PESTLE Analysis Template Essay

Your notes Potential Impact: Implication and importance The list below is just to get you started. Remember to put these, and others that you add in the context of your organization or business. For example if you are a small private company the behaviours of a Wall Mart / Tesco or other large international player may well impact on you.If you are a local authority, government changes will change your priorities. In the NHS changes to treatments and public attitudes will also impact etc. About your organization.How might the factors listed on the left impact your business or part of the organization? H – HighM – MediumL – Low U – Undetermined Time Frame:0 – 6 months6 – 12 months 12 – 24 months 24 + months Type:Positive +Negative – Unknown Impact:Increasing >Unchanged = Decreasing < Unknown Relative Importance:Critical Important Un-important Unknown Political – SWOT Trading policies Funding, grants and initiatives Home market lobbying/pressure groups International pressure groups Wars and conflict Government policies Government term and change Elections Inter-country relationships/attitudes Terrorism Political trends Governmental leadership Government structures Internal political issues Shareholder/ stakeholder needs/ demands ___________________ ___________________ ___________________ ___________________ ___________________ Economic – SWOT Home economy situation Home economy trends Overseas economies and trends General taxation issues Taxation changes specific to product/services Seasonality/weather issues Market and trade cycles Specific industry factors Market routes and distribution trends Customer/end-user drivers International trade/monetary issues Disposable income Job growth/unemployment Exchange rates Tariffs Inflation Interest and exchange rates Consumer confidence index Import/export ratios Production level Internal finance Internal cash flow ___________________ ___________________ ___________________ ___________________ ___________________ Social – SWOT Consumer attitudes and opinions Media views Law changes affecting social factors Brand, company, technology image Consumer buying patterns Major events and influences Buying access and trends Ethnic/religious factors Advertising and publicity Ethical issues Demographics (age, gender, race, family size,) Lifestyle changes Population shifts Education Trends Fads Diversity Immigration/emigration Health Living standards Housing trends Fashion & role models Attitudes to work Attitudes to people doing certain types of work Leisure activities Occupations Earning capacity Staff attitudes Management style organizational culture Changes to education system ___________________ ___________________ ___________________ ___________________ ___________________ Technological – SWOT Competing technology development Research funding Associated/dependent technologies Replacement technology/solutions Maturity of technology Manufacturing maturity and capacity Information and communications Consumer buying mechanisms/technology Technology legislation Innovation potential Technology access, licensing, patents Intellectual property issues Global communications Inventions Innovations New discoveries Research Energy uses/sources/fuels Communications Rate of obsolescence Health (pharmaceutical, equipment, etc.) Manufacturing advances Information technology Internet Transportation Bio-tech Genetics Waste removal/recycling Email M-learning E-learning Collaboration tools Software changes RSI ___________________ ___________________ ___________________ ___________________ ___________________ Additional split of information if doing a PESTLE analysis rather than a PEST analysis: Legal – SWOT Current legislation home market Future legislation European/international legislation Regulatory bodies and processes Environmental regulations Employment law Consumer protection Industry-specific regulations competitive regulations ___________________ ___________________ ___________________ ___________________ ___________________ Environmental – SWOT Ecological Environmental issues International National Local Environmental regulations Customer values Market values Stakeholder/ investor values Staff attitudes Management style organizational culture Staff morale Staff engagement Global factors EU based factors ___________________ ___________________ ___________________ ___________________ ___________________ top Remember this is only a tool. Call it what you like – use whatever factors you feel are appropriate. Other variations include: PEST analysis (STEP analysis) – Political, Economic, Sociological, Technological PESTLE/ PESTEL analysis- Political, Economic, Sociological, Technological, Legal, Environmental; PESTEL analysis PESTEL analysis- Political, Economic, Sociological, Technological, Environmental, Labour (Labor) related; PESTEL analysis (rare no references available) PESTLIED analysis- Political, Economic, Social, Technological, Legal, International, Environmental, Demographic STEEPLE analysis – Social/Demographic, Technological, Economic, Environmental, Political, Legal, Ethical SLEPT analysis – Social, Legal, Economic, Political, Technological STEPE analysis – Social, Technical, Economic, Political, and Ecological ETPS analysis – Economic, Technical, Political and Social – Scanning the business environment PESTLE Analysis on an HR department or other internal function While the PEST or PESTLE analysis is primarily aimed at looking at the external environment of an organization, many HR courses ask students to use the PEST or PESTLE analysis model to look at their own function. In this context we need to imagine that the department (HR) is an organization in its own right and look outside. Factors to include in your analysis may include the following: Political What is the culture of the organization, How is the HR function viewed by other functions? Who are the political champions of HR (or its adversaries)? Shareholder views Economic What is the budgetary position of the department, Is more money available? Are our customers likely to spend more or less money on the services we offer? What is happening to the financial status of the organization Interest rates Inflation Salary trends in the sector Sociological Other departmental attitudes to HR Population shifts (age profile) Education Fads Diversity Immigration/emigration Health Living standards Housing trends Fashion & role models Age profile Attitudes to career Technological What changes may be coming our way? What new technology/ systems, How do we record attendance, performance? how might this change? Use of and encourage home working? Communications technologies changes of technology that will increase/ reduce the need for recruitment changes to HR software Legal What is happening in our sector that will impact what we do? Minimum wage, Working time, Food stuffs, Under 18 working, Occupational/ industrial Training etc. What changes will impact the services of the organization Environmental Staff morale Staff engagement Need to reduce storage needs Management attitudes (inside dept/ function) Organizational culture PESTLE Analysis for Schools or Education By rapidbi – Last updated: Sunday, April 19, 2009 – Save & Share – 2 Comments A PESTLE analysis is a tool that can provide prompts to the governors, management and staff involved in the analysis of the changes in the school’s environment that could impact future finance, planning and management decisions. It can enable them carry out a more comprehensive analysis. A PESTLE is usually used in commercial organisations as a part of the strategic development of a business and marketing plan, however a PESTLE analysis can be used as part of identifying the opportunities and threats (swOT) for operational planning within educational and school environments. The PESTLE provides a simple framework within which to consider external factors. PESTLE is used as part of a SWOT for identifying the external factors (OT) Political Schools being privatised (like the NHS) A government initiative creates the risk that the school may fail to deliver the policy or be diverted away from local priorities etc. Changes to the skills required to be a teacher/ tutor Changes to curriculum with short lead times Requirement to be self managing Requirement to be self financing Economic Central or local government funding decisions may affect school/ establishment finances Closure of a local industry may affect fund raising plans etc. Ability of parents to raise funds for optional activities The need to run breakfast/ after schools clubs Ability to invest ‘savings/ surpluses’ Cost of providing resources: Staff – teaching & support Basics – books/ paper Technology solutions laptops etc Interest rates Shortages of materials on national/ international markets Over provision of school places in the area resulting in competition from neighbouring schools The risk of highly valued, key staff moving on to more ‘up and coming’ schools/ academies Social Decline in birth rate, reflecting national trends Local population changes (increasing/ decreasing numbers) Demographic changes may affect likely pupil rolls or the nature of pupils needs e.g. pupils with English as a second language etc. Closure of local firms providing employment Inability to attract staff Social networking – blogs, facebook, twitter Changes to qualifications expected Integration with local community Integration of students with special needs parental preference – an increase in ‘parent power’ has allowed parents more freedom of choice over their child’s school the risk of highly valued, key staff moving on to more up-and-coming establishments Information is accessible to staff anywhere in the world via the Internet Staff were not given enough training or access to effectively change their habits and how they expected information to be made available Technological Changes to standards/ equipment required Risk of selecting the wrong technology at times of change (i.e. windows -v- open source) New computer viruses may affect school/ college operations, Disturbing/ illegal images on the internet may affect ICT security measures etc. Move from paper based books to e-book readers Computer hardware being out of date Computer software being out of date Time to manage IT systems Legislative new legislation may create risks of non-compliance with the law, create new administrative burdens etc Changes to child protection legislation Raise the age of school leaving age Raise/ lower the age of starting school. Nursery/ kindergarten Change to school opening hours Changes to funding of charity based organisations Health & safety legislation Environmental A new highway layout near the school may create new dangers for pupils etc Waste disposal Reduction of green space available for activities Changes to local bus routes Using a significant amounts of paper and photocopier toner to produce printed information. For a more comprehensive PESTLE article see our pain page. A PESTLE Template: Area being reviewed Factor: Is factor positive or negative? Political P – N P – N P – N P – N Economic P – N P – N P – N P – N Social P – N P – N P – N P – N Technological P – N P – N P – N P – N Legislative P – N P – N P – N P – N Environmental P – N P – N P – N P – N Remember this is only a tool. Call it what you like – use whatever factors you feel are appropriate. Other variations include: PEST analysis (STEP analysis) – Political, Economic, Sociological, Technological PESTLE/ PESTEL analysis- Political, Economic, Sociological, Technological, Legal, Environmental PESTEL analysis- Political, Economic, Sociological, Technological, Environmental, Labour (Labor) related PESTLIED analysis- Political, Economic, Social, Technological, Legal, International, Environmental, Demographic STEEPLE analysis – Social/Demographic, Technological, Economic, Environmental, Political, Legal, Ethical SLEPT analysis – Social, Legal, Economic, Political, Technological STEPE analysis – Social, Technical, Economic, Political, and Ecological ETPS analysis – Economic, Technical, Political and Social – Scanning the organizational environment Choose the acronym that most suits you or your organization. http://www.familybunker.com/forums/students-workshop/11967-swot-pest-analysis-part-ii.html Examples of SWOTs Strengths and weaknesses à ¨ Resources: financial, intellectual, location à ¨ Cost advantages from proprietary know-how and/or location à ¨ Creativity (ability to develop new products) à ¨ Valuable intangible assets: intellectual capital à ¨ Competitive capabilities à ¨ Effective recruitment of talented individuals à ¨ Competitive Advantage à ¨ Brand reputation à ¨ New product Opportunities and threats à ¨ Expansion or down-sizing of competitors à ¨ Market trends à ¨ Economic conditions à ¨ Expectations of stakeholders à ¨ Technology à ¨ Public expectations à ¨ All other activities or inactivities by competitors à ¨ Criticisms by outsiders à ¨ Changes in markets à ¨ All other environmental condition à ¨ Global Influences à ¨ Nothing PESTEL Analysis for Macro-Environment http://accalecturenotes.blogspot.com/2011/01/pestel-analysis-for-macro-environment.html PESTEL Analysis is used for the assessment of macro-environment (environment which indirectly affects business decisions) in which the business operates. Managers have to identify changes in macro-environment that influence their business decisions. These can be identified using PESTEL analysis. In exams, using this framework ensures that we have gathered sufficient information necessary to analyze the scenario. Other frameworks used are equally acceptable. Below discussed factors are interrelated, points discuss in one factor can be included in other. 1. POLITICAL. The following points to be considered when evaluating the political environment of the industry or business. 1. Availability of government grants or assistance in the form of cash or other asset perhaps upon fulfillment of some conditions. 2. Award schemes to enforce quality standards. 3. Stable or dynamic political environment i.e. is the government changes frequently resulting in changing policies being implemented by every new government or the country are under martial law or war? 4. Rules and regulations are polite or stringent. This indicates the venerability of the business to legal risk i.e. fines (can be discussed under legal also). 5. Barriers to entry and exit. Example by imposing licensing requirements. 6. Provision of training to workers. 7. Provision of infra-structure, includes sewerage, transportation and energy. 2. ECONOMICAL 1. Business cycle, identify the stage from which the business is suffering. The stages are depression, recession, recovery and boom. 2. Industrial cycle, identify the stage from which the industry is suffering. The stages are introduction, growth, maturity and decline. 3. Access to resources, finance at reasonable cost, workers at reasonable rates, material economically and easily and equipment with maintenance and spare parts. 4. Customers & suppliers, their availability and bargain power should be assessed. 5. Taxation policies i.e. direct or indirect taxation and rates 6. Inflation, interest and exchange rates. 7. National income can also influence demand for the firm’s product. 8. Level of unemployment in the country, high unemployment may suggest that employer has dominant position and can negotiate low wage rate with workers 9. Stock market condition rising stock market index means rising demand of shares in the stock market may suggest easily availability of finance at cheaper cost. 3. SOCIAL 1. Stakeholders demand, taste and behavior. Example customer, financers and supplier who may not support if your business conflicts their principles. 2. Increasing or decrease population. Increasing population may suggest that higher demand for younger people products e.g. toys while decreasing population suggests opposite. 3. Attitude to work. Are people committed to their work or they just comply with standards. Healthy workers are more productive than overstressed workers. 4. Income distribution, how wealth for the country is scattered among individuals, even distribution may suggest that majority of the people can buy our product while uneven distribution may suggest that majority is poor and minority is rich which create demand for high volume and low priced and low volume high priced products respectively. 5. Social footprint. Impact that business leaves on the society 6. cultural change should be identified e.g. identifying societies leisure activities, changes in customs. 4. TECHNOLOGICAL 1. Stable or robust. Stable environment may suggest longer product life cycle and low level of obsolesces while robust environment suggests otherwise. 2. New product developments may permit doing business more efficiently, cost-effectively and effectively. Employer may move towards automation, this is turn may affect other factors of the framework 3. Innovation leads to break-through in economy and it may affect society as well. Example facebook, youtube are the products which affecting youths behavior. 5. ENVIRONMENTAL 1. Green house effect has affected the way business trades. There are increasing demands of environment friendly products. Example using hybrid cars and paper bags instead of plastic bags. 2. There are increase emphasis on environmental footprints and sustainability. 3. There are legislations being enacted related to environment. This forces the business to change its policies (the way they do business) and disposal costs to business like restoration of site. 6. LEGAL 1. Competition law imposes restriction of mergers and acquisitions to promote efficiency gained through competition. 2. Employment legislation protects rights of workers by setting minimum wage requirements, anti-discrimination and anti-harassment legislation. 3. Health and safety legislation to protect workers. 4. Imposition of high import duties to protect home industries. 5. Licensing requirement as discussed above Students are advised to think as many points as possible so they can quickly identify if they come in the exam scenario. Having thought its impact on business activities can save you lot of time. PESTEL ANALSIS is frequently used framework in exams and in practice. It is worth spent some time on it.

Hamburger †Nutrition Essay

Do you like to eat fast food Nowdays people’s lives are becoming faster and faster. Because of a tight schedule, many people decide to eat fast food. Fast food is a western food. Fast food refers to any poor nutrition food that is easily prepared. Fast food may include chips, hot pies, sandwiches, burgers, kebabs, pizzas, soups, and salads. It also includes drinks, for instance, milkshakes, and soft drinks. Fast food has advantages and disadvantages. Some of the advantages of fast food are that fast food is cheap, time saving, and quick. Fast Food Saves Time. People can order fast food on their way to or from work, without ever leaving their car, which is drive thru. Fast food is also designed to come in small packaging, So that people can consume it while traveling. Light on the Wallet Its means Eating fast food can save a lot of money for large families, students and anyone else looking to eat out without breaking the bank. Many fast food chains offer discount menus with foods costing. Customers also avoid having to leave a tip when they choose a fast food establishment over a typical restaurant. Easy to find place Some of the most popular fast food chains include McDonald’s, KFC, Burger King, Pizza Hut, Dunkin’ Donuts, and many more. Despite of having many advantages, fast food has many disadvantages including obesity and different kinds of diseases. Obesity Extra calories can lead to being overweight or obese. As we know children nowadays like to eat fast food. So the percentages of obesity among children increase from year to year. With obesity come other problems like high blood pressure, the increasing of cholesterol and other related diseases of the heart that can lead to heart attack and many more serious diseases. Fast food has advantages and disadvantages. Some of the advantages are that it is easy, quick, and inexpensive. On the other hand, some of the disadvantages are that it causes obesity and different kinds of diseases. Eating fast food is like playing with our health and if we lose our health neither the money, nor the time can get it back.

Toyota Organizational Culture Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3750 words

Toyota Organizational Culture - Assignment Example Toyota is one of the most well-known automobile manufacturers in the world. In 2010 the company was regarded as the largest company by production in the automobile sector. The sales of Toyota have grown significantly in the first decade of the 21st century making the company the largest in the automobile sector. Toyota offers a wide range of products to customers and this allows the company to cater to the demand of many kinds of consumers. The company employs more than 300,000 employees worldwide and this depicts how large a name Toyota is. Toyota came up with its lean production system that reduces costs and increases production. The culture of the company is of continuous improvement. All processes are designed so that maximum value can be given to the consumers. All processes that do not add value to the consumers are removed so that the company focuses on value creation specifically. The culture of continuous improvement allows employees to focus on the core function of the company. The lean production system or commonly known as ‘lean culture’ is focused on quality and reduction of waste. In this section we will use cultural web as a tool to analyze the culture of Toyota. The cultural web is a useful tool for conducting a cultural audit of an organization. It includes paradigm, power, organization, control systems, rituals and routines, stories, and symbols. All these factors can help us understand the culture of Toyota. Paradigm tells the main business of the company and the way in which the company operates. It encompasses all the basic information about the company alongside with vision and focus of the company.

INTRO to SOCIOLOGY Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2250 words

INTRO to SOCIOLOGY - Essay Example Such perspectives may be thought of as certain models of social reality. Indeed, each theoretical perspective offers general postulates about the way society works, and for this purpose tries to correspondingly interpret numerous facts of a societys functioning and development. As with other models which human beings employ for understanding the world, like in science, philosophy, and in our everyday goings-on, sociological perspectives construct models with the aim to uncover the meaning of what we regularly witness around us. However, particular models often tend to highlight some specific characteristics of the complex social network of interdependencies, and thus turn out to accentuate different elements of a societys structure and functioning. Some perspectives even proclaim the refusal to accept the indisputable universal validity of offered perspectives as such. In general, while such narrow focuses of sociological perspectives may be quite warranted if we consider that they h elp to concentrate the research on one problem or a set of closely-related problems for their proper clarification, there is a flip side of a coin as hardly any concrete theoretical sociological perspective may be righteously considered to be the best one. The reason for this is not only in the fact that conscious contraction of research space to one particular perspective makes the investigation inherently limited. After all, this limitation can be mitigated by addressing many alternative perspectives which in combination may produce a more coherent picture of social phenomena. The more subtle problem is rather in the limitations of sociological perspectives due to their mostly theoretical background which, if due to some reason it lags behind the actual social tendencies, may hinder productive efforts to build the most adequate model of social reality. Still, this problem seems to be inevitable in our dynamic social environment with its unprecedented level of change in many sphere s of our life. Nevertheless, this should not discourage us from attempts to achieve the proper level of understanding of the roots and hidden driving forces behind existing social problems with the help of sociological perspectives. Rather, with the above considerations in mind we should be able to properly see when different sociological perspectives can be effectively employed, and which strong and weak points each of them contains. For this purpose, let us overview the so-called conflict and symbolic interactionist sociological perspectives, and identify a social problem which can be analysed with the help of those perspectives. Theorists of the conflict perspective are interested in the macro level of society and see it not as a solidary formation but as a battle-field for power struggles. Under this view, people are not really co-operating for social benefits, but instead are advancing their particular interests at the expense of other people. The notion of power plays a major role here, and can be defined as the ability of a person, or a group of persons, to fulfil their own will regardless of the existing disagreement of other people who are involved in their actions. Marx is a famous conflict theorist who viewed the conflict between classes as

Wuthering Heights Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Wuthering Heights - Essay Example As women began to question their social and personal roles in life as well as their increasing ability to take control of their own destinies, the question of romantic love as compared to marriage for position began to take center stage in the literature produced in that time. An example of this debate can be found in the novel Wuthering Heights, written by Emily Bronte in 1847, as it is expressed in the character of Catherine Earnshaw. In the novel, Catherine is seen as a willful, independent, half-wild girl raised without the benefit of polite society or traditional feminine influences. Despite this strong nature and independent lifestyle, however, she nevertheless finds herself wrestling with the traditional idea of marriage for position and the concept of marriage for love. During the Victorian period, women were beginning, for the first time in history, to make choices for themselves as opposed to merely following their father’s or eldest male relative’s directives as new options became available to them through the growth of the cities. While changes were slow to come to the higher social classes, change was evident in the reasons by which they selected their marriage partner. Even as far in the country as Catherine lives, there existed a struggle between the traditional idea of marriage for family positioning, the emerging concept of marriage for personal gain and the also newly emerging concept of marriage for love. This struggle is most succinctly outlined in a speech Catherine makes to her maid in chapter nine: This is nothing, cried she: I was only going to say that heaven did not seem to be my home; and I broke my heart with weeping to come back to earth; and the angels were so angry that they flung me out into the middle of the heath on the top of Wuthering Heights; where I woke sobbing for joy. That will do to explain my secret, as well as the other. Ive no more business to marry Edgar Linton than

Accounting for the success of 'Pinot Grigio', 'Prosecco' and 'Brunello Essay

Accounting for the success of 'Pinot Grigio', 'Prosecco' and 'Brunello di Montalcino' - Essay Example Pinot Grigio, Prosecco, and Brunello di Montalcino are Italian wines that are enjoying the success of their sales across the globe (Robinson 2006). This paper will account for the success of these wines, and how they sustain growth in the region they originate and outside world. Wine lovers always consider the vintage and type of wine they need to purchase. These are some of the reasons that some of the new wine does not get the success they so wilfully wish for, when it comes down to sales. The exportation of wine may be a number one revenue earner for some of the European countries. In France, for example, the number of cases of wine exported to countries like the USA and Russia in a year may amount to a high number of its revenue. This is why the importation of USA wine back in the day saw the destruction of property and the burning of shops. This was to ensure that the only sold wine in the area came from France. Pinot Grigio is a grape that is accredited with the success of the white wine. It is readily available in Italian restaurants, and is often considered light and easy. Young wine enthusiasts find it easier to connect with the white wine as it is the go-to wine for everyone who fancies a drink with their meals. In the USA, Pinot Grigio is considered to be the second best wine. It only plays second fiddle to Chardonnay, and is the most imported wine in the region. It is considered a symbol of the evolution or the beginning of the United States as a wine drinking capital (Maroni 2012). The sale of the wine has increased over the years as people are now changing from the occasional one-drink for special occasions, to the everyday dinner drink. It is this change that attributes the success of the wine commercially. An increase in consumer base, for any product, means that there must be an increase in sales. Manufacturers, therefore, have to be up to the task of trying to

Current Event Paper Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words - 11

Current Event Paper - Assignment Example Daiichi Sankyo is a Japanese pharmaceutical company that has a stake in the Ranbaxy Laboratories based in India. Earlier this year, the US Food and Drug Administration (FAD) had banned the use drugs produced from the laboratory, citing that the drugs have quality problems. In response to this, Daiichi Sankyo has started to put measures in place to improve the quality of products from the laboratory. One f the steps taken is the hiring of consultants and sending experienced employees from Daiichi Sankyo to the Ranbaxy plants. Furthermore, as reported in the article, the company is taking steps to dig deeper and understand the violations that have led to the poor quality products from the Ranbaxy plants. The main idea behind quality control is to ensure that the output meets the required standards. In the above article, Daiichi Sankyo is taking steps to ensure that the quality of the products from its Ranbaxy plants meets the required international standards. The failure to meet these standards was the reason why the FAD banned the use of its products. In addition, quality control requires that the company takes the necessary steps to identify the causes of poor quality and how to address them. Daiichi Sankyo is bringing in consultants and experts to help identify and address the quality problems at the Ranbaxy Laboratories. Inagaki, K (2014, January 31). Daiichi Sankyo Vows Drastic Steps to Improve Ranbaxy Quality. The Wall Street Journal. Retrieved from

Feminism, Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Feminism, - Essay Example While it is important to appreciate that these practices happen within a cultural context we then mirror the same aspects through the western culture and knowledge, global health, feminist and humanitarian perspective to come up with themes of similarity and contrast. â€Å"The Pain of Thinking too Much, dolor de cerebro and the Embodiment of Social Hardship among Nicaraguan Women† is the main article in this report. Yarris mentions about families whose sons and daughters migrate to Costa Rica, Panama, Spain and the U.S in search for work and better lives for their families. The migration of sons and daughters is equated to combating poverty and those left behind have to assume caregiver roles and responsibilities, which is often an added burden. The women worry over the security and safety of their children as they transcend borders using illegal means to gain entry. In Nicaragua, the economics of migration sees households making a decision of send one or more members to neig hboring countries to work as a strategy to increase the income and economic security. The capitalistic economies create inferior jobs under pathetic working conditions in order to remain profitable with nationals unwilling to accept working in these conditions. This line of thought perceives the economics of the well to do countries exploiting and destroying poor countries through social fragmentation (Yarris 230). While some contemplate genital female mutilation with horror, others exalt and translate the process as purification and to constitute an important part of shaping and defining feminine sexuality, aesthetic and religion. Amidst the pain and discomfort, there is pride, joy, satisfaction and emotional attachment with girls who undergo the practice as initiates. Both authors converge in similarity on how history and human society use pain as a social mechanism to manipulate women and transform their identity. Human beings spend most of their lives in pain or suffering. Pain and suffering can be viewed punishment, sacrifice, reward or destiny. Aristotle spoke of pain as passions of the soul and to this day, we associate these emotions with matters of the soul and spirituality. Social forces through social institutions, global systems and culture cause social suffering. This is as witnesses in horrifying inhuman global acts and the role of institutional policies in producing greater suffering to human beings. In the era of organized religion pain and suffering was attributed to superior powers. The gods would determine when, how, who, where and the kind of suffering to give to human beings as an indication of their displeasure. In Christianity, suffering is not considered a bad thing or experience, but an essential aspect to get closer to God. In eastern cultures, self-inflicted pain is a religious tradition and believed to be manageable (Walley 406). According to â€Å"Searching for Voices, Feminism Anthropology and the Global Debate on Female Genital Operations†, the worrier syndrome among Nicaragua women and genital mutilation as embedded in traditions may have serious effects on the health of populations. The older women suffer both mentally and emotionally as the worry and feel anxious for family members who are away especially if the person is a son, daughter or both. They are

Dissertation - Can an organisation's growth be restricted Essay

Dissertation - Can an organisation's growth be restricted (constrained) by its recruitment policies, employee motivation or is it other factors - Essay Example For this reason, there is a strong need to determine the best way to increase the work motivation of the older generation employees. For this study, the researcher aims to determine whether the organization’s growth be restricted by its recruitment policies and employment motivation strategies on workers more than 50 years of age. To address the purpose of the study, the researcher will first conduct a literature review on organizational culture, work equality, importance of work flexibility and work-life balance, and the current employment law with regards to the pension age. Eventually, the researcher will conduct a quantitative and qualitative research survey among employees more than 50 years old. Organizational culture refers to â€Å"a set of norms, beliefs, principles and behaviour that gives the organization a unique character.† (Brown, 1995) It is also defined as â€Å"a pattern of behaviour developed by an organization to cope with problems related to external adaptation and internal integration aside from enabling the employees to feel and think positively.† David (1999: 143) Organizational culture is a paradigm which is often developed by employees within the organization. Over time, organizational culture forms a strong set of behavioural patterns and belief that could greatly affect the perception of employees with regards to its organizational goals and success. (Willcoxson & Millett, 2000) In fact, organization culture could greatly influence not only the success of the organization in terms of attaining its organizational goals but also its current performance. (DuBrin, 2002; David, 1999; Robbins, 1998) In order to effectively develop a strong organizational culture, managers play an important role when it comes to determining and implementing an acceptable organizational culture that promotes employees’ loyalty as well as motivating them to participate in supporting the effort on attaining the organizational goal

Propaganda Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Propaganda - Assignment Example Posters have been used as an informative or propaganda means for a very long time. They have been advancing with the advancement in technology. This advancement has been majorly structural and appearance in form of colour and shape but the purpose remains informational conveyance. (b) Introduction: This paper is going to give the full meaning of the term propaganda and its importance in the society. The term propaganda refers to the different means used by media and other informative systems in informing about different emerging issues. These issues might be pertaining to fields such as politics, education, economic development, agricultural field, industrial development, environmental conservation, energy conservation and other lively related fields. The use of propaganda started a long time ago but has been undergoing evolution as technology advances and modernity takes over. In this section, the paper would be giving samples of posters developed with a purpose of informing people about six main fields in human life. This paper would then give a brief explanation as to how these types of posters have undergone structural change as they retain their purpose and theme in human life. Therefore this paper would look at five different posters and the historical context under which each of these posters was created. It would further look at how politics and culture of people has influenced them. In addition to that, the ways in which each poster is set to meet its intended purpose as based on the targeted audience. (c) Different types of posters and the message they convey to the society (a) The poster above is a poster on fighting pollution in the society. It is a hand designed poster as from its look. It is a type of poster that is linked with the 1920s. During this time, the world had undergone less advancement in technological field. When this poster is presented in a new form of the present generation where technology is exclusively used, it would be structura lly improved. This structural improvement would be from a hand drawing into a photo taken picture with at least a digital camera recorder. If not in form of a photo, it would take the form of mobile pictures where human being should be associated in the picture. Nowadays, if a poster on fighting pollution should be produced, then it should show an illustration of the effects of pollution on the environment. Culturally, people who are the main preservers of the environment from pollution should also be included. This is the political and cultural effects that politics would have on the poster above. The main reason is to make clear and sure that the theme of the poster is well conveyed to the society which is the intended audience. (b) The above poster is a poster created in the new generation of 21 century with fine artists showing out their talent. It is a politics related politics and that is a reason why the term â€Å"HOPE† is included to encourage people on choosing the person on the poster during election (Stromquist, 2008). Therefore, despite the fact that the poster was meant to be coloured, the whitish colour was intentionally put in to show peace and purity. In the new generation where most of the youths are unemployed despite their good talent and thus they require employment opportunities. Therefore, the

Video game controversy Essay Example for Free

Video game controversy Essay â€Å"In 2008, 298. 2 million video games were sold in the US, totaling $11. 7 billion in revenue. Six of the top ten best-selling video games included violence, with four of the games carrying a Mature rating recommended for persons aged 17 and older. † However, violent video games are becoming a serious issue due to increases in bullying, violence toward women and school shootings. Although, many individuals will claim that video games are just an easy accessibility to express oneself, there have been thousands of researches worldwide hoping to find the relations, threats, and even benefits transferred from violent video games to the gamers. In fact, some of the â€Å"most focused on† studies force to claim that playing violent video games does present a threat to a user’s psychological health which leads the gamer to aggressive(dangerous) behavior, increases social isolation, and should be prevented from purchase by minors. â€Å"Physical aggression† is defined as behavior intended to harm another person physically. Organizations such as the Journal of the American academy of Pediatrics, the American Psychiatric Association, and the American Psychological Association have actually been focusing on video games and the ties they have with physical aggression. The American Psychological Association concludes that adolescents who play video games may become increasingly aggressive over time(Yee 454). Several other studies have come to identify a cause/effect relationship between dangerous aggression and violent video games. Obviously, many gamers are not displaying much physical aggression personally while they are blowing the brains out of the â€Å"bad guys. † However, as many researchers proclaim, â€Å"Exposing children and adolescents to violent visual media increases the likelihood that they will engage in physical aggression against another person†(Anderson 445). With that stated, as the gamer may not be exploiting physical aggression at the time playing the violent video game, that individual has a high risk of absorbing similar aggressive characteristics especially after playing the game repeatedly. Along with an expected increase of physical aggression, many researchers believe that, â€Å"Media violence also produces an emotional desensitization to aggression and violence†(446). A gamer that is newly introduced to the genre of violent video games may become less sensitive or emotionally unresponsive toward violence as exposure to such genre increases and repeated game play occurs. According to James Gee, â€Å"Game players are active problem solvers who do not see mistakes as errors, but as opportunities for improvement. Players search for newer, better solutions to problems and challenges†(451). Besides all of the negative opinions on violent video games and straight from the text, â€Å"A recent Texas AM International study shows that violent games could actually reduce violent tendencies and could be used as a therapy tool for teens and young adults† (Greenberg 456-7). The majority of teens are students, occasionally have emotional stress, or just plainly need to relieve stress and to many the best way to do so is by pulling out the new Grand Theft Auto. Violence portrayed in video games—similar to reality or not—is thought of to â€Å"help children with difficult feelings such as powerlessness and fear of real violence†(Greenberg 456). Similarly, with no direct relationship, cigarette smoking is not a sufficient cause of lung cancer; although it is a cause that is closely related. Physical aggression may be increased with the direct use of violent video games, just as the risk of being diagnosed with lung cancer increases for the individual who smokes a cigarette. However, the list of risk factors in order to develop lung cancer stretches far beyond than just the cigarette; and even the one that does smoke may be in healthy shape for the majority of a lifetime. With that stated, video games are just one of many possible risk factors of physical aggression and may not exactly be supported with sufficient evidence to claim high levels of physical aggression resulted from violent video games. According to Anderson, â€Å"There are many causal risk factors involved in the development of a person who frequently behaves in an aggressive or violent manner. There are biological factors, family factors, neighborhood factors, and so on†(446). But regardless of how many other risk factors are present in a youth’s life, playing a lot of violent games is likely to increase the frequency and the aggression, both in the short term and over time as the youth grows up(Anderson 446). No matter if the physical aggression in a gamer of the violent genre is extreme or does not seem to pose a serious threat, the physical aggression does exist and can risk increasing as the violent games are being played more. Repeated consumption of violent video games â€Å"create more positive attitudes, beliefs, and expectations regarding aggressive solutions to interpersonal problems†(446). Youth are becoming to conclude that physical aggression is acceptable, and rather normal. Well over 100 experienced researchers, scientists, and scholars worldwide follow a statement which says: â€Å"Overall, the research data conclude that exposure to violent video games causes an increase in the likelihood of aggressive behavior. The effects are both immediate and long term. Violent video games have also been found to increase aggressive thinking, aggressive feelings, physiological desensitization to violence, and to decrease pro-social behavior. † Researchers and critics have expressed concerns about appropriate socialization and even addiction of young people who spend too much time alone, staring at a screen. Playing violent video games does present a threat to a user’s psychological health in which it increases social isolation. Before video games became such entertainment, more physical activity and social interactions with other individuals was a priority in search for easy entertainment. According to the website, Buzzle, referring to socialization and video games, â€Å"Social isolation can be an immediate consequence of continuous and ceaseless gaming. People, especially children, tend to spend lesser time with their friends and others because they want to get back home and continue playing. This makes them aloof from others and so in the long-run lack abilities of social communication and develop a kind of anthropophobiafear of human company†(Web). Children and teens may also come across confusion about reality and fiction. Being addicted anything, including violent video games, can place a burden on one’s social life. The ability for frequent playing gamers to witness certain realities of the world become limited and the amount of individuals the gamer interacts with eventually decreases; which leads to social isolation. Almost 60 percent of frequent gamers play with friends. Thirty-three perscent play with siblings and 25 percent play with spouses or parents. Even games designed for single players are often played socially(Jenkins 451). With percentages fairly medium, social isolation does not look as if it is as big a factor as expected. Although, gamers are not always socially interacting, social bonding makes up a major part of the controlled play. Many games, such as Call of Duty, allow access to a headset which allows individuals to socially interact with one another while playing the game. Also, about 40% of all user time on Facebook is spent playing social games, where Facebook is designed to socially interact with friends and family on a social networking site. According to Jane McGonigal, â€Å"Games make it easy to build stronger social bonds with our friends and family. Studies show that we like and trust someone better after we play a game with them—even if they beat us†(465). Even though Facebook is considered a social networking site, playing social games on the site does not exactly relate to the correct form of social interaction that is necessary to be correct. Also, just because you can talk through headset and socially interact; you are not exactly familiar with the individual speaking to you. In result, certain fears may lead to transformation in social awkwardness due to decrease of face to face contact in replace with a headset and other gamers sitting in front of their screen. Games may make it easy to build stronger social bonds, however, adding an intense amount of violence can result in different mood changes in gamers due to personal opinions on acts performed by other gamers. With a change in social behavior; friendships, family members, peers and other individuals may diagnose a problem with the gamer and consider violent video games to be a direct result of social isolation. Is it considered constitutional if an American citizen gets limited rights under the First Amendment? Playing violent video games does present a threat to a user’s psychological health and should be prevented from purchase by minors. However, Supreme Court judicial and other government officials have to decide if prohibition of violent video games to minors is interfering with the individual’s right to the First Amendment—which basically allows American citizens to have freedom of specific categories. The harmful effects on minors from playing violent video games are documented and seriously contested(Yee 454). States such as California are already attempting to make laws in which sell of violent video games to minors is prohibited just to protect children from the harmful effects of excessively violent video games. Prohibiting the sale of violent video games to minors will assist in preventing unnecessary risk factors resulted from video games. As teens short of the required age cannot watch ‘R-rated’ movies, they should not be granted the ability to control a version of realism that is similar to â€Å"real-life† on a screen in front of your face. Within the First Amendment rights are rights of speech, press, and political freedom. â€Å"To strip First Amendment free speech protection from video games that ‘lack serious literary, artistic, political, or scientific value for minors,†(Greenberg 455) is just absurd and objecting against one’s constitutional rights. Besides preventing the sale of violent video games to minors just going against the First Amendment, some stores may stop carrying Mature-rated games. Game publishers might be afraid to finance them. Developers would not know how to avoid triggering censorship because even the creator of such laws do not seem to know(456). Government bureaucrats are not fully equipped to â€Å"divine the artistic value that a video game has for a 17-year old. † Excitingly, many researchers believe that parents should gain more authority in the types of games or media the child absorbs or chooses to interact with. Instead of the gaming industry being responsible for the outcomes of critic reviews, and research studies; the children’s parents should take much more responsibility on anything absorbed, taught, or knowledge received by child. The people allowed to limit minor’s free speech rights are his parents or guardian(s)(456). As stated by Yee, â€Å"I am hopeful that a majority of justices will agree that parents—not retailers or game makers—should determine which games are appropriate for kids†(454). As Greenberg proclaims at the end of his passage, â€Å"Even when video games contain violence, and even when the players are minors whose parents let them play games with violence, picking up that game controller is a form of expression, and it should be free†(457). â€Å"It makes no sense to bar children from buying a picture of a naked woman but to allow them to buy video games that portray gratuitous torture†(Yee 454). There are several laws or rules that prevent us from reaching desired expectations due to physical reactions, age, and maturity level, to say the least. If a minor is prohibited from the sale of pornography due to social morals and personal ineligibilities, then one should receive tougher access to the available consumption of violent video games. The prevention to contribute those games to minors is a hopeful act to will not only ensure that parents make such decisions, but will help protect our children in the years to come. Yee claims, â€Å"That since the government can ‘prohibit the sale of alcohol, tobacco, firearms, driver’s licenses and pornography to minors’ then ‘that same reasoning applies in the foundation and enactment’ of his law restricting video games. There is a certain age until finally eligible to legally purchase weapons, alcoholic beverages, tobacco, sexual accessories, tattoos, and the list goes on. The more progressed and difficult the violent video games are becoming are being critiqued extremely precise, and actually portraying very similar to realistic visuals. With prevention of sales to minors, unnecessary confusion between psychological health in minors and violent video games will be limited and nearly eliminated; leaving open window of individuals that gain access to violent video games with prohibition to sell to minors. Do violent video games present a threat to the gamers’ psychological health? Although several studies have left many conclusions unanswered; hundreds of researchers, scientists and scholars have worked together and individually to allow the correct information behind the true relationship of violent video games and the gamers’ psychological health. Playing violent video games does present a threat to user’s psychological health in which it leads to aggressive behavior, increases social isolation, and should be prevented from purchase by minors. Works Cited Anderson, Craig A. â€Å"Violent Video Games and Other Media Violence. † Writing Arguments: a rhetoric with readings. Ed. Lauren A. Finn. New Jersey: Saddle River, 2012. 445-6. Print. D’Silva, Roy. â€Å"Negative Effects of Video Games. † Buzzle. 10 Oct 2012. Web. 2 Mar 2013. Greenberg, Daniel. â€Å"Why the Supreme Court Should Rule that Violent Video Games are Free Speech. † Writing Arguments: a rhetoric with readings. Ed. Lauren A. Finn. New Jersey: Saddle River, 2012. 454-7. Print. Jenkins, Henry. â€Å"Reality Bytes: Eight Myths about video Games Debunked. † Writing Arguments: a rhetoric with readings. Ed. Lauren A. Finn. New Jersey: Saddle River, 2012. 449-452. Print. McGonigal, Jane. â€Å"Be a Gamer, Save the World. † Writing Arguments. : a rhetoric with readings. Ed. Lauren A. Finn. New Jersey: Saddle River, 2012. 464-6. Print. ProCon. org. Do violent video games contribute to youth violence? ProCon. org. 29 Mar 2011. Web. 2 Mar 2013. Yee, Leland Y. â€Å"Parents Should be able to Control What Kids Watch. † Writing Arguments: a rhetoric with readings. Ed. Lauren A. Finn. New Jersey: Saddle River, 2012. 453-4. Print.

Sexual Sadism And Sex Offenders Psychology Essay

Sexual Sadism And Sex Offenders Psychology Essay Sexual Sadism is a type of paraphilia that may involve making a person suffer in some way that may or may not lead to death. It varies from extreme forms of torture to mild. It can be with a consensual partner who is a masochist and also the injuring of a non consensual person. Sexual sadists usually have mental disorders such as psychopathy and antisocial personality disorder which can explain their level of violence and their lack of empathy for their victims. Many sex offenders are diagnosed with Paraphilias and sexual disorders. Paraphilias are recurrent intense sexual arousing fantasies or urges involving nonhuman objects, suffering, humiliation of oneself or ones partner, children or non consenting persons (APA, 1994). For some people these fantasies are necessary to achieve erotic arousal whereas for others they are episodic and the individual can be stimulated otherwise. This type of behavior, urges and fantasies can cause significant distress or impairment in social, occupational or other areas of functioning. It has to last over a period of at least six months (APA, 1994) .One of the most dangerous paraphilias is sexual sadism, which involves violence that may lead to death in which the offender gets sexual pleasure by inflicting pain on the victim. According to the DSM IV, sexual sadism is the act of humiliating, binding, beating, or making another person suffer in some way were sexual excitement is the result of control over the victim. It typically develops in adolescence with interests coming from masochistic masturbatory practices. Autoerotic asphyxia is a practice that constricts the oxygen during masturbation, accomplished with the use of a strangulation device. The purpose is to create a higher level of sexual excitement through the restriction of oxygen in the brain (Terry, 2006). The restriction of oxygen itself its not whats sexual exciting but its the combination of the behavior, lack of oxygen, danger and the fantasy. Sexual sadists are aroused by the torture and pain of the victim which can lead to death, but there offenders do not derive satisfaction from the murder itself. They are likely to mutilate and torture their victims becoming more aroused as there is an increase in the level of agony. Sexual sadism is usually not consensual and involves injury or death to the victim. The element of fear in the victim and complete control of the victim is the major stimuli in sexual sadism. Such as severe beating, torture, burning, cutting, rape and murder. Sexual offenders who are potentially most likely to meet the criteria of sexual sadism are typically those who sexually assault or who molest children. Some of the characteristics for sexual offenders are usually, schizoid, psychopath, antisocial, narcissist, lack or social skills and relationships. Sadists have been found to exhibit a large number of other paraphilias including transvestic fetishism, masochism, voyeurism, and exhibitionism. Some have alcohol and drug abuse, obsession traits, collects pornography, a history of impaired social relationships, physical and sexual abuse in childhood and extensive fantasy lives incorporating detailed sadistic fantasies (Kirch). Sex offenders who are sadistic usually lack empathy and emotion which might be a reason why they commit the most violence to their victims because they detach themselves. Deficits in empathy facilitate offending behavior, suggesting that offenders lack of awareness or sensitivity to other peoples feelings may impair their ability to appreciate the effects of their behavior on others (Kirsch). Emotions such as anger and shame are believed to fuel aggressive and retributive fantasies, and these fantasies are maintained and enhanced through the process of positive and negative emotional reinforcement. Feelings of inferiority are believed to be reduced during fantasy, while feelings of control, power, and dominance are enhanced. Sexual sadism may begin with fantasies and in some cases these may never be acted upon or be acted out in the more mild forms of consensual relationships. Sadistic fantasies and behaviors can include dominance, humiliation, bondage, biting, burning, whipping, penetration with foreign objects, strangulation, and mutilation of the body (Kirsch) Sadistic sexual fantasies are noted in certain adolescents. In some of these the fantasies serves rehearsal for future sadistic sexual acts, especially in adolescents with callous-unemotional personality who often emerge in adult life as psychopaths(Stone, 2010) . There is a difference in practicing sadism with a consenting partner and non consenting partner. In non-consensual cases, the behavior usually continues and often escalates over time as the perpetrator experiences a need for increased violence in order to stimulate the sexual response. The level of sadism varies from being in control, dominant and submissive in which the offender does this to a masochist person to injuring a non consensual partner. Sexual sadism is found predominately in males and usually onsets with puberty although sadistic behavior may be evident earlier in children. In all male cases, it becomes evident by early adulthood. In cases of female sexual sadism, onset is often later and often triggered by relationships with men who want to be d ominated. Kraft-Ebbing suggested that mastering and possessing an absolutely defenceless human object is part of sadism. He sub- classified sexual sadism into several categories including lust murder where there was a connection between sexual arousal and killing which may extend to cannibalism. These men are thought to rarely derive sexual satisfaction from the assault or murder and this distinguishes them from lust murderers for whom aggression and sexuality become fused into a single psychological experience sadism in which aggression is eroticized (Myers, W.C., Burgess, A.W., Burgess, A.G. and Douglas, J.E., 1999. Serial murder and sexual homicide. In: Van Hasselt, V. and Hersen, M., Editors, 1999. Handbook of psychological approaches with violent offenders, Kluwer Academic/Plenum Publishers, New York, pp. 153-172.Marshall,2003)Then theres the offender who mutilates the corpses, those who like to injure females, defilement of women, symbolic sadism, ideal sadism or sadistic fantasies alone without acts, sadism with other objects and sadistic acts with animals. MaccCulloch argues that the wish to control that is the primary motivating force in sadism, and because there is a range of degrees and kinds of control which can be applied by one person to another, sadism may manifest itself in a variety of ways. Normal sexual relationships include elements of dominance and submission, and hence control: indeed, modern manuals of sexual behavior often include bondage games as part of a suggested repertoire of sexual activity He defines sadism as the repeated practice of behavior and fantasy which is characterized by a wish to control another person by domination, denigration or inflicting pain, for the purpose of producing mental pleasure and sexual arousal whether or not accompanied by orgasm in the sadist. The range of controlling behavior under consideration forms a continuum from subtle verbal control through various types of psychological control to actual physical intervention such as bondage, imprisonment, hypnosis, anesthesia and even blows to render the victim unconscious or dead. As sadistic behavior gives pleasure to the sadist, and self-pleasuring behavior almost always has to be contrived, it would be expected that sadists devise situations which enable them to practice their sadism. If a central feature of sadism is control, then sadists would be expected to seek out actively and create situations where they have control. The concept that assailants stage-manage their control over others in order to give themselves pleasure provides a new frame of reference (Kuhne, 1962) Among sexual sadists ritualistic behaviors are one of the defining features. Not all the men violate the letter of the law, however much they may violate the spirit of the law. Some seek, and manage to achieve, attachment to willing partners (Stone, 2010). Researchers Janet Warren and Roy Hazelwood interviewed female partners of sexual sadists. Seven of the 20 sexual sadists with whom these women had affiliated had also murdered some of their victims .The relationships with these women were consensual, at least in the early phases; women had histories of having gone through physical abuse from a parent, or nine of the women were victims of incest by a father, brother, or even a female relative. These experiences these women experienced at an early age from their care takers allowed them to somehow expect, tolerate, and in some instances, even desire sadistic treatment at the hands of their sexual partners. The sexual sadists themselves initiated their partners into sadistic practices through a series of stages. In the candy and flowers stage, the man would win a woman with gifts, be a gentle man and be tender towards her, but then progress to a stage in which he expanded her sexual repertoire well beyond, and alien to, her prior experience. This might take such forms as forced anal sex, bondage, urinating on the woman, measured choking with release before unconsciousness occurred, etc. The mans quest for domination and total control might proceed to cutting the woman off from relatives and friends, such that she were now his sexual slave. If she were lucky, the pattern would progress no further. But in some cases, the drama would end in her death. Those sexual sadists who maintained ongoing relationships with a wife or girlfriend might lead a kind of double life, in which they exacted pain and suffering of a controlled sort with their partners, but also had a secret life in which they trolled for other women whom they tortured and murdered. In a number of examp les, the female partners were forced into becoming the inadvertent accomplices of sexually sadistic torture murder of other women. Some of these women, having been compliant in the beginning, desperately wanted out of the relationship toward the end but they were routinely threatened with torture and death themselves if they dared to exercise that option. Robert Anderson is an example of a sexual sadist who abducted Piper Streyle and ended up killing her. Her husband Vance Streyle remembered him coming to their trailer days before his wifes abduction to inquire about enrolling his kids into bible camp for the children. Several witnesses had seen Robert parked around the Streyles trailer in his black truck. When interviewed by the investigators he denied knowing anything about Pipers abduction or her whereabouts. It wasnt until the investigators got a search warrant to search his car and home. When investigators searched his car they found a wooden platform that had holes drilled into it. It was believed that it was made as a restraining device in which a persons ankles and hands could be tied to metal hoops that were strategically inserted into the board. The investigative team also found hairs attached to the wooden platform, which genetically matched pipers. More gruesome physical evidence was discovered around the river, which included several lengths of rope and chains, eyebolts, a vibrator and a half burned candle. It was believed that these items were used to torture Piper. According to investigators Hazelwood and Michaud, there was sufficient proof that Anderson was a sexual sadist who was excited by the physical and psychological suffering and helplessness of his victim. Their opinion was based on four factors one of them being that Anderson displayed an obvious interest in sexual bondage, a hallmark of the sexual sadist, which was represented by the restraints, d ildo, partially burnt candle, eyebolts, handcuff , keys, duct tape and plywood platform. The evidence found by investigators clearly indicated physical torture. It was surmised that after Piper was abducted, Anderson drove her to a wooded area near Baltic. While there he may have bound her to the platform, gagged her with duct tape, sheared her shirt off and then methodically tortured her with the dildo and candle before raping her. It is believed that he then murdered Piper and disposed of her body. Anderson admitted to police and friends that he liked anal sex, a preference his wife did not share. Research conducted by Hazelwood and Michaud found that sexual sadists prefer this form of sex. They believed that the dildo was used by Anderson to act out his fantasy. Conclusion Reference Page Stone ,M.H.(2010). Sexual Sadism: A portrait of Evil. Journal of the American Academy of Psychoanalysis Dynamic Psychiatry, Vol 38, 133-157 Kirsch,L.G, Becker,J.V .(2007). Emotional Deficits in psychopathy and sexual sadism: Implications for violent and sadistic behavior. Clinical psychology review. Vol 27, 904-922 Marshall,W.L, Kennedy,P.(2003).Sexual sadism in sexual offenders: An illusive diagnosis. Agression and violent behavior, Vol 8, 1-22 MacCulloch,M.J et al (1983). Sadistic Fantasy, Sadistic Behavior and Offending. Brit . J. Psychiat, 143, 20-29 Rachel,B .(2003) Robert Anderson: Awakening The Devil.Retrieved May 2,2010 from trutv website: http://www.trutv.com/library/crime/serial_killers/predators/robert_anderson/8.html Terry, K.J. (2006) Sexual Offenses and Offenders: Theory, Practice, and Policy. Pgs 84-91

A business analysis project for Amazon.com

A business analysis project for Amazon.com INTRODUCTION Business analysis, a process of finding the needs and problems in business and generating solutions to cater to those problems. These Solutions should focus to achieve improvements in the process, incorporation of organisational change, planning and development to set a system of operation that is result oriented and effective. There are numerous tools and techniques used depending on the situation and requirement; few are PESTEL, PORTERs model, SWOT analysis, HEPTALYSIS, MOST, CATWOE, DeBonos six thinking hats, MoSCoW, five whys, VPEC-T and more; however only few of the above tools are used, very frequently in critical analysis at the initial stages. ABSTRACT In this case we analyze as how Amazon.com has been performing off late, using the tools mentioned above. The advantages and disadvantages Amazon.com has over their competitors, where they have been lagging, their financial performance and strategic approach. Critical analysis will be done on their business environment and strategic approach to highlight any possible shortfalls and to provide with appropriate recommendations for improvements. Internal and external analysis will be undertaken to determine their marketing strategy, their response to global e-retailing industry. COMPANY PROFILE Amazon.com based in Washington and found by Jeff Bezos in 1994 is global leader in e-commerce and it was the first company to introduce the concept of selling goods on the Internet. Initially Amazon.com started as an online bookstore and its success led Amazon to diversify into other products such as gifts, music, electronics, groceries, toys and many more. Probably today there is no product that Amazon.com doesnt sell. Amazon.com has developed different internet portal sites for different countries such as Canada, UK, Germany, France, China and Japan. Amazon.com was named after worlds largest river Amazon and was assigned with a logo of an arrow starting from A to Z representing the customer satisfaction as the highest priority and fill their store houses with every product in the alphabet. Amazon.com was open for trading under NASDAQ with a symbol AMZN for the first time on 15 may, 1997 by issuing initial public offering at a price of US $ 18/share. Amazon.com in its early stages was not very successful and did not produce any profits, which made investors rethink about their portfolio, major business and process restructuring was required; they had to cut down their costs to increase the profits and were tied up from diversifying into more products, however Amazon.com survived the dot com bubble in 2000 which was the core reason for many e- businesses to close down and this was the turning point for Amazon.com after which they finally in the fourth quarter, 2001 they made their first profit which generated revenues of more than a billion$ and $ 5million profits in just 1 quarter. This led Amazon.com to prove to the world that their business model was profitable and also they popularized online shopping which was recognized by time magazine and awarded Jeff as the business person of the year. 1.3. MISSION VISION STATEMENTS Amazon.com vision: Our vision is to be earths most customer centric company; to build a place where people can come to find and discover anything they might want to buy online. (Amazon.com, 2010) Above statement reflects that amazon.com wants to be global leader in e-retailing business by providing the quality products at affordable price using latest technology to build the customer database and gain their loyalty towards the brand; thereby catering to the stakeholders interests and generating profits to the company. Expand themselves all over and build a virtual market place where customers can shop comfortably from at home. ANALYSIS 2.1. EXERNAL ANALYSIS The external environment also referred to as the macro-environment, plays a very important role in the operations of any business. Key environmental factors such as political, economical, social, technological, legal, etc. affect the organisations at various levels. It has become the need of the hour to consider the potential impact of the external factors on the individual organisations. (Johnson et al, 2006). 2.1.1 PESTEL analysis PESTEL analysis is conducted to determine current and future trends in political, economical, social, legal, environmental and technological environments, might influence the performance of business and what measures to be taken to avoid any shortfalls. PESTEL Factors Key Points Relevance to Amazon.com Political Government policies incorporate competition and promotion by liberalizing telecom and e-commerce legislation Increase in affordability and internet usage. Investing in national ICT infrastructures by government (Euro monitor) Reliable, faster and better internet usage for the national users. Relaxation of competition policies in industry as compared to heavy industries in EU and North American regions Expansion of markets at greater a pace by mergers and acquisitions. Economic To control inflation, interest rates varied which slows down the consumer spending in UK. Off late spending has seen a downfall in US and rise in Asian markets due to economic growth; main reason being the credit crunch and tightening the housing loan (The Times online, 2008) Opens the gates to other global markets to such as India and china. Between 2006 and 2011 e-retailing grows tremendously by rising sales over 100%. This growth is backed by increase in the number of internet users in US, which has increased approximately by 85% after 2000. (Euromonitor International from national statistics) Increase in potential customers for Amazon.com The annual disposable income exceeds US$5,000. by 2011 covering around 620 million households; of these majority will be in Asia- Pacific next to western Europe. (Euro monitor International from national statistics) Increase in potential customers for Amazon.com leading to the concept of globalization. Social Popularity and increased use of online social networking. Added advantage to market the product and the website Interface available for users to shop and the increase in number of products lead to drop in online shopping. Has to come up with a solution to reduce the security and financial risks to users. Growth of internet from 2002 to 2011 is 288.7%. 28.9% of world population use the internet (Internet World Stats, 2009) Huge market available to exploit and establish. Technological Innovation of latest technologies increased broadcasting, internet access at cheaper cost. Increase in number of users of technical devices such as mobile, iPods, TV, led for increase in internet access for online shopping. Innovations and development of high-speed internet services (broadband) has increased usage rich media applications. Rich media applications are easily available to shoppers on internet. Environmental Awareness about pollution and global warming. Reduced travel and more shopping online. Corporate social responsibility and global pressure to go green. Can incorporate concept of green within postage and packaging, methods. Legal No standard regulations governing e-retailing covering entire globe. Eg. Federal trade commission in USA and data protection act in UK. Should be well aware of both domestic and international legal laws. European E-retailing directive Could impact the cross continental growth of e-retailing considering strict regulations (Jacobson, 2008 as cited in Zugelder et al, 1999). The invention of electronic signatures Law. Removes traditional legal methodologies and instate more secure and transparent legal environment. Summary of PESTEL PESTEL factors indicate attractive global market to be exploited by Amazon.com. Asian markets have reflected tremendous growth opportunities in recent past. Advancement and usage of internet for social networking has led to new opportunities to be exploited. Amazon.com should support environment friendly actions as increased importance is been given to environment these days, also to be a true global company Amazon.com has to incorporate single global strategy which involves legalities common to all of the globe. 2.1.2 Industry competitor analysis (PORTERs Model) For any organisation the industry and competitor analysis is important as it comes handy for businesses to understand the competitive forces, market status, factors influencing, competitive strategic implementations. Porters Five Forces analysis is used to assess the attractiveness of different industries, and therefore, it can help in illustrating the sources of competition in a particular industry (Johnson et al, 2006). Porters five forces High Low Power of suppliers Suppliers retain the control as few brands and special products increase the cost down the network. For example Harry Potter books are exclusive from publisher which is an advantage for Amazon.com E- Retailing sets a stage and makes it much easier for businesses to sell products directly to consumers without any third party in-between. Power of suppliers rise if the control of certain type of products rests with one supplier than fragmented. Products available easily pose low power to suppliers and they have to act to a mower margin. Wider the market, wider is the scope for suppliers thereby increasing number of suppliers. Power of buyer Increased market competition has increased the power of buyers. Increase in number of online stores and comparison sites makes e-retailing business even more difficult. Threat of new entrants Initial capital required for such a business is very low as it doesnt involve any inventory and storage costs and will only need to implement technology Strong brand image incorporates good customer relations and trust. Since the competition is very tight the suppliers who emphasize on economies of scale and consider business turnover over profits make more business and profits in the long run Leaders in the online retail industry hold the advantage of customer loyalty and database while giving edge over the cost. Threat of Substitutes Latest marketing factors such as feel, touch, hear physical stores; makes an effect. One of the major threats to Amazon.com is online rentals instead of purchase as posed by texbookflix.com, bookrenter.com which reduces cost and pile of trash to a major extent. Internet is a global marketplace where consumers can get information and products which are much better in quality and from overseas online for no or very little cost. E-libraries, $ and pound shops mark greater threat nowadays. Mail orders, network marketing, catalogues although not very popular and effective yet pose threat to online buying Competitive Rivalry Search engine plays a major role at the consumer end for it acts as interface between seller and buyer which generates opportunities and PR to other e-retailers. Due to low initial investment costs there are a numerous affiliate online stores which are smaller still increase the competition. Summary of key findings from Porters Five Forces The competition in e-retailing industry is intense. There are number of small organizations adding frequently making the situation even worse. Main competitors to Amazon.com are BN and E-bay. The threat posed by small players and new entrants who can equally compete directly with Amazon.com is very low. When consumers consider prices of goods they also consider brand image and if they are reliable, most of customers expect quality service than just quantity and lower priced service. 2.1.3 Competitor analysis / Benchmarking Amazon.com has a wide product range and equally wide number of websites that compete with Amazon.com. Most of the e-retailers concentrate on introducing variety of products in the current available market or entering the new markets across the globe or both in order to maintain economies of scale which helps catch up with the pace of e-commerce industry. If we consider how diversified the product line is and the geographical markets catered, eBay poses direct competition to Amazon.com. However Amazon.com is the market leader in current trend and they have immediate urgency to expand both their product line and geographical reach to remain as leaders. As we can notice in the above graph, in 2006 Amazon.coms growth rate as compared to that of walmart was very low because walmart was a strong brand by then and had advantages of cross channel synergies and in-store pick up. In 2007 we observe the amazon getting closer to walmarts growth rateas they diversified into products such as music, cds, dvds, mp3 players and more; due to increased competition from these players walmart has been losing its market share continuously and however once can see that by 2008 Amazon.com is almost overtaken the walmart by providing with various offers such as free delivery and customer reviews. (Source: Data monitor) The above table shows position of Amazon.com but they are more diversified into the product line and geographically well spread. Companies like apple, hp, and dell do online retailing only for focussed group of products. However store based companies grew very strongly in 2008, but due to economical, hit not too many companies was able to survive. Amazon.com did by lowering delivery charges and provided with best offers. They also introduced ad-free TV and own download service and film streaming service in 2008 to outplay all of their competitors. Through competitor analysis it can be concluded that BN.com is the leading competitor to Amazon in lifestyle goods and books. However, Amazon has a diversified product range. Wal-Mart.com has almost similar prices as compared to Amazon but they have better product range such as pharmacy, photo printing and etc. Ebay.com also has a wider product range and better geographical reach but their concept is different to Amazon.com More competitive threat posed by Tesco, Wal-Mart as they have physical stores and eBay has better geographical reach, but however Amazon.com has option to develop the strategic alliances as they did in Japan with Lawson to capture the market. Amazon.com has to design its strategies to address these competitive threats. 2.1.4 Global internet trends Internet Usage: china, US, Germany, India, Brazil, Japan are amongst the top 5 countries where internet is used the most; Amazon.com has made its impact in all the above countries except for India. This implies and directs Amazon.com to exploit hidden opportunity in Asian market and huge business potential for future. Graph below shows the popularity of internet in the 21st century, which indicates the future of e-commerce as trends keep changing. C:UsersWELCOMEDesktoptop202010.jpeg (Source: Worldinternetstats.com) The graph below shows the dominance of Amazon.com sector wise. The balloon shows of all the business done by amazon.com majority has been in internet retailing; direct selling, vending and home shopping is almost void. This reflects the influence of internet on the business of Amazon.com. It is also seen below emerging markets and present markets where currently Amazon.com has its presence. Of all the retail sales value Amazon.com holds a very small share but then future trends look brighter as the CAGR expected is highest in India by 2011. This lays a pathway to Amazon.com as to establish themselves without any delay in India. (Source: Data monitor) (Source: Data monitor) 2.2. INTERNAL ANALYSIS Internal analysis can be conducted to determine relationship between the organizations available resources and its application to generate value proposition to the customer, it can also be used to determine the limitations, advantages and disadvantages within the organizations. 2.2.1 The Value Chain The value chain analysis helps determining the effectiveness of actions that makes organizations standout from their competitors and take a lead; i.e. activities that are difficult to duplicate. Applying the framework laid by Amit and Zott (2001) analytical objective of value chain is attaining of transaction cost economies value creation. Amazon.com focuses on reducing the costs in creating unique value to its customers. Support Activities Value creation Firm Infrastructure All of the business units are provided with central customer data warehouse; and planning functions from headquarters. Human Resource Management Amazon.com employees enjoy benefits such as stock grants, relocation allowances, paid Time off medical. Such an approach invites warehouses to be in cheaper locations yet attract skilled labour. Technology Development Amazon.com implements latest technology to leverage opportunities in digital sales such as videos, music, eBooks (The Economist, August 2006) Being able to digitize media for online download or for Search inside the book service. Usage of hardware systems to reduce cost of maintenance and compatibility Procurement Using the SBU-Book bank to maintain inventory of digital copies of books so as to make it available readily for customers on-demand and reduce time of delivery (The Economist, August 2008). Usage of recyclable cardboards for packaging. Primary Activities Inbound logistics Robust forecasting technology ensures no or very returns of goods to suppliers. Collection of customer feedback and experiences to defragment inventory and delivery controls. Operations Secure and fast online payment systems. Employ 24/7 warehouse services to meet consumer demands. Outbound logistics Built in close proximity of a robust transport system e.g. Bedfordshire fulfillment centre located next to M1. Ability to collate orders from around same locations. Marketing Sales Live customer interaction to offer suitable products at discounted prices and product mix, leaving customer feel more valued. Robust shipping price calculation and shipping all the products for the price of one. Service Free consumer friendly returns policy within 30 days on unsatisfaction, inviting consumers to try more new products. Provision to select between old and new products with price comparison 2.2.2 Financial analysis In Q4 2009, Amazon reported 42%, $9.52b rise in sales as compared to worldwide sales of previous year which was $24.51b, a mere 28% rise under the economic pressure; they also benefitted from the investments into customer services in Q3; however rise in their revenues all over the world doesnt imply high profit margins. As compared to the consistent rise in sales, the profits have been fluctuating, however their margins are very low as compared to the turnover, reason being the economies of scale and competition. (Source: GMID) Amazon.com did see a drastic rise in number of active customers in latter half of 2009, in the final quarter the average revenue/ customer rise more than $90, a mere 63% hike as compared to previous quarters. However rise in sales and number of active customers also rise their expenses significantly except for technology costs. $274m, 84% more as compared to previous quarter was spent on marketing activities. They invested money on paid search engine marketing, search engine optimization and content development. Also they entered into price war with their competitors to tie-up consumers by reducing their prices of electronic goods persuading consumers to buy from them which raised the revenues and number of customers. Amazon Global Revenue and Active Customers 2009 (www.365daysofretail.com) Amazon 2009 Expenses: Fulfillment, Technology, and Marketing (www.365daysofretail.com) Below shows a summary of balance sheet and income statements for 10 years, as we can observe amazon.com has been adding value to its stakeholders year on year where EPS has rised to 2.04 from 1.49 previous year. Amazon.com has been very consistent ear on tear however between 2005-2006 their EBIT dropped because they had high budget on marketing and investment in systems which allowed them to stay ahead of competitors. C:UsersWELCOMEDesktop11.bmp C:UsersWELCOMEDesktop12.bmp (www.msnfinance.com) Debt, Capital and gearing ratio indicates the ratio of debt to capital invested. 82% of the finance was from borrowing in 2005 which reduced to 68% in 2006 and has further reduced dramatically. Debts lead to the interest payments decreasing the profit margin, however if the cost of debt is less than capital cost then one can opt for debt, but Amazon has been continuously reducing their debt cost year o year and is just $109m in 2009. New projects has to be financed which emphasizes amazon.com to borrow, this can be justified by the data where interest cover has increased regularly concluding amazon.com ability to pay interest by 33.1 times is profitable. Amazon has huge financial reserves and can used for innovative research and development programs and technological implementations where they can incorporate single global strategy and also penetrate more geographic markets to create value to the stakeholders and customers. 2.3 SUMMARY OF ANALYSIS 2.3.1 SWOT analysis From a detailed Internal and external analysis we can conclude and summarize the Amazon.com strengths, weakness, threats and opportunities from the following SWOT analysis. Strengths Globally recognised brand Research and development programmes Geographical presence Customer focussed vision Diversified product line Incorporation of latest technology Amazon.com affiliate and merchant Program Highly skilled employee base Best inventory and logistics. Huge economies of scale Weaknesses No physical stores Lower profit margin due to high competition Low cash flows Lower market share in countries like India and china. Opportunities Tremendous growth in digital downloads Popularity of social networking Increase of online shoppers in Asian markets Open options for expansion via MA. Increase in e sales and growth of e-retailing Advancement of digital technology Rise in consumer spending across the globe Threats Vastly dependent on vendors Huge competition as it requires low capital Applicable Patent regulations. Piracy Concentrated business vision. CONCLUSION RECOMMENDATIONS 3.1 CONCLUSIONS Analysis tool Key point Strategic essence PESTEL Rise in number of internet users. High priority to environmental issues Various government policies aiding now than before. Rise in internet usage opens new markets like china and India. Environmental issues can be utilized to advantage by incorporating proper CSR. Legal and government policies usually are havoc. Porters 5 forces Rise in competition levels taking into consideration the porters five forces. Amazon.com has the competitive advantage and the value proposition. Competition Competition from new entrants and stores are growing at a very high pace and geographically. Amazon.com strategy and diversified business focus leading to innovation should be implemented. Future internet trends USA, China, Japan, Germany, Brazil and India are the top internet users between 2006-2011. Amazon.com has a presence in all these countries except in India. The value chain Amazon.com is equipped with global IT, high investments in technology and systematic logistics with a centralized management. This stands out Amazon.com from other players in the market hence they should hold the competitive advantage of brand image. Resource Based View Biggest asset of Amazon.com is customer base, web personalization and value proposition they offer to their customer. Utilize the available resources, technology and global strategic reach to outplay competitors. Financial Analysis Rise in revenue every year and %CAGR growth has not led to high profits. Manage costs, resources and economies of scale more effectively to generate more profits 3.2 RECOMMENDATIONS Long-term focus Internet retailing presents a challenge to traditional retailing to see increased investments from store based retailers such as wal-mart making it more crucial for amazon.com to maintain a long term vision and invest in innovation, customer experience, diversified product range in spite of profit maximization expectations. Exploit New Markets Amazon.com should consider entering into more new markets especially Asian where the buying power, standard of living and the demand has rised dramatically over past few years as global economic changes take place. Downloads Expansion Amazons core business in future will be digital downloads, although they were latecomer in the field of film, music, TV downloads they have to cater to the demand in a highly competitive market along with their diversified product line. Also they have to concentrate on eBooks media division. Sensitivity to changing variables It is very important for amazon.com to be sensitive to the minor particulars such as changing trends, tastes, preferences of consumers from time to time as the purchasing power and changing lifestyles generate more demand leaving companies like Amazon.com to respond hence such a market research and imagination will be an advantage. Build selling opportunities Amazon.com should seek ways to sell products to customers with less havoc, instantly and securely as they did in text message selling without internet. In order to achieve this they need to have high end technical skills. Recently released kindle can also be used as a tool to increase the download sales.

Of Mice and Men: My Ending :: essays research papers

  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Crooks and Curley’s wife both receive a paramount amount of isolation. Many people are unable to cope with this. Few people are able to cope with this type of loneliness in a healthy way. That is why there are so many problems as it is with Crooks and Curley’s wife. Many times a person does â€Å"weird† things in order to get attention, or to make the feelings of seclusion recede for a while. I plan to open your mind to some of the ideas of why our characters, Crooks and Curley’s wife, act the way they do.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Crooks is a victim of a different types of loneliness. Crooks, does not ask to be isolated from everyone. It is simply because he is a black man. That is the reason he is isolated and rarely spoken too. Back in those days people of different races did not associate as they do now. After a while, Crooks gets accustomed to the loneliness he receives on the farm but never learns to live with it. To accept loneliness is to give up. I believe that deep down inside Crooks always hopes that someone will come and talk to him, just because they want his camaraderie. He forces himself to believe that eventually someone will come, that helps him get through some of his toughest times. Not because they (that person) want him to do something. I think when Lennie comes to Crooks’ room and talks with him it heals a part of Crooks that has been scarred. Just by Lennie being there it lets Crooks knows there is still hope. When Lennie first comes Crooks says, â€Å"You got no right to come in my room. Nobody got no right but me. I ain’t wanted. Crooks says this to Lennie at first because I think he has to admit to himself that this no longer applies. That eventually he will be able to have a friendship with someone. That someone is Lennie.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Curley’s wife starts off with many problems. As Curley’s wife states earlier in the novel, â€Å"Sure I gotta husband.† Spend’s all his time sayin what he’s gonna do to guy’s he don’t like. Think I am going to stay in that 2 x 4 house! I think her husband Curley does not satisfy her needs. As a person I do not think they are compatible. They probably both jumped at the opportunity for to marry a person they thought they were in love with.

Entry Criteria to the Euro :: Euro Finances Economics Essays

Entry Criteria to the Euro 1.Entry criteria The four entry criteria are set out in Article 121(1) of the EC Treaty. A Member State must satisfy all four criteria in order to be able to enter the euro area. (Treaty quotes Source: http://europa.eu.int/scadplus/leg/en/lvb/l25014.htm [02/02/2004]) 1.1. Price Stability The Treaty stipulates: "The achievement of a high degree of price stability [...] will be apparent from a rate of inflation which is close to that of, at most, the three best-performing Member States in terms of price stability." The inflation rate of a Member State must not exceed by more than 1.5% that of the three best-performing Member States in terms of price stability for a year preceding the test for criteria compliance. TEST PASSED ----------- 1.2. Government Finances The Treaty stipulates: "The sustainability of the government financial position [...] will be apparent from having achieved a government budgetary position without a deficit that is excessive [...]". This stipulation gave rise to two criteria being drawn up by the Commission for the Council of Finance Ministers. A. The annual government deficit must not exceed 3% of gross domestic product (GDP) at the end of the preceding financial year to the test for criteria compliance. B. Outstanding government debt must not exceed 60% of GDP at the end of the preceding financial year to the test for criteria compliance. TEST PASSED 1.3. Exchange Rates The Treaty stipulates: "the observance of the normal fluctuation margins provided for by the exchange-rate mechanism of the European Monetary System, for at least two years, without devaluing against the currency of any other Member State." A. The Member State must have controlled its exchange rate in line with the Euro within the normal margins of the exchange-rate mechanism, without any break during the two years preceding the test for criteria compliance. B. The Member State must not have devalued its currency against the Euro on its own initiative during the same period. The pound has been controlled in line with the normal margins of the ERM and there has been no devaluation in the last two years. TEST PASSED ----------- 1.4. Long-Term Interest Rates The Treaty stipulates: "the durability of convergence achieved by the Member State [...] being reflected in the long-term interest-rate levels". The nominal long-term interest rate must not exceed 2%of the three best-performing Member States in terms of price stability. The period taken into consideration is the year preceding the test for criteria compliance.