Halloween Traditions in France and French Vocabulary

Halloween Traditions in France and French Vocabulary Halloween is a relatively new thing in France. Some people will tell you that its a Celtic celebration, which has been celebrated in parts of France (Brittany) for centuries. OK, it may have been something important for some people, but nothing that reached the general public of France. All Saint Day: La Toussaint in France Traditionally in France, we celebrate the Catholic holiday of la Toussaint, which is on November 1. Its a rather sad celebration when family mourn their dead  and go to the cemetery to clean up the tombs, bring flowers and pray. There is often a family meal, but no special tradition about the food. We bring des chrysanthà ¨mes (a type of flower usually called mums, from the Latin chrysanthemum) because they still bloom at this time of the year. Celebrating Halloween is now "in" in France However, things are changing. If I remember well, it started in the early 90s. Celebrating Halloween became fashionable among young adults, especially among people who liked to travel. I remember going to a Halloween party at a very trendy friend when I was 20, and I fell I was in the it crowd!!   Nowadays, shops and trademarks use the images of Halloween, pumpkins, skeletons etc†¦ in their ads, so now, French people know it well, and some even start to celebrate Halloween with their kids. Why not? The French traditionally love to get in costumes, and its quite common to have a costumed New Year party or a costumed birthday, even more so among kids. French Teacher Love Halloween Additionally, Halloween is a great opportunity to teach some English words to kids. French kids start to learn English in elementary school. Its merely an introduction to the English language (dont expect  a fluent conversation out of a 10-year-old), but since kids would do pretty much anything for candies, elementary school teachers jump at the opportunity and often organize a costume  parade, and some trick or treating. Note, however, it never gets to tricks!! Most French homes will not have candies, and would be furious if their house got toilet papered!! French Halloween Vocabulary La Toussaint – All Saint DayLe trente et un octobre – 31st of OctoberHalloween – halloween (say it the French way â€Å"a lo ween†)Friandises ou bà ªtises/ Des bonbons ou un sort – treat or trickSe dà ©guiser  (en) – to wear a costume, to dress-up asJe me dà ©guise en sorcià ¨re – I am wearing a witch costume, I am dressing-up as a witchSculpter une citrouille – to carve a pumpkinFrapper la porte – to knock on the doorSonner la sonnette – to ring the bellFaire peur quelqu’un – to scare someoneAvoir peur  Ã¢â‚¬â€œ to be scaredDonner des bonbons – to give candiesUn dà ©guisement, un costume – a costumeUn fantà ´me – a ghostUn vampire – a vampireUne sorcià ¨re – a witchUne princesse – a princessUn squelette – a skeletonUn à ©pouvantail – a scarecrowUn diable – a devilUne momie – a mummyUn monstre – a monsterUne ch auve-souris – a batUne araignà ©e – a spiderUne toile d’araignà ©e – a spider webUn chat noir – a black catUn potiron, une citrouille – a pumpkinUne bougie – a candleDes bonbons – candies

Law - Finance and Investment Law Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 4000 words

Law - Finance and Investment Law - Essay Example In the United Kingdom, there was a survey which was conducted by the insurance industry. The results showed that the UK annually loses  £85 billion every year, and more than half of this amount is related to drugs. However, there are a number of laws in the UK which can prevent the occurrence of money-laundering. One of the important obligations that a British citizen has, is to report a case of money laundering if he or she is aware of that. If the person doesn’t make a report however, he or she may have to spend fourteen years in prison. The Authority of the House of Lords (2009, p.8) states ‘Money laundering involves the following stages, which may overlap: Placement stage: where cash derived directly from criminal activity (for example, from sales of drugs) is either placed in a financial institution or used to purchase an asset; Layering stage: the stage at which there is the first attempt at concealment or disguise of the source of the ownership of the funds; Integration stage: the stage at which the money is integrated into the legitimate economic and financial system and is assimilated with all other assets in the system.’ In essence, money-laundering is the process through which illegal money obtained from means such as drug trafficking, prostitution and extortion is forced through a cycle which eventually makes that same money appear as if it was obtained through legal means. It’s extremely difficult of putting a perfect value of money-laundering. The International Monetary Fund of the IM F estimates that the money-laundering industry worldwide is worth about one trillion U.S. dollars per year. This amount is 3% of the world’s aggregate gross domestic product. The Authority of the House of Lords (2009, p. 27) states ‘The major exception in international practice to the default position, mandated by the UN

Childhood Obesity and Cognitive Control Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Childhood Obesity and Cognitive Control - Essay Example The research indicated that obese children took longer for an incompatible task compared to the normal healthy weight children. There was no difference based on a compatible condition. In addition, obese children exhibited smaller error related negativity (ERN) amplitude compared to healthy weight children who have a lower post-error accuracy in response. The results suggested in the article were that childhood obesity is linked with a reduced ability to adjust the cognitive direct network that aids action monitoring. Cognitive control means the ability to coordinate thought and action in harmony with internal goals. The researcher was keen to determine the link between cognitive control and childhood obesity that has remained inconclusive. There has been minimal study done by researchers on this particular topic. Based on the current global epidemic, obesity in children needs further investigation to prove whether obesity has a link with cognitive control. It is evident, from the study, that childhood obesity is inversely associated with cognitive control. Conversely, not all studies have consistently shown an association linking poorer cognitive control and childhood obesity. The present study focused on an altered feature of cognitive control that had not been previously investigated, to give insight into the relationship between childhood obesity to brain health and cognition. Developmental studies indicate that pre-adolescent children demonstrate similar post-error reaction slowing as young adults and adolescent children. As such, it is significant that this behavioral measure of action supervision may not be responsive enough to detect delicate developmental effects. Therefore, an additional neuroelectric measure, error related negativity, may result in gaining understanding on the relationship between cognitive control and childhood obesity. Based on previous research, it is clear that scholars approved that the relationship existed, but

Anne Tyler's Digging to America Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Anne Tyler's Digging to America - Essay Example Although the novel's perspective shifts among its many characters, Sami's mother Maryam is at its narrative and emotional heart, who carefully tries to preserve her 'outsiderness'' and despite having emigrated from Iran almost 40 years earlier, is frequently perplexed by her son and daughter-in-law's ongoing relationship with the loud, opinionated, unapologetically American Donaldson. Anne Tyler uses the story of the families' growing friendship to explore what it means to be American . Two families keep in touch and meet every year to celebrate the day when they adopted two little girls from Korea. The Donaldsons and Yazdans have very different approaches to non-biological parenthood - Brad and Bitsy, "whose cultural sensitivity verges on aggression" (Schillinger, 2006), insist on calling their daughter Jin-ho, a Korean birth name, and dress her in Korean clothes while trying to retain the ethnic heritages of her daughter. Ziba and Sami Yazdan, in contrast, do their best to Americanize their daughter - the original name Sooki is replaced by more American Susan, which is also "a comfortable sound for Iranians to pronounce" (Matthews, 2006) and the way of life does not seem to be Korean for a girl. Despite the opposite brining up approaches the families maintain their relationship, and the reason is no

Bank of Maldives SWOT, Pestle and Porters Five Analysis

Bank of Maldives SWOT, Pestle and Porters Five Analysis Jump to: Mission and Vision of the Bank of Maldives SWOT Analysis PESTLE Analysis Porter’s Five Analysis GAP Analysis Segment Analysis BCG Matrix Porter’s Generic Strategy Ansoff Matrix Human Resources Introduction Bank of Maldives Overview On 23rd May 1982, Bank of Maldives was registered (Company Registry No. C-22/1982) with Ministry of Home Affairs as a company. On 10 November 1982 BML was registered at Maldives Monetary Authority and was given license to provide banking business in the Maldives. http://www.indexmundi.com/g/g.aspx?c=mvv=71 Joint venture with IFCI On November 11, 1982 Bank of Maldives Plc was inaugurated and started commercial operation as a joint venture bank with 60% shares held by the Government of the Maldives (including its Agencies and Maldivian Companies) and 40% shares owned by International Finance Investment Company Limited (later IFIC Bank Limited), Dhaka, Bangladesh. Until 31st December 1992, the Bank was managed by the professionals of IFIC Bank Limited and they were paid 10% of the Banks profit. During the tenth year of the Bank, the Government of Maldives decided to re-structure the Bank of Maldives as such requested the IFIC Bank Ltd to reduce the share holding and also the number of representation in the Board. Consequently IFIC Bank Ltd decided to dispose off its entire shares in the Bank of Maldives and terminate its relations with the Bank with the expiry of the Management Contract on December 31, 1992. Bank of Maldives Become Public Limited Company Government of Maldives purchased 40 per cent shares On 14 November 1992, held by IFIC Bank Ltd. As a result, 80 per cent of the share capital of the Bank of Maldives was owned by the Government while the remaining 20 per cent of the share capital was sold equally to the State Trading Organization and Maldives Transport and Contracting Company respectively. Company Shares Government decided and started, to sell Banks shares to the general public In December 1992, by way of a assessment to expand the Banks capital. From January 1, 1993, Bank of Maldives Plc has become, and since then remained, a bank fully owned by the people and the Government of the Maldives. The Bank of Maldives Plc issued shares during 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 1997, 1998 and 2007. In 2007, Memorandum and Articles of Association of the bank was revised, shares were split and bonus shares were given to the existing shareholders. As a result the authorised caiptal of the bank was increased from Rf 300 million to Rf 800 million. The face value of BML shares stand at Rf 50/-. Bank of Maldives Branches Bank of Maldives has 25 branches in the country Maldives. Out of 25 three branches are in Male, the capital, and 1 branch in Male International Airport (Hulhule Island) and 01 each in both Villingili ward and Hulhumale. The other branches of Bank of Maldives are distributed amongst the atolls of the country, each with a chosen command area. Therefore, the Bank of Maldives Plc is able to serve the whole nation. Strategies for businesses The main business of Bank of Maldives is retail banking in addition Bank of Maldives handle most of the development banking activities in all the atolls of the Nation, Bank of Maldives PLC covers a variety of modern banking services online in a fully computerized environment and is proud to be serving the nation as the leading bank in the Maldives. http://ebanking.bankofmaldives.com.mv/page/view/n/company/o/introduction Businesses are often so preoccupied with immediate issues that they lose sight of their ultimate objectives. Thats why a business review or preparation of a strategic plan is a virtual necessity. This may not be a recipe for success, but without it a business is much more likely to fail. A business strategy is a pattern of decision and actions that are taken by the business to achieve its objectives. Business planning involves deciding what is to be done, setting objectives and developing polices to achieve them. Strategic process is steps taken to achieve those objectives. Frame Work of Business Strategy In practice, strategic management process has three main components, shown in the figure below. http://courseware.finntrack.eu/institutions/lectur_4.htm There is a number of stages involve in the planning process. These include Identifying the objectives Analalysing the positions of the business Deciding on suitable strategy Implementing a suitable strategy Evaluating its effectiveness Strategic Planning Process C:UsersAroonDesktopthe-strategic-planning-process-thumb.jpg Mission Mission statement includes descriptions of the overall aims of the business and they tend to be aimed at stake holders in the business. Stakeholders are those individuals or groups that affect or have interest in how the business is running and also what it achieves. Mission statement of business will include information for all key stake holders of the business including employees, shareholders, and also customers. Bank of Maldives Mission statement We will lead the way through quality of service and dedication of our staff. We will serve all our communities to the best of our ability, strive always to listen to your needs and so build total customer confidence and satisfaction From BML Mission statement I found that the mission that the company established is based on blending the various interest of range of stakeholder grouping. Example one of the objective mentioned in mission statement is to lead the way through quality of service and dedication of our staffs it will benefits many stakeholders because customers will receive high quality product and services, shareholders will receive high dividends, employee will receive good wages, and so on. Vision A vision statement is sometimes called a picture of your company in the future but its so much more than that. Vision statement is our inspiration, the framework for all our strategic planning. A vision statement may apply to an entire company or to a single division of that company. Whether for all or part of an organization, the vision statement answers the question, Where do we want to go. Vision statement of Bank of Maldives To be the leader in the financial industry in Maldives, spreading its presence in all key economic geographies in Maldives To be the leader in the financial industry in Maldives, inculcating a long term saving culture in the nation and promoting a cashless society To be one of the most Efficient, Profitable and Respected financial institutions in Maldives. Values http://www.bankofmaldives.com.mv/SiteCollectionImages/mission-statement.jpg http://www.bankofmaldives.com.mv/InvestorRelations/Pages/OurCommitments.aspx The bank values lot of things like innovation, giving respect to others and receiving respect from others, also communication, innovation and integrity. Stakeholders of the business Customers Customers are one of the key stakeholders of the business as they are vital to the survival of the business. Bank of Maldives provides excellent services to its customers and has excellent relationship through respects, friendly services and also greeting and so on. Shareholders Bank of Maldives try to give maximum benefits to its shareholders and also have good relationship with them. The Annual General Meeting of the company is used to have an effective discussion with the shareholders on matters and issues which are of relevance and of concern to the general membership. The Banks website also provides information for the shareholders of the business. Employees Employees are other key stake holders of the company. Bank of Maldives has various ways. Bank provides training programs to employees to familiarize them companys policy and working practice. Bank also provides many packages and development opportunity to its employees. Suppliers In todays environment it is very important for good relationship to exist between business and suppliers. Government Government can influence and affect business in number of ways. Bank of Maldives has to follow the rule and regulation that is made by the government. And also government is 51% shareholder of the bank. Therefore provide full support to the company. Hierarchy of Objectives There are two types of objectives, corporate and functional level objectives. At the top level of an organization will often create a vision setting what and where they want to be in long run or in future and also the top level of organization will often create mission setting out the purpose of the organization and also mission statement is a path way to achieve its vision and then Organizations will create a hierarchy of objectives. The hierarchy of objective is a breakdown of Mission Corporate Objective Functional/Departmental Objective Team objective Individual Objective the objectives and presenting in a more understanding and also able to manual to the operational/functional level of employees of the organization. This process is because organizations believe that each and every individual should be clear of what is expected from them in order to accomplish the corporate objective. Strategic analysis Strategic analyses is all about analyzing the strength of businesses position and also analyzing the weakness and understanding the important external factors that may influence and effect the business position. The business strategy of a company provides the big picture that shows how all the individual activities are coordinated in the organization in order to achieve a desired end result. It is through the strategy process that the overall direction of the company is established. This is based on the external opportunities and threats, outside the organization or external environment creates, also the internal strengths and weaknesses of the business. There are many tools for process of Strategic Analysis which we can use to analyze the business such as: SWOT Analysis PEST Analysis Scenario Planning Five Forces Analysis Market Segmentation Directional Policy Matrix Competitor Analysis Critical Success Factor Analysis SWOT Analysis We can use SWOT analysis as a tool to conduct a general or detailed picture of a companys health. SWOT analysis is quick examination of a business current position so that it can identify internal strength and weakness and also external opportunities and threats. (S)trengths Financial stability and bank is well capitalized and this has enabled it to perform relatively well with largest financial network of 25 branches and 37 ATMs in Maldives. Highest market shares/over 260,000 loyal deposit account holders/ Over 53,000 lending relationships Government helps since it has 51% their share power Most effective recruitment and selection process and over 748 dedicated employees Awarded for 3 years about their customer satisfaction methods. Easy transections for its customers Updated technology as leader in electronic banking in card issuance with a wide network of POS terminal Nations most trusted company with the highest transections and strong customer relationship 27 years banking service in the market and well branded in the country Annual report 2009 (W)eaknesses Less number of employees to deal with their daily transections and customers problems. Limited dollar providing Difficult to get loans compare to their competitors Maldives is facing shortage of US dollars these days and most of the Expatriate working in Maldives is paid in Rufiyaa. Even to buy dollars from Bank of Maldives is something impossible these days. Due to the shortage of dollars most of the businesses are facing problems since Maldives import almost everything and businesses need to transfer their money to their suppliers. Also the foreigners those who are working in Maldives are paid in Rufiyaa and they also face problem due to shortage of dollars. I think that the shortages of US dollars are due to the world economy experienced tremendous instability in the year 2009, due consequences were felt in the Maldivian economy as well. The depression in tourism industry and fisheries industry played huge role as it posed numerous effect while the US Dollar liquidity crisis contributed added to the challenges being faced by the Bank. (O)pportunities Since they have got a good financial stability they can expand their business to other islands Sell more shares to the public market. It will increase their customers and also will be able to have a better capital to provide a good service To deal with their daily transections and to get experience from developed banks like Swiss bank they can ask from the government talk about it with them. (T)hreats Recently have stopped providing any types of card to the customers Economic crises Competitors I think the strengths of the company can be assessed as companys resources and also the company capabilities which can be used as a root to achieve its objectives and goals and also for developing a competitive advantage. There are many external threats and opportunities which organization has to face. So that Business can try to maintain the strengths and try to overcome from the weaknesses as internal factors those can be controlled by the business, but external factors cannot be controlled by the business because they are independent. Therefore business can try to take advantages of opportunities so it can be key to be success in future and have to try to manage the threats as well. Or have to try to reduce its negative influences to the organization. PESTLE It is very important that an organization considers its environment before beginning the marketing process. In fact, environmental analysis should be continuous and feed all aspects of planning. http://imagetrail.net/image/5042061/PEST-Analysis.aspx (P)olitical In Maldives government doesnt influence most of the business. But Bank of Maldives is a government company so they take decisions according to their political decisions. Most of the businesses in this country are private business. Government helps to their business to carry it with the highest level they can and to expend it. However they have recently announced that they will make new rules to the tertiary sector business. So its important for them to update the changes and obey the rules and regulation of ministry of trade and industry. The political changes need to be monitored very often especially during these days. As there is changes in political system or due to the implementation of party system in the country and the new laws passed by the government plays a vital role in todays business climate. So, I feel that the management and investors needs to be cooperative with the new system and government in order to keep running in the market. Moreover, Bank of Maldives is one of the biggest service industry in the country and also it is central bank of Maldives so political factors may effect the business for some extent. (E)conomical After the tsunami the country was developing rapidly their business and starting new business. Inflation of country is controlled in recent years. Mixed economy is one of the key features of the country that take account of tourism, fishing and other industry. http://www.indexmundi.com/maldives/inflation_rate_%28consumer_prices%29.html Mixed economy plays huge role in businesses growth and is can be an important aspect of the Maldives economy hence for most of the company government helps and government have shares in most of the leading company such as State trade Organization plc., Bank of Maldives and so on, In 1989, the economic reform program implemented by the government lifted the import quota and encouraged exports to the private sector. Later on, the liberalized conventions allowed more foreign investments. Therefore I feel one of the targeted markets for Bank of Maldives that is foreigners became the customers of the business. http://www.economywatch.com/world_economy/maldives/ On the other hand, GDP reduced in 2007-08, then contracted in 2009 and the reason may be due to the worldwide recession. Falling tourist arrivals and fish exports, combined with high government spending on social needs, subsidies, and civil servant salaries contributed to a balance of payments crisis in 2009. Diversifying the economy beyond tourism and fishing, reforming public finance, and increasing employment opportunities are major challenges facing the government. Maldives GDP- Real growth rate (%) http://www.indexmundi.com/g/g.aspx?c=mvv=66 Therefor Bank of Maldives may face economic problems in upcoming years. So it is very important for BML to keep an eye on economic changes that comes every now and then. Taking in this aspect, interest rate and inflation plays a keys role. A very slight change in the interest rate brings a change in the price of product. So I would advise the management to observe the economic changes that comes very often. On the other hand most of the stakeholder of the company believes that in upcoming year economy will be favorable to the business. Moreover, in the market Bank of Maldives have got so many new competitors like HSBC and Bank of Ceylon. Most of the people still trust Bank of Maldives because of being the oldest Bank in the country and also its under the control of government. Most of the transaction are done in the capital city. So economically they will face much trouble from other business, Because HSBC can be a competitor who will be able to get market share. They have the best dollar providing service. When looking in to the people perspective, most of the people have bank accounts. And all most all the people are aware about the modern world (S)ocial Maldives economy is based on about the social could be their spending is higher and less saving. This way happens mostly with the youngsters. Everything for them is fun and enjoying. And each every of them has their own bank account. Thats why it increases the bank transection. Also government employees should have bank account in BML and most of the money transections of government are done through BML. Bank of Maldives caters to customers in unbanking islands through its Dhon services, Also facilitator of infrastructure development to enhance the living standard of local community. BML extends its support to various initiatives in view of the socioeconomic benefits. Among these initiatives BML cosponsored GCE High Achievers Award ceremony and worked alongside the Maldives Police Service to create awareness regarding counterfeit currency. Furthermore BML also extended its support through providing sponsorship for the Democracy Fair held during 2009 and the fishermans day activities. Further efforts to extend our corporate responsibility stance involved daily collection facilitation for state insurance scheme Madhana by all branches of the Bank. BML fully funded the acquiring of an ECG Treadmill for IGM Hospital for the benefit of patients utilizing the services of the hospital. BML is the pioneer and leader of microfinance facilities for rural development and to SME sector projects throughout Maldives. These loans significantly contribute to improving the livelihood of rural communities, alleviating poverty and creating employment opportunities. BML report 2009 (T)echnological Technology is vital to gain competitive advantage, and is a major driver of globalization. Changes in technology have also become mainly weighty in the world. This is for the most part true in terms of modern communication technologies todays environment. The creation of databases and electronic communications help to have easy communications and have enabled huge quantities of information to be shared and quickly distributed all around the world with cost reductions, and often improvements in service and product. Organizations need to be aware of the latest relevant technologies for their business and due to high competition in the market. Bank of Maldives use latest technology to implement business processes, manage risks and provide excellent customer service. Such as Online electronics banking, mobile banking and internet banking, ATM service etc. Also bank is fully computerized and provides almost all the banking services needed for the citizens and business establishments in Maldives. There for I suggest bank of Maldives it is very important to be in touch with new technology as the technology has brought the people together with the best, comfortable and convenient life. Also technology is one of the biggest issues in modern world and also to provide best services to its customer and to create competitive advantage against rivals in the market. Porters Fives Forces Five Force analyses assume that there are five important forces that determine competitive power in a situation. These are:http://www.tutor2u.net/business/images/five_forces.gif Threat of New Entrants The number of business in a market may not be always be a useful guide to completion in that market. New entrants to an industry can raise the level of competition, by this means reducing its attractiveness an also if it is easy for business to enter markets then the competition likely to be greater. The threat of new entrants largely depends on the barriers to entry. High entry barriers exist in some industries. Key barriers to entry include: Economies of scale The need of Capital or investment requirement Customer switching costs Access to industry distribution channels The likelihood of retaliation from existing industry players. Bank of Maldives is the only local bank in Republic of Maldives. There are other banks like State bank of India, Habib Bank, HSBC bank, etc in Maldives, but they do not have more than one branch. I am not sure if there is any restriction to open more than one branch for foreign banks in Maldives. Bank of Maldives has many branches in Male the capital of Maldives as well as in remote islands. In my point of views It is difficult for new entrants to enter in banking industry due to threat of new entrants largely depends on the barriers to entry. To enter in the banking industry in Maldives for local business it will be difficult due to capital requirement they need to invest on the business, and also it is difficult to gain economies of scale. Also Bank of Maldives is one of the highest distributors with 25 branches all over the country. Threat of Substitutes This depends upon the extent to which business can differentiate their products from those of competitors .The substitute products can lower industry attractiveness and profitability because they limit price levels. The threat of substitute products depends on: Buyers willingness to substitute The relative price and performance of substitutes The costs of switching to substitutes Bargaining Power of Suppliers Suppliers are the businesses that supply materials other products into the industry. Powerful suppliers can increase the cost of a business. If suppliers have high bargaining power over a company, then in principle the companys industry is less attractive. The bargaining power of suppliers will be high when there are number of suppliers and also when there are many buyers and also the importance of the product which is supplied or undifferentiated, highly valued products bargaining power of supplier will be high. For BML bargaining power of suppliers will be less due to more dominant supplier like Rainbow, all brothers business and so on. Bargaining Power of Buyers Buyers are the people / organisations who create demand in an industry. The bargaining power of buyers is greater when There are few dominant buyers and many sellers in the industry Products are standardized Buyers threaten to integrate backward into the industry Suppliers do not threaten to integrate forward into the buyers industry The industry is not a key supplying group for buyers For BML I feel bargaining power of buyer is less because BML is only a company that caters the customers all over the country and they have branches in many part of the country and also the other competitors such as HNB is have only one branch in the country which is also is located in capital Male. Intensity of Rivalry The intensity of rivalry between competitors in an industry will depend on: The structure of competition for example, rivalry is more intense where there are many small or equally sized competitors; rivalry is less when an industry has a clear market leader. BML is a market leader of Banks in Maldives. The structure of industry costs for example, industries with high fixed costs encourage competitors to fill unused capacity by price cutting Degree of differentiation industries where products are commodities (e.g. steel, coal) have greater rivalry; industries where competitors can differentiate their products have less rivalry . For BML the degree of differentiation is higher than the other competitors. Switching costs rivalry is reduced where buyers have high switching costs i.e. there is a significant cost associated with the decision to buy a product from an alternative supplier Strategic objectives when competitors are pursuing aggressive growth strategies, rivalry is more intense. Where competitors are milking profits in a mature industry, the degree of rivalry is less Exit barriers when barriers to leaving an industry are high (e.g. the cost of closing down factories) then competitors tend to exhibit greater rivalry. Having a good pricing strategy and a good customer care will enhance Bank of Maldives to catch up the marker easily and maximize the profit. GAP analysis Bench Marking Benchmarking is the process of measuring an organizations internal processes then identifying, understanding, and adapting outstanding practices from other organizations considered to be best-in-class. By Benchmarking the business can discover performances of the business compare to competitors or with the organization which the business is bench marking and also can identify the most compatible for the business to bench mark.. Source: http://www.benchnet.com/wib.html View date: 20 November 2009 Core Competency Core competencies are those strengths or abilities that are critical to a business achieving competitive advantage. Senior management cannot focus on all activities of a business and the competencies required undertaking them. So the goal is for management to focus attention on competencies that really affect competitive advantage. The Core competencies are the most significant value creating skills within Bank of Maldives and key areas of expertise which are distinctive to the business and critical to the Bank of Maldives long term growth. I believe core competencies are the thing that Bank of Maldives can do better than the competitors in the field. So there are competitive advantages in Bank of Maldives that is difficult to imitate by the competitors in the market to gain the core competencies. The loyalty customers had towards the Bank of Maldives is a core competency that business had, compared to the competitors, and is also high. Customer care had a great impact on the business as well since the employees services to the customer of human resource cannot be copied by competitors. Segmentation and Products and services of Bank of Maldives Segment Analysis By Geographical segment- Bank operate only in Maldives By business segment Retail banking Corporate banking Electronic banking Development banking Bank of Maldives Corporate Banking Loans and leasing Working capital facilities Working capital facilities Investment financing Credit card lines, electronic banking and foreign trade services and so on International Banking Electronic Banking Mobile Banking Online Banking ATM Services Development Banking For Bank of Maldives using technology such as ,Automated Teller Machine, online banking and Mobile banking will reduce the amount of transections of bank and customers can acquire services at their offices every day. Also the bank can gain from such services, is reducing their operational costs via decrease in tellers and cashiers, when less number of customers attend the bank to get the services. Right now the bank is charging Rf 2 per any transaction on an Automated Teller Machine (ATM), and Rf 1800 for internet banking services with account to account transfer services. For the Bank implementing such services incur a huge cost. BCG Matrix The BCG matrix technique is based on the product life cycle concept that can be used to determine how much importance should be given in the product portfolio of a business element. To make sure long-term value creation, a company should have a portfolio of products that contains both high growth products in need of cash inputs and low growth products that generate a lot of cash. It has two dimensions. The first one is market share and second dimension is market growth. The basic idea behind it is that the larger the market share a product has or the faster the products market grows the better it is for the company. http://cnx.org/content/m35356/latest/ Last edited by Jared Adler on Oct 6, 2010 1:05 pm GMT-5. The four categories are: Dogs Dogs have low market growth and low market share and do not generate any money or consume a large amount of cash. So they need to be killed Question marks Question marks are also called as problem child and might have future potential as they are in growth market, but the sales are not particularly good. Also with rapid market growth and also consume large amount of cash due to low market share they do not generate much money. Such as Online banking and Mobile banking are question mark products of Bank of Maldives. Stars star products are those who with a large share of high growth Cash cows As leaders in a mature market, cash cows exhibit a return on assets that is greater than the market

PALM WINE :: essays research papers

â€Å"Palm Wine† is a story of an anthropologist named Bertrand that traveled to Senegal on a graduate fellowship to collect proverbs from its people (McKnight 35). The miscommunication, lack of understanding, and appreciation for the people of Senegal caused alienation between them and Bertrand. I believe that if Bertrand went to Senegal with an absorbent mind frame and stuck to his academic responsibilities, he would have fulfilled his purpose and came out of this journey with a new found respect and some proverbs.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The language barrier between Omar, Bertrand and Doudou caused indifference between them. I notice that when you don’t like a certain person you tend to tune them out and only pick up a portion of what is being stated. Even though Omar’s â€Å"English was relatively poor† it was clear that Bertrand â€Å"didn’t really like him† (McKnight 36). Doudou felt offended to be studied like rats in a laboratory without being asked. He and his people felt disrespected and felt as if people of Bertrand’s profession â€Å"steal from them† (McKnight 40). In a sense, I think they mean that they steal their culture by writing in books what they perceive and not what the culture of traditions are really about.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Bertrand was already behind â€Å"because of a lengthy bout of malaria† (McKnight 35). Knowing this, he should have been more prepared and geared up to collect the Wolof proverbs. He was caught up in this idea and desire to acquire this palm wine. A yearn that he obtained from reading â€Å"The Palm-Wine Drunkard in college† (McKnight 35). Bertrand knew that his intentions on getting a hold of some proverbs were low on the list compared to getting some palm wine. He stated, â€Å"I took my pad, pencils, and tape recorder along, knowing I wasn’t going to use them† (McKnight 35).   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  I feel that Bertrand did look at anthropology as being â€Å"the study of primitive cultures†(McKnight 39). He didn’t appreciate it as a culture rich in tradition but as a place yet to be civilized. He wasn’t taking in the people and their customs and way of life; he only wanted what they could offer that could calm his thirst which was the palm wine.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Once he attained the palm wine and realized that this wine that the Drinkard â€Å"soujourns through many cruel and horrifying worlds to in order in try to retrieve† (McKnight 35) is an â€Å"acquired taste† (McKnight 39).

People Who Are Making a Difference in the World

PEOPLE WHO ARE MAKING A DIFFERENCE IN THE WORLD Thurday 12/03/09 1. I’m Bob Doughty. 2. And I’m Barbara Klein with EXPLORATIONS in VOA Special English. Today we tell about five individuals around the world who are making a difference. They are making the world a better place by helping people in special ways. 1. Our first individual who is making a difference is a refugee from Burma. Thousands of people flee Burma each year to escape poverty, oppression and civil war. Many of them choose to stay in Thailand. Cynthia Maung is a Burmese doctor who operates a small public health center near the Thai border with Burma.She is making a difference in her community by providing services that are not available to most people in this area. 2. Many people are waiting at the public health center. Mothers and their children wait in line to get vaccines to protect them against diseases. In another line, parents with newborn babies wait for documents that show their babies were born i n Thailand. The documents take the place of birth certificates. Thai officials do not recognize these people because they are refugees. But Doctor Cynthia Maung does. 1.Doctor Cynthia, as she is called, fled Burma in nineteen eighty-eight after a military campaign against people who demonstrated for democracy and justice. She says she joined with the demonstrators. She says people started disappearing or fleeing to the border when Burma’s military seized power. She decided to settle near the border to work for political change. 2. In a small building, Cynthia Maung started performing operations and helping women give birth. She cleaned her instruments in a rice cooker. She also trained young volunteer health workers.Today, those workers treat people for landmine injuries and many diseases. Her health care center receives donations of money from non-governmental organizations and foreign governments, including the United States. 1. Doctor Cynthia makes a little money go a long way. Each year, one hundred fifty thousand people come for treatment. Those who can, pay less than one dollar. 2. Doctor Cynthia lives next to the health center. She says the workers there do not only treat diseases. They also educate young people who go back and support health activities in their communities.For example, the center trains volunteer health workers who go back to work in the ethnic Karen and other areas of Burma. Some of the volunteers are former patients who are now helping others. Doctor Cynthia says young people should be taught not to feel like victims. Instead, she says, they should see themselves as people who can change and improve their situation. 1. Theary Seng is a human rights activist working to heal her country, Cambodia. As a child, she lived through the rule of the Khmer Rouge during the nineteen seventies.During four years in power, the Khmer Rouge was responsible for the deaths of at least one million, five hundred thousand Cambodians. Theary Sengâ €™s parents were among those killed. After the fall of the Khmer Rouge, she escaped to Thailand and then went to the United States. She attended law school and became a lawyer. 1. Now, Theary Seng is back in Cambodia, supporting human rights as the head of the Center for Social Development. She is a critic of corruption and abuse wherever it exists — in Cambodia and around the world.At a recent demonstration in Phnom Penh, she attempted to leave flowers to honor those killed in the civil war in the Darfur area of Sudan. But Cambodian government officials prevented her from doing so. 2. Theary Seng takes a special interest in the Khmer Rouge Tribunal. The court is starting to take legal action against former Khmer Rouge leaders for their crimes. She serves as an official representative for the victims. 1. She also has a television show. It seeks to find the country’s next generation of young leaders.Theary Seng says her work is not to do anything big but to be a com mon citizen in her homeland where she suffered in the past. THEARY SENG: â€Å"And now, I’m taking that suffering, and shaping it into hope, and trying to work with individuals who had not the time and space to heal that I’ve had. † 1. William Saydee is making a difference in his country, Liberia. In Monrovia, the capital, the sound of typing mixes with the sound of cars in the street. Mister Saydee is a clergyman and former accountant. (SOUND) He now works as a typist and teacher. He is teaching unemployed Liberians how to type.The students do not pay him anything. One of the students is Isaiah Thomas. He says he is learning to type because he wants to work for an international company. 2. William Saydee says he wants to help young people gain a skill to succeed. He says it is the best he can do to help Liberia re-build after years of civil war. Mister Saydee earns money by typing contracts and other documents, like resumes. A resume is a list of a personâ€⠄¢s education and work experience. It can be useful when a person is looking for a job. (MUSIC) 1. Comic book artist Robert Walker is making a difference in New York City.He uses his art to help people understand the disease AIDS. Many children and even adults in the United States enjoy reading comic books. Superheroes in comic books have unusual abilities. They use their abilities to help people and save the world. Like most superheroes, Mister Walker’s characters have special powers. For example, one superhero can see in the dark. One can lift more than three hundred tons. Another can come back from the dead. Also, like most superheroes, his characters have to deal with trouble. These superheroes all have H. I. V. , the virus that causes AIDS.Mister Walker says some members of his family died of AIDS when he was a child. That gave him the idea to create a comic book called â€Å"O Men. † It includes nine characters living with H. I. V. The characters are men and wome n who represent different races and socio-economic groups. They also were infected with the virus in different ways. Mister Walker says he wanted to fight depressing images connected with the disease. ROBERT WALKER: â€Å"It’s not a black disease. It’s not a white disease. It’s not a gay disease. It’s a disease of humanity that lacks awareness. † 1.Gerry Gladston is the co-owner of Midtown Comics in New York City. He says many comic books have important political, social and educational messages. Mister Walker spoke to many H. I. V. and AIDS organizations in researching his comic book. He says he wanted to make the stories realistic as well as factual. 2. Yohannes Gebregiorgis is an Ethiopian-American who returned to the land of his birth to make a difference. Yohannes, as he is known, became an American citizen many years ago. But he gave up his life as a children’s librarian in San Francisco, California.Yohannes says he was concerned that Ethiopian children had no books. He said most schools in Ethiopia do not have libraries. There are almost no children’s books in any of Ethiopia’s many languages. So Yohannes started the Donkey Mobile Library to provide children with their first books. His group brings books to children who have none. YOHANNES GEBREGIORGIS: â€Å"Most kids we have noticed holding a book upside down. We have taken pictures of those kids. But later on we find out that those kids learn how to use the book, how to flip the pages and to look at the pictures and then gradually to read the stories in the book. 1. More donkey mobile libraries are planned, with money from groups in the United States. Donated English-language books have begun arriving in Ethiopia. Also, Yohannes has established a publishing company to produce books in languages that local children can read. His first book was published in three languages. It is a re-telling of an old folk story about, what do you think? A boy a nd his favorite animal — a donkey! 2. In the beginning, children came to the mobile library mainly because of the donkeys. But Yohannes discovered that what really excited the children was the books.He dreams about taking his donkey mobile libraries to more Ethiopian towns and villages. After all, there are millions of other children who want to learn to read. 1. This program was written by VOA correspondents and adapted by Shelley Gollust. Our producer was Mario Ritter. I’m Bob Doughty. 2. And I’m Barbara Klein. You can download audio and read scripts on our Web site, voaspecialenglish. com. Join us again next week for EXPLORATIONS in VOA Special English. http://blog. 360. yahoo. com/blog-Z3b93Sw5dKiGLDSLftiVYk1BXzLWCwAr3Q–;_ylt=AkizEO6ZhqbgHK3F3A9hoyK0AOJ3? cq=1