Thursday, November 28, 2019

Screw Compressor

Screw compressors are some type of gas compressors that use two interlocking screws to capture and compress gas. Screw compressors are of two types, the dry running screw compressor, and the oil-flooded screw compressor. Lubricating oil is used in the oil-flooded compressor to facilitate the screwing process. The oil also provides a hydraulic seal that passes energy between the screws.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on Screw Compressor specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More In the dry running compressor, male and the female rotors maintain a special alignment in a timely manner, such that, one screw drives the other to form a continuous rotation of the screws (Bloch and Soares 76). The interaction of the male-female thread traps air, compresses it, and converts it into energy. In both types of screw compressors, the air enters through the suction point; the rotors compress it while they rotate, and it finally gets its wa y out through the outlet as energy. Unlike other compressors that are somewhat noisy, screw compressors are noiseless and they compress air continuously. The first step in operating a dry running screw compressor is ensuring the power unit has a strong cooling system. Two-screw gear units inside the chambers are shaped differently, but in a manner that they interlock perfectly. While rotating, the screws suck and trap air as they rotate from one end. The rotation of the screws reduces the size of the chamber and this facilitates the compression process. As the screws rotate, they push the compressed air forward to the next screw to allow the sucking of new uncompressed air. The highly compressed air forces itself out at the discharge point. Compressors work differently depending on whether they are oil free or oil flooded. There is no oil lubrication in the oil free compressors; thus, the movement of the screws compresses the air without necessarily depending on the oil seal. Such c ompressors do not give high-pressured power. However, there are multistage compressors that give high-pressured power by compressing air at several screw sets. In the first stage, air is compressed into a few bars to become light and extremely hot. The light air will thus moves to the succeeding screw bars easily. Every move of the air makes it extremely hot, and this continues until the air reaches the outlet point. In most case, oil-free compressors are made up of about seven bars. For the oil-flooded compressors, users inject oil into the screws. As the screws rotate, the oil finds its way onto the sealing of the cavities to provide some cooling effect.Advertising Looking for essay on other technology? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More The oil is also useful in capturing particles in the air during the air sanction process. When the compressed gas gets its way into the discharge end, any oil that is present in the air is filt ered and recycled. However, this is not an assurance that the compressed air is free from oil traces. The applications of screw compressors vary from construction to industrial applications. Oil-injected screw compressors are used in industries that require large volumes of compressed air. Moreover, industries that operate high-powered tools would find it worthwhile to use screw compressors to generate the required volumes of compressed air instead of using piston compressors. Contractors can also use oil-injected screw compressors to operate the construction machineries, whereas, the wastewater treatment machineries also find it worthwhile to use such compressors in their process because they consume low power. In the case of medical researches, dry running screw compressors would be of great use. Lobe Compressor A lobe compressor has some similarities with the screw compressors, only that the screws in the screw compressors are replaced with lobes. A lobe compressor has two 8-shap ed profiled lobe blowers. The 8-shaped lobes rotate inside some somewhat oval casings. The lobes are always 900 apart at any instance whenever they are in operation. The distance between the two lobes allows them to hold as much air as possible. During operation, one of the lobes acts as the driver. It obtains is power from external sources while the other lobe relies on it to rotate. The oval casings and the system pressure do not allow the discharged air to came back unless under very small spillages. However, the spillages are negligible, as only small amounts of air would be allowed in case of a slip. With the air coming and going out, there is no change in the volume of the air within the machine. The system’s pressure at a particular time draws in air, compresses it, and lets it out as compressed power. The air across the machinery determines the temperature levels of the discharged air. It is noteworthy that lobe compressors do not require oil lubrications within the l obes. The lobes run for restricted clearances to deliver compressed air that is free from oil spillages.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on Screw Compressor specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More As discussed, lobe compressors discharge compressed air that is oil free (Stosic, Smith and Kovacevic 69). Therefore, lobe compressors are used in fish hatcheries and aquacultures to support life. They are also useful in meat processing systems as they produce compressed air that is free from harmful chemicals. People have also found lobe compressors useful in the printing and paper converting industries, wastewater treatment industries, and in the environmental remediation systems. Works Cited Bloch, Heinz. A Practical Guide to Compressor Technology. Hoboken, NJ: John Wiley Sons, 2006. Print. Bloch, Heinz, and Claire Soares. Process Plant Machinery. New York: Elsevier Publishing, 2008. Print. Stosic, Nikola, Ian Smith, Ahmed K ovacevic. Screw Compressors: Mathematical Modeling and Performance Calculation. New York: Springer Publishing Company, 2005.Print. This essay on Screw Compressor was written and submitted by user Aaden Combs to help you with your own studies. You are free to use it for research and reference purposes in order to write your own paper; however, you must cite it accordingly. You can donate your paper here.

Monday, November 25, 2019

Market Entry Strategy Project

Market Entry Strategy Project Introduction In this report, Kenya, which is an East African country, is analyzed with the aim of establishing the best market entry strategy for M-box video game. The report is divided into different parts; the first one being the market intelligence report. The market intelligence report is followed by an analysis of the business environment and finally a section or report on opportunities for market entry.Advertising We will write a custom report sample on Market Entry Strategy Project specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More In the first phase, the researcher shall present general information regarding the country Kenya in all its aspects. Some of the key characteristics of Kenya captured in the report relate to governance, infrastructure, Information technology, geography, and the economy. The information on Kenya is analyzed with the aim identifying the market characteristics and consumer behavior in Kenya. Moreover, such like informati on offers critical Practical Avenue around which the entry strategy can be harnessed. Ultimately, the aim of the report is to provide information that can be used in designing a proper market mix that will make the M-box product to find a place in the Kenyan market. Market Intelligence Report Basic Information This report is triangulates data researched on a country called Kenya. The country is situated in East Africa. The capital city of Kenya, which is the business hub in the whole of East Africa, is called Nairobi. In terms of structure, the country is divided into eight provinces, which are governed by provincial commissioners (Central Bureau of Statistics). However, because of the new constitution that was enacted recently, senators shall govern the provinces, and a lot is going to happen in terms of devolution of the powers of the president. Formerly, the president wielded a lot of power and acted like he was above the law. In the new constitution that was promulgated mid this year, the president shall no longer be above the law. The 8 provinces are further divided into 69 districts, which are further subdivided into 497 divisions, 2,427 locations, and finally divided into 6,612 sub locations (Central Bureau of Statistics). A citizen of Kenya is properly referred to as a Kenyan, while products or materials from Kenya are referred to as Kenyan origin. Demographics The population of Kenya is, as per the July 2010 estimate, 39,002,772 (Central Intelligence Agency). However by August 25, 2009 the population of Kenya had been estimated to be 38,610,097 (Kenya National Bureau of Statistics). In addition, Kenya has a high population density occupies the close to 67.2km2. The population of Kenya further comprises of more than 40 ethnic groups.Advertising Looking for report on business economics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Moreover, the age structure of Kenya follows a format of this nature: individuals aged between 0 to 14 years consist about 43% of the population. The 43% translates into about 6,244,321 male, and 6,104, 181 female (Kenya National Bureau of Statistics). Of the general population, the individuals aged between 15 to 64 years are about 54% with 7,845,083 among them being male, and 7,826,442 female. Finally, the individuals aged over 64 years add up to only 3% of the total population. The 3% consists of an estimated 343,449 male and 445,182 female (Kenya National Bureau of Statistics). Further, considering the rural-urban spread, Kenya’s urban rural population is 67.7% (26,122,722) rural and 12,487,375(32.3%) rural (Kenya National Bureau of Statistics). Kenya has got many towns but the major ones include, Nairobi with a population estimate of 3,138,369), Mombasa, Nakuru, Kisumu, Eldoret, Nyeri, Machakos and Meru (Kenya National Bureau of Statistics). In addition, in all the regions of Kenya, the official languages that are used include English and Kiswahili. Apart from these official languages, Kenya exhibits other ethnic languages based on the prevalent ethnic groupings. The major ethnic groupings in Kenya according to Rough Guide are the Kikuyu that make up to 22% of total Kenyan population, Kisii 6%,Luhya 14%, Luo 13%, Kamba 11%, Meru 6%, %, Kalenjin 12%, other African ethnic groups 15%, non-African e.g. Asian, European, and Arab are only 1% of total population. Like all African people, Kenyans are very religious. Religion permeates across the lives of many Kenyans, just like other societies. The Kenyan inhabitants have moved from the initial African Traditional religion to other foreign religious practices that are considered modern. In other words, Kenya is a multi-religious country with three quarters of the population professing Christianity. However, as presented by Krapf (73), the Roman Catholics take up to 33% of the population, protestants 45%, indigenous beliefs 10%, Muslim 10% Bahà ­ Faith about 1%, Buddhism 0.3 %, and others faiths are represented by about 2% of the total population. Another factor worth mentioning in this area of demographic composition is life expectancy for Kenyans. Life expectancy for Kenyans seems to have been going down rather than rise. For instance, in 2006, the Kenyans life expectancy was estimated at, 48.93 years. However, in the latest estimate, life expectancy stands at 47.02 years (Kenya Safaris Guide).Advertising We will write a custom report sample on Market Entry Strategy Project specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More On the other hand, regarding fertility, Kenya’s fertility rate for women stands at 3.88 children born/women, while by 2006 this figure was standing at 4.91 children born/women (Kenya Safaris Guide). In addition, the infant mortality rate in Kenya is 54.7 deaths/1,000 live births, while this figure was standing at 59.26 deaths/1,000 live births in 2006 (Kenya Safaris Guide). Due to various fac tors, including poor infrastructure, erratic climatic conditions, and many more, 32% of the Kenyan population lives below the poverty line (Kenya Safaris Guide). Education The education sector in Kenya has over the years had more male attendance compared to women due to some previous cultural beliefs. However, due to girl child emancipation programs as of now the literacy levels among females is only ten points less than that of males. The literacy level of females is 75% while that of males is at 85%. Furthermore, in the past, the number of children that used to be enrolled in primary education was seemingly lower, and this figure used to be further aggravated by the increased number of school dropouts. Nevertheless, the education system in Kenya offers eight years of primary education which has now been made accessible to all through the introduction of free primary education that is funded by the government. Before free primary education started in 2003, many young boys and girls found themselves having to drop out of school at the age of six years. Back to the education system, after primary education individuals proceed to undertake four years of secondary education. Those who are successful i.e. pass the Kenya Certificate of Secondary Education exams are taken into university and other institutions of higher learning. University education in Kenya takes up four years at undergraduate level, a minimum of two years for masters’ studies and a minimum of three years for Doctoral seminars and research. The main languages used in schools in Kenya are English and Kiswahili. However, many other languages are also taught as per institution of learning’s policies. Further, in terms of enrolment, Kenya’s primary school enrolment rate was very low during the 1980s due to lack of fees. Majority of Kenyans are rural poor and engage in subsistence farming leading to reduced number of children enrolling in primary school.Advertising Looking for report on business economics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More And even further, the number of dropouts used to be high as a result of failure to meet up to the fee payment demands. However, the introduction of free primary education in Kenya has seen the enrolment rate rise drastically over the recent years. By 2002, the enrolment in secondary school was a little bit lower compared to the age group that qualified for such enrolment; the enrolment figure stood at 23% of total qualifying youth (Kenya National Bureau of Statistics). This state of affairs prompted the government to come up with interventions aimed at promoting secondary education. Consequently, the government’s expenditure on education has been rising. In 2002, expenditure on education took about 8% of the GDP. By 2004, government expenditure on education had gravitated to a high of about 30% of total government spending. In relation to the total population, in 2010, the total number of pupils that enrolled for pre-primary education stood at 2,247,071, which comprised of 1, 150,890 males and 1,096,181 females (Kenya National Bureau of Statistics). On the other hand, the number of pupils that enrolled for primary education stood at 9,425,390 out of which 4,838,278 were male and 4,587,112 female; a figure that indicates an increased number of girls enrolling in the primary education (Kenya National Bureau of Statistics). Considering enrolment into the secondary education a total of 1,796,467 students enrolled with 962,887 being males and 833,580 females (Kenya National Bureau of Statistics). Finally, the number of students taking up University education as per recently released statistics stands at 198,119, comprising of 115,094 males and 83,025 females (Kenya National Bureau of Statistics). Kenya has five public universities and many other private universities. The five public universities include, the University of Nairobi that was established in 1956, Kenyatta University established in 1972, Jomo Kenyatta University of Agriculture and Technology estab lished in 1981, Egerton University in Nakuru founded in 1939 and Moi University outside Eldoret that opened its doors in 1984 (Kenya Safaris Guide). There are also other higher education opportunities offered by national polytechnic and other mid level colleges. However, in terms of literacy, Kenya has a 78.1% literacy level, comprising of 86.3% males and 70% females (Kenya National Bureau of Statistics). Health Kenya has over the years been hit by tropical diseases such as malaria, and tuberculosis. However, recently, the major health problem, which has been declared a national disaster, is human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), which according to the United Nations Development Program (UNDP), as of 2006 stood at 16% of Kenyan adults However, the Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS (UNAIDS) has given the HIV infection standings to be at 6.7%, a much lower figure compared to the one of UNDP (Kenya Safaris Guide). Governance Kenya gained its independence on December 12 1963 from the United Kingdom, and it was officially declared a republic on December 12, 1964. Since then Kenya has moved from a single party presidential republic to a multi-party presidential republic. Currently, the country is being governed under a semi-presidential system headed by President Mwai Kibaki and Prime Minister Raila Odinga (Kenya Safaris Guide). Besides, the official currency of Kenya is KES (Kenya shilling). In addition, the country recently enacted a new constitution which could see the transformation of the leadership structure to a better system of governance which does not concentrate power upon the president. Geography Kenya is located at â€Å"1 ° 16†² 0†³ S, 36 ° 48†² 0†³ E -1.266667, 36.8† (toolserver.org). And the surface are of Kenya is 580,081km2 (Central Intelligence Agency). In addition, Kenya shares borders with the Indian Ocean to the southeast at the equator, Uganda (933km) to the west, Tanzania (769km)to the south, Somalia (682k m) to the northeast, Sudan (232km) to the northwest, Ethiopia (861 km) to the north, and Lake Victoria to the southwest (Kenya Safaris Guide). In addition, Kenya has 536km of its coastline in the Indian Ocean (Kenya Safaris Guide). However, Kenya is advantaged because due to its coastline, it has become a major entry point to the landlocked countries in the larger East and Central Africa. Kenya’s largest cities include Nairobi, Mombasa, and Kisumu. Nairobi is Kenya’s main manufacturing centre; Kisumu is the main port on Lake Victoria, while Mombasa is the main seaport to Kenya (Kenya Safaris Guide). Moreover, other smaller cities in Kenya include the following; Nakuru, and Eldoret in western Kenya (Kenya Safaris Guide). Interestingly, the population census of 2009 indicated that Nairobi had a population of 1,346,000, while Mombasa had 465,000, Kisumu 185,000, Nakuru, 163,000, and also Eldoret had 105,000 (Kenya Safaris Guide). In terms of climate, Kenya’s climat ic conditions vary from arid especially in the interior parts (north and northeast) to tropical climate along the cost (Kenya Safaris Guide). However, there exist intermitted droughts in the countries which hamper most parts. Nevertheless, less than 15% of Kenyan land receives some sort of rainfall of about 760 millimetres annually, and this is mainly along the coast as well as in the south-eastern highlands close to Lake Victoria; this is as a result of the tropical monsoon winds in the mentioned areas (Kenya Safaris Guide). Kenya’s Gross Domestic Product (PPP) according to the 2009 estimate stood at a total of $65.059 billion and the Per Capita income of $1,782 (International Monetary Fund). In addition, the normal GDP as of 2009 estimate stood at a total of $36.508 billion, while its corresponding Per capita GDP stood at $938 (International Monetary Fund). And its currency is Kenya shilling, which has over the years remained relatively stable against the United States doll ar. Labour In Kenya, the backbone of the economy is agriculture, which has constantly remained the occupation of many people as well as their source of livelihood. As of 2006, 12 million people were estimated to comprise of Kenya’s labour force, of which nearly 75% of them being in the agriculture sector. Moreover, a great deal of the population works under small-scale agriculture, however nearly 6 million of the labour force was found to be working outside small-scale farming and pastorals (Kenya Safaris Guide). Contrary to this estimation, the 2004 classification found 15% of the population unemployed (Kenya Safaris Guide). However, other figures still consider the unemployment figure in Kenya to be higher than the aforementioned; sometimes up to 40% (Kenya Safaris Guide). Exports: the major exports in Kenya include; horticultural products and tea, estimated at US$1,150 million as of 2005 (Kenya Safaris Guide). This figure stands ten times higher the value of coffee exports , owing to the fact that coffee is Kenya’s most exported product (Kenya Safaris Guide). Other exports include pyrethrum, petroleum, fish, cement, as well as sisal (country profile 2007 14). These exports therefore make up a great part of Kenya’s income from international trade. Imports: the main imports for Kenya are chemicals, manufactured goods, crude petroleum, machinery, as well as transportation equipment. In addition, most of the exports for Kenya are mainly destined for Africa, and then the European Union. However, specifically, Kenya majorly imports from the United Kingdom, the Netherlands, and Tanzania. In terms of raw materials, Kenya’s main supplies include the United Kingdom, Japan, United Arab Emirates, and India. Kenya mainly exports garments to the United States in accordance with the African Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA) terms (Kenya Safaris Guide). However, in spite of the fact that AGOA promotes the Kenyan industry, competition threats stil l hamper Kenya’s international trade especialy from the Asian countries, and this has made Kenya to still harbour a trade deficit against the United States (Kenya Safaris Guide). Furthermore, Kenya, as of 2007 had an external debt that totalled to US$6.7 billion, which was forecasted to have been settled by 30% of Kenya’s 2007 GDP (Kenya Safaris Guide). Infrastructure The infrastructural system of Kenya comprises of road transport, rail transport, water transport, as well as air transport. However, water transport only takes up a very small proportion of the transport system in Kenya. It is important to note that Kenya needs a lot of investment in the road and rail transport in order to help improve, maintain and expand this system to higher standards since these are the most important measures that could help streamline the economic and infrastructural development in Kenya. The actual paved road network in Kenya is estimated to be about sixty four thousand kilometres. The road network in Kenya carries over 80% of the passengers, and it covers many parts of the country (Kenya Safaris Guide). Furthermore, most of the passengers and freight are carried by road. However, due to corruption in contracts, as well as under-investment across many parts, Kenya has left the road network in a situation that demands attention, due to the fact that it bears high levels of road accidents and deaths, making it the highest road accident region in the world (Kenya Safaris Guide). Another aspect that hampers the road network in Kenya is road safety. This comes as a result of having many minibuses (over 25,000 of them), making up around 78% of the public transport system of Kenya. However, the government has respondent from time to time to this issue of road carnage, during the 2004 Kibaki administration when matatu owners were obliged to install safety instruments in order to help avert the then high level of road accidents. Unfortunately, this led to increased co sts on the part of passengers due to hiked fare, resulting to people overcrowding in trains as an alternative in order to cut down their transport expenditure. But it is quite promising from the fact that the government has embarked on an infrastructural rehabilitation program as a strategy to spearhead the country towards the strategic plan which is actually captured in the vision 2030, a road map to technological advancement in Kenya (Kenya Safaris Guide). Well, it is also important to have a glimpse at the railroad system in Kenya. This system takes about 2,778 km, which is of narrow –gauge a fleet of 156 locomotives, and a one-meter track, as well as 7,000 wagons and coaches, in addition to container-carrying Railtrainers (Kenya Safaris Guide). In addition, Kenya’s rail transport operates under the authority of Kenya Railway Corporation (KRC), which is in charge of both Kenya as well as Uganda in the East African area. Most importantly, there is a major railway tha t runs from Mombasa, through Nairobi, and then to the border of Uganda; however, there is also another commuter rail that operates within the suburbs of Nairobi (Kenya Safaris Guide). Further still, the railroad corporations of both Kenya and Uganda came to an agreement upon which they formed a merger that saw them jointly offer their merged railroad for concession towards privatization to investors (Kenya Safaris Guide). Hence, this led to the Rift Valley Railways (RVR) as the winning concessionaire, which is governed by the South African company referred to as ‘Sheltam Rail Company’ (Kenya Safaris Guide). as a result, this saw the South African Company gain rights to 1,920km in Kenya, that carries about 2.3 million freight tons, as well as 4.7 million passengers annually (that is, in the final years of 2000, and 2003) (Kenya Safaris Guide). Kenya’s main seaport is Mombasa, which is also the major sea outlet for Kenya as well as for other landlocked countries wi thin East and Central Africa (that is, Uganda, Burundi, Rwanda, the eastern Democratic Republic of Congo, as well as Southern Sudan), and is managed by the Kenya Ports Authority (KPA) which was put in place in the 1978 (Kenya Safaris Guide). In addition, the KPA is in charge of port operations in Mombasa, and other inland container deports situated in Nairobi, Kisumu, and Eldoret (Country profile: Kenya 200715). Further, there exists other small port in Kiungu, Lamu, Kilifi, Funzi, Malindi, Mtwapa, Vanga, and Shimoni, to which KPA has jurisdictions (Kenya Safaris Guide). Notwithstanding, the water port in Mombasa is deep, therefore it can handle all forms of ships, in addition to 300,000 containers annually (Kenya Safaris Guide). Kenya in 2006 recorded an increase in the port traffic up to 14.4 million metric tons in terms of freight, however as a result of corruption, and poor infrastructure, the business at the port stands at risk of failure, and Kenyan authorities ought to step u p to the task and clear out the mess (Kenya Safaris Guide). Well, there are plans underway to improve a number of port facilities in Kenya, and if all goes well, there is bound to be major progress in this business. In Kenya, there are over 200 airports as well as airfields, among which 15 have paved runways (four of which are less than 3,000 meters), and some 55 airfields in Kenya are still available for commercial purposes (Kenya Safaris Guide). Nevertheless, three airports in Kenya deal with international flights, and they include, the Jomo Kenyatta International Airport (JKIA) in Nairobi, the Moi International Airport in Mombasa, and the Eldoret International Airport (Kenya Safaris Guide). In addition to these international facilities, there are others such as the Wilson Airport located in Nairobi, as well as others in Malindi, Kisumu, and Kakuma, in addition to other airstrips across the country. Fortunately, the government approved what is referred to as the Northern Corridor Transport Improvement (NCTI) project in 2004, which includes the United States’ $41 million meant for aviation development in Kenya with regard to safety in JKIA and MIA, in addition to new navigation and perimeter fencing in the so mentioned airports (other improvement measures include baggage-handling equipment and security equipment (Kenya Safaris Guide). This endeavour is meant to promote development in the region with regard to international linkages and trade. As a result Kenya stands a better chance of standing out as one of the major business investment centres in the world. Moreover, the improvement plans are aimed at increasing the runway capacity from 2.5 million passengers to 5.5 annually, with an aim of obtaining the status of category one from the United States Federal Aviation Administration, which will see Kenya have a direct flight system from JKIA to the United States airports, and consequent boost in the tourism industry as well as trade (Kenya Safaris Guid e). And hopefully, Kenya is inclined towards being a regional hub in African. Another very important infrastructural facility worth mentioning is the pipeline industry, in which case, herein referred to as the Kenya Pipeline Company (KPC). This company is a government enterprise that was established in 1973, and actually transports nearly 90% petroleum products for domestic consumption in the Kenyan market (Kenya Safaris Guide). Within KPC is the Mombasa-Nairobi pipeline, which has received tremendous increase due to restrictions on the transportation of petroleum in order to ensure that the petroleum products are protected against diversions ((Kenya Safaris Guide). Additionally, the KPC has got a great deal of dominance in the energy sector within the neighbouring countries including Burundi, Rwanda, Tanzania, Uganda, Sudan, as well as the Democratic Republic of Congo (Kenya Safaris Guide). The telecommunication industry in Kenya has significantly grown. It is believed that the tel ecommunication industry is bound to promote sustained economic development. This comes as a result of the rapid growth that occurred between 2000 and 2006. In addition, over the years what has been witnessed is increase in cell phone subscribers from 24,000 as of 1999 to 5million by the year 2005 (Kenya Safaris Guide). Another aspect in the telecommunication industry is that during 1984 there were 106,000 landline telephone subscribers, contrary to the 2005 figure, which stood at 282,000. Moreover, there has been tremendous increase in the number of telephone users. In fact, it is believed that at least 63.2% of households in Kenya possess mobile phones (Communications Commission of Kenya). Additionally, initially there used to be a cellular system that used to be dominated by two licence holders Safaricom, and Celtel. However, Econet Wireless came into play and currently offers immense competition in the industry in the line of data transfer. In fact, the Kenyan telecommunication i ndustry has grown immensely, and it appears that in the region of East and Central Africa, Kenya has an upper hand in telephone usage. In relation to this, there has been seen a lot of growth in this area due to newly emerged players in the industry. In fact, Kenya’s mobile coverage takes up to 77% of the population, and it covers close to 25 million Kenyans – however, it has 27% geographic coverage signifying that there are other areas, which need boosting in order to benefit from the telecommunication, sector (Communications Commission of Kenya). Kenya now has a telecommunication industry that harbours players such as Safaricom, Orange Kenya, the newly named Airtel, the Yu network, and Telecom Kenya. All these players have entered into a new phase of competition with increased rate of telephone fee reduction both in areas of messaging services, data transfer, and the commonly used caller services (Communications Commission of Kenya). This in turn has brought in new p layers in more subscribers leading to increased telephone usage in the region. This feature puts Kenya at a great platform for technological advancement in the East African region. The mass media in Kenya is very expansive; characterized by more than six television broadcast station (Communications Commission of Kenya). According to the Communications Commission of Kenya, as of 2007, there were six television broadcasting corporations in Kenya. It is further noted that currently, there are over 42 radio station, with each language group seemingly being represented by a radio station (Communications Commission of Kenya). Regarding radio stations, some of them include, Pwani FM, Coro FM, KBC English Service, Family 96.5FM, Metro FM, KBC Kiswahili, Easy FM, 98.4 Capital FM, (radio-station-directory.com, n d), Kameme FM, Inoro FM, and Romogi FM. Similarly, there are 16 TV stations, which are licensed by the Communication Commissions of Kenya such as KBC, Metro, Family, KTN, Nation, STV, Citizen as well as Channel 5 (Export Processing Zones Authority). Kenya has a total of eight newspapers, including, the Daily Nation, the Standard, the East African, Business Daily, Kenya Times, Coast week, Nairobi Star, and People Daily (Kenya-advisor.com). The Daily Nation is owned is owned by the Nation Media Group, a private company (this company also owns Nation TV, the Nation FM radio station, as well as other numerous newspapers (Kenya-adivisor.com).in addition, this Daily Nation which is in English Language was introduced by Aga Khan IV in 1960 as a counter to colonialisms (Kenya-advisor.com). The Business Daily, on the same note, is owned by the Nation Media Group with an aim of promoting business in the country. The Kenya Times, on the other hand, was established in 1983 by former regime of Moi with the name Kenya Times (it was though renamed after the KANU defeat as a result of the introduction of multiparty democracy that started in 1992), and became a mouthpiece of the government thereafter (Kenya-advisor.com). The Coast week newspaper rather deals with entertainment, shipping information, sports, tourist information, among other purposes (Kenya-adisor.com). However, the Nairobi Star is a recent establishment in the Kenyan media, and is bound to grow and reach other newspapers’ standards. The total number of internet service providers registered as of 2004 was 73, among which only 16 were in operation supplying services to around 1,030,000 users as well as more than 1000 cyber cafes and other telephone bureaus (Export Processing Zones Authority). In addition, there had estimated to be about 520,000 personal computers which were actively in use in Kenya as of 2004 indicating that there was 1.6 computers per hundred inhabitants, and with an internet bandwidth of 28Mbps (Export Processing Zones Authority). However, the following are the most dominant Internet Service Providers in Kenya which are strongly in operation; Blue-Internet Service Pr ovider, Ericonet ISP, KDN ISP, Skyweb ISP, ISP Kenya, Access Kenya Group, TESPOK, IS Internet Service Provider, Africa Online, Nairobi Net, UUNet, Swiftglobal, and Wananchi Online (Ostamyy.com). Finally, there are a number of things that have happened in the ICT industry in Kenya that command recognition pertaining to the manner in which the country’s ICT industry wishes to move. For instance, the installation of the fibre-optic cables across the country offers promising results in the industry. There are other measures such as the Digital Subscriber Lines (DSL), which have been undergoing licensing by ISPs, and now the country is set to have a greater opening to the outside world. Another thing is that there has been the introduction of the Integrated Services Digital Network (ISDN) service. There has also been some major competition on Telkom Kenya regarding international telephony services from the mobile service providers in Kenya. This offers unique promising progress in this industry with regard to innovation and technological advancement. Business Environment Analysis Report (BEAR) The introduction of M-box to Kenya is likely to be affected by the factors mentioned in the Market Intelligence Report. However, the effects of those factors on the success of M-box in Kenya could be either negative or positive. The aim of this section is provide an analysis on the manner in which the factors are likely to influence the business of M-box Corporation in Kenya. However, in overall, the Kenyan business environment is promising as the country enters into new era of technology with people daily gaining access to computer, mobile phones, newspapers, internet, as well as other services due to the progress towards the attainment of Vision 2030 which is meant to spearhead the country into a middle-level earner country. The factors shall now be discussed below. Demographic factors The population of Kenya has been ranked 33 in the world as indicated by the Centra l Intelligence Agency report about Kenya. The population has shown signs of growth owing to the fact that a greater percentage of the population is below the age of 30. In other words, these very energetic individuals are bound to embrace the introduction of M-box in the country. Additionally the official languages in Kenya English and Kiswahili have gained international reputation in the ICT industry since they can now be accessed in the computer system. This factor is likely to offer promising results to the country because in terms of access to the M-box game, many people are bound to be interested in it like other games in the market. Religion is another factor that can hamper the introduction of M-box. On this note, it should be realized that M-box does not have any contradicting views against religion. Moreover, a greater percentage of the people in Kenya are Christians who do not seem to have any contradicting view against religion. In addition to this, the population structu re indicates that the youth are the majority in Kenya. This people tend to like adventurous lifestyle as well as challenging situations, and the M-box game can offer such challenges during their leisure time. Additionally, the life expectancy still stands moderate at 57.86 years characterized by an average fertility rate. Therefore, the introduction of M-box will have a long-term stay in Kenya based on these factors. The education system has a lot to offer since many people are gaining access to education and the study on ICT has gained ground in both primary, secondary and university institutions. This means that the awareness of students on ICT staff is getting better day-in-day out. Moreover, the number of people inhabiting major towns in Kenya is high in Nairobi, which has the highest population. In other words, the marketing of M-box could actually take a shorter time to gain ground among most of the young people. However, there are other factors such as mortality rate, which i s likely to affect the adoption of M-box, and therefore, the M-box Corporation should consider this before attempting to introduce it. In other words, they can institute social responsibilities that could help reduce mortality rate. Governance The Kenyan government exhibits a democratic type of leadership, and with the introduction of the new constitution, which calls for highly devolved leadership and freedom of expression among the people, there is hope for the acceptance of M-box within the political side. Owing to the fact that the M-box is inclined to provide creativity and determination in the minds of many people, there is likely to be business free environment. The discussed issues notwithstanding, the government of Kenya has been committed towards the promotion of trade and industry hence a favorable environment for business. The Kenyan currency in the region of East and Central Africa (Kenyan shilling) has continually stood higher at an average of 75 against a unit of Amer ican dollar. This therefore means that returns from international trade could favorably promote the two countries. Geographical factors Kenya’s geographic location offers great access to the international market with its coastline in the Indian Ocean from where major shipment occurs even for the East African region. In other words, the flow of goods and services back and forth Kenya is set to work effectively. Similarly, in the major towns in Kenya, there are numerous industries where various people work in manufacturing, agriculture and other international trade. This people are likely to become major consumers in of the M-box technology. However, the climatic conditions of Kenya exhibits a greater part of the country with arid and semi-arid environment, which is likely to hamper the sale of M-box due to the series of things that come as a result of poor climatic conditions and lack of farming. Moreover, almost three quarters of the Kenyan population depend on agricultural b usiness. This poses a threat to the M-box Corporation, as the income that people tend to receive from agriculture in arid and semi-arid regions is low. Economic Factors This is the greatest factor that should be born in mind whenever intending to establish a marketing strategy. The Kenyan labor force comprises of about 75% agriculturalists many of whom are small-scale farmers. In this regard, their produce mainly goes to consumption rather than other luxurious measures. The unemployed make up over 15% of the population, which again indicates that the number of eligible customers shall remain low. However, there are quite many people as well who live in the major cities and who depend on service industry as source for employment. This could help promote the M-box, since these people are likely to embrace the M-box market. Kenyan export market is also promising because, of its reliance on horticultural business. This implies that there is not going to be any competition in terms of pr oducts. Not only that, Kenya also relies on importation of ICT materials and other industrial productions. The Kenyan inflation rate has relatively remained low, and there has been increased GDP. This is inclined to be a great boost to the business environment in the county regarding the acquisition of technological materials such as computers and other games. Infrastructural Factors The infrastructural system could be considered with mixed results in the light of M-box. The majority of Kenyans rely on road transportation. This is likely to affect the speed of transportation of M-box products. However, the effect of air transport on the transportation of M-box could be positive. This is because; there is a network of airfields in major towns in Kenya. This could help bring the M-box products closer to other regions, after which they could then be distributed through the road network. Similarly, the coastline and its port facilities could be used to effectively deliver products throu gh the sea into Kenya, since there are other depot facilities in major towns. Therefore, about infrastructure, there are mixed factors both in favor and against the introduction of M-box in Kenya. However, due to the trend that Kenya is taking of late, the factors in favor prove to be more than those against. Moreover, owing to the countries strategic vision towards vision 2030, there is bound to be greater infrastructural developments in the country to help boost international trade. From the initial discussions regarding the use of common infrastructure, a lot is underway, and this area does not offer much opposition to the establishment of M-box in Kenya. Many people have embraced the mobile usage in Kenya, and this is a big boost to the gaming industry because the M-box Corporation could be creating a portable game that could be used in mobile phones. The same applies to the rise in the internet industry with various internet service providers working hard to ensure that there i s increased number of internet subscribers to enjoy the gaming industry through online interactive gaming, which could help increase interest in people in the gaming industry. There are numerous newspapers, radio stations, and television-broadcasting houses, among other mass media services are going to help market the M-box game through a series of advertisements and public awareness campaigns. Other factors Generally, the government of Kenya is accessible through many other ways. In addition, in case there is need for more information, one could easily access such information over the internet. For instance, there is the government website and the American embassy website, which are also very resourceful information sources for investors on how to conduct business in Kenya Report On Opportunities For Market Entry Export Opportunities One of the biggest exports from Kenya is tea. Kenya’s production capacity for this product remains largely unexploited. The export of tea from Kenya yields over Kshs. 36,072 million. However, exports to America only make up to 3% of the total exports compared to exports towards other African states, which make up to 47% of the total exports. Kenya has a good relationship with America diplomatically and thus exploring how to increase Kenyan tea exports to the USA could help cement that relationship further. Cementing bilateral business relationships is critical for expansion of Kenya’s export potential. Foreign exchange rates are also a key determinant of bilateral trade relations. Kenya is advantaged in its export deals because; the value of the Kenya shilling against the American Dollar makes it favorable for Kenya to trade with the US in the tea industry. Another opportunity that Kenya offers any foreign investors is great harbors and other forms of transport. The strategic geographical position that Kenya enjoys against other neighboring countries makes it a viable business center. Besides Kenya has been improvin g its air transport facilities over the years and is likely to accommodate many passengers and freight. This could help promote the tourism industry as well as other export services to America as well as other European countries. Import Opportunities Kenya, like many other African countries are burdened with the threat of diseases such as HIV. This has in term elicited the need for ARV drugs and other medical products for treatment of the symptoms of AIDS. Secondly, many hospitals in Kenya are in dire need of medical equipment due to high cost of acquiring them. The only thing that Kenya should work towards is reduction in tariffs on medical and pharmaceuticals the way they did with computer products. This could slightly lower the costs of imports. Japan is Kenya’s trade partner in the import market. Many Kenyans are middle-income earners. This means purchasing high cost cars could not work for Kenya. The road network in Kenya has been going through major reconstruction and t here are many roads under construction in Kenya. This means that the road network in Kenya is improving in the near future, and that there are likely to be many people interested in owning cars than the ones who currently have. Based on this understanding, and using the fact that Kenya has an opening to the sea in Indian Ocean. Additionally, based on the developments in the internet industry, Kenya could greatly benefit by incorporating the e-marketing services in the importation of cars from Japan. Conclusion The report on Market Entry Strategy project has explored all the features that Kenya exhibits in terms of infrastructure, economic conditions, climatic conditions, geographic factors, and telecommunications. The Market Entry Strategy has been done in a manner that Cunningham’s strategies of market entry have been at the background of conducting the research. The factors include; technical innovation strategy, product adaptation strategy, availability and security, low p rice, as well as total adaptation strategy (Cunningham 9). Moreover, as the report developed, factors that make penetration into the Kenyan market hard or easy were delineated. Developing a market entry strategy is not easy. Often when companies or organizations enter a new market niche, they meet high resistance. Often, organizations encounter various countertrade factors. However, Shipley and Neale (49) put it; one must make sure that the benefits are more than the disadvantages. However, the most important is a good relationship between the trading partners. For instance, Chinese products easily access or enter the Kenyan market due to good rapport between Kenya and China. As Collett (19) explains, there is need for a mutually satisfying relationship between importers, exporters, transporters, and the governments. Therefore, it is in the opinion of this report that by capitalizing on the good relationship between countries, marketers are better placed to introduce a new product i nto an international market without experiencing much resistance. Central Bureau of Statistics. Census cartography: the Kenyan Experience. 2010. 9th December 2010. cartesia.org/geodoc/icc2005/pdf/oral/TEMA26/Session 3/ODHIAMBO E.A.pdf Central Intelligence Agency. Kenya. The World Factbook. 1999. 9th December 2010. https://www.Central Intelligence agency.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/geos/ke.html Collett, W.E. International Transport and Handling of Horticultural Produce in S. Carter (ed.) Horticultural Marketing. Nairobi: Network and Centre for Agricultural Marketing Training in Eastern and Southern Africa, 1991. Communication Commission of Kenya (CCK). Communications Statistics Report. 2008. 8th December 2010. cck.go.ke/resc/statcs.html Export Processing Zones Authority (EPZA). Kenya’s Information and Telecommunications Technology Sector: Kenya’s ICT Industry. 2005. 10th December 2010. epzakenya.com/UserFiles/File/ictKenya.pdf International Monetary Fun d. Kenya. 2010. 10th December 2010. imf.org/external/pubs/ft/weo/2010/01/weodata/weorept.aspx?sy=2007ey=2010scsm=1ssd=1sort=countryds=.br=1c=664s=NGDPD%2CNGDPDPC%2CPPPGDP%2CPPPPC%2CLPgrp=0a=pr.x=67pr.y=5. Kenya-Advisor.com. Overview of Kenya Newspapers. 2010. 9th December 2010. kenya-advisor.com/kenya-newspapers.html Kenya Safaris Guide. Kenya Population Statistics, Age, Birth Rate, Life Expectancy. 2010. 10th December 2010 best-kenya-safaris.com/kenya-safaris/cultural-safaris/kenya-population-culture.html Kenya National Bureau of Statistics. Kenya: 2009 Population and Housing Census Highlights. 2010, 10th December 2010 Kenya National Bureau of Statistics.or.ke/Census%20Results/KENYA NATIONAL BUREAU OF STATISTICS%20Brochure.pdf Krapf, Johann Ludwig, Travels, Researches, and Missionary Labours in Eastern Africa. London: Frank Cass Co. Ltd, 1960 Ostamyy.com. Internet Service Providers Kenya.2010. 9th December 2010 cck.go.ke/resc/statcs.html Shipley, D.D. and Neale, C.W. Successful C ountertrading. Management Decision. Marketing Management Journal, 26, 1, (2000): 49-52. Toolserver.org. Kenya. 2010. 10th December 2010 http://toolserver.org/~geohack/geohack.php?pagename=Kenyaparams=1_16_S_36_48_E_type:country

Thursday, November 21, 2019

Comparison of Barbara Ehrenreich"Bright-Sided" and " Essay

Comparison of Barbara Ehrenreich"Bright-Sided" and " Mariah Burton Nelson, " I Won. I'm sorry." - Essay Example It does this by looking at how these articles are in a dialogue about identified aspects of popular US culture discussed by these scholars. In I Won. Im sorry, Nelson presents a candid and insightful discussion on the gender stereotyping in athletics as one of the popular cultures in USA. As a former basketball player, Nelson alludes to her own experiences because she happened to have actively engaged in her favorite game at a time when US culture was quite skeptical ob the involvement of women in certain sporting activities. With her first-hand experiences, Nelson acknowledges that indeed, gender inequality is quite evident in athletics in the country. Due to the patriarchal nature of the society, men have been brought up to believe that there are certain games that should not only be reserved for them. To them, the womenfolk should only concentrate on skating, gymnastics and tennis. The other prominent feature that appears in Nelson’s discussion is the issue of feminism. Even if the society is slowly transforming and giving room to the women to be active in athletics, a lot of concern is raised about how their involvement in athletics can make them to behave. Unlike their male counterparts, women are supposed to be careful not to be viewed as masculine. She says ‘Women want to be tall enough to feel elegant and attractive, like models. They want to feel respected and looked up to. But they don’t want to be so tall that their height threatens men. They want to win — to achieve, to reach new heights — but without exceeding male heights’ (P 570). Meaning, they are still viewed as a weaker sex who should apologize for appearing masculine and at times have to feature in nude adverts so as to prove to the society that they are still elegant and have the beauty that qualified them as feminine creatures who must be dominated by the male

Wednesday, November 20, 2019

Apprencitship Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

Apprencitship - Assignment Example VET is the Vocational Education and Training Network of Australia which would be primarily focused in this report since it the network that is directly concerned with the object at hand. Many researchers have previously tried to handle this subject but lack of data has withheld the reports from being comprehensive and educational, they have rather come off as reports which are unrealistic on the part of the researcher while he tries to put into writing the things which he believes are important and will need to be changed, rather than trying to gauge from the learner’s point of view as to what are the problems which befall a learner and what the learner wants to be changed. This is an important approach since in this equation; the learner is of primary importance (McDonald, Geoff, Gonczi, Hager, 1992). The aspects which have come forward in the CLARA report are that there are some basic things which need to be given importance to in the case of a good apprenticeship for a new learner. These basic things are the management, the professionalism of the teachers, and the teacher’s attention to the academic records of the student and the student’s strengths and weaknesses. ... Since the basic aim of VET is to provide quality learning, it needs to be believed that VET would provide quality learning in all of the aspects ranging from the start to the end, but is that true? (Vallence, Falk and Kilpatrick, 2001). While VET performs admirably in the areas which are developed, it has been acknowledged that there are difficulties in providing the same kind of support and quality to the areas that are lesser developed because of two primary reasons, the distance and the relatively lesser demand (TDA, 2001). There are three basic things that influence the vocational training in these areas: The education and qualifications of the teachers. Literacy and numeracy. The kind of packages being offered. When the quality of anything is being judged, it should be noticed that quality is a continuously evolving process thus it cannot be put into a specific mould at any time. But quality of vocational learning can be documented in the terms that the quality would be as high or as low as the learner’s satisfaction (Vallence, 2001). The first of the three points that were initially mentioned to be basic contributing factors were the education and qualification of the teachers. The teacher and student relationship is the most basic thing that makes a vocational learning program good or not. The teachers are graded on some basic things like the minimum education of the teachers, the commitment of theirs to the program and the pledge to uphold the quality assured by the VET (Vallence, Falk and Kilpatrick, 2001). The basic problem with trainers and teacher in the rural areas is that the program organizers cannot bargain with them. Since they are being sent to far off

Monday, November 18, 2019

Clarifying Your Values Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Clarifying Your Values - Assignment Example Ethical conflict arose when important values of the company were to be considered in solving the Pinto fire cases. Ford, as a business, aims to achieve profits in all their activities. Thus, their values of being honest to their customers and ensuring success began to conflict. It would be hard to come up with a cost-benefit decision, which would be advantageuos to both the company and buyers of the Ford Pinto vehicle. The main affected parties were users of the Ford Pinto vehicles. Many of them were grieved with loss of life, yet other emerged unscathed, but still their lives had been at risk. In many cases, their vehicles were destroyed as a result of the accidents. Moreover, other individulas were also affected by the accidents. This includes grieved families and the parties involved during an accident. The alternative courses of action were not encouraging to the company. This is because the price of the Pinto had to increase as Ford tried to improve the safety of their vehicles. This resulted in loss of market as their competitors, with cheaper vehicles attracted more customers. The safety incentives would also lead to loss of trunk space within the vehicle, making it less competitive within the market. Moreover, the cost of prodcution would increase as the company has to construct new facilities to be used in improving their vehicles. A company is obligated to ensure that its products and services are safe for use by their consumers. Customer retention should be considered as this is facilitated by doing what is expected by the company (Berg, 2012). In the case of Ford, they did not improve the safety of their Pinto vehicle, risking the likes of its users. Thus, they have not met their obligations to their customers. I have various community standards that guide me as a person of integrity. Harmony is one of them. It is a basic standard, which ensures that the various members of the community can interact peacefully. It acts as

Saturday, November 16, 2019

Alcohol Problems And Law In The Uk Criminology Essay

Alcohol Problems And Law In The Uk Criminology Essay Alcohol has been associated with numerous health and social problems for centuries but it is only in recent years that the extent of such problems has been quantified. According to World Health Organisation it is estimated that alcohol is the fourth leading risk factor for death and disability globally, almost at par with tobacco. The UK has one of the biggest alcohol problems in Europe. New and significant changes in drinking patterns have developed in Britain over the last twenty years, leading to growing concerns that we are placing our health and well being at greater risk of harm from alcohol. The creation of a culture of drinking to get drunk or binge drinking is seen as the most significant causal factor of alcohol dependency and alcohol fuelled crimes  [5]  . Crime committed by drunken individuals is an ongoing serious problem for not only the police, but for the public and victims who have to deal with the sometimes terrible consequences of offenders who commit crimes wh ilst under the influence of alcohol. For a number of years it has been a well known belief that alcohol is a major trigger in a lot of crimes that have been committed in England and Wales. Nevertheless it cannot be said that every person who drinks alcohol in an irresponsible manner will go on to commit a criminal offence as latest figures have proven that alcohol related crime is committed by a small minority of those people who consume alcohol irresponsibly  [6]  . The link between alcohol and crime has been greatly documented over the years  [7]  . Many believe that the potential consequences of intoxication such as heightened levels of aggression, and impaired cognitive functioning, may be risk factors in experiences of crime and disorder, whether in relation to being a victim or a perpetrator  [8]  . Alcohol dependant people are over represented in prison populations all over England and Wales compared with the general population  [9]  . There are also a growing proportion of alcohol dependant offenders who have committed crime whilst under the influence of alcohol, which in turn leads to numerous reports that alcohol clearly seems to be a strong causative factor in a huge number of crimes committed against the person  [10]  . The Criminal Justice System in England and Wales is very much burdened with alcohol related crime. It is estimated that these crimes cost the UK between  £8 and 13 billion pound per year  [11]  . The costs include Cost to the Criminal Justice System  £1.8 billion Costs to services as consequence of alcohol related crime  £3.5 billion Costs to services in anticipation of alcohol related crime  £1.5 billion Human costs of alcohol related crime  £4.7 billion  [12]  . The Licensing Act 2003 which came into force at the end of November 2005 abolished set licensing hours in England and Wales  [13]  . The overall aim of the Licensing Act 2003 was to liberalise a rigid system whilst reducing the problems of drinking and disorder associated with a standard closing time  [14]  . It was also hoped that the Licensing Act 2003 coupled with other government initiatives would help to bring about a more benign drinking culture  [15]  . The Licensing Act 2003 has been the subject of much controversy  [16]  . Although its aim was specifically to address problems associated with late night drinking, in the run up to implementation it was presented by some of the media drunkards charter, whereby alcohol would be on sale 24 hours a day  [17]  . The major concern by the public and the police was that it would have a major effect on crime and disorder  [18]  . The Licensing Act 2003 passed on more responsibilities to the local authorities, also replacing the statutory licensing hours with opening hours set locally through the conditions of individual licenses  [19]  . The new licensing authorities were expected to grant the licenses requested by licensees; unless it was proven that the Acts four objectives were not being promoted  [20]  . The four objectives are The prevention of crime and disorder Public safety The prevention of public nuisance The protection of children from harm  [21]  . It became obvious and understandable that most of the general public were not in favour of the new licensing hour, and were fearful of the impact it would have not just on themselves, but on their communities and towns. During the first year after the Act  [22]  came into force, they seemed to be hardly any change in alcohol related offences, Murder, manslaughter, and serious wounding had fallen by 5 percent over the evening and night time periods in the twelve months after the Licensing Act 2003 came into force  [23]  . However there was an increase in the small numbers of these crimes happening between 3am and 6am  [24]  . The category of offences which included less serious offences of wounding and assaults with no injury rose from November 2004 until November 2005  [25]  . Offences of harassment showed a steady increase from November 2004 until November 2005 and then plateaued  [26]  . Criminal damage offences fell by 1 percent in the year after the change   [27]  . However whilst there was larger falls in the number of offences during the daytime, there was a 2 percent increase during the evening and night time periods which amounted to a 14 percent increase  [28]  . However there was another report by The Home Office compared the data from 30 different police forces between November 2005 to December 2006 to see again how the Licensing Act 2003 had affected crime and disorder  [29]  . The results were; A 1% rise in the overall number of violent crimes, disorder and criminal damage incidents occurring between 6pm and 6am A 22% rise between 3am and 6am in the 3 month period after the law had changed A 25% increase in serious violent crimes committed between 3am and 6am  [30]  . There were many qualitative interviews conducted by Home Office researchers of licensing authority staff and those from responsible authorities were fairly consistent: most respondents described problems of crime and disorder associated with the night time economy as stable or declining  [31]  . However most reported that this was nothing to do with the changes brought about by the Licensing Act 2003  [32]  . Unless every police station completed a report on the exact alcohol related crime figures since the Licensing Act 2003 came into force then the impact remains vague. Since the Act  [33]  came into force, the pressure of many police officers has increased, mainly because people are getting drunk at all different times of the day and night, therefore the police are dealing with drunk people and alcohol related crimes for longer periods of time, due to bars and clubs being open for longer hours. The Licensing Act 2003 was intended to make it easier for responsible authorities and local residents to call for the local authority to review a licence  [34]  . Between April 2006 and March 2007 ninety two licences were revoked  [35]  . In 2007 the government introduced some strategies and guidance; safe, sensible and social, for help in trying to reduce alcohol related crime  [36]  . The strategy endeavoured to deliver three important points; To ensure that the laws and licensing powers in the UK help to protect young people and bear down on irresponsibly run premises, and are being used widely and effectively (Enforcement) To promote an environment which encourages sensible drinking through investment in better information and communications (Education and Prevention) To ensure that there is a greater focus on the minority of drinkers who cause or experience most harm to themselves, their communities and their families (Treatment and Aftercare)  [37]  . Although other legislation has been introduced to help assist the police in their aim to reduce alcohol related crime, for example; penalty notices for disorder, drinking banning orders, directions to leave and licensed premises closure orders, it is more resources that are needed to help reduce alcohol fuelled crime  [38]  . Although the police have had increased powers to deal with drunken offenders, they still cannot seem to decrease the amount of alcohol related crime  [39]  . In 2006 the Violent Crime Reduction Act was introduced, which introduced new measures to ensure that police and local communities have the powers they need to tackle violent crimes including alcohol related crime  [40]  . However this did not seem to have a positive effect on crime reduction either. Many offenders of alcohol related crime do not seem to be habitual offenders; many will have only one encounter with the criminal justice system  [41]  . However some offenders are arrested repeatedly for alcohol related offences. Mechanisms for identifying why they reoffend and referring them for help are haphazard, meaning that they continue offending to their own detriment and that of society, whilst also taking up criminal justice resources  [42]  . With pubs and bars open for longer hours during the day and night then this cannot be helpful in any way to help reduce the crime rate fuelled by alcohol. Many have argued that the alcohol industry has a vital role in helping to prevent and tackle the harms caused by alcohol misuse  [43]  . However many would also agree with the fact that the alcohol industry do not do enough to try and help reduce alcohol related crime. Many different organisations can be classed as being responsible for reducing crime, including the offe nder himself and his family, however the alcohol industry are in control of how they advertise their alcohol, how it is packaged and how it is promoted. The alcohol industry should be working hard to help and if this means going beyond their statutory responsibilities then so be it. Since 2006 the challenge 21 scheme has been fairly successful in raising awareness among publicans and their staff of the need to be vigilant in preventing underage sales  [44]  . Pubs are now turning away over one million underage customers each month who, when challenged were unable to provide acceptable proof of their age, this clearly indicates that the trade is making a bigger effort to enforce the law and prevent under age sales of alcohol  [45]  . Challenge 25 gives more staff a wider margin of protection, as if the customer looks under 25 then the staff can ask for proof that they are over 18. In 2009 Britains drink industry announced a one million social marketing campaign aimed at encou raging more responsible drinking amongst young adults and shifting attitudes towards drunkenness  [46]  . Supermarkets are also a contributing factor towards alcohol related crime due to their ability to sell alcohol at hugely reduced costs. Bars and clubs have to sell alcohol at a certain price, however supermarkets can afford to lower the price of alcohol, and nearly every supermarket has numerous offers on their alcohol, for example, 3 bottles of wine for  £10 and numerous cans of lager for a low price. Therefore many people are drinking more at home, and many people are also drinking more before going out due to the low prices in supermarkets. Statistics in 2010 show that; 7,800 premises have 24 hour licenses, of which; 4,400 are hotel bars 1,700 are supermarkets or shops 1,000 are pubs, bars and nightclubs 800 are other premises  [47]  . The above statistics have been a concern for the police and the general public. Previous to the Licensing Act 2003 most of the above establishments shut at 11pm, this in fact meant that there was a rise in assaults and antisocial behaviour because people were fighting and arguing as they were leaving the bars and clubs  [48]  . However with 24 hour licenses in place, brawls and fighting are not just happening at 11pm, they are happening at all hours of the day and night. Therefore alcohol consumption seems to have risen since the introduction of the Licensing Act 2003. The government claimed that the Licensing Act 2003 would help to reduce binge drinking as well as alcohol related crime. This seemed quite an absurd and unlikely claim, due to the face that for people that want to binge drink, bars and clubs will be open longer. With bars and clubs staying open for longer periods of time, then people are no less likely to binge drink than before the Licensing Act 2003 came into force. An array of modern alcohol products and marketing strategies are especially designed to encourage and exploit the binge drinking culture  [49]  . A large segment of the pub sector appears to operate on the basis of pack them in, get them drunk, and chuck them out  [50]  . Speed drinking bars have also become very popular with binge drinkers, with a lot of bars now charging only  £15.00 for unlimited alcohol all night  [51]  . However in 2009 there were strict conditions included in a new mandatory code on alcohol sales launched for consultation by Home Sec retary at the time Jacqui Smith  [52]  . Therefore these drink all you want promotions were banned. More and more young people are being targeted to drink alcohol every year. Alcohol industries have even admitted that they have to now compete with any other psychoactive products, hence the developments such as; Inventing a new range of designer drinks to appeal specifically to young people Increasing the strength of alcohol products targeted at the young Marketing alcohol to young people on the basis of its psychoactive properties and hedonistic appeal  [53]  . There seems to be nothing whatsoever in the above to justify regarding the abolition of fixed closing times as a key mechanism for reducing binge drinking  [54]  . Longer drinking hours has in fact given the binge drinking pattern of consumption more scope and encouragement  [55]  . However the government have been known to disagree with the above statement. The government have claimed that since the Licensing Act 2003 came into force, binge drinking has reduced considerably. The governments claims are completely unqualified  [56]  . There is no evidence to prove their claim, and is ironic for the government to claim such things with no evidence, especially as they state that one of the basic requirements for of the national harm reduction strategy is that it will be evidence based  [57]  . Recent surveys of young adults aged between 18 and 24 concluded that a big percentage of them had committed a crime in the twelve months previous due to having been binge drinking at the time of the offence. The survey also found that young adults who got very drunk at least once a week were almost seven times as likely to admit to criminal damage, five times as likely to admit to fighting, and four times as likely to become involved in an argument than those who got drunk less than once a month  [58]  . Prevention of alcohol related crime over the past decade has been somewhat confusing and misguided as to the actual help and effect on the overall decrease in the problem that it has. People drink alcohol for many different reasons; clinical professionals have often been in disagreement with each other of how to tackle alcohol related crimes. For many individuals there are underlying problems that lead someone to alcohol, and that leads someone to be alcohol dependant. The government seem to be very quick at placing the blame on others apart from themselves. Since the Licensing Act 2003 the NHS has seen a lot more admissions of patients with serious problems from drinking too much alcohol whether it is from assaults or from liver disease and other physical illnesses from alcohol. The government have done absolutely nothing over the past few years to make alcohol drinks less affordable. Alcohol is more widely available and cheaper than it has been since the 1970s  [59]  . The purc hase of alcoholic drinks by UK households has risen ten percent in a year. In the last decade there has been a fifty percent increase of people drinking at home; this is an awful lot of drinking for children to be witnessing  [60]  . Alcohol is now even stronger than it used to be. Surely one would ascertain that if the price of alcohol rose then this would help in decreasing alcohol related offences. Alcohol companies could actually do extra in helping the government to control and decrease the problems when dealing with alcohol and its ever growing increase in younger people seeing alcohol as escapism but not realising the risks and consequences that alcohol can have on their body, mind and life. The alcohol firms did come to some kind of agreement with the government a few years ago in which they said that by the end of 2008 they would label the majority of alcohol drinks with information about the number of units contained in the drink, the recommended sensible drinking guid elines for men and women, and the website address for the drinkaware trust  [61]  . However very few companies complied with this, and just 50 percent of all drinks actually carry any warnings  [62]  . However it has to be recognised that more and more adverts are appearing on our television screens each year regarding the dangers of drinking too much alcohol. Nearly every advert that advertisers alcohol has a warning and the name of the drinkaware website on the screen; this is a good improvement over the last few years. Preventing alcohol related crime is also an ongoing problem for the police. Whilst alcohol related health and social problems amongst youths are increasing internationally, both consumption and associated harms are particularly high in British youths  [63]  . Alcohol related crime is also taking the police away from dealing with more serious crimes. The British youths of today are consuming alcohol more frequently than any other generation. Binge drinking and peer group pressure are amongst the main concerns for schoolchildren. Most youths and unfortunately children are drinking in public places, for example, street corners and parks, outside youth clubs and even in their own homes. With habits and pressures like these there is a high rise in the amount of acute violence and long term alcohol dependence  [64]  . In a statement made by a chief inspector of a police station in London, it was stated that the police concern is that there are already too many people leaving licens ed premises, particularly after 1.00am, and any more will place a burden on the area and add to the existing crime and disorder  [65]  . Since this statement was made it appears that problems of drunkenness, crime and disorder have increased in the West end of London as hours of trading have been extended  [66]  . An analysis of the criminal offences in relation to licensed premises in West End Central found that in 2000 the peak time for violent offences was 1.00am, and the report concluded that the crime in and around the direct vicinity of licensed premises is occurring at later hours due to the extended licensing hours  [67]  . The evaluation of the Home Office report clearly indicates that the impact of the Act in its first year of operation brought fewer problems than were feared by pessimists, and fewer benefits than expected by optimists  [68]  . There are three explanations for the findings; one is that the new licensing regime has not significantly changed patterns of drinking; the second is that there have been significant changes to drinking patterns, but that these changes have not led to more crime and disorder; the third is that extraneous factors have had a bigger impact than the changes to licensing hours  [69]  . The UK has witnessed significant alcohol cultural changes over the last decade. Young women are especially drinking more, and binge drinking seems to be a popular pastime for the youngsters of today. It is a major fear when teenagers are beginning their drinking careers at increasingly younger ages. Ten years ago it was the age range of 15 to 16 year olds that were drinking alcohol frequently, now figures have shown that children as young as 9 and 10 are being introduced to alcohol, and are also drinking twice the amount that younger people drank ten years ago. Alcohol fuelled domestic violence seems to have been overlooked by the crime statistics in every year since the Licensing Act 2003 came into force because when domestic violence through alcohol is reported, it is not classed as a alcohol related crime  [70]  . Alcohol is one of the main factors that contribute to domestic violence. It is extremely obvious that more needs to be done to achieve a vast reduction in alcohol re lated crime. The government have set out various conditions and legislation but it seems that the alcohol industry and supermarkets are not one hundred percent in favour of making our streets much safer by helping to reduce alcohol fuelled crime. Therefore if we as a country are sincere in wanting to reduce alcohol related crimes then perhaps a more tactical effect would be best achieved by starting with the businesses that are accountable for supplying alcohol to the public. Many bars and nightclubs sell soft drinks, water and non alcoholic beverages; however it is normally the case that soft drinks are more expensive than the alcoholic drinks. People who commit crimes whilst drunk are more often than not in need of help or counselling for their excessive drinking. This kind of help is never easy to achieve, and with most perpetrators of crime leaving the police station with just a warning then is it any wonder that they are most likely going to commit another crime once they have had some more alcohol. Harsher penalties should be given. In recent years numerous young adults have been interviewed about what their view is on how alcohol related crime can be decreased. The majority of the individuals stated that more should be done to try and moderate consumption of alcohol; however nobody can force someone to stop drinking. Many suggestions centred on licensed premises and what could be done within them to discourage excessive drinking and promote more moderate drinking  [71]  . Bar staff should perhaps be trained more effectively so that they know when someone has had enough alcohol therefore discouraging the person to not drink anymore. With more and more premises every year opening for longer hours it seems that people are being tempted to drink more. Non-alcoholic drinks should certainly cost less than alcoholic drinks. It seems that every year bars and clubs are offering new promotions to encourage people to drink more, alcoholic drinks such as shots are the new craze at the moment, and are normally fairly cheap to buy if not free with your first drink.. With information such as this then there is nothing to suggest that the Licensing Act 2003 has had any positive impact on helping to reduce the crimes that are committed whilst people are under the influence of alcohol. Prevention is paramount; therefore educating children in secondary schools of the dangers of consuming alcohol should be of major importance  [72]  . Many schools educate youngsters about the dangers of taking drugs, so why doesnt educating children of the risks caused by drinking alcohol taking place in our schools  [73]  . Alcohol did not seem to be a major problem regarding crime over ten years ago. The odd fight or criminal damage was sometimes fuelled by alcohol but there was not as near the problems our country has today. Many people are still of the opinion that the Licensing Act 2003 was completely non affective and that the government really need to readdress certain issues regarding the alcohol industry, so that maybe our drinks culture would not be so appealing  [74]  . Not every individual who consumes alcohol can be convinced to drink less, however if tougher sentences were given for the perpetrators of alcohol related crime then maybe this would make the offender think twice before having that next drink. total words 3968

Wednesday, November 13, 2019

Puerto Rico :: essays research papers

Identity Crisis The effect of colonialism on a colonized people can often result in a situation better known to us today as an â€Å"identity crisis.† Studying the history of Puerto Rico under Spanish rule helps us to identify the problems found within modern notions of Puerto Rican identity. Such notions of national identity stem from the belief that Puerto Rico is a "self-defined community of people who share a sense of solidarity based on a belief in a common heritage and who claim political rights that may include self-determination" (Morris 12). However, such modern notions of solidarity contradict the fact that by 1898 Puerto Rican society was characterized by great racial and class differences. As claimed by Josà © Luis Gonzà ¡lez in his Puerto Rico: The Four Storeyed Country, these differences made "Puerto Rico [†¦] a country so divided racially, socially, economically and culturally that it should be described as two countries rather than one" (Gonzalez14). The rise and fall of the international sugar market, and the subsequent ascendancy of the coffee market in the Puerto Rican economy, helped to create the "foreign elements" within Puerto Rico that make modern views of Puerto Rican identity extremely problematic. The study and use of history has played an important role in helping to construct the concept of Puerto Rican national heritage. Francisco Scarano, in his Sugar and Slavery in Puerto Rico, 1815-1949: An Overview, asserts that notions of Puerto Rican national heritage have been portrayed as being an "anomalous case" within the Americas. He writes that many historians have claimed that Puerto Rico had an "economy and society which developed an advanced sugar industry during times of fairly open Atlantic slave trade, yet did not rely to any significant degree on the labor of African slaves" (Scarano 25). This suggests that the racial "heritage" of Puerto Ricans is not predominately black, and therefore, other races must have attributed to this hybridity, as well. Moreover, it also suggests that because forced slavery was not widely practiced on the island, a notion of solidarity could have existed amongst the Puerto Rican people during the 19th Century. How ever, could this example also serve as a precedent for modern uses of history to reinforce perceptions of national identity? Unfortunately, the details surrounding the island’s social and economic structure at that particular time prevent its history from serving as a model for national unity. In the 1840s, sugar became very important in the international market. Puerto Rico :: essays research papers Identity Crisis The effect of colonialism on a colonized people can often result in a situation better known to us today as an â€Å"identity crisis.† Studying the history of Puerto Rico under Spanish rule helps us to identify the problems found within modern notions of Puerto Rican identity. Such notions of national identity stem from the belief that Puerto Rico is a "self-defined community of people who share a sense of solidarity based on a belief in a common heritage and who claim political rights that may include self-determination" (Morris 12). However, such modern notions of solidarity contradict the fact that by 1898 Puerto Rican society was characterized by great racial and class differences. As claimed by Josà © Luis Gonzà ¡lez in his Puerto Rico: The Four Storeyed Country, these differences made "Puerto Rico [†¦] a country so divided racially, socially, economically and culturally that it should be described as two countries rather than one" (Gonzalez14). The rise and fall of the international sugar market, and the subsequent ascendancy of the coffee market in the Puerto Rican economy, helped to create the "foreign elements" within Puerto Rico that make modern views of Puerto Rican identity extremely problematic. The study and use of history has played an important role in helping to construct the concept of Puerto Rican national heritage. Francisco Scarano, in his Sugar and Slavery in Puerto Rico, 1815-1949: An Overview, asserts that notions of Puerto Rican national heritage have been portrayed as being an "anomalous case" within the Americas. He writes that many historians have claimed that Puerto Rico had an "economy and society which developed an advanced sugar industry during times of fairly open Atlantic slave trade, yet did not rely to any significant degree on the labor of African slaves" (Scarano 25). This suggests that the racial "heritage" of Puerto Ricans is not predominately black, and therefore, other races must have attributed to this hybridity, as well. Moreover, it also suggests that because forced slavery was not widely practiced on the island, a notion of solidarity could have existed amongst the Puerto Rican people during the 19th Century. How ever, could this example also serve as a precedent for modern uses of history to reinforce perceptions of national identity? Unfortunately, the details surrounding the island’s social and economic structure at that particular time prevent its history from serving as a model for national unity. In the 1840s, sugar became very important in the international market.