Commpensation and Benefits Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Commpensation and Benefits - Essay Example Employees should be allowed to join unions while a security of tenure should be provided to all full-time employees. Proposed compensation and benefits of Wal-Mart Introduction Wal-Mart is one of the organizations among the largest employers in North America. Wal-Mart business operations have increased rapidly compared with similar organizations. Although Wal-Mart offers its employees with various benefits and compensations like â€Å"health plan benefits†, â€Å"profit sharing plans† and â€Å" stock purchase plan†, there are certain challenges facing the organization since compensation procedures have not addressed the numerous employee complains (Wal-Mart Watch, 2007). A recent case happened in Oklahoma in 2007 when employees complained of compensation policies that included â€Å"cutting hours† and not hiring the employees in designations where they have proved competent and skilled (Wal-Mart Watch, 2007). The employees also complained that a number of them had been fired without any apparent reason. The above reasons are just some of the challenges which Wal-Mart employees. The employees are currently unsatisfied thus lowering their work productivity in the organization. The management should establish compensation and benefit policies that maximize employee productivity and motivation in the organization (Wall Mart, 2008). ... Wal-Mart contributes 2 percent of all eligible Associate’s annual salary or wages to the 401 (k) Plan after a one year waiting periods. Wal-Mart also contributes about 2 percent of each eligible Associate’s wages to the profit sharing plan provided they have worked in the company for at least 12 months. In the stock purchase plan, the company contributes only 15 cents for each dollar of the company stock purchased by the employees through deductions in the payroll up to $ 1,800 of stock purchases in each plan year (Wall Mart, 2008). Wal-Mart compensation and benefits policies are inadequate since the company has engaged in â€Å"cutting hours† and employees are not hired in designations where they are talented. The company has also fired numerous employees without any apparent reason and explanation. Employee work motivation and productivity has declined thus leading to poor job performance and total productivity of the organization. Wal-Mart Stores Inc which is the largest private employer in North America has been accused of scaling down the health benefits offered to part-time employees and increasing the premiums deducted from most of the full-time employees’ salaries. Wal-Mart has engaged in cost cutting measures to offset the slowdown in consumer spending which has affected the company revenues in the last few years (Wal-Mart Watch, 2007). The company has reversed the eligibility of part-time workers by requiring them to cover their children healthcare and reduced the co-payments for prescription drugs. Wal-Mart has denied most of its employees from working full-time thus reducing the health care benefits to the employees. The company has also been accused of discriminative working policies against women and employees from minority

Cinematic Comparison & Analysis Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Cinematic Comparison & Analysis - Essay Example The character of Shylock is that of a Jewish money lender who has been mistreated and misunderstood by the Christian community, particularly by the character Antonio. Shylock’s character stands out because in spite of his ridiculous demand at extracting revenge from Antonio, his character appears to have a great deal of depth. As the plot unfolds, the audience cannot help but feel sad of him as Shylock is a person who has been stereotyped and hurt by his daughter’s betrayal. According to Burnett et al. although the character of Shylock appears only in five out of nineteen scenes in the play, it is his role that captures the most attention. Al Pacino’s execution of the character is as close to perfection as any actor in today’s times could possibly achieve. The character appears to be an individual with an unkempt beard, who walks with a slight limp. Shylock’s role is that of a Jew, whose character can display a variation of emotions and impeccable d ialogue delivery. Much Ado about Nothing cast comprises of a lot of big names that include Oscar winners Emma Thompson and Denzel Washington as Don Pedro, lead villain. The character of Don Pedro is that of the Prince of Aragon, of all the characters in the film, his appears to be most unpredictable. Unlike Shylock’s character that the audience ends up sympathizing with, in spite of the good intentions of Don Pedro, his character fails to attract positive attention. This character is that of a noble man who meddles in the love lives of two other characters in the film. Although the character appears to interfere with good intentions for his friend, the character ends up appearing as manipulative and one that exploits his authority. Although Denzel is a marvelous actor ad executed the lines well, in my opinion this role was not meant for him. Two Historical and Cinematic Adaptations We would consider the two different versions of the same play by Shakespeare â€Å"Merchant of Venice†. Michael Radford’s directorial eye tries to capture the Venetian setting of the sixteenth century. The film depicts the historically beautiful and watery landscape of Venice; the setting depicts brothels and courtesans as the integral part of the entertainment of the Christian society (Pittman, 2007). The film depicts a very racist society, where there are gates in the city to separate the Jews from the Christians who cannot cordially coexist. It is also noticeable that the director wants to identify Shylock as someone who is very particular about finances. He lays slight emphasis on this, when Shylock puts on his glasses while reading ledgers or calculating finances, which is does not appear to have use of in any other scenes. Kenneth Branagh’s Much Ado about Nothing is focused more towards generalization, where costumes, sets and props could belong to any period from 1700 to 1900s. The director has attempted to provide a fairy-tale setting to the film, which was shot in Tuscany Italy with her magical landscape which has not been touch by the modernization for present times (Kenneth Branagh). Two points of view in the Film Michael Radford in his interview with Cynthia Fuchs promoted his movie by suggesting that â€Å"†¦ you have the capacity in movies to bring things alive in ways you just can't in the theater.† The main point of view propagated in the film is the utter mockery of the double standards of the Venetian society of the time in a humorous fashion. The stereotyping of Jews can be

International bank managment essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

International bank managment - Essay Example They include market crashes and decreased GDP of any country. For the past a hundred years, there have been several economic crises in the world. Financial crises compose such economic crises. In fact, it looks like each decade has its own set of financial crises, which usually originate in one country and spread to the rest of the world. The 1930’s saw the Great Depression; the 1980’s saw the savings and loans crisis in the US and also the loan default crisis. The 1990’s saw the Asian currency crisis among a plethora of other financial hitches. The first decade of the twenty first century has not been spared either. The 2007/2009 financial crisis is considered in some quarters to be the largest since the Great Depression. This essay is going to compare the financial crises of the 1980’s with those of the 1990’s. The similarities and differences between the two periods will be given and explanations for the same sought. The essay will conclude with the writer’s opinion on what the financial world should expect in the first decade of the 21st century as far as financial crises are concerned. There were several financial crises in the 1980’s around the world. But perhaps the major ones were the debt crisis and the American savings and loans crisis (Carrasco 2008). The latter is referred by many as the 1980’s savings and loans scandal, a befitting term considering the factors that were surrounding it. According to Carrasco (2008), this crisis had its origins in the 1970’s. It is the accumulative effects of what transpired in the 1970’s that brought about the crisis of the 1980’s. There was what Wharton and Allen (2009) refers to as â€Å"petrodollar recycling† in the 1970’s. In the 1970’s, there was a considerable rise in the price of oil on the world market. This saw the oil exporting countries of the world, especially those from the Middle East, making considerable profits

Ethical Criteria and its relationship with business negotiation Essay

Ethical Criteria and its relationship with business negotiation - Essay Example The main ethical criteria in businesses are utilitarian, universalism, categorical imperative, justice views, individualism, and social justice relativism and their relation to business negations. One of the ethical criteria is the Utilitarian criterion in which a business executive makes decisions solely based on the outcomes and consequences. Many businesses use the criterion to make decisions in the provision of the greatest good and for the greatest number. The criterion ensures that the decisions made create efficiency for the organization as it struggles to achieve its goals (Ferrell & Gresham, 1985). The method also aims at increasing the productivity of the business resulting in high profits of the company or the business enterprise. When a business executive maximizes profits, he can support his action that the decision he made as for the good of the organization. The use of Unitarianism leads to productivity and efficiency in an organization but can make the executive ignore the rights of some stakeholders especially the minority group making them feel unaccepted. The users of the criterion feel that they need to protect the organizations interest and the shareholde rs. Businesses require the stakeholders to hold negotiations especially when making important decisions. The criterion does not allow free negotiations and discussions by the company’s stakeholders as a single individual makes the decision for the benefit of the company. The choice of the action to be taken is determined by the largest number of stakeholders supporting it. The categorical Imperative involves the universal practice such that everyone is allowed to practice the proposed action. Kant developed the criterion and individuals wishing to use the criterion or the test should know that they would need to adopt the morality of the action. The morality of the action is the key to the adoption of the test, and

International Strategic Alliances(PROJECT TO WRITE IN ACADEMIC REPORT) Essay

International Strategic Alliances(PROJECT TO WRITE IN ACADEMIC REPORT) - Essay Example riteria Decision Making (MCDM) in order to assist the managers of automobile companies when deciding for the best partner alliance and optimize several business goals all at the same time. This report will not only summarize the theoretical foundation of the research but also identify its basic assumptions, research hypothesis, research methodology, and its contribution to the international business literature. In response to globalization, international strategic alliances is now being use as a business strategy in terms of maximizing the companies’ of economics of scale, increasing the efficiency of production in response to the fast changing market environment, empower the business in terms of penetrating a new market, improve the company’s competitive advantage within the domestic and global market, expand the business opportunities of a business organization, reduce the cost of production, and create new business opportunities for the company among others (Czinkota, Ronkainen, & Moffett, 2009, pp. 3 – 6; Wright & Dana, 2003). In line with this, strategic alliances are being used to enable companies establish a long-term business relationship with other companies in order to increase the company’s competitiveness with its competitors (Shahanaghi & Yavarian, 2010). The purpose of the chosen reading will be provided in this report by discussing the main objective of the article. Eventually, the article written by Shahanaghi & Yavarian (2010) entitled â€Å"MODM-MCDM Approach to Partner Selection in Auto Industry. A Case Study on Mazda of Iran† will be summarized in this report. As part of summarizing the theoretical foundation of the research including its basic assumptions or the research hypothesis, research methodology, and the contribution of Shahanaghi & Yavarian’s article in the international business literature will be tackled in details. Shahanaghi & Yavarian (2010) analyzed the international strategic alliances in automobile indusrty

The Economic Impact of the Horse Industry Essay Example for Free

The Economic Impact of the Horse Industry Essay People often view the equine industry as nothing more than simply an expensive hobby. However, in actuality it is far more than just that. The horse industry has an enormous impact on the United States economy and covers a vast horizon of different areas. From top-notch Thoroughbred racing to the simplicity of a backyard companion horse, the industry provides about 460,000 full-time equivalent jobs and has a direct economic effect on the United States of about 39 billion dollars annually. After taking into account the money multiplier effect of spending by suppliers and employees in the industry, this number grows even larger to create about 1. 4 million full-time equivalent jobs nationally with a 102 billion dollar annual impact on the United States economy (â€Å"National Economic Impact†). Studies show that the equine industry has a direct effect on gross domestic product (GDP) in the United States. Between the different areas of the horse business, including but not limited to racing, showing, and leisurely riding, about 38.8 billion dollars of goods and services are produced, leaving an impact of 101.5 billion dollars on US GDP. Taxes paid by the equine industry also affect the economy in the United States, with approximately 1.9 billion dollars total in taxes coming from this industry. Federal taxes amount to 588 million dollars, state taxes are 1,017 million dollars, and last but not least, local taxes are equal to 275 million dollars (â€Å"National Economic Impact†). Many studies have been done in different states to determine the economic impact of the horse industry, including a study from the Rutgers Equine Science Center (â€Å"New Jersey Equine†), a study from Alabama AM and Auburn Universities (McCall, Molnar, Pendergrass, and Broadway), and a study conducted by the University of Virginia Weldon Cooper Center for Public Service (â€Å"Virginia Horse Industry†). The state of Arizona even went as far as to hold an event regarding the equine economic impact. The event, titled â€Å"the Economic Impact of the Equine Industry in Arizona†, was held in February of 2012 and government officials from all over the country attended. The Arizona horse industry amounts to a 1.8 billion dollar industry and provides the opportunity to bring in many new equine-related companies into the state. There were many different topics covered at the event, including the WestWorld Equidome expansion project and ways to carry more rodeo locations into the state. There was also discussion of an equine property tax bill that was recently passed by the state. The bill relieves equine businesses from extreme property taxes by categorizing them under agricultural businesses. The great impact of the Quarter Horse, Arabian, and Thoroughbred associations was also discussed at the event, determining that their effects on the US economy are approximately 4.5 million dollars, 52 million dollars, and 134 million dollars respectively (â€Å"Arizona State Officials†). Other states have also taken measures and actions to determine the effect of the equine industry on each state. Rutgers University conducted a study in 2007 determining the economic effect of horses in the state of New Jersey. They determined that the industry had a total economic impact of 1.1 billion dollars each year, taking into account racing-related operations not including racetracks, non-racing operations, equine owners without operations, and New Jersey racetracks. The industry creates 13,000 jobs in the US, between jobs generated by racetracks and jobs not generated by racetracks. About 160 million dollars is paid annual in taxes by the New Jersey equine industry (â€Å"New Jersey Equine† 1). It is definitely evident that New Jersey racing operations have the most economic impact on the state, accounting for a total economic impact of 278.2 million dollars out of the 647 million dollar total economic impact from all equine operations and owners. Non-racing operations come in a close second with an impact of 262.4 million dollars and horse owners falls in last with an impact of 117.8 million dollars. Annually, New Jersey race tracks impact the economy of the state by 502.3 million dollars (â€Å"New Jersey Equine† 2). The expenses of horses are numerous, including but not limited to equipment purchase and depreciation, capital improvements, health, training fees, boarding fees, feed, taxes, farrier, etc. These expenses total around 376.8 million dollars a year in the state of New Jersey (â€Å"New Jersey Equine† 3). Rutgers University was not the only university to complete a study on the impact of the equine industry in a specific state. Alabama AM and Auburn Universities also partook in their own study in 1993 with the intention of pointing out the importance of the equine industry in Alabama. There are quite a few different horse-based activities in Alabama, categorized by locality (horse clubs and groups not based on breed), sport (groups generally open to any breed formed by riders with a common interest in a specific horse sport), and breed (groups open to one specific breed for many different horse sports) (McCall, Molnar, Pendergrass, and Broadway 1). To determine the economic impact of the horse industry in Alabama, the study uses the direct impact, which is the actual dollars spent, and the aggregate impact, which is the direct impact multiplied by an income multiplier (which for this study, was 2.9). In laymen’s terms, for every one dollar of direct impact, there would be 2.90 dollars of aggregate impact. An employment multiplier was also used, concluding that for every job created in the equine industry, 1.74 jobs are created through the economy. Expenses for horses are one way that the industry affects the economy. Expenses for showing horses totaled 11,005 dollars per horse, for racing horses totaled 15,390 dollars per horse, and for recreational horses totaled 3,140 dollars per horse. The expenses calculated are the chief ways that equines impact the economy (McCall, Molnar, Pendergrass, and Broadway 2). The horse industry also generates a great deal of tourism in Alabama. Owners of show horses spend approximately 1,500 dollars for every horse when travelling to shows. The direct impact of equine tourism equals 9.7 million dollars. Spectators at equine events, such as rodeos, shows, and horse races also generate money and impact the economy by about 4.2 million dollars. The race tracks in Alabama generate about 42.6 million dollars, with about one quarter of the money won from races going to horse owners and trainers in the state (McCall, Molnar, Pendergrass, and Broadway 3). According to the study, four percent of the â€Å"pari-mutuel handle† is paid in taxes (McCall, Molnar, Penderg rass, and Broadway 4). In addition to the tourism brought into Alabama, the horse industry also impacts Alabama employment, creating a great number of jobs. Racing stables, showing stables, breeding stables, and recreational horse owners all contribute available employment positions to the state. Around 2,000 to 2,800 full-time job equivalent positions are created on account of the horse industry and the aggregate employment is equal to around 3,480 to 4,872 jobs in the state. In total, the aggregate impact of the horse industry on Alabama’s economy is estimated to be 1.6 billion dollars. It is evident, as stated in this study, that the horse industry is extremely important to the economy and that it should not be disregarded when determining key parts of the economy (McCall, Molnar, Pendergrass, and Broadway 4). The University of Virginia Weldon Cooper Center for Public Service is yet another university that conducted a study on the economic impact of the horse industry. It was determined that the yearly economic impact of the horse industry in the state of Virginia was equal to 1.2 billion dollars. Economist Dr. Terance Rephann gave his opinion on the economic importance of the horse industry, stating that the industry creates â€Å"a very positive effect on jobs, recreation, tourism, retail sales and state and local taxation†. Just as in New Jersey and Alabama, the Virginia horse industry creates a great deal of employment within the state and brings in about 65.3 million dollars in state and local taxes. In 2010, over 16,000 jobs were created in Virginia due to the equine industry. Horse shows are a large part of the industry, bringing in about 25 million dollars in revenue in 2010 (â€Å"Virginia Horse Industry†). The substantial amount of revenue, tax money, employment opportunities, and the total aggregate impact of equines in the three different states mentioned above clearly show that the horse industry is quite an important par t of our country’s economy. The industry greatly affects the United States economy in so many different ways. From the 13,000 jobs created by the industry in New Jersey (â€Å"New Jersey Equine† 1), to the 9.7 million dollars generated from tourism created by the industry in Alabama (McCall, Molnar, Pendergrass, and Broadway), to the 1.2 billion dollar economic impact that the industry has on Virginia’s economy annually, it is obvious to see that though many people view equestrian sports as nothing but a hobby, it is far more than just that. In the wise words of Matthew J. Lohr, The Virginia Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services’ commissioner: â€Å"Horses add so much to our lives on a personal level, but when I look at the big picture, I see just how much they contribute to our state’s economic well-being, as well† (â€Å"Virginia Horse Industry†). Breeding is a large part of the equine industry and the rules and regulations of the breeding process vary with the price elasticity of demand for foals. Artificial insemination, which is the act of artificially placing semen into a mare to impregnate her, is a popular breeding technology that has suffered through great debate of whether or not it should be accepted in certain breeds or horses. Regulation for the use of artificial insemination technologies is an example of a breeding process that varies with the price elasticity demand for foals. In breeds with a price inelastic demand for foals, it is probable that the practice of artificial insemination will be regulated. Oftentimes, with certain circumstances, cartel agreements may arise between industry members for an intervention of government regulation in the breeding industry. The act of this government regulation raises prices and incomes in the industry (Ray 1). Breed registries are an example of cartels that limit the supply of horses. Horse owners of horses of a specific breed may choose to register their animals with that breed’s registry. These breed registries gi ve owners an economic advantage over other owners whose horses are not registered with any breed. Part of the money made from memberships is spent on promoting a specific breed and advertising the breed registry (Ray 3). Oftentimes stallion owners partake in price and non-price competition. Breeding farms are extremely big on advertising and price for studs range from hundreds to millions of dollars. Because of this, the equine breeding industry can be categorized under the monopolistically competitive industries (Ray 3). In the past, most breed associations have shunned the idea of artificial insemination. Breed registries can tend to be extremely strict on their regulation of breeding techniques, and many times registries will have rules against artificial insemination. Horses that have been artificially inseminated are often banned from competition in certain breed events, which prevents them from ever having any improvement economically. Though many breed registries do not allow the use of artificial insemination, there are a few that are far more tolerant to it (Ray 2). Generally, the breed registries that forbid the use of artificial insemination feel that the practice of it could be a thread to the quality and pureness of the breed. However, there are many economic costs and benefits that contribute to each breed registry’s decision on the regulation of artificial insemination (Ray 4). There are quite a few economic advantages to the use of artificial insemination technology for breeding. While live cover breeding methods can only impregnate one mare for every one ejaculation from a stallion, the use of artificial insemination makes it possible to impregnate fifteen to eighteen mares for every one ejaculation. This means that one stallion can be used to impregnate more mares through the use of this technology, which reduces the risk of overworking a stallion throughout the breeding season. Using artificial insemination also allows a breeder to more efficiently use semen to inseminate a mare during her ovulation period. This reduces the amount of veterinary and breeder labor required to impregnate a mare. In addition to this, naturally breeding can be a very dangerous process for the horses. Artificial insemination provides a much safer way of breeding. Finally, it is far simpler, less expensive, and much less dangerous to ship out frozen semen rather than to transport the mares to the stallions (Ray 4). In short, this all means that the use of artificial insemination technologies reduces the costs of production and transportation of breeding. From an economic standpoint, the cost of breeding decreases due to the use of artificial insemination, and so the supply of foals increases. This causes market prices to decrease and the number of horses produced and sold to increase. As a result of this, total revenue will increase, decrease, or remain the same, depending on the price elasticity of demand for new foals. If the demand for a specific breed is inelastic, artificial insemination will cause breeders’ total revenue to decrease. However, if the demand for a specific breed is elastic, artificial insemination will cause breeders’ total revenue to increase. Elasticity of a breed can be determined by the task the breed is used for. The more specific the task, the less substitutability there is for the breed, causing the breed to have a more price inelastic demand. An example of this is the Thoroughbred registry. Artificial insemination is banned by this registry because the demand for Thoroughbreds is very price inelastic, since this breed is the only one to run in races such as the Kentucky Derby (Ray 5). The decision of a breed registry to regulate or not regulate the use of artificial insemination is dependent on the costs and benefits of the use of the technology. When the costs of artificial insemination exceed the benefits, the registry will regulate the use of the technology. Regulation can be determined by the theory of cartels. This theory helps to determine supply and demand curves and indicates that the regulation of artificial insemination is dependent upon multiple different aspects of a monopolistically competitive market, including but not limited to price elasticity of demand and the number of people that will possibly benefit from regulation. Generally speaking, the size of the breed registry determines the amount of the benefits of regulation of artificial insemination. If the breed industry is large, there will be less benefits of regulating artificial insemination, which causes regulation to decrease. In summation, the regulation of artificial insemination breeding technologies is primarily determined by the price elasticity of demand for foals of the specific breed and by the costs and benefits of regulating the technology. (Ray 6). Horse race gambling greatly contributes to the United States economy. In 1997, purse awards in California totaled 136 million dollars and the total pari-mutuel handle was equal to around three billion dollars. California race tracks receive large sums of money each year as breeding incentives. This money comes from the pari-mutuel handle (Smith 1756). It is believed that both the quantity and quality of race horses affects the demand for gambling on race horses (Smith 1755). Breeding incentives given to race tracks have a huge effect on the product that comes out of the race track. Attendance at the race track and the pari-mutuel handle are the two factors that determine demand. The quality and quantity of the horses racing affect both of these factors, and so affect the demand for horse race gambling (Smith 1758). Not only does horse racing affect gambling, gambling also affects horse racing. Many race tracks are going out of business as a result of local casinos (Zengerle 20). The argument at hand now is whether or not to introduce slot machines to race tracks, creating â€Å"racinos†. It is argued that adding slot machines to the track will bring in more business because it will give customers at the track a variety. The Kentucky horse racing industry has been fighting hard for the introduction of slot machines in race tracks. The industry has lobbied legislators and spent one million dollars in support of slot machines. The lobbying and money spent has paid off. The public is now in support of slot machines being added to race tracks and, on the legislative side, a slots bill was passed for the first time (Zengerle 21). One of the main reasons that Kentucky is fighting so hard for slot machines in their race tracks is because of their 500 million dollar budget deficit. Slot machines would create 300 million dollars in tax revenue each year, which would greatly help the budget deficit being faced by the state. Introducing slot machines to the tracks would bring about many fiscal benefits; however, they may not be great for the horse industry. According to Arthur Hancock, slots will make lots of money for people in the short term, â€Å"but in the long term†¦they’ll be bad for the horse business† (Zengerle 21). However, the introduction of alternate gambling games has been proven to save race tracks. In example, Mountaineer race track was on the brink of going out of business, but the introduction of video gaming at racetracks has caused the company to rank seventh on Forbes list of the best small businesses in America (Zengerle 23). Though introducing slot machines to Kentucky’s race tracks could be bad for the horse industry in the long run, it could greatly help to rid the state of its large budget deficit. Though for many people, horse racing is simply nothing but a fun sport to watch, for Kenny A. Troutt, co-owner of WinStar Farm and Thoroughbred breeder, it is an economic investment that has helped to escalate him to a billionaire (Lee 1). Many people involved in the race horse industry do not believe that you can make much money off it and are just in it for fun and for the thrill of a day at the races. However, Troutt is a completely different case. His primary goal with WinStar Farm is to make money. He has created business plans and budget projects and holds mont hly meetings to discuss the costs of breeding and to determine any ways to lower costs and become more efficient. By using a database, Troutt determines the price returns of each and every horse by taking into account all money and time spent on the horse (Lee 2). Troutt has spent over 70 million dollars on his farm. He has set aside a select number of mares whose foals are automatically sold. One of these foals was Funny Cide, out of a stallion named Distorted Humor, who is owned by WinStar Farm. Funny Cide was a contender for the Triple Crown, and though he did not win, simply the fact that he came close was enough to double Distorted Humor’s stud fee, which was already 20,000 dollars. Though most Thoroughbred farms generate about a five to ten percent return each year after ten years, Troutt believes that he will make profits in only five years. In the past, horse racing was never about making a profit. However, in the words of Kenny A. Troutt: â€Å"I am convinced you can make a lot of money doing this†. Taking into account some simple ideas of economics and business, he may pr ove this to be true as he claims that his farm has become â€Å"cash flow positive† after only being open for two years (Lee 3). Not only does the horse industry have a great impact on the United States economy, but the economy also has a great impact on the horse industry. There has recently been a large increase in the number of unwanted horses in the United States, and one of the reasons for this problem is the current economic recession. Horses are extremely expensive to keep, averaging around 1500 to 2000 dollars a year per horse and with the economy in the poor state that it is currently in, many horse owners can no longer afford to care for their horses (Lewis). Prices of hay and fuel are extremely high and with the current recession, many horses are being succumbed to starvation and neglect. Many abandoned horses are eventually euthanized because horse rescues cannot afford to continue to feed them and medically care for them. Sick horses at the rescue are the first to be euthanized, because it comes down to a choice between feeding a healthy horse and feeding a sick horse (â€Å"More Horses Starve†). Horses are extremely expensive to keep, between the costs of feed, veterinary care, farrier and dental services. In this bad economy, it is hard to keep up with the costs of horse ownerships, and this causes the sale of horses to also be difficult (â€Å"Economy, Weather, and Law†). The Texas horse industry is such a large business that it is close to equal to the Texas cotton industry. Unfortunately, the Texas horse industry is in a severe catastrophe due to the state of the economy. Owners are finding it difficult to feed and water their horses, for â€Å"forage and even water are in short supply†, according to Dr. Dennis Sigler. Large round bales of hay are selling for over 145 dollars and in this struggling economy, horse owners are having a very hard time coming up with the money to supply food to their horses. State assistance could potentially help this problem, however state budgets have been frozen and there is a large burden for states to cut back on spending. The current economic recession has a huge effect on the horse industry and is accountable for the growing number of starving and unwanted horses in the United States (Hawkes). The equine industry in the United States clearly has a great impact on the economy, and likewise the economy on the equine industry. Breeding businesses, breeding technologies, race tracks, gambling, and unwanted horse issues all affect the economy and are affected by the economy. The industry provides so much revenue and a large number of jobs in the United States. The national horse industry has a 7 billion dollar impact on the California economy, a 5.1 billion dollar impact on the Florida economy, a 3.5 billion dollar impact on the Kentucky economy, and a 5.2 billion dollar impact on the Texas economy. The California horse industry creates 54,200 full time equivalent jobs. The Florida horse industry creates 38,300 full time equivalent jobs. The Kentucky horse industry creates 51,900 full time equivalent jobs. The Texas horse industry creates 32,200 full time equivalent jobs (â€Å"State Breakout Studies†). All in all, the horse industry has a 39 billion dollar yearly economic effect on the United States and creates 460,000 full time equivalent jobs (â€Å"National Economic Impact†). This industry is far more than just a hobby and is extremely important to the United States economy. Works Cited Arizona State Officials Join Arizona Horse Council (AzHC) at Equine Economic Impact Event PR.com. PR.com: Directory of Businesses Jobs Press Releases Products Services Articles Find Companies. N.p., n.d. Web. 22 Mar. 2012. http://www.pr.com/press-release/390430. â€Å"Economy, Weather the Law Contribute to Starving Horse Cases.† KSEE 24 News. Web. 22 Mar. 2012. http://www.ksee24.com/news/local/HorsesJWI-139755153.html. Hawkes, Logan. Texas Horse Industry Crisis Looms. Southwest Farm Press 38.23 (2011): 18. Academic Search Premier. Web. 26 Mar. 2012. Lee, Josephine. â€Å"Arriviste†. Forbes. 172.7 (2003): 120-122. Business Source Premier. Web. 26. Mar. 2012. Lewis, James M. Survey Says Economy Top Reason For Unwanted-Horse Problem. DVM: The Newsmagazine Of Veterinary Medicine 40.8 (2009): 1-29. Academic Search Premier. Web. 26 Mar. 2012. McCall, Cynthia A., Joseph J. Molnar, Robert A. Pendergrass, and Regina Broadway. Economic Impacts of the Alabama Horse Industry. Rep. Alabama Cooperative Extension System. Web. 22 Mar. 2012. http://www.aces.edu/pubs/docs/A/ANR-0848/ANR-0848.pdf. More horses starve as economy struggles. WISHTV.com | Indianapolis, Indiana News Weather Traffic. N.p., n.d. Web. 22 Mar. 2012. http://www.wishtv.com/dpp/news/indiana/more-horses-starve-as-economy-struggles. National Economic Impact of the U.S. Horse Industry | American Horse Council. Welcome to The American Horse Council | American Horse Council. N.p., n.d. Web. 22 Mar. 2012. http://www.horsecouncil.org/national-economic-impact-us-horse-industry. Ray, Margaret A., and Paul W. Grimes. â€Å"The Determinants of Breeding Regulation In The Horse Industry: An Empi rical Analysis.† Journal of Socio-Economics 20.2 (1991): 169. Academic Search Premier. Web. 26 Mar. 2012. Smith, Maritn D. Breeding Incentive Programmes And Demand For California Thoroughbred Racing: Is There A Quality/Quantity Tradeoff?. Applied Economics 33.14 (2001): 1755-1762. Business Source Premier. Web. 26 Mar. 2012. State breakout studies for the following states: | American Horse Council. Welcome to The American Horse Council | American Horse Council. N.p., n.d. Web. 22 Mar. 2012. http://www.horsecouncil.org/state-breakout-studies-following-states. â€Å"The New Jersey Equine Industry 2007.† Rep. Rutgers Equine Science Center. Web. 22 Mar. 2012. http://esc.rutgers.edu/news_more/PDF_Files/2007_Equine_Economic_Impact_Study_Report.pdf. Virginia Horse Industry Has $1.2 Billion Annual Economic Impact. Virginia Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services. N.p.,

Instructural planning and design Essay Example for Free

Instructural planning and design Essay It is highly recognized by people that strong educational background and good educational status juxtaposed with a strong conviction to reach a goal could alleviate a person’s status in life. I believe that teachers share the burden of the parents for encouraging children to learn. It is highly regarded that teachers are the next person who has the power to sway children to a path towards the future. It is natural then that selecting programs and lessons for the students are vital in honing the abilities of the children and to help them learn more. Apt learning tools then are essentially the number one concern of the teachers. If teachers have the power to influence children then it would be necessary that they take the load seriously. A failure on the part of the teacher might become a loss for the child’s chances in the near future. Teachers in this case then would have to create plans that could holistically hone the capabilities and abilities of the children as well as encouraging them towards the path of a future determined to attain better education. The best way to do this then is that the teacher should be able to create plans that are recreational in nature as well as informative. I believe that the best way for creating this atmosphere is for teachers to be able to share the enthusiasm that he/she may have for the particular subject that he/she is teaching. Over enthusiasm might be too much optimism but enough impression could leave a definite mark on the children. I find it helpful to create an atmosphere that knowledge could give us the power. Along with this ambiance are the suitable programs and lessons that would be discussed in class. The first thing to consider then is the instructional levels. This level is where a teacher would gauge his/her lessons to a right medium of instruction that he/she would adopt. Dealing with pre-school students would require patience and a level of instruction fit for the students. Take for example in teaching children to read. It should be noted by the teacher that the best way to do this is for him/her to be able to recognize the reading capabilities of each and every student that he/she is handling. The first thing to notice here then is to see if whether or not the capacities of the students are somewhat in tuned with each other. It seems that there would be instances where reading lessons would elicit different responses form the students. The most important thing that the teacher should be able to grasp here is that in the formative years of the children, there could be instances that learning disabilities might occur. Necessarily, the teacher should be able to identify these problems so that he/she could be able to address these problems. A good start would be for the teachers to encourage children to read aloud in the classroom and establish ways that could gain the participation of the children. There would be instances that a child might be reluctant to read in front of the class since he/she would fear to commit mistakes. That is why encouragement is a best solution. The development levels of each if these students may vary then. The background of the students would have to be taken into consideration. There are natural instances that a student may develop faster than others. So in this case the teacher should be able to devise a plan that would encourage the fast learners without disregarding those who are slow to catch up. It is appropriate this way since this would not promote discrimination. Discrimination might only lead to a child to be discouraged about his/her skills. Aside from the proper instructional level, the teacher should be able to grasp the development levels of each student that she has. A best way to do this is through the non verbal communication between you and the students. A simple frown might be seen in different ways but inside a classroom it could be seen as not being able to understand what was said. As what was implied above, it would then be healthy for teachers to be able to adjust along the way for the benefit of the entirety of the class (Siobhan Leahy, 2005). A good example to address developmental level is for the teacher to realize which level he/she is teaching. A math subject during the formative years would be essential for the secondary level of the students. It would then be advisable that the teacher focus on creating an atmosphere where children would not have to resort memorization but also have the full understanding of what they are memorizing. The next thing to be considered is the learning disabilities of the students. Younger children could have the ability to learn to hide these disabilities that is why teachers are suggested to have constant vigilance. It is not an easy task to know which student have learning disabilities and people could not automatically tell (Learning Disabilities, 2007). An example for this instance is a student who is dyslexic. Having a hard time to decipher words and letters is problem for the students and teachers as well since this could hinder the progress that is needed for the student. What the teacher could do if he/she would encounter this problem is to approach the student in a way that would not embarrass him/her. After such deed would be done, the best way for children to catch up with this disability is for the teacher to suggest tutors for the child. This tutor may be the teacher or a special teacher or the parents of the child who has full knowledge in addressing this problem. Alerting the parents could very well help in this instance. In a classroom setting the teacher could devise a lesson plan that could help by using the other senses of the children. It was said that multi-sensory teaching in the classroom could help improve a child’s learning disability. Perusing of the sense of touch could be helpful by asking the students to have a creative output of the letters or numbers. Creative in a sense that the teacher could make the letters or numbers be available for the sense of touch especially when it could help the children cling to have a tangible image of what they are reading (Bradford, 2000). Going back to the reading levels, a teacher then should be able to use appropriate reading materials that his/her students would need. As I have repeatedly said earlier, students’ reaction to a reading material may vary and their abilities may also vary. In this aspect, the teacher could be able to help the child’s development through the parents or the family. It was said that the family, especially the parents, have a great influence on the child. A home conducive for learning is the best recourse for this problem. Of course this may be a problem since not all households are the same for the children. It would then be the responsibility of the teacher to double her efforts in teaching the children. As was also suggested above, teachers should be flexible enough for the betterment of his/her teaching strategies. It would then be necessary that the teacher could be able to devise a concrete curriculum. This curriculum then could serve as a rough draft of what the teacher ought to achieve by the end of every semester. Naturally, these curriculums are usually rigid. Creating a flexible curriculum then could be the best recourse especially when taking into consideration what was said above. The importance of this alignment of curricular goals is that would generate a standard that the teacher ought to be teaching the child at the same time it could give him/her a better idea of what should be learned in the level of what he/she is teaching. The standard then could be checked through the standards of the school. Making the curriculum flexible then would mean that the standards are there but the activities that would be done would vary from time to time especially when other teachers have a tendency to just create a repetitive scene or method of what they were doing for the past years that they were teaching. Take for example, if a teacher is teaching the basics of math and number then arranging the lesson plan according to the standards set would help and then activities would become flexible according to the necessity that these activities would have for a certain aspect of the subject. Some students seldom aim in ‘getting by’ the subject without full understanding that upon reaching the secondary level of math, they have a hard time grasping the complexities that are presented to them. It is essential then that the teacher choose curriculums and activities fit for the goal of understanding math rather than just letting the students memorize the numbers. Leaving a certain shadow of the numbers in the back of a child’s mind would be helpful. In doing what was suggested as a solution for the learning disability, the teacher could then leave the impression of a memory that the child could easily access in his/her mind. Let’s say the number ‘5’, a string glued to the shape of a ‘5’ could help a child in remembering that a five usually feels like making an‘s’ but with a much rigid first curve above and a horizontal line for the top. The plans and how the teachers execute these plans would have to be taken into consideration. Becoming a teacher is no mean feat especially when you have the power to influence the students and it is up to the teacher therefore on how a student might perceive the educational perspective in life. References Bradford, J. (2000). Using Multisensory Teaching Method.Retrieved September 5, 2007, from http://www. dyslexia-parent. com/mag30. html Learning Disabilities. (2007). Retrieved August 21, 2007, from http://www. kidshealth. org/PageManager. jsp? dn=KidsHealthlic=1article_set=32422cat_id=20167 Siobhan Leahy, C. L. , Marnie Thompson, Dylan Wiliam. (2005). Classroom Assessment: Minute by Minute, Day by Day [Electronic Version]. Assessment to Promote Learning, 63, 19-24. Retrieved August 21, 2007 from http://www. ascd. org/portal/site/ascd/template. MAXIMIZE/menuitem. 459dee008f99653fb85516f762108a0c/? javax. portlet. tpst=d5b9c0fa1a493266805516f762108a0c_ws_MXjavax.portlet. 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