Reform Measures in Healthcare

Reform Measures in Healthcare Within a rapidly expanding global community, evolving economies and social structures challenge local governments to reform and revise historical practices in more supportive and efficient manners. New public sector management aligns explicit standards and objectives with a ‘hands on’ management technique dedicated to generating tangible outputs and improving efficiencies. Global leaders in such progressive policies recognize that convergence between nations as well as internal organisations continues to evolve public policy towards cohesive and translatable objectives. Recognizing the multinational variability inherent in public sector modernisation, the OECD (2003) reminds that oftentimes systemic differences and public transparency offer significant challenges to integrating such convergence methodology. Yet policy evolution challenges governing bodies to recognize the benefits of actively participating within the public sector and defining the nature of organisationa l compartmentalisation as well as establishing a participative role within a much broader multi-national enterprise. Perhaps one of the most researched models of public sector management, the health care sector offers a challenging, yet essential participle to works programmes that are increasingly becoming a staple of humanitarian necessity. Goddard and Mannion (2004) recognized that governance systems evolve around a hybrid of vertical and horizontal methods, each imposing unique performance expectations on the constructs of public programmes. The former, a mode of authoritative control from a central body, enables dissemination of ideologies and performance expectations across a broad range of coordinated operations. More autonomous by nature and open to rapid evolution, under horizontal initiatives, local programmes are responsible for performance initiatives, oftentimes competing and collaborating with their counterparts throughout the process. Both the UK and China have integrated varied representations of such programmes as modes of reforming their health care initiatives. While similarities and natural convergence exist in practice and policy, the historic path towards improved public programmes has undergone dramatically divergent modes of operation. The following sections compare and contrast such evolution, recognizing the opportunities for future reform as health care reform becomes an increasingly volatile political topic. In order to appropriately consider reform measures, government leaders must actively consider the benefits of decentralisation and potential for accountability protocol in spite of divergence. Davies, et al. (2005) challenge that it is important to the reform process to explore the advantages of increased competition prior to policy implementation; from this proactive, analytical standpoint, national leaders can actively direct their performance expectations in a result driven programme. Given the objectives of disggregation, performance contracting must integrate a multi-dimensional structure, one which becomes innate within corporate procedures, policies, and activities, and is regularly audited for compliance (Talbot, et al., 2000). Those nations who establish firm programme objectives prior to implementation will allow a variety of targeted studies, including convergence comparisons, future feasibility protocol, and concise results analysis. Within the UK reform system, the Natio nal Health Service (NHS) has been designed with performance measurement guidelines strictly integrated into its foundation. Specifically, the formation of Foundation Trusts, a type public-private partnership, has enabled regulation through achievement of performance objectives directly related to both economic and social expectations (Goddard and Mannion, 2004). A form of both vertical and horizontal control, such foundations provide for accountability along government sponsored programme lines as well as intra-network through their partnerships with other trusts. Talbot, et al. (2000) recognize that once agency control has been extended outside of the locus of governmental control, regaining oversight and returning operations to an internal government function is both difficult and oftentimes detrimental to the success of the programme. For China, however, this locus of control has presented a much more dire challenge, as redistribution of power to local authorities in the 1990â₠¬â„¢s represented a dramatic decline in health care coverage and a lack of social equity in opportunities. Historic challenges within the public sector reform initiatives are directly linked to a relaxed sphere of governmental control, one which is deeply seeded in a loss of democratic abilities, diverse and incongruous organisational formats, and coordination failures (OECD, 2004). Perhaps one of the most integral but challenging objectives of public sector reform is that of economic benefit and appropriate balances throughout a developing system. Between 1978 and 1990, the Chinese government, realising that medical subsidies were limiting economic growth, reduced government spending from 32% to 15% of GDP revenue (Blumenthal and Hsiao, 2005). Palmer (2006) notes that in the UK, health care expenses currently account for around 7 percent per annum of English GDP and is expected to increase to around 8 percent over the coming five years. In spite of the dedicated capital flow, historic Chinese health care relied on an inefficient system which was eventually devolved to local governments and provincial leaders, dramatically adjusting the available financing within poorer rural areas (Blumenthal and Hsiao, 2005). In fact, recent data from the Chinese Ministry of Health demonstrates that spending per capita throughout urban areas is over 3.5 times that of rural are as, underling the subversive mechanisms of public sector divergence and reform efforts (Chinese Health Statistical Digest, 2005). Under the reformed UK NHS system, such deficiencies are idealistically reduced through a system of weighted capitation and demand-side reform (Department of Health, 2005). The long term objective is to impose efficiency standards on PCT’s in an effort to regulate the dispersion of funding across large geographical areas. In this way, both urban and rural participants receive equitable treatment and humanitarian interests are maintained in spite of social standing. The recent revision to the Chinese health care plan boasts similar principles, placing citizen services before profit and transitioning its national healthcare system to one of non-profit status (Juan, 2008). Unfortunately, a programme which is primarily reliant on tax surplus and participant fee payments will flounder within the overwhelming needs of a rapidly expanding global power. One method that evolving governments have actualized rapid growth and economic stability is through public private partnerships and privatisation. Hsiao (1995) notes that given the radical shift away from governmental funding, market-oriented fee based systems became normative throughout China, thereby reducing the propensity of rural poor to pursue inoculations and more common medical treatments due to an overwhelming cost basis. The modern Chinese system purports a much more inclusive focus, challenging consumers to participate within the reform mechanisms and have a voice in government initiatives (China Daily News, 2008). Yet even under the reform measures within the NHS system, citizen vocalization remains a key point of debate, as a recent survey generated less than favourable results for the progress over the past several years. Ultimately, the challenge to the governing organisations is to allow a participative structure with accountability protocol for local commissioners wh o fail at their expected duties (Department of Health, 2008). Returning oversight to trusts and local authorities and expanding focus away from private finance initiatives and privately managed health care systems will continue to redress the challenges of performance achievement and social participation. Privatisation within the Chinese medical infrastructure has dramatically altered the quality and cost basis of medical services, undermining the needs of a financially burdened population, and evading governmental oversight due to limited performance evaluations and control mechanisms (Liu and Mills, 2002). Similarly, Dummer and Cook (2007) challenge that the Chinese regime moves towards a privatised and market-based economy of health care has led to inequity and inefficiency in the health service system, directly undermining the expected performance results achieved by international counterparts. Considerations within public sector often revolve around government oversight and market partnerships which sustain broad focus objectives and offer progressive reform stability. One evolution of the NHS system which has a occurred as a result of the 2004 and 2006 white papers is the introduction of community health care, and most importantly, a predictive structure which integrates both local preventative care facilities with hospital services (Palmer, 2006). Exemplary of opportunism within private practice, within its historic format, Chinese practitioners have been encouraged to utilize more sophisticated methods of diagnosis and treatment (and by nature, more costly) as government subsidies actively reduce the cost of more fundamental treatments in order to extend medical opportunities to all classes of citizens (Wagstaff and Lindelow, 2008). Lakin (2005) reminds that within developing nations, natural inadequacies within the regime structure oftentimes encourage the integration of agency initiatives and public works management. An evasion tactic, agency integration offers an exodus from bureaucratic inefficiencies, thereby benefiting both social and economic development at a much more rapid and effective pace than government oversight can offer. Under the reform mechanisms set in motion in the NHS system, general practitioners (GP’s) are offered incentives for reducing the number of unnecessary hospital referrals and maintaining an appropriate geographic area for patient distribution (Palmer, 2006). Chinese reform mechanisms challenge practitioners to ensure appropriate distribution of the patient base, limiting hospital visits to those scenarios which require complex solutions not actionable at their local clinic or GP (Juan, 2008). The nature of reform is one which continues to evolve as public interest and more efficient solutions become visible through experience and convergence. The OECD in their 2004 Policy Brief reminds that the impetus for public administration should be one founded on governance and not the narrowed and limiting principles of managerial oversight. This secondary nature defines the nature of policy implementation, and as public programmes are expanded to include private partnerships, governance becomes a fundamental utility which is directly linked to well defined performance categories. In the 1970’s over 90% of rural Chinese workers were covered by the cooperative medical system (CMS), most of who lived within 1.5 km from a township health centre (Dummer and Cook, 2007). Other schemes, the labour insurance scheme (LIS) and the government insurance scheme (GIS) covered the broad scope of other Chinese citizens in varied employ, ensuring that medical coverage was generally free and government subsidised (Dummer and Cook, 2007). Figures show that by 2003, 80% of China’s population (640 million people) lacked health insurance and even those who were represented by agency coverage were increasingly challenged to cover a higher percentage of their own medical expenses (Anson and Sun, 2002). Similar challenges have evolved throughout the reform process of the NHS system, as available resources are inefficiently distributed among the population resulting in increased waiting times and misdirection of care due to resource allocation. Researchers note that within the current NHS reform mechanisms, the vertical alignment of performance creates an inequitable system within which primary care trusts (PCT’s) are challenged to meet efficiency expectations outside of their capacity (Palmer, 2006). Each representing a unique and politically charged challenge within the scheme of socio-economic expansion, the case studies of both the UK and China offer remarkable insight to the volatile and unpredictable world of public health care programmes. Ultimately, the nature of convergence, an informed collaboration across international borders will install comparable programmes within each system of operation; however, the nature of social and political environments ensures that public sector management techniques will remain unique to each governmental agency. Specific opportunities for policy reform do linger within each political structure, challenging conventional techniques and perceptions to evolve to meet public demand. First and foremost, the continued partnership with private enterprise will enable rapid evolution of public programmes for both nations in spite of their stages of development. By nature, the capitalisation of government programmes is dependent on the support of t he public; recognizing this frailty, government partnerships will continue to offer modes of revenue generation without directly affecting a hypersensitive community. Secondly, equity across geographic areas is essential to the principles of supportive health care programmes. The failures within both structures are inherent in the definition of equity itself, in that it can no longer be taken as a literal term. Communities with larger populations must be availed of a larger budget for health care provision; whereas those communities who are more rural and of smaller makeup may receive a more limited budget, the opportunity for expanding such funding given varied annual trends should be readily available. Finally, global insight recognizes that preventative care is a means to life preservation and progressive health care practices which fundamentally improve health by active methodology. Both nations already recognize the substantial cost savings from reducing the number of practitio ner visits through preventative awareness and care; therefore, revised programmes should place this educated perspective at the forefront of policy, actively ensuring that doctors and care providers are able to encourage such opportunities for wellbeing. While fully integrated convergence in a globalised community is an unrealistic ideal, the potential for collaborative development and multi-national partnership remains a worthy accompaniment to foreign policy. As health care programmes evolve and reform worldwide, the nature of humanity is one of wariness and rejection; through new public sector management practices, the potential for rapid assimilation and supportive expansion becomes a readily attuned mode of unprecedented participation. References Anson, O; Sun, S. (2002) â€Å"Gender and Health in Rural China: Evidence from HeBei Province.† Social Science and Medicine, Vol. 55, pp. 1039-1054. Bluementhal, D; Hsiao, W. â€Å"Privatization and its Discontents—The Evolving Chinese Health Care System.† The New England Journal of Medicine, Vol. 353, No. 11, pp. 1165-1170. â€Å"China’s Health Care Reform Focuses on Public Service.† (2008) China Daily, April 15th, Accessed on 8/2/08 From: http://www.chinadaily.com.cn/china/2008-04/15/content_6619372.htm. â€Å"Chinese Health Statistical Digest.† (2005) Chinese Ministry of Health. Davies, Lesley; Wright, Kathryn; Price, Catherine W. (2005) â€Å"Experience of Privatisation, Regulation, and Competition: Lessons for Governments.† Economic and Social Research Council, Centre for Competition Policy, Working Paper 05-5. Dummer, T.J.B; Cook, I.G. (2007) â€Å"Exploring China’s Rural Health Crisis: Processes and Policy Implications.† Health Policy, Vol. 83, pp. 1-16. â€Å"Engagement Analysis: NHS Next Stage Review, What We Heard From the Our NHS, Our Future, Process.† (2008) Department of Health, July, Accessed on 8/02/08 From: http://www.dh.gov.uk/publications. Goddard, Maria; Mannion, Russell. (2004) â€Å"The Role of Horizontal and Vertical Approaches to Performance Measurement and Improvement in the UK Public Sector.† Public Performance and Management Review, Vol. 28, No. 1, September, pp. 75-95. â€Å"Health Reform in England: Update and Next Steps.† (2005) Department of Health, Press Release, 2005/0445, 13th of December. Hsiao, W. (1995) â€Å"The Chinese Health Care System: Lessons for Other Nations.† Social Science and Medicine, Vol. 41, No. 8, pp. 1047-1055. Juan, Shan. (2008) â€Å"Equity Main Aim of Health Care Reform.† China Daily, March 14th, Accessed on 8/02/08 From: http://www.chinadaily.com.cn/china/2008npc/2008-03/14/content_6535754.htm. Laking, Rob. (2005) â€Å"Agencies: Their Benefits and Risks.† OECD Journal on Budgeting, Vol. 4, No. 4. Liu, X; Mills, A. (2002) â€Å"Financing Reforms of Public Health Services in China: Lessons for Other Nations.† Social Science and Medicine, Vol. 54, pp. 1691-1698. Palmer, Keith. (2006) â€Å"NHS Reform: Getting Back on Track.† London: King’s Fund, Accessed on 8/2/08 From: www.kingsfund.org.uk/publications. â€Å"Public Sector Modernisation.† (2003) OECD, Policy Brief, October. â€Å"Public Sector Modernisation: Changing Organisational Structures.† (2004) OECD, Policy Brief, September. â€Å"Public Sector Modernisation: Modernising Public Employment.† (2004) OECD, Policy Brief, July. Talbot, Colin; Pollitt, Christopher; Bathgate, Karen; Caulfield, Janice’ Reilly, Adrian; Smullen, Amanda. (2000) â€Å"The Idea of Agency: Researching the Agencification of the (Public Service) World.† Washington, D.C.: American Political Studies Association Conference, August. Wagstaff, Adam; Lindelow, Magnus. (2008) â€Å"Can Insurance Increase Financial Risk? The Curious Case of Health Insurance in China.† Journal of Health Economics, Vol. 27, pp. 990-1005.

Stock Exchange

What is Stock Exchange? A stock exchange is the market place for the purchase and sale of second hand securities. It provides â€Å"trading† facilities for stock brokers and traders, to trade shares of the listed companies and other financial instruments such as Term Finance Certificates and Derivatives. Stock exchanges also provide facilities for the issue (listing), redemption (delisting) of securities and other capital events including the payment of income and dividends. It is a key institution for smooth functioning and steady growth of the corporate sector and can be seen as a key to the economic life of a nation.Stock exchange is the home of the capital and pivot of the money market, providing proper mobility for capital. The securities of joint-stock companies, government securities and securities issued by semi-government organization are dealt with on a stock exchange. History of Stock Exchange The history of stock exchanges can be traced to 12th century France, when the first brokers (the role of an individual or a firm when it acts as an agent for a customer and charges the customer a commission for its services) are believed to have developed, trading in debt and government securities.Unofficial share markets existed across Europe through the 1600s, where brokers would meet outside or in coffee houses to make trades. The Amsterdam Stock Exchange, created in 1602, became the first official stock exchange when it began trading shares of the Dutch East India Company. These were the first company shares ever issued. By the early 1700s there were fully operational stock exchanges in France and England, and America followed in the later part of the century. Share exchanges became an important way for companies to raise capital for investment, while also offering investors the opportunity to share in company profits.The early days of the stock exchange experienced many scandals and share crashes, as there was little to no regulation and almost anyo ne was allowed to participate in the exchange. Today, stock exchanges operate around the world, and they have become highly regulated institutions. Investors wanting to buy and sell shares must do so through a share broker, who pays to own a seat on the exchange. Companies with shares traded on an exchange are said to be ‘listed' and they must meet specific criteria, which varies across exchanges.Most stock exchanges began as floor exchanges, where traders made deals face-to-face. The largest stock exchange in the world, the New York Stock Exchange, continues to operate this way, but most of the world's exchanges have now become fully electronic. Functions of Stock Market ? Ready Market Stock exchange is a continuous market for the resale of existing securities. It is a centre where buyers and sellers assemble to deal in securities at any time during the business hours. It enables investors to realize quickly their shares and debentures.This facility encourages people to inves t in business enterprise by means of buying industrial securities. It helps new investors to obtain securities at any time at market price. ? Protection to investors Protection of the interest of the investors is another function of stock exchange. This it does by ensuring safety and fair dealing to the average investors through strict enforcement of its rules and regulations. Without the cover of a stock exchange there may be unfair competition between different brokers. The investors may be deceived by clever and dishonest brokers.In a stock exchange any malpractice by a broker carries a severe penalty. ? Profitable use of funds Another major function of the stock exchange is the mobilization of surplus funds of individuals firms and companies for investment in industrial securities. Without the stock exchange, these funds would have remained idle. It directs the surplus funds into the most profitable channel and thereby secures their effective utilization. People invest their sav ings in companies yielding good returns. Stock exchange in Pakistan In Pakistan there are three stock exchanges, ? Karachi stock exchange (KSE) Lahore stock exchange (LSE) ? Islamabad stock exchange (ISE) Karachi Stock Exchange The KSE is the first stock exchange of Pakistan established in September 18, 1947 and incorporated in March 10, 1949. KSE start with 5 companies with a paid-up capital of RS 37 million. The first index was the KSE 100 index. KSE Indices Family ? KSE 100 The KSE100 index is a benchmark by which the stock price performance can be compared to over a period of time. In particular, the KSE 100 is designed to provide investors with a sense of how the Pakistan equity market is performing.Thus, the KSE100 is similar to other indicators that track various sectors of the Pakistan economic activity such as the gross national product, consumer price index, etc. The KSE-100 Index was introduced in November 1991 with base value of 1,000 points. The Index comprises of 100 c ompanies selected on the basis of sector representation and highest market capitalization, which tracks over 85% of the total market capitalization of the companies listed on the Exchange. ? KSE-30 Index The Karachi Stock Exchange has launched the KSE-30 Index with base value of 10,000 points, formally implemented from Friday, September 1, 2006.The main feature of this index that makes it different from other indices is: ? Based on the â€Å"Free Float Methodology† ? It includes only the top 30 most liquid companies listed on the KSE. ? KMI-30 ? Index introduced in September, 2008 ? Tracks the 30 most liquid Shariah-compliant companies listed at KSE weighted by free float adjusted market capitalization. ? Shariah Screening performed by Shariah Supervisory Board of Meezan Bank (chaired by Justice (Retd. ) Mufti Muhammad Taqi Usmani). ? KSE All Share Index ? It consists of all the companies listed on the KSE. ? KSE-GTOiOil & Gas Sector plays vital roles in Pakistan’s eco nomy and therefore KSE has developed a Tradable Oil & Gas Index which tracks at least 80% free-float market capitalization of the Oil & Gas Sector. This index provides Investors and Market Intermediaries with an appropriate benchmark that captures the performance of each segment of the economy. KSE-100 Composition Basis The selection criteria for stock inclusion in the existing KSE-100 Index is based on three main filters, namely Sector rule, Capitalization rule and Default rule. The top sector companies may also qualify for inclusion on the basis of their market capitalization. Sector Rule Largest market capitalization in each Karachi Stock Exchange sectors excluding Open-end Mutual Fund Sector ? The Largest Capitalization Rule The remaining index places are taken up by the largest market capitalization companies in descending order. ? The Default Counter and Non Tradable Rule Company which is on the Defaulters’ Counter and/or its trading is suspended; declare Non-Tradable ( i. e. NT) in preceding 6 months from the date of re-composition shall not be considered in the re-composition of KSE-100 Index . How many stocks are registered and categories? The total number of companies listed in KSE is 572 with a listed capital of RS. 1103072. 80 million ? In KSE companies are listed under following categories according to the nature of their industry. |Sector Wise Categories of Companies | |Oil and Gas |Pharma and Bio Tech | |Chemicals |Media |Forestry |Travel & leisure | |Industrial metals and mining |Fixed line Telecommunication | |General industries |Electricity | |Electronic and electrical Goods |Multiutilities | |Engineering |Commercial Banks | |Industrial Transportation |Non Life Insurance | |Support services |Life insurance | |Automobile and Parts |Real estate investment and services | |Beverages |financial services | |Food Producers |Equity Investment Instruments | |Household Goods |Software and computer services | |Leisure Goods. |Technology Hard ware and Equipment | |Personal Goods | | |Personal Goods | | |Tobacco | |Advance /Decline: If there is increasing trend in the prices of share then we said that the market gains the index or points and vice versa. Points: Points shows the Overall worth of the market. There are many factors that influence the market points and due to these factors market’s point increases or increases. These factors consist of formulae of capital structure and other related things. In Pakistan value of 1 point is approximately equal to 5 crores and it changes due to inflation and other economic factors. When an individual invest an amount equal to 5 Crores then 1 point increases and when he/she pull back his investment then 1 point decreases 1 point = 5 Crores Stock Exchange A stock market or equity market is a public (a loose network of economic transactions, not a physical facility or discrete) entity for the trading of company stock (shares) and derivatives at an agreed price; these are securities listed on a stock exchange as well as those only traded privately. The size of the world stock market was estimated at about $36. 6 trillion at the start of October 2008. The total world derivatives market has been estimated at about $791 trillion face or nominal value,[2] 11 times the size of the entire world economy. The stocks are listed and traded on stock exchanges which are entities of a corporation or mutual organization specialized in the business of bringing buyers and sellers of the organizations to a listing of stocks and securities together. The largest stock market in the United States, by market capitalization, is the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE). In Canada, the largest stock market is the Toronto Stock Exchange. Major European examples of stock exchanges include the Amsterdam Stock Exchange, London Stock Exchange, Paris Bourse, and the Deutsche Borse (Frankfurt Stock Exchange). In Africa, examples include Nigerian Stock Exchange, JSE Limited, etc. Asian examples include the Singapore Exchange, the Tokyo Stock Exchange, the Hong Kong Stock Exchange, the Shanghai Stock Exchange, and the Bombay Stock Exchange. In Latin America, there are such exchanges as the BM&F Bovespa and the BMV. A few decades ago, worldwide, buyers and sellers were individual investors, such as wealthy businessmen, usually with long family histories to particular corporations. Over time, markets have become more â€Å"institutionalized†; buyers and sellers are largely institutions (e. g. , pension funds, insurance companies, mutual funds, index funds, exchange-traded funds, hedge funds, investor groups, banks and various other financial institutions). The rise of the institutional investor has brought with it some improvements in market operations. Thus, the government was responsible for â€Å"fixed† (and exorbitant) fees being markedly reduced for the ‘small' investor, but only after the large institutions had managed to break the brokers' solid front on fees. (They then went to ‘negotiated' fees, but only for large institutions. History : Established in 1875, the Bombay Stock Exchange is Asia's first stock exchange. In 12th century France the courratiers de change were concerned with managing and regulating the debts of agricultural communities on behalf of the banks. Because these men also traded with debts, they could be called the first brokers. A common misbelief is that in late 13th century Bruges commodity traders gathered inside the house of a man called Van der Beurze, and in 1309 they became the â€Å"Brugse Beurse†, institutionalizing what had been, until then, an informal meeting, but actually, the family Van der Beurze had a building in Antwerp where those gatherings occurred; the Van der Beurze had Antwerp, as most of the merchants of that period, as their primary place for trading. The idea quickly spread around Flanders and neighboring counties and â€Å"Beurzen† soon opened in Ghent and Amsterdam. In the middle of the 13th century, Venetian bankers began to trade in government securities. In 1351 the Venetian government outlawed spreading rumors intended to lower the price of government funds. Bankers in Pisa, Verona, Genoa and Florence also began trading in government securities during the 14th century. This was only possible because these were independent city states not ruled by a duke but a council of influential citizens. Italian companies were also the first to issue shares. Companies in England and the Low Countries followed in the 16th century. The Dutch East India Company (founded in 1602) was the first joint-stock company to get a fixed capital stock and as a result, continuous trade in company stock emerged on the Amsterdam Exchange. Soon thereafter, a lively trade in various derivatives, among which options and repos, emerged on the Amsterdam market. Dutch traders also pioneered short selling – a practice which was banned by the Dutch authorities as early as 1610. 7] There are now stock markets in virtually every developed and most developing economies, with the world's biggest market being in the United States, United Kingdom, Japan, India, China, Canada, Germany's (Frankfurt Stock Exchange), France, South Korea and the Netherlands. Importance of stock market : The stock market is one of the most important sources for companies to raise money. This allows businesses to be publicly trade d, or raise additional financial capital for expansion by selling shares of ownership of the company in a public market. The liquidity that an exchange provides affords investors the ability to quickly and easily sell securities. This is an attractive feature of investing in stocks, compared to other less liquid investments such as real estate. History has shown that the price of shares and other assets is an important part of the dynamics of economic activity, and can influence or be an indicator of social mood. An economy where the stock market is on the rise is considered to be an up-and-coming economy. In fact, the stock market is often considered the primary indicator of a country's economic strength and development. Rising share prices, for instance, tend to be associated with increased business investment and vice versa. Share prices also affect the wealth of households and their consumption. Therefore, central banks tend to keep an eye on the control and behavior of the stock market and, in general, on the smooth operation of financial system functions. Financial stability is the raison d'etre of central banks. Exchanges also act as the clearinghouse for each transaction, meaning that they collect and deliver the shares, and guarantee payment to the seller of a security. This eliminates the risk to an individual buyer or seller that the counterparty could default on the transaction. The smooth functioning of all these activities facilitates economic growth in that lower costs and enterprise risks promote the production of goods and services as well as employment. In this way the financial system contributes to increased prosperity. Stock market index : The movements of the prices in a market or section of a market are captured in price indices called stock market indices, of which there are many, e. g. , the S&P, the FTSE and the Euronext indices. Such indices are usually market capitalization weighted, with the weights reflecting the contribution of the stock to the index. The constituents of the index are reviewed frequently to include/exclude stocks in order to reflect the changing business environment. Derivative instruments : Financial innovation has brought many new financial instruments whose pay-offs or values depend on the prices of stocks. Some examples are exchange-traded funds (ETFs), stock index and stock options, equity swaps, single-stock futures, and stock index futures. These last two may be traded on futures exchanges (which are distinct from stock exchanges—their history traces back to commodities futures exchanges), or traded over-the-counter. As all of these products are only derived from stocks, they are sometimes considered to be traded in a (hypothetical) derivatives market, rather than the (hypothetical) stock market. Leveraged strategies : Stock that a trader does not actually own may be traded using short selling; margin buying may be used to purchase stock with borrowed funds; or, derivatives may be used to control large blocks of stocks for a much smaller amount of money than would be required by outright purchase or sales. Short selling : In short selling, the trader borrows stock (usually from his brokerage which holds its clients' shares or its own shares on account to lend to short sellers) then sells it on the market, hoping for the price to fall. The trader eventually buys back the stock, making money if the price fell in the meantime and losing money if it rose. Exiting a short position by buying back the stock is called â€Å"covering a short position. † This strategy may also be used by unscrupulous traders in illiquid or thinly traded markets to artificially lower the price of a stock. Hence most markets either prevent short selling or place restrictions on when and how a short sale can occur. The practice of naked shorting is illegal in most (but not all) stock markets. Margin buying : In margin buying, the trader borrows money (at interest) to buy a stock and hopes for it to rise. Most industrialized countries have regulations that require that if the borrowing is based on collateral from other stocks the trader owns outright, it can be a maximum of a certain percentage of those other stocks' value. In the United States, the margin requirements have been 50 %% for many years (that is, if you want to make a $1000 investment, you need to put up $500, and there is often a maintenance margin below the $500). A margin call is made if the total value of the investor's account cannot support the loss of the trade. (Upon a decline in the value of the margined securities additional funds may be required to maintain the account's equity, and with or without notice the margined security or any others within the account may be sold by the brokerage to protect its loan position. The investor is responsible for any shortfall following such forced sales. ) Regulation of margin requirements (by the Federal Reserve) was implemented after the Crash of 1929. Before that, speculators typically only needed to put up as little as 10 percent (or even less) of the total investment represented by the stocks purchased. Other rules may include the prohibition of free-riding: putting in an order to buy stocks without paying initially (there is normally a three-day grace period for delivery of the stock), but then selling them (before the three-days are up) and using part of the proceeds to make the original payment (assuming that the value of the stocks has not declined in the In margin buying, the trader borrows money (at interest) to buy a stock and hopes for it to rise. Most industrialized countries have regulations that require that if the borrowing is based on collateral from other stocks the trader owns outright, it can be a maximum of a certain percentage of those other stocks' value. In the United States, the margin requirements have been 50 %% for many years (that is, if you want to make a $1000 investment, you need to put up $500, and there is often a maintenance margin below the $500). A margin call is made if the total value of the investor's account cannot support the loss of the trade. (Upon a decline in the value of the margined securities additional funds may be required to maintain the account's equity, and with or without notice the margined security or any others within the account may be sold by the brokerage to protect its loan position. The investor is responsible for any shortfall following such forced sales. ) Regulation of margin requirements (by the Federal Reserve) was implemented after the Crash of 1929. Before that, speculators typically only needed to put up as little as 10 percent (or even less) of the total investment represented by the stocks purchased. Other rules may include the prohibition of free-riding: putting in an order to buy stocks without paying initially (there is normally a three-day grace period for delivery of the stock), but then selling them (before the three-days are up) and using part of the proceeds to make the original payment (assuming that the value of the stocks has not declined in the In margin buying, the trader borrows money (at interest) to buy a stock and hopes for it to rise. Most industrialized countries have regulations that require that if the borrowing is based on collateral from other stocks the trader owns outright, it can be a maximum of a certain percentage of those other stocks' value. In the United States, the margin requirements have been 50 %% for many years (that is, if you want to make a $1000 investment, you need to put up $500, and there is often a maintenance margin below the $500). A margin call is made if the total value of the investor's account cannot support the loss of the trade. (Upon a decline in the value of the margined securities additional funds may be required to maintain the account's equity, and with or without notice the margined security or any others within the account may be sold by the brokerage to protect its loan position. The investor is responsible for any shortfall following such forced sales. ) Regulation of margin requirements (by the Federal Reserve) was implemented after the Crash of 1929. Before that, speculators typically only needed to put up as little as 10 percent (or even less) of the total investment represented by the stocks purchased. Other rules may include the prohibition of free-riding: putting in an order to buy stocks without paying initially (there is normally a three-day grace period for delivery of the stock), but then selling them (before the three-days are up) and using part of the proceeds to make the original payment (assuming that the value of the stocks has not declined in the New issuance : Global issuance of equity and equity-related instruments totaled $505 billion in 2004, a 29. 8 %% increase over the $389 billion raised in 2003. Initial public offerings (IPOs) by US issuers increased 221 %% with 233 offerings that raised $45 billion, and IPOs in Europe, Middle East and Africa (EMEA) increased by 333 %%, from $ 9 billion to $39 billion. Taxation : According to much national or state legislation, a large array of fiscal obligations are taxed for capital gains. Taxes are charged by the state over the transactions, dividends and capital gains on the stock market, in particular in the stock exchanges. However, these fiscal obligations may vary from jurisdictions to jurisdictions because, among other reasons, it could be assumed that taxation is already incorporated into the stock price through the different taxes companies pay to the state, or that tax free stock market operations are useful to boost economic growth.

How to Make Game of Thrones Wildfire

Wildfire is the fictional green green substance used in  George R. R. Martin’s epic fantasy world to immolate foes when dragon fire isnt handy and swords just arent enough. According to the HBO Game of Thrones series, the liquid burns in the presence of urine and burns so hot it melts  wood,  stone... even  steel... and, of course, flesh! Oh, and it burns with an emerald green flame. In the television series and Martins A Song of Ice and Fire novel, the secret of wildfire was pyromancer magic, but we all know the best magic is simply science that isnt well-understood, right? Martins fictional goo resembles modern napalm (except for the green color) and Greek fire, a real-life weapon used during the Byzantine era (also, probably not green). Make (a Safer) Wildfire This wildfire recipe wont be of much use if you want to melt stone, but it makes nice ambiance lighting when youre reading Martins books or need to find your way back to the kitchen for a snack during Game of Thrones. You end up with a green liquid that burns bright, vivid green. It spreads out nicely, like pyromancer wildfire, but it doesnt burn as long or as a brightly. Wildfire Materials Borax  Green Food ColoringMethanol (Methyl alcohol is available as Heet fuel treatment or as a lab chemical.)Hand Sanitizer Gel (The alcohol-based stuff is what you want. You only need this if youre making the gel.)Heat-safe container.   You can get a similar result using high proof grain alcohol or rubbing alcohol and copper(II) sulfate (usually sold as an algicide) if borax is unavailable. Its not as good as the borax-methanol mixture, though, so dont substitute if you dont have to do so. Lets Make Wildfire Pour a bit of methanol into your container. You dont need a lot. Dont taste it (youll get a headache or go blind if you drink enough) and dont splash around in it (its absorbed through your skin). There are warnings on the label youd do well to read. Oh, and its flammable, but thats kind of the whole point.Stir in a drop of green food coloring. Pretty right?Break up any clumps in your borax and stir a spoonful into the liquid. You dont need an exact measurement. It only takes a small amount to get green flames. If you add too much, youll have white sediment in the bottom of your container.Light your creation and admire the pretty green fire. If you do this indoors, be advised your smoke alarm likely will sound (mine did). Blow out the flames when youre sufficiently amused.Now, if you want to make a gel out of this, you can stir in hand sanitizer until you get the consistency you want. Hand sanitizer is a mixture of water and ethyl alcohol. Because there is ethanol in it, you can mix it in with the methanol without too much trouble. Adding the water also means you have a chance to add powdered copper(II) sulfate, which dissolves in water, but not so well in alcohol. You dont need to add copper sulfate... Im just throwing it out there as an option.Ignite the gel. Still green, but not quite as bright, right?If you want to try again, all you need to do is add more methanol. It is important you only add more fuel after the flames have been extinguished. Use common sense. You can blow out the flames. You can also extinguish the fire with water, but then you wont be able to re-light it. Safety Considerations Yes, this is a real fire. Yes, it can burn you or ignite your hair or clothing if you spill it while its lit, just like any other type of alcohol lamp. Responsible adult supervision is required. Responsible is the keyword. Dont play pyromancer. Wildfire, Greek Fire, and Burning on Water Although it wasnt green, Greek fire or sea fire was a real incendiary weapon used in naval battles from around 672 onward into the 12th century. Its formulation is unknown but may have included ingredients such as pine resin, calcium phosphide, naphtha, niter, quicklime, and sulfur. It was almost certainly a mixture based on bitumen, petroleum, or sulfur. While the mixture floated on water, its unclear whether or not it could actually be ignited by water. An Italian recipe from the 16th century that supposedly burns underwater is made from willow coal, sulfur, wool, camphor, incense, alcohol and some sort of burning salt and pergola. You can try to decipher the Italian text, or just rely on modern chemistry to ignite a green flame with a drop of water.

Target and Positioning Essay - 5882 Words

Running head: TARGETING AND POSITIONING PAPER iPod Targeting and Positioning d University of Phoenix MKT 463 Targeting and Positioning the iPod There are many factors to consider when marketing a new or existing product. Segmentation, targeting, and positioning are important when identifying the specific target market, examining the role that consumer behavior plays when applying basic marketing concepts, and examining the impact of purchase trends on consumer behavior. Internal and external influences on consumer behavior are all factors that must be considered when applying marketing strategies. Learning and memory theories are also factors considered when applying marketing strategies. In addition, strategies for†¦show more content†¦Yet positioning takes into consideration more than just how a customer feels about a particular product. Areas such as channels of distribution and overall budgeting and cost must also be considered in the strategic plan on how to best deploy any product. Apple has chosen to distribute the iPod in a manner consistent with many of its current p roducts and it is no surprise leading the pack is their Internet sales. However, it has also taken another unique approach to putting this product in the hands of consumers. Apple is currently running a promotion in which it is giving away an iPod Nano to those college students who are purchasing their more expensive Mac PCs. Apple believes that this approach will not only lead to greater brand recognition but also contribute to profits that are collected from those individuals downloading videos, songs, and more via their web links. Purchasing Trends Globalization Globalization is having a major impact on purchasing trends, but iPod has yet to reap the fruits of increasingly lucrative foreign markets. The world is becoming smaller, largely due to advances in technology that facilitate communication on a global basis. The youth in countries like India and China frequent McDonalds and don Levi’s yet they have not accepted the iPod for a number of reasons. Apple will have to pursue an international scope in its marketing efforts. The organization has already taken such action by usingShow MoreRelatedIKEA: Target Market and Positioning Strategy1157 Words   |  5 PagesIKEA: Target Market and Positioning Strategy When analyzing an organization’s target market, the first step is to understand the business and what they hope to achieve through their marketing strategies. Targeting and positioning strategies consist of analyzing and identifying segments within a given product-market, choosing which segment or segments to target, and developing and implementing a positioning strategy for each targeted segment (Cravens Piercy, 2009). 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The Four Phases Of Small Business Strategy Planning

The Four Phases of Small Business Strategy Planning There are a host of definitions for strategy. Rather than trying to be comprehensive or creating a definition that tries to be the authoritative source, I ll use a simple definition of strategy for my purposes. Strategy is a plan of action designed to achieve outcomes. That s it. This definition is loyal to best tenants of strategy as well; be flexible, nimble and leave options until you reach the appropriate time or level to add further definition. The process of defining the desired outcomes is usually incorporated into the concept of strategy planning. In an agile and well-led organization, execution is also wrapped into strategy so that the plans can stay flexible, updated, and resources can be used to increase success. The best, most refined, and most successful strategy model has evolved from ancient China, was updated in Prussia, and has slowly been creeping into the business world. There are four steps to the process and I prefer to keep them all under the strategy umbrella to help leaders reach the planned outcomes. The iterative sequence is: setting goals, planning, actions, and outcomes. In setting strategic goals, you must consider what outcomes you desire for your business. Assuming that you are in business to earn revenue, you must link your outcomes to needs that your customers have in order to capture that revenue. The best source for setting goals is your business mission, values, and visionShow MoreRelatedUnderstanding The Benefits Of Strategic Management1674 Words   |  7 Pageswith respect to an example using the struggling retailer, Sears. Sears succumbed to the lack of innovation, which shows that if a firm stands still, it will be run over by the competition. 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Structural Functionalist Free Essays

A society is a complex unit, made up of interrelated parts. All these parts form the structure of the society and each sub unit has to perform its given task. Social structures are stressed and placed at the center of analysis and social functions are deduced from these structures. We will write a custom essay sample on Structural Functionalist or any similar topic only for you Order Now This perspective looks at how the various parts of the society come together and perform their individual tasks interdependently and interrelated to promote social stability and order and in turn the smooth functioning of the society. Structural functionalism is a framework for building theory that sees society as a complex system whose parts work together to promote solidarity and stability. This approach looks at society through a macro-level orientation, which is a broad focus on the social structures that shape society as a whole, and believes that society has evolved like organisms. This approach looks at both social structure and social functions. Functionalism addresses society as a whole in terms of the function of its constituent elements; namely norms, customs, traditions, and institutions. As a structural theory, Functionalism sees social structure or the organisation of society as more important than individual. Functionalism is a top down theory. Individuals are born into society and become products of all the social influences around them as they are socialised by various institutions such as the family, education, media and religion. Functionalism sees society as a system; a set of interconnected parts which together form a whole. There is a relationship between all these parts and agents of socialisation and together they all contribute to the maintenance of society as a whole. Structural functionalism concentrates on the positive and negative functions of social structures. Societal functionalism is a particular type of structural functionalism that aims to explain the role of social structures and institutions in society, the relationship between these structures, and the manner in which these structures constrain the actions of individuals. According to structural functionalists, individuals have little to no control over the ways in which particular structures operate. Indeed, structural functionalists understand individuals in terms of social positions. It is not individuals who are ranked, but positions that are ranked according to the degree to which they contribute to the survival of society. High-ranking positions offer high rewards that make them worth an individual’s time and effort to occupy. The structural functionalist perspective also takes into account the concept of value consensus. Functionalists believe that society is held together by this consensus, or cohesion, in which members of the society agree upon, and work together to achieve, what is best for society as a whole. They share the same ideas, beliefs and morals which bind them together. Functionalists believe that without such collective shared values and beliefs, achieving social order is impossible and social order is crucial for the well-being of society. They believe that value consensus forms the basic integrating principle in society. And if members of society have shared values they therefore also have similar identities, this helps cooperation and avoids conflict. Value consensus also ensures that people have shared: – Goals, Roles and Norms. Any social system has four basic functional prerequisites: * adaptation * goal attainment * integration and * Pattern maintenance. The function of any part of the social system is understood as its contribution to meeting the functional prerequisites. Adaptation refers to the relationship between the system and its environment. In order to survive, social systems must have some degree of control over their environment. Food and shelter must be provided to meet the physical needs of members. The economy is the institution primarily concerned with this function. Goal attainment refers to the need for all societies to set goals towards which social activity is directed. Procedures for establishing goals and deciding on priorities between goals are institutionalized in the form of political systems. Governments not only set goals but also allocate resources to achieve them. Even in a so-called free enterprise system, the economy is regulated and directed by laws passed by governments. Integration refers primarily to the ‘adjustment of conflict’. It is concerned with the coordination and mutual adjustment of the parts of the social ystem. Legal norms define and standardize relations between individuals and between institutions, and so reduce the potential for conflict. When conflict does arise, it is settled by the judicial system and does not therefore lead to the disintegration of the social system. Pattern maintenance refers to the ‘maintenance of the basic pattern of values, institutionalized in the society’. Insti tutions that perform this function include the family, the educational system and religion. No theory has been there without any criticism. The structural functionalist perspective also has been criticized on the grounds that it neglects the negative functions of an event such as divorce. The perspective justifies the status quo and complacency on the part of society’s members. Functionalism does not encourage people to take an active role in changing their social environment, even when such change may benefit them. Functionalism sees active social change as undesirable because the various parts of society will compensate naturally for any problems that may arise. How to cite Structural Functionalist, Papers

This Paper Addresses the Guiding Principles and Elements That Feature

Question: Why This Paper Addresses the Guiding Principles and Elements ? Answer: Introduction An integrated report is a communication document that details how an organizations performance, governance and prospects results to values creation for the company in short, medium and long term basis. The main objective of this report is to share the company insights with various company stakeholders such as shareholders and other business partners. The report entails both financial and non-financial reporting of the company whose main advantage is wholesomely presenting the company image to the stakeholders in one document. Main Purpose To establish governing guiding principles and content elements The main purpose of the integrated report is to provide the guiding principles that and content elements that directs on what needs to be included in the report and why such items are important. The framework enables those preparing the integrated reports to have a uniform outlook that is easy to understand and captures important aspects that stakeholders need to know in the companies they have interests in. (BUSCO, 2016) The framework is basically developed in view of private sector and profit making companies of any size but the integrated report can be varied to accordingly to fit into a public sector organizations as well as non-profit organizations. It is therefore an empirical formula or guidance that can be replicated in different forms to suits different types of organizations, so long as the modification is not a great deal of departure from the basic guiding principles and elements. The integrated report framework type of information that needs to be included in the report that can be used to asses how and organization or company intents to create value based on the resources at its disposal. Once its clear how the organization intents to create value then the report can be summed up as an integrated. The framework does not provide benchmark or marking scheme to assess the quality of an organization strategies or its performance level. The integrated report captures the value created by the company is preserved or diminished in respect to resources available within the reach of the company. The value created is also captured in terms of short, medium or long term contexts. (Morros, 2016) Key benefits The integrated report key benefits to all stakeholders. The integrated report aims at creating transparency and accountability in the manner in which the company capitals are managed. The six main capitals are; financial, human, intellectual, social, natural and manufactured. Since the management is aware about how these capitals are managed the other stakeholders like strategic business partners, shareholders and government regulators need to understand or know how these capitals are managed. By producing integrated report the management or the board of the organization also fulfill their mandate of reporting on all activities concerning the organization to the other stakeholders. This is one way in which the integrated report benefits all the stakeholders. Apart from promoting accountability of the above capitals, integrated reports also promotes the interrelatedness of these capitals. To the shareholders perhaps they might not understand how the capitals interrelate with each other to result to value creation. The might know the total profits posted by the company but they dont understand the players that moved or determined the profits. The major factors that needs to be taken care of by the organization in order to keep on boosting the profits, the integrated report therefore simplifies these aspects to the shareholders in order for to have a real grip of what drives the organizations they have interests in. The international integrated reporting framework Guiding principles Strategic focus and future orientation One of the guiding principle of an integrated report is that it should provide insight knowledge in the organizations strategy and how these strategies corresponds to the organizations ability to create value. On the guidance of this principle the integrated report is able to provide insights risks and opportunities that are present in the organization. Connectivity of information With this principle the integrated report should be able to provide wholesome or holistic picture of how various factors in the organization can interrelate to create value for the capital invested over time. Stakeholder relationships The integrated report should point out the relationship of the organization with key stakeholders and to what extend does it exist. It highlights how the organization is able to benefit from such relations in terms of achieving the organizational objectives. Materiality A good integrated report should highlight information regarding matters that have fundamental bearing on the ability of the company to create value with its resources in the context of short, medium and long terms. Conciseness An integrated report should always be concise with relevant information that provides clear understanding of the organizations performance, governance and prospects to all stakeholders. This raises the understanding of the company activities and boost clarity of issues among the stakeholders. Reliability and completeness Under this principle an integrated report needs to have all important or material maters both negative and positive in correct balance without leaving out important materials that should have been included. Consistency and comparability The integrated report should always have consistent information that will remain correct even in future. The information should also be comparable to other organizations so that stake holders are able to put the report into various contexts. 4.2 Content elements Organizational overview and external environment A good integrated report needs to highlight what objectives does organization have and within what context does the organization operate in. Governance The report should show how the organizational governance enables it to create value within the short, medium and long term context, thus promoting the same understanding across all the stakeholders. Business model An integrated report should paint the picture of what organization model looks like. It helps the other shareholders to understand how the business operation of the organization they have interest in is set up. Risk and opportunities The report should highlight specific risks and opportunities the organization face /have. This enables the other stakeholders appreciate the strategies the organization have. Strategy and resource allocation The report should indicate to all shareholders the direction the organization is taking and how is it going to achieve set objectives. Performance The report should always point out the performance of the company in terms of meeting its organizational objectives in a specific period of time and in respect to the capital of the company. This enables the stakeholders to gauge if the organization is meeting their expectations. Outlook An integrated report should inform the stakeholders the challenges and uncertainties it is facing and the implications it may have on the company objectives. This will help the stakeholders to appreciate mechanism put in place by the organization to mitigate these uncertainties. Basis of preparation and presentation The report should highlight to the stakeholders on what basis did it determine what to include in the report and what not to include. This helps everyone related to the organization to appreciate the content of the report. Comparative evaluation Evaluation of the principle The 2016 AMP limited financial captured guiding principles of the integrated report in a number of ways. The report captures the companys strategy in terms of how the company is planning to meet its objectives within the context of the surrounding environment. The report is also consistent from one point to another in simple manner that is understandable. From the report it is easy to draw consistency and comparability with other reports as it highlights items such as profit, capital invested and time taken to realize the objectives. The report is also concise and provides necessary information on all parts that it has captured. Although the report is reliable it has however not addressed stakeholder relationship and thus lacking in completeness. (Soyka, 2013) evaluation of content element The element content of the integrated report is also present in the AMP 2016 financial report. The report provides the organizational overview of the company as well the governance structure. It also reports on the risks and opportunities for the bank in the Australian market context. The report also highlights the performance of the bank during the financial year 2016 and paints an outlook of the company in terms of challenges it might faces as captured in the directors report. The document does not however capture the basis of the preparation of the report and how the contents in it were determined. (Soyka, 2013) References BUSCO, C. (2016). INTEGRATED REPORTING. [Place of publication not identified]: SPRINGER INTERNATIONAL PU. Mio, C. Integrated reporting. Morros, J. (2016). The integrated reporting: A presentation of the current state of art and aspects of integrated reporting that need further development. Intangible Capital, 12(1). https://dx.doi.org/10.3926/ic.700 Rezaee, Z. (2015). Business sustainability. Sheffield: Greenleaf Publishing. Schaltegger, S., Bennett, M., Burritt, R. (2006). Sustainability Accounting and Reporting. Dordrecht: Springer. Soyka, P. (2013). The International Integrated Reporting Council (IIRC) Integrated Reporting Framework: Toward Better Sustainability Reporting and (Way) Beyond. Environmental Quality Management, 23(2), 1-14. https://dx.doi.org/10.1002/tqem.21357