has decided to automate its transactions. BALAOD-Mindanaw traces its beginnings to Balay Mindanaw Foundation, Inc. (BMFI) legal program as implemented by the LARGE (Legal Assistance for Agrarian Reform, Governance and Empowerment) Unit. BALAOD Mindanaw is a non-stock, non-profit organization that aims to help in the advancement of the legal and justice issues of different marginalized sectors and communities in Mindanao in the context of active peoples participation in governance. BALAOD sets forth in following organizational goals to promote paralegal formation and provide other legal services to marginalized sectors and communities in Mindanao; to conduct capability-building interventions on local legislation and dispute resolution; to provide a venue for networking and alter native legal assistance for law practitioners, law schools and law students in Mindanao; and to facilitate the creation of a favorable policy environment responsive to the needs of marginalized sectors and communities in Mindanao. 2. FRAMEWORK This study designed and developed an integrated information system to facilitate better operations of the organization. The researchers used the Practical Approach to Payroll Administration and Shared Services Approach. Practical Approach will create an awareness of statutory laws (eg. Employment Act, CPF Act, SDF Act, Income Taxt Act, and others) and give the overview of the components of a computerized payroll system. Also the approach will help develop an understanding of compensation components and the latest trends affecting payroll administration ( Subbu and Daofen, 2006). Shared Services Approach is an operational philosophy that involves centralizing administrative functions that were once performed in divisions or locations. Services that can be shared among the various business units of a company include finance, purchasing, inventory, and payroll (Sherman, 2008). Figure 1 illustrates the context diagram of developed Integrated Information System for Balaod Mindanaw, Inc. It shows the system relationship for the four entities: the Finance Officer, Employee, Librarian, and the Supply Officer. The system will automatically calculate the number of work hours of every employee and the deduction for every employees absence and under time. The system will send the information to other entities, applying the shared service approach by which information like employee information, books available in the library, and budget and inventory of every department are circulated. 3. Objective of the Study 3.1 General Objective of the study This study aimed at designing and developing an Integrated Information System for Balaod Mindanaw, Inc. The system is intended to minimize the effort of the user in the processing of payroll slip, payroll form, library slip, library form and in the monitoring of supplies. Also, the system is intended to create a well-arranged database to implement strong data security system. 3.2 Specific Objectives of the study The study sought to accomplish the following specific objectives: 3.2.1. To access the present payroll system of Balaod Mindanaw, Inc. 3.2.2. To profile the respondents in terms of age, gender, civil status, birth date, birth place, province, home address, current home address, family information, and education. 3.2.3. To identify the underlying problems of the present system involving the processes on payroll, library, inventory and the monitoring of supplies. 3.2.4. To determine the accuracy and effectiveness of the present system and the possible benefits of the proposed information system. 4. Statement of the Problem The study specifically sought to address the following problems of Balaod Mindanaw Inc: 4.1. The HR uses only papers to record employee information. Such system slows down the retrieval of data. 4.2. The file can easily be damaged and lost. 4.3. Double checking the consistency of supply records is time-consuming. 4.4. Financial computations are time-consuming and prone to mathematical errors that may cause financial or legal trouble. 5. Scope and Limitation The proposed system covers the process of budget monitoring for every department, requisition of equipment and books in the library, inventory of supplies, and monitoring of expenses of every department. The proposed payroll system covers the keeping of Daily Time Record for computing the exact wages of each employee. The system can do the following: 5.1. Compute monthly net income, deductions, and loans such as SSS, Philhealth, COLA, Emergency loans, PAG IBIG, and withholding tax. 5.2. Calculate budget allocation plus expenses of every department 5.3. Add book borrows records 5.4. Add employee information 5.5. Add employees login and logout records 6. Significance of the Study The proposed system will benefit the following entities: The Manager. The system will provide the manager with reliable and accurate reports concerning the companys budget and equipment use. The Supply Officer. The system will help the supply officer conduct an inventory of the supplies to generate reliable reports for referencing. The Finance Department. The system will help the finance department monitor all the expenses of every department and conduct liquidation anytime. Also, the department can process the payroll faster and accurately. The Company. The system will give the company the advantage over other companies that still use the traditional way of running the operations. Also, it will help the company increase its performance to satisfy its clients. The Future Researchers. The findings of the study will serve as basis for developing related system for other companies or establishments. 7. Output The output of the study is the Integrated Information System for Balaod Mindanaw, Incorporated. A complete Program Structure, Database Specifications and Design, and System User Manual go with the software. All program source codes are also fully documented and compiled. 8. Research Methodology The researchers used the simplified water fall model, which illustrates the sequential software development process in which progress is seen as flowing steadily downwards through the phases. Water fall development has distinct goals for each phase development from conceptualization through designing, implementation, testing, installation, troubleshooting, deployment of the system, and maintenance. 8.1. The Requirement Gathering and Analysis. The researchers surveyed literature and interviewed the user about the companys present system so that the system limitations could be identified and addressed 8.2. System Design.A system with applications addressing the present systems limitations was designed and developed. 8.3. Implementation. The developed system was applied given the permission of the company. 8.4. Testing.The developed system was subjected to interface testing, functionality testing, and front-end and back-end integration testing. 8.5. Deployment of the System.After a series of testing, the system was deployed to the working environment. 8.6. Maintenance. Lastly, it is very likely for the developed system to encounter system errors and unexpected bugs. Thus, the researchers will diagnose and resolve unknown issues. Further, the researchers will consider further enhancement of the database system. 8.1 CURRENT SYSTEM Narrative Description of the Current System First, every department submits a projected expense to the finance department or a proposed budget for the entire year, and then the finance department presents the projected expense of every department to the manager for approval. If the budget is approved, the finance department grants the approved budget to the department to be utilized within one year. If the budget is not approved, the finance department returns the projected expense to the department for adjustment or modification. Second, every department requests for supply to the supply officer. The supply officer asks the finance department for the budget. Then the budget for supply is submitted to the manager for approval. If the budget is approved, then the finance department gives the budget to the supply officer for the purchase of the requested supply. Then the purchased supply is given to the requesting department. 8.2 PROPOSED SYSTEM Narrative Description of the Proposed System The employee registers to indicate login and logout. The registration serves as reference for payroll. Every department sends its budget request through the system. The finance can view the budget request. The finance then presents the budget to the manager for approval. Once the requested budget is approved, the finance notifies the department as to the approval of the budget. The manager can view all transactions. For the supply requisition, the department sends the request to the supply officer. Then the supply officer forwards the request to the finance officer for the budget. Once the budget for the supply is approved by the finance officer, the supply officer canvasses and purchases the requested supply. The supply will then be delivered to the requesting department. The supply officer monitors the deliveries and declares the status of materials, and decides replacement of them. The finance department can add employees records and accounts and view the expenses of the entire de partment. The librarian handles all the book and journals. All book records are kept by a library staff. If the employee borrows a book, the librarian records the details of the book and the borrowers name. If the book is lost by the borrower, the librarian submits a note about the lost to the HR Department. 9.2 DATABASE STRUCTURE The system uses one database, which is the IISBalaodMindanao. It contains many tables and stores information such as employees record, daily time record, basic salary. And also, the system monitors the status of books in the library and other essential data. 9.3 Data Dictionary EmployeesProfile FamilyInfo WorkExperience WorkDescription Organization ImportantSeminar EducationalProfile Skills Talents Interest Logout Login Books BookDetails BookBarrowed DATA FIELD TYPE DATA TYPE

Promoting A Healthy Environment For Children Education Essay

Promoting A Healthy Environment For Children Education Essay The proportion of children living in poverty grew from 1 in 10 in 1979 to 1 in 3 in 1998. 30% of children live in poverty in the UK The UK has one of the worse rates of child poverty in the industrialized world Source: www.endchildpoverty.org.uk June 2007 The majority of sleep experts advise parents to abruptly withdraw their attention at bedtime-with no mention of teaching a child self-soothing skills. But many parents are looking for help after having shared their bed or assisted their child to fall asleep for months or even years. When children are abruptly expected to fall asleep without any assistance it sets the scene for the all too familiar nightly bedtime battle. If parents consistently ignore their childrens anguished pleas for attention, after weeks of tears and tantrums, children will eventually begin to fall asleep on their own. But in the same amount of time, parents could have avoided the battles-by teaching their children to relax themselves to sleep while gradually and systematically decreasing their attention. Routine helps establish many aspects of healthy living good ways of life and good behaviour. Even the smallest structure is necessary in day-to-day life. Children want and even need routine and there are lots of ways to get them going byestablishing a schedule that works for al the family. There are so many positive side effects for starting to use strong routines for children. Children do not have a lot of control in their lives and it gives them a sense of organization, steadiness and comfort. This helps develop healthier behaviour and a sense of personal control. Doing things like bathing and brushing teeth as part of morning or nighttime routines can help establish good personal hygiene and health habits. Having built in chore time somewhere in the week or day, having them help pick up at the end of dinner or tidy up the house at the end of a day of playing establishes responsibility and work ethic. Mealtime When it is time to eat it is a perfect time to start good habits. Eating habits, particularly. Always eat breakfast, Lunch and tea, but at set times and with structure for children so there are no surprises and the length between eating isnt so great that hunger takes over the family. That can lead to irritability or impulse snacking and dinner wrecking. Set standards for when snacking can take place and what kinds of foods are eaten. Dont indulge or give in for food whenever a child wants something. The results should always be equal good eating and good eating habits. Mealtimes are a good time to instil family into the children. Always try to find some time to sit down together, preferably at a table, to talk and eat. Also, have children help get dinner started, set the table and clean up afterward to plant a bit of responsibility. A1 My role as an Early Years Practitioner would be to assist with the promotion of health and well-being of children and help maintain a healthy environment for children. I may be responsible for organising a room and making sure that policies and procedures are being followed and recorded. I would have to cater for their needs as young children; developmentally, physically and socially. This would be ensure that I am promoting and maintaining a healthy environment for all children. It is also important that you learn by experiencing and learning from the experiences of others. In my role I would have to plan and provide a caring and stimulating environment that is appropriate for individual children and enables children to reach their full potential and to work within the Children Act and local guidelines, legislation and standards and ensure that Child Protection policies and procedures are adhered to at all times. I would have to plan and prepare exciting play opportunities that meet the childrens developmental needs and stimulates their learning. I would also participate in supervision and staff development processes in support of promoting and maintaining a healthy lifestyle and environment and to undertake training as appropriate to meet any changes in standards or appropriate legal requirements as required. In reviewing and reflection of any issues is an important aspect of a practitioner and to review where, why, how, when, etc. The reflective cycle as developed by Gibbs allows you to think about what you have done, how well it went, get feedback from others and consider alternatives. The reflective cycle is broken down into 6 units 1. Description -what happened 2. Feelings 3. Evaluation Analysis conclusion and finally Action plan what will you do next time. The practitioner should also evaluate their own learning and performance. This can be done through Professional development and discussions with the line manager and other practitioners. For example: Share examples of your practice discuss Get ideas of other practices Visit other practices and observe, discuss. Make sure you keep up to date with current practices Articles in magazines, books, training, etc In house or external training Additional qualifications, etc Observe children / observe other practitioners Planning Childs next steps Try new things Trial and error is also an important reflection and to review how things happen. But in all cases, the safety of children is paramount. Experience is the most important issue and to understand that as an new trainee or new nursery nurse, you dont know everything. That you learn by experiencing and learning from the experiences of others. I would also have to keep in touch with new initiatives that are promoted and keep on top of new legislation.

Bringing the Dead Christ to the Patron in the Christian Tradition :: essays papers

Bringing the Dead Christ to the Patron in the Christian Tradition Art during the Christian tradition was produced to enhance the worship of saintly figures by church patrons. Paintings were not only used to tell a biblical story but also to form emotional connections between the patrons and the principles of the church. Artists in the Christian tradition strived to portray events of religious importance with maximum drama to make a lasting impression. They did this by applying artistic advances in ways that draw the patron into the painting. One such event was the death of Christ. While the artists in Florence were starting to practice the potential maximization of the individual, very different things were happening up in Flanders. The region, fresh out of the dark ages, was very centered on religion. Thomas a Kempis taught in his Imitatio Christi that the individual should devote their lives to living a more Christian life and should rid themselves of all secular things. People in this region were also interested in the philosophies of Aristotle and nominalism rather than in Plato as were the people of Florence, who would again search for the perfect ideal during the renaissance. The lack of interest in secular knowledge can be seen in Rogier Van Der Weyden’s Deposition (1435, see figure 1). The artists of Flanders had no interest in the study of the nude; therefore the figures in Deposition have oblong proportions and unnatural balance. However, the Flanders artisans had developed certain techniques, which made their works advanced in certain aspects. For centuries, monks in the area had been illuminating their manuscripts with extreme precision. This focus on detail is seen in Deposition. Every last hair is individualized and patterns on the drapery are painted to the very thread. The faces are no longer stylized but individualized so that you might recognize one of them if you saw them on the street. The advent of oil paint made the scene much more vibrant and allowed artists to paint and repaint over an area, being able to visualize the exact color before it was applied. This new technique far surpassed the limitations of tempera that was being used in Italy. The most important aspect of Deposition is the symbolic tie it makes between the patron and the church. It portrays the sorrow of Christ’s death at the agony of His loss.

The Nurse and Friar Laurence are responsible for Romeo and Juliets deat

  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  In Shakespeare’s play Romeo and Juliet the characters Nurse and Friar Laurence are to blame for Romeo and Juliet’s Problems.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The way Friar Laurence encouraged Romeo and Juliet to get Married, The way the Nurse is contradictory in her views of Romeo and Paris, When Friar Laurence secretly married them, the way the Nurse is secretive about the affair and does not tell the Capulet’s or the Montague’s, when Laurence gave Juliet the sleeping potion, the way Laurence believed he was doing the right thing without thinking of the consequences, and the way Laurence leaves Juliet’s Tomb when he hears the watch coming, all combine to result in the lovers death.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  In act II scene III, Romeo goes to see Friar Laurence to tell him that he no longer loves Rosaline, but has fell in love with Juliet. This amazes Friar Laurence, but he promises to marry them,   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã¢â‚¬Å"O, she knew well   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Thy love did read by rote, that could not spell.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  But come, young waverer, come, go with me.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  In one respect I’ll assistant be.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  For this alliance may so happy prove   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  To turn your household’s rancour to pure love.† (Friar Laurence, Act II Scene III, sentence 87-92)   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  By doing this, Friar Laurence has gone behind Capulet and Montague’s back, and started the momentum behind the lover’s tragedy.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  In a few parts of the play, the Nurse speaks of Romeo and Paris with Juliet, each time she has a different view on who Juliet should be with,   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  LADY CAPULET   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã¢â‚¬Å"Marry, that ‘marry’ is the very theme   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  I came to talk of. Tell me daughter Juliet,   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  How stands your dispositions to be married?†   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚     Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  JULIET   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã¢â‚¬Å"It is an honour that I dream not of†   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  NURSE   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã¢â‚¬Å"An honour! Were not I thine only nurse,   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  I would say thou hadst sucked wisdom from thy   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Teat.†   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  LADY CAPULET... ...p;  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Exit Friar What’s here? A cup, closed in my true loves hand? Poison, I see, hath been his timeless end. O churl! Drunk all, and left no friendly drop To help me after? I will kiss thy lips. Haply some poison yet doth hang on them To make me die with a restorative. She kisses him Thy lips are warm!† WATCHMAN ‘within’ â€Å"Lead, boy. Which way? JULIET â€Å"Yea, noise? Then I’ll be brief. O happy dagger! She snatches Romeos dagger This is thy sheath, there rust, and let me die   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  She stabs herself and falls† (Act V Scene III, sentence 144-176)   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  In this act, Rome and Juliet die. This is brought about by the Friars plan to help Romeo and Juliet escape to Mantua, which failed.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Without the meddling from the Nurse and Friar Laurence, Romeo and Juliet might not have died. Friar Laurence and the Nurse are responsible for Romeo and Juliet’s death. Bibliography William Shakespeare - Romeo And Juliet - Complete Edition

Plant layout Essay

PLANT LAYOUT Outline of Contents: What is Plant layout? Necessity of good layout Factors affecting good layout Principles of good layout Advantages of good layout Symptoms of poor layout Types of layout What is PLANT LAYOUT? Plant layout refers to the arrangement of physical facilities such as machines, equipment, tools, furniture etc. in such a manner so as to have quickest flow of material at the lowest cost and with the least amount of handling in processing the product from the receipt of raw material to the delivery of the final product. Plant Layout is a plan of an optimum arrangement of facilities including personnel, operating equipment, storage space, material handling equipments and all other supporting services along with the design of best structure to contain all these facilities. A good layout is one which allows material rapidly and directly for processing. This reduces transport handling, clerical and other costs down per unit. Space requirement are minimized and it reduces idle machine time and idle time of man. Necessity of good plant layout Minimization of material handling Optimum utilization of available floor space Elimination of bottlenecks through balancing of all capacities Minimization o production delays Easy supervision and better manpower resources through elimination of idle time Elimination of physical efforts required by workers Elimination or improvement of objectionable operations. E.g. Operations with bad odor, vibrating operations etc. Avoiding industrial accidents Better working conditions like light, ventilation, noise control etc. Optimum utilization of machinery and equipment through proper use. Minimization of cost so that product will be available at cheaper rate to customer and  delivery in time. Factors affecting facility Layout Nature of plant-Engineering/Process Industry Type of Production-Mass/Flow, Batch, Job Shop Type of Production-Make to Stock/order, std/spec Plant Location-Area available, building type-storey Volume of Production-Scale of production Types of machines and equipment-automation Repairs and maintenance -Policy, schedule on site Arrangement of material handling equipment Future expansion plan Principles of good Layout Minimum Handling Interdependence Minimum investment Integration of factors-3M Minimum movement-Distance/Flow Continuous flow-forward Optimum utilization of available space Maximum visibility Maximum accessibility Maximum Flexibility Safety, Security and Satisfaction Advantages of Good Plant Layout Proper and efficient utilization of available floor space Transportation of work from one point to another point without any delay Proper utilization of production capacity. Reduce material handling costs Utilize labor efficiently Reduce accidents Provide for volume and product flexibility Provide ease of supervision and control Provide for employee safety and health Allow easy maintenance of machines and plant. Improve productivity Symptoms of Poor Layout Delays and work stoppage in manufacturing process Slow movement of material through the plant Congestion of materials, components and work in progress Poor utilization of space High material handling and transportation costs Excessive handling by skilled workers Production cycles and delays in delivery Mental or physical strain on operators Difficulties in maintain effective supervision and control Underutilization of machines and workers Lack of flexibility and difficulty in production planning and control Types Of Layout: There are mainly four types of plant layout: (a) Product or line layout (b) Process or functional layout (c) Fixed position or location layout (d) Combined or group layout Product or line layout: In this type of layout the machines and equipments are arranged in one line depending upon the sequence of operations required for the product. It is also called as line layout. The material moves to another machine sequentially without any backtracking or deviation i.e. the output of one machine becomes input of the next machine. It requires a very little material handling. It is used for mass production of standardized products. Advantages of Product layout: Low cost of material handling, due to straight and short route and absence of backtracking Smooth and continuous operations Continuous flow of work Lesser inventory and work in progress Optimum use of floor space Simple and effective inspection of work and simplified production control Lower manufacturing cost per unit Disadvantages of Product layout: Higher initial capital investment in special purpose machine (SPM) High overhead charges Breakdown of one machine will disturb the production process. Lesser flexibility of physical resources. Process layout: In this type of layout the machines of a similar type are arranged together at one place. This type of layout is used for batch production. It is preferred when the product is not standardized and the quantity produced is very small. Advantages of Process layout Lower initial capital investment is required. There is high degree of machine utilization, as a machine is not blocked for a single product The overhead costs are relatively low Breakdown of one machine does not disturb the production process. Supervision can be more effective and specialized. Greater flexibility of resources. Disadvantages of Process layout: Material handling costs are high due to backtracking More skilled labour is required resulting in higher cost. Work in progress inventory is high needing greater storage space More frequent inspection is needed which results in costly supervision Combined layout: A combination of process & product layout is known as combined layout. Manufacturing concerns where several products are produced in repeated numbers with no likelihood of continuous production, combined layout is followed Fixed position or location layout: Fixed position layout involves the movement of manpower and machines to the product which remains stationary. The movement of men and machines is advisable as the cost of moving them would be lesser. This type of layout is preferred where the size of the job is bulky and heavy. Example of such type of layout is locomotives, ships, boilers, generators, wagon building, aircraft manufacturing, etc. Advantages of Fixed position layout: The investment on layout is very small.  The layout is flexible as change in job design and operation sequence can be easily incorporated. Adjustments can be made to meet shortage of materials or absence of workers by changing the sequence of operations. Disadvantages of Fixed position layout: As the production period being very long so the capital investment is very high. Very large space is required for storage of material and equipment near the product. As several operations are often carried out simultaneously so there is possibility of confusion and conflicts among different workgroups.

China online banking development Essay

China is expected to become the largest information technology (IT) market in the world in the next five years, acknowledging that computers will be popular in Chinese families by that time. China now ranks No. 2 in Internet subscribers in the world. Owing to China’s large population, the country’s Internet market still has great potential. Information technology has been utilized in almost all sectors of China’s economy today. E-government, e-business, e-finance, and upgrading of state-owned enterprises will all provide more opportunities for the development of the industry in  China is expected to become the largest information technology (IT) market in the world in the next five years, acknowledging that computers will be popular in Chinese families by that time. China now ranks No. 2 in Internet subscribers in the world. Owing to China’s large population, the country’s Internet market still has great potential. Information technology has been utilized in almost all sectors of China’s economy today. E-government, e-business, e-finance, and upgrading of state-owned enterprises will all provide more opportunities for the development of the industry in China. Read the Memo sent out by Jaime about 2004 Mid-Year Offsite Business-planning meeting conducted by S1 management team, the key topic of â€Å"Perfecting our International and Distribution Business† caught my attention. Learned the news that Macau Tai Fung bank implemented S1 Banking Solution to launched its online banking services, and found out that S1 opened an office in Beijing – China’s capital city, I got a feeling that S1 already turned its eyes to Chinese Market and wonder whether S1’s management would like to make further moves and seize the opportunity. Before left China to immigrant to Canada, I had 6 years working experiences in Beijing-my home city, dealing with Chinese financial agencies and institutions, Chinese and foreign banks as well as other financial institutions and service providers in China, I’m quite familiar with Chinese financial industry structure. I’d like to reuse my knowledge and made this online research report. If S1 is interested in expanding business in China, but not clear what is the situation there and where to start, my research report will, I hope to a certain extent, answer some of your questions. The main purpose of this report is to provide some information and personal suggestions that, I hope, could be helpful for S1’s management or marketing team to better understand Chinese market. This report includes information covering Chinese banking system structure, the emergence and development of Internet banking and online insurance services in China, Chinese governments’ policies and regulations toward online banking and insurance business as well as some prepositional thoughts about how to present S1 and its products to China. Naissance of Online Banking in China In the late 1990s, China began allowing banks to open online businesses. In 1996, China Merchants Bank launched the 1st online financing service in China through â€Å"All in One Net†, an online payment method, which set up the basic operating pattern of China online banking. On October 1997, the Industrial and Commercial Bank of China (ICBC) established its own homepage on Internet to promote its financing services and to provide business guide for Internet users. March 1998, Bank of China successfully handled its first e-transaction. To 1999, all major banks in China had sped up their online banking construction. To date, online banking has made good progress in China. According to statistics from the recently seminar called â€Å"International Symposium on the Development of Online Banking and Supervision† sponsored by China Banking Regulatory Commission, China’s online bank transactions are expected to reach 20 trillion yuan (about 2. 4 trillion US dollars) by the end of this year. Currently, China has over 40 million individuals and 60,000 companies and institutions involved in online banking businesses. In 2003, Internet-based banking businesses have witnessed a big step forward, owing to the outbreak of SARS (Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome). Traditionally, Chinese have placed a premium on face-to-face meeting for important business-related matters, but the SARS crisis has forced people to change their attitude. Online Banking Development in China China is in the early stages of a vast transformation – from a traditional â€Å"cash and carry† banking system where customers use the branches for almost every banking activity to a modern Internet banking system. Currently, more than 50 commercial banks (domestic and foreign) and over 200 of their branches in China have opened websites, among which, a total of over 50 banks have launched online businesses. The Growth of Online Banking Customers in China China’s online bank transactions were 14. 3 billion yuan in 2001, increased to 21. 8 billion yuan in 2003, and are expected to reach 20 trillion yuan (about 2. 4 trillion US dollars) by the end of this year. Figure 3. 1: The Growth of Online Banking Customers in China Online Shopping Payment Methods in China. According to a survey made by China Internet Network Information Center (CNNIC), payment online by credit card and deposit card is becoming the 1st choice for online purchasing. The traditional payment method of payment on delivery by cash and postal remittance decreased 3. 7% this year. Figure 3. 2: Online Purchasing Payment Methods in China An analysis shows that security and service abilities are the main concerns for Chinese to use online banking services, 72. 2% of the people inquired care a lot about whether the banks can guarantee the safety of all transactions in their online services, 60. 6% hope to see more functions and flexibilities. Figure 3. 3: Factors that that will attract Chinese to use online banking services Both Chinese and foreign banks in China realized that the internet solutions provide clients with more channels to communicate with them and allow them to benefit from greater control and cost efficiency, which are top of mind for treasurers today. Domestic Banks and Their Online Banking Services For many Chinese, banking in general is a new experience and in an economy where cash remains important, so bank branches also provide security to customers. However, with accession to the World Trade Organization (WTO), China’s major banks having to face competition, the local players are increasingly seeing their extensive and heavily manned branch networks as a liability. More and more Chinese banks seem to have discovered the Internet as new source of revenue and the powerful attraction of Internet banking is reflected an attractive proposition. The Chinese bank that has bee quickest off the mark in building Internet banking is China Merchant Bank, which launched the first online financing service in China in 1996. The four state-owned commercial banks quickly followed and successively began to offer some online services since then. May 2000, the Agricultural Bank of China (ABC) implemented a trial Internet banking service in its Guangzhou Branch, which allowed their customers in Guangdong province to access their account through Internet. December 2000, ABC launched online banking service in Shanghai called 95599 Online Bank. The new service of 95599 Online bank has reportedly attracted a number of large corporate clients, such as China Worldbest Group and Shanghai Volkswagen. The services offered include currency exchange, personal cheque issuance and access to consumer loans. Users can also report the loss of certificates of deposit, bankbooks and bankcards as well as prearrange withdrawals of cash sums. At the same time, China Construction Bank (CCB) announced its plans to extend its online banking services to 15 cities in the mainland as well as simplify the process of related authentication in a bid to boost the number of clients using online services. The bank began offering online services in April 2000 in cities of Beijing, Guangzhou, Shenzhen and Qingdao. Last year, the Industrial and Commercial Bank of China (ICBC) unveiled a new platform for its personal online banking business – BANKING@HOME. ICBC officials said the upgraded e-banking platform could facilitate a key shift of the bank’s outlets from all-round functions to sales-orientated services, and gives it a firmer foothold in a market with intensifying foreign competition. ICBC officials said the 58-function brand-name allows â€Å"almost all services a traditional banking outlet offers† to be processed by the client on the computer, including 24-hour any-amount transfers of funds or remittances, securities and foreign currency trading as well as collateralized loans. Figure 3. 4: Internet Services provided by the 4 state-owned commercial banks Name Website URL Language Internet Services The Agricultural Bank of China (ABC) www. abocn. com – Chinese – Simplified Banking industry news and website news, Regulation for foreign currency deposits Link to online banking Bank of China (BOC) www. bank-of-china. com – Chinese Simplified – English Link to branch offices in other cities and provinces Link to E-banking services Cash management Information on the bank and its activities Information on credit card deposits online and phone banking, loans and remittances. China Construction Bank www. ccb-on-line. com – Chinese Simplified – English Links to exchange rates, stock quotes, deposit rates, loan rates, bank fees. Link to branch offices in other cities and provinces Credit card information. International Operations such as financing, merchant banking, international settlements, currency exchange, treasury services, credit investigations Information on oversea branches and domestic branches that conduct international transactions Foreign currency deposit, multi-currency remittances, account settlement and term deposit. Link to online banking and payment The Industrial and Commercial Bank of China (ICBC) www. icbc. com. cn – Chinese Simplified – Chinese Traditional – English Link to branch offices in other cities and provinces Link to online bank services: personal banking, corporate Banking. Information on E-banking Online financing Links to exchange rates, stock quotes, deposit rates, loan rates, bank fees. Foreign Banks and Their Online Banking Services Citibank claims that they are the 1st foreign bank in China that obtained approval from the People’s Bank of China (PCBC) to offer Internet banking services in China to both domestic and international corporations, as well as consumers. Its Internet banking services provide clients with convenient, easy-to-use, and secure access to banking transactions, 24 hours a day, seven days a week, over the Web. Offering its CitiDirect corporate banking service for cash management, the bank has developed an internet-based payments system specifically for the country. The system enables corporate clients in China to make local currency (renminbi) payment transactions to beneficiaries in over 7000 locations. The system, called Citibank Easy Payments, also delivers various payment and collections reports for clients to view or download into their computers. Its Internet-based banking services available in China for corporate and consumer clients include: CitiDirect(r) Online Banking is Citibank’s Web-based delivery channel for corporate clients, designed to securely deliver online an ever-expanding array of Citibank transaction products. CitiDirect(r) Online Banking provides access to account information, payment initiation capabilities, collections data, trade finance transactions, and import/export file integration capabilities. CitiDirect(r) replaces traditional electronic banking applications with a single Web-based delivery channel, thereby improving efficiency and reducing costs to clients. Available in 90 countries and 20 languages including traditional and simplified Chinese, CitiDirecti Online Banking gives clients the benefits of real-time processing, robust security and integration with their in-house treasury systems. * Citibank Easy Payments, an Internet-based payment system that allows corporate clients in China to make local currency (Renminbi) payment transactions to beneficiaries in over 7000 locations in China. This system was specifically developed for the China market. Citibank Easy Payments also delivers various payment and collections reports for clients to view or download into their computers. Citibank Easy Payments supports interface with all major Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) packages such as SAP, Oracle, BPCS as well as locally developed Chinese accounting packages. Citibank. com. cn, an Internet banking portal that allows corporations and consumers to manage their accounts online, make online enquiries or transactions, view customize and personalize pages as well as get online tools and real-time global market information. Global banking group HSBC, Hang Seng Bank and Bank of East Asia received online-banking license and launched online banking service in China on January 2003. This new service allows their customers to check their balances, transfer funds, make time deposits and account enquiries, check interest and foreign exchange rates, and send remittance instructions through Internet. It is said that more foreign banks, like London-based Standard Chartered Bank, have also received approval to launch online banking services in China, but it is not clear when the emerging market specialist would offer such service. China is expected to become the largest information technology (IT) market in the world in the next five years, acknowledging that computers will be popular in Chinese families by that time. China now ranks No. 2 in Internet subscribers in the world. Owing to China’s large population, the country’s Internet market still has great potential. Information technology has been utilized in almost all sectors of China’s economy today. E-government, e-business, e-finance, and upgrading of state-owned enterprises will all provide more opportunities for the development of the industry in China. Read the Memo sent out by Jaime about 2004 Mid-Year Offsite Business-planning meeting conducted by S1 management team, the key topic of â€Å"Perfecting our International and Distribution Business† caught my attention. Learned the news that Macau Tai Fung bank implemented S1 Banking Solution to launched its online banking services, and found out that S1 opened an office in Beijing – China’s capital city, I got a feeling that S1 already turned its eyes to Chinese Market and wonder whether S1’s management would like to make further moves and seize the opportunity. Before left China to immigrant to Canada, I had 6 years working experiences in Beijing-my home city, dealing with Chinese financial agencies and institutions, Chinese and foreign banks as well as other financial institutions and service providers in China, I’m quite familiar with Chinese financial industry structure. I’d like to reuse my knowledge and made this online research report. If S1 is interested in expanding business in China, but not clear what is the situation there and where to start, my research report will, I hope to a certain extent, answer some of your questions. The main purpose of this report is to provide some information and personal suggestions that, I hope, could be helpful for S1’s management or marketing team to better understand Chinese market. This report includes information covering Chinese banking system structure, the emergence and development of Internet banking and online insurance services in China, Chinese governments’ policies and regulations toward online banking and insurance business as well as some prepositional thoughts about how to present S1 and its products to China. Naissance of Online Banking in China In the late 1990s, China began allowing banks to open online businesses. In 1996, China Merchants Bank launched the 1st online financing service in China through â€Å"All in One Net†, an online payment method, which set up the basic operating pattern of China online banking. On October 1997, the Industrial and Commercial Bank of China (ICBC) established its own homepage on Internet to promote its financing services and to provide business guide for Internet users. March 1998, Bank of China successfully handled its first e-transaction. To 1999, all major banks in China had sped up their online banking construction. To date, online banking has made good progress in China. According to statistics from the recently seminar called â€Å"International Symposium on the Development of Online Banking and Supervision† sponsored by China Banking Regulatory Commission, China’s online bank transactions are expected to reach 20 trillion yuan (about 2. 4 trillion US dollars) by the end of this year. Currently, China has over 40 million individuals and 60,000 companies and institutions involved in online banking businesses In 2003, Internet-based banking businesses have witnessed a big step forward, owing to the outbreak of SARS (Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome). Traditionally, Chinese have placed a premium on face-to-face meeting for important business-related matters, but the SARS crisis has forced people to change their attitude. Online Banking Development in China China is in the early stages of a vast transformation – from a traditional â€Å"cash and carry† banking system where customers use the branches for almost every banking activity to a modern Internet banking system. Currently, more than 50 commercial banks (domestic and foreign) and over 200 of their branches in China have opened websites, among which, a total of over 50 banks have launched online businesses. The Growth of Online Banking Customers in China China’s online bank transactions were 14. 3 billion yuan in 2001, increased to 21. 8 billion yuan in 2003, and are expected to reach 20 trillion yuan (about 2. 4 trillion US dollars) by the end of this year. Figure 3. 1: The Growth of Online Banking Customers in China Online Shopping Payment Methods in China According to a survey made by China Internet Network Information Center (CNNIC), payment online by credit card and deposit card is becoming the 1st choice for online purchasing. The traditional payment method of payment on delivery by cash and postal remittance decreased 3. 7% this year. Figure 3. 2: Online Purchasing Payment Methods in China An analysis shows that security and service abilities are the main concerns for Chinese to use online banking services, 72. 2% of the people inquired care a lot about whether the banks can guarantee the safety of all transactions in their online services, 60. 6% hope to see more functions and flexibilities. Figure 3. 3: Factors that that will attract Chinese to use online banking services Both Chinese and foreign banks in China realized that the internet solutions provide clients with more channels to communicate with them and allow them to benefit from greater control and cost efficiency, which are top of mind for treasurers today. Domestic Banks and Their Online Banking Services For many Chinese, banking in general is a new experience and in an economy where cash remains important, so bank branches also provide security to customers. However, with accession to the World Trade Organization (WTO), China’s major banks having to face competition, the local players are increasingly seeing their extensive and heavily manned branch networks as a liability. More and more Chinese banks seem to have discovered the Internet as new source of revenue and the powerful attraction of Internet banking is reflected an attractive proposition. The Chinese bank that has bee quickest off the mark in building Internet banking is China Merchant Bank, which launched the first online financing service in China in 1996. The four state-owned commercial banks quickly followed and successively began to offer some online services since then. May 2000, the Agricultural Bank of China (ABC) implemented a trial Internet banking service in its Guangzhou Branch, which allowed their customers in Guangdong province to access their account through Internet. December 2000, ABC launched online banking service in Shanghai called 95599 Online Bank. The new service of 95599 Online bank has reportedly attracted a number of large corporate clients, such as China Worldbest Group and Shanghai Volkswagen. The services offered include currency exchange, personal cheque issuance and access to consumer loans. Users can also report the loss of certificates of deposit, bankbooks and bankcards as well as prearrange withdrawals of cash sums. At the same time, China Construction Bank (CCB) announced its plans to extend its online banking services to 15 cities in the mainland as well as simplify the process of related authentication in a bid to boost the number of clients using online services. The bank began offering online services in April 2000 in cities of Beijing, Guangzhou, Shenzhen and Qingdao. Last year, the Industrial and Commercial Bank of China (ICBC) unveiled a new platform for its personal online banking business – BANKING@HOME. ICBC officials said the upgraded e-banking platform could facilitate a key shift of the bank’s outlets from all-round functions to sales-orientated services, and gives it a firmer foothold in a market with intensifying foreign competition. ICBC officials said the 58-function brand-name allows â€Å"almost all services a traditional banking outlet offers† to be processed by the client on the computer, including 24-hour any-amount transfers of funds or remittances, securities and foreign currency trading as well as collateralized loans. Figure 3. 4: Internet Services provided by the 4 state-owned commercial banks Name Website URL Language Internet Services The Agricultural Bank of China (ABC) www. abocn. com – Chinese – Simplified Banking industry news and website news, Regulation for foreign currency deposits Link to online banking Bank of China (BOC) www. bank-of-china. com – Chinese Simplified – English Link to branch offices in other cities and provinces Link to E-banking services Cash management Information on the bank and its activities Information on credit card deposits online and phone banking, loans and remittances. China Construction Bank www. ccb-on-line. com – Chinese Simplified – English Links to exchange rates, stock quotes, deposit rates, loan rates, bank fees. Link to branch offices in other cities and provinces Credit card information. International Operations such as financing, merchant banking, international settlements, currency exchange, treasury services, credit investigations Information on oversea branches and domestic branches that conduct international transactions Foreign currency deposit, multi-currency remittances, account settlement and term deposit. Link to online banking and payment The Industrial and Commercial Bank of China (ICBC) www. icbc. com. cn – Chinese Simplified – Chinese Traditional – English Link to branch offices in other cities and provinces Link to online bank services: personal banking, corporate Banking. Information on E-banking Online financing Links to exchange rates, stock quotes, deposit rates, loan rates, bank fees. Foreign Banks and Their Online Banking Services Citibank claims that they are the 1st foreign bank in China that obtained approval from the People’s Bank of China (PCBC) to offer Internet banking services in China to both domestic and international corporations, as well as consumers. Its Internet banking services provide clients with convenient, easy-to-use, and secure access to banking transactions, 24 hours a day, seven days a week, over the Web. Offering its CitiDirect corporate banking service for cash management, the bank has developed an internet-based payments system specifically for the country. The system enables corporate clients in China to make local currency (renminbi) payment transactions to beneficiaries in over 7000 locations. The system, called Citibank Easy Payments, also delivers various payment and collections reports for clients to view or download into their computers. Its Internet-based banking services available in China for corporate and consumer clients include: CitiDirect(r) Online Banking is Citibank’s Web-based delivery channel for corporate clients, designed to securely deliver online an ever-expanding array of Citibank transaction products. CitiDirect(r) Online Banking provides access to account information, payment initiation capabilities, collections data, trade finance transactions, and import/export file integration capabilities. CitiDirect(r) replaces traditional electronic banking applications with a single Web-based delivery channel, thereby improving efficiency and reducing costs to clients. Available in 90 countries and 20 languages including traditional and simplified Chinese, CitiDirecti Online Banking gives clients the benefits of real-time processing, robust security and integration with their in-house treasury systems. * Citibank Easy Payments, an Internet-based payment system that allows corporate clients in China to make local currency (Renminbi) payment transactions to beneficiaries in over 7000 locations in China. This system was specifically developed for the China market. Citibank Easy Payments also delivers various payment and collections reports for clients to view or download into their computers. Citibank Easy Payments supports interface with all major Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) packages such as SAP, Oracle, BPCS as well as locally developed Chinese accounting packages.   Citibank. com. cn, an Internet banking portal that allows corporations and consumers to manage their accounts online, make online enquiries or transactions, view customize and personalize pages as well as get online tools and real-time global market information. Global banking group HSBC, Hang Seng Bank and Bank of East Asia received online-banking license and launched online banking service in China on January 2003. This new service allows their customers to check their balances, transfer funds, make time deposits and account enquiries, check interest and foreign exchange rates, and send remittance instructions through Internet. It is said that more foreign banks, like London-based Standard Chartered Bank, have also received approval to launch online banking services in China, but it is not clear when the emerging market specialist would offer such service. Read the Memo sent out by Jaime about 2004 Mid-Year Offsite Business-planning meeting conducted by S1 management team, the key topic of â€Å"Perfecting our International and Distribution Business† caught my attention. Learned the news that Macau Tai Fung bank implemented S1 Banking Solution to launched its online banking services, and found out that S1 opened an office in Beijing – China’s capital city, I got a feeling that S1 already turned its eyes to Chinese Market and wonder whether S1’s management would like to make further moves and seize the opportunity. Before left China to immigrant to Canada, I had 6 years working experiences in Beijing-my home city, dealing with Chinese financial agencies and institutions, Chinese and foreign banks as well as other financial institutions and service providers in China, I’m quite familiar with Chinese financial industry structure. I’d like to reuse my knowledge and made this online research report. If S1 is interested in expanding business in China, but not clear what is the situation there and where to start, my research report will, I hope to a certain extent, answer some of your questions. The main purpose of this report is to provide some information and personal suggestions that, I hope, could be helpful for S1’s management or marketing team to better understand Chinese market. This report includes information covering Chinese banking system structure, the emergence and development of Internet banking and online insurance services in China, Chinese governments’ policies and regulations toward online banking and insurance business as well as some prepositional thoughts about how to present S1 and its products to China. Naissance of Online Banking in China In the late 1990s, China began allowing banks to open online businesses. In 1996, China Merchants Bank launched the 1st online financing service in China through â€Å"All in One Net†, an online payment method, which set up the basic operating pattern of China online banking. On October 1997, the Industrial and Commercial Bank of China (ICBC) established its own homepage on Internet to promote its financing services and to provide business guide for Internet users. March 1998, Bank of China successfully handled its first e-transaction. To 1999, all major banks in China had sped up their online banking construction. To date, online banking has made good progress in China. According to statistics from the recently seminar called â€Å"International Symposium on the Development of Online Banking and Supervision† sponsored by China Banking Regulatory Commission, China’s online bank transactions are expected to reach 20 trillion yuan (about 2. 4 trillion US dollars) by the end of this year. Currently, China has over 40 million individuals and 60,000 companies and institutions involved in online banking businesses. In 2003, Internet-based banking businesses have witnessed a big step forward, owing to the outbreak of SARS (Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome). Traditionally, Chinese have placed a premium on face-to-face meeting for important business-related matters, but the SARS crisis has forced people to change their attitude. Online Banking Development in China China is in the early stages of a vast transformation – from a traditional â€Å"cash and carry† banking system where customers use the branches for almost every banking activity to a modern Internet banking system. Currently, more than 50 commercial banks (domestic and foreign) and over 200 of their branches in China have opened websites, among which, a total of over 50 banks have launched online businesses. The Growth of Online Banking Customers in China China’s online bank transactions were 14. 3 billion yuan in 2001, increased to 21. 8 billion yuan in 2003, and are expected to reach 20 trillion yuan (about 2. 4 trillion US dollars) by the end of this year. Figure 3. 1: The Growth of Online Banking Customers in China Online Shopping Payment Methods in China According to a survey made by China Internet Network Information Center (CNNIC), payment online by credit card and deposit card is becoming the 1st choice for online purchasing. The traditional payment method of payment on delivery by cash and postal remittance decreased 3. 7% this year. Figure 3. 2: Online Purchasing Payment Methods in China An analysis shows that security and service abilities are the main concerns for Chinese to use online banking services, 72. 2% of the people inquired care a lot about whether the banks can guarantee the safety of all transactions in their online services, 60. 6% hope to see more functions and flexibilities. Figure 3. 3: Factors that that will attract Chinese to use online banking services Both Chinese and foreign banks in China realized that the internet solutions provide clients with more channels to communicate with them and allow them to benefit from greater control and cost efficiency, which are top of mind for treasurers today. Domestic Banks and Their Online Banking Services For many Chinese, banking in general is a new experience and in an economy where cash remains important, so bank branches also provide security to customers. However, with accession to the World Trade Organization (WTO), China’s major banks having to face competition, the local players are increasingly seeing their extensive and heavily manned branch networks as a liability. More and more Chinese banks seem to have discovered the Internet as new source of revenue and the powerful attraction of Internet banking is reflected an attractive proposition. The Chinese bank that has bee quickest off the mark in building Internet banking is China Merchant Bank, which launched the first online financing service in China in 1996. The four state-owned commercial banks quickly followed and successively began to offer some online services since then. May 2000, the Agricultural Bank of China (ABC) implemented a trial Internet banking service in its Guangzhou Branch, which allowed their customers in Guangdong province to access their account through Internet. December 2000, ABC launched online banking service in Shanghai called 95599 Online Bank. The new service of 95599 Online bank has reportedly attracted a number of large corporate clients, such as China Worldbest Group and Shanghai Volkswagen. The services offered include currency exchange, personal cheque issuance and access to consumer loans. Users can also report the loss of certificates of deposit, bankbooks and bankcards as well as prearrange withdrawals of cash sums. At the same time, China Construction Bank (CCB) announced its plans to extend its online banking services to 15 cities in the mainland as well as simplify the process of related authentication in a bid to boost the number of clients using online services. The bank began offering online services in April 2000 in cities of Beijing, Guangzhou, Shenzhen and Qingdao. Last year, the Industrial and Commercial Bank of China (ICBC) unveiled a new platform for its personal online banking business – BANKING@HOME. ICBC officials said the upgraded e-banking platform could facilitate a key shift of the bank’s outlets from all-round functions to sales-orientated services, and gives it a firmer foothold in a market with intensifying foreign competition. ICBC officials said the 58-function brand-name allows â€Å"almost all services a traditional banking outlet offers† to be processed by the client on the computer, including 24-hour any-amount transfers of funds or remittances, securities and foreign currency trading as well as collateralized loans. Figure 3. 4: Internet Services provided by the 4 state-owned commercial banks Name Website URL Language Internet Services The Agricultural Bank of China (ABC) www. abocn. com – Chinese – Simplified Banking industry news and website news, Regulation for foreign currency deposits Link to online banking Bank of China (BOC) www. bank-of-china. com – Chinese Simplified – English Link to branch offices in other cities and provinces Link to E-banking services Cash management Information on the bank and its activities Information on credit card deposits online and phone banking, loans and remittances. China Construction Bank www. ccb-on-line. com – Chinese Simplified – English Links to exchange rates, stock quotes, deposit rates, loan rates, bank fees. Link to branch offices in other cities and provinces Credit card information International Operations such as financing, merchant banking, international settlements, currency exchange, treasury services, credit investigations Information on oversea branches and domestic branches that conduct international transactions Foreign currency deposit, multi-currency remittances, account settlement and term deposit. Link to online banking and payment The Industrial and Commercial Bank of China (ICBC) www. icbc. com. cn – Chinese Simplified – Chinese Traditional – English Link to branch offices in other cities and provinces Link to online bank services: personal banking, corporate Banking Information on E-banking Online financing Links to exchange rates, stock quotes, deposit rates, loan rates, bank fees. Foreign Banks and Their Online Banking Services Citibank claims that they are the 1st foreign bank in China that obtained approval from the People’s Bank of China (PCBC) to offer Internet banking services in China to both domestic and international corporations, as well as consumers. Its Internet banking services provide clients with convenient, easy-to-use, and secure access to banking transactions, 24 hours a day, seven days a week, over the Web. Offering its CitiDirect corporate banking service for cash management, the bank has developed an internet-based payments system specifically for the country. The system enables corporate clients in China to make local currency (renminbi) payment transactions to beneficiaries in over 7000 locations. The system, called Citibank Easy Payments, also delivers various payment and collections reports for clients to view or download into their computers. Its Internet-based banking services available in China for corporate and consumer clients include: CitiDirect(r) Online Banking is Citibank’s Web-based delivery channel for corporate clients, designed to securely deliver online an ever-expanding array of Citibank transaction products. CitiDirect(r) Online Banking provides access to account information, payment initiation capabilities, collections data, trade finance transactions, and import/export file integration capabilities. CitiDirect(r) replaces traditional electronic banking applications with a single Web-based delivery channel, thereby improving efficiency and reducing costs to clients. Available in 90 countries and 20 languages including traditional and simplified Chinese, CitiDirecti Online Banking gives clients the benefits of real-time processing, robust security and integration with their in-house treasury systems. * Citibank Easy Payments, an Internet-based payment system that allows corporate clients in China to make local currency (Renminbi) payment transactions to beneficiaries in over 7000 locations in China. This system was specifically developed for the China market. Citibank Easy Payments also delivers various payment and collections reports for clients to view or download into their computers. Citibank Easy Payments supports interface with all major Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) packages such as SAP, Oracle, BPCS as well as locally developed Chinese accounting packages.   Citibank. com. cn, an Internet banking portal that allows corporations and consumers to manage their accounts online, make online enquiries or transactions, view customize and personalize pages as well as get online tools and real-time global market information. Global banking group HSBC, Hang Seng Bank and Bank of East Asia received online-banking license and launched online banking service in China on January 2003. This new service allows their customers to check their balances, transfer funds, make time deposits and account enquiries, check interest and foreign exchange rates, and send remittance instructions through Internet. It is said that more foreign banks, like London-based Standard Chartered Bank, have also received approval to launch online banking services in China, but it is not clear when the emerging market specialist would offer such service.