Magnets and Magnetism Quiz

Energy, Reliable, And Modern Energy Services - 989 Words

7.1 Ensure universal access to affordable, reliable, and modern energy services: This target directly addresses the global issue with energy access to the poor, while also emphasizing the need to make global energy production to safer and more advanced. This includes the need to diversify the sources of energy services so that the dependency on specific harmful sources of energy, such as, coal, natural gas, or oil, is reduced. 7.2 Increase substantially the share of renewable energy in the global energy mix: Although non-renewable energy sources provide a huge percentage of the global energy production, the biggest issue with it is its significant effect on global climate change and its limited resource expectancy. Hence, the need to increase the percentage production of renewable energy is absolutely essential to lower our dependency on fossil fuels. 7.3 Double the global rate of improvement in energy efficiency: Energy consumption in agricultural, industrial, commercial and residential sectors needs to be made more efficient to improve quality of services all around world. More importantly, this target also addresses the issue of providing energy for an increasing global population. 7.a In order to reach the targets, the biggest challenge would be accommodating to these changes at different scales. When considering countries individually, GDP allocation on energy regulations and proper communication between different sectors would play the key role in achieving theseShow MoreRelatedThe, Reliable And Modern Energy Services993 Words   |  4 Pagesaccess to affordable, reliable and modern energy services by 2030. This target is relatively measurable on a macro-level based on the percentage of population with access to various forms of energy, such as solid fuels, biomass, gas, and electricity. However, the qualitative terms â€Å"affordable† and â€Å"modern† would need to be clarified in order for the target to be fully measurable. Target 7.2 aims to increase substantially the share of renewable energy in the global energy mix by 2030. The shareRead MoreSustainable Energy, Reliable And Modern Energy Services1035 Words   |  5 Pages as easier access to affordable, reliable and modern energy services becomes more common. It may be indicated by end user prices, the scale of electrification in areas, and the relative share of modern energy worldwide. As for target 7.2, a figure needs to be put on the target share of renewable energy to allow for measurement against a set standard. For 7.3, improvement in overall efficiency may be tracked using a production to usage ratio or by trends in energy intensities. In regard to targetsRead MoreIs It A Modern Energy Service?935 Words   |  4 Pagesby 2030, universal access to affordable, reliable, and modern energy services will be ensured. By stating ‘universal access’, this target can be taken many ways. Do they mean they want the entire population to hav e access by 2030? If so, this is quite a goal to accomplish within 15 years. There is also the problem of the term ‘modern energy services’. Again, what constitutes a modern energy service? Something that is currently modern may no longer be modern by 2030 when it is implemented; would thatRead MoreObjectives Of The Sixth Sustainable Development Goals1259 Words   |  6 PagesEnergy access is increasingly seen as a crucial driver for social and economic development and also assists with meeting basic human needs for food and shelter (IEA, 2004). Energy was not explicitly considered in the Millennium Development Goals in 2000 or the Johannesburg Plan of Implementation in 2002. However the link between energy services and poverty reduction was clearly identified, as energy services and modern cooking fuels improved as a result (UNDP, 2005, PG.8). January 2016 will bringRead MoreSustainable Development Goals Of The United Nations957 Words   |  4 Pagesin place of the old Millennium Development Goals. Goal 7, which is related to energy and includes 5 targets, is aimed to â€Å"Ensure access to affordable, reliable, sustainable, and modern energy for all.† Measurability of the Targets From a personal perspective, it seems that most targets within Goal 7 are measurable. The first target, â€Å"by 2030 ensure universal access to affordable, reliable, and modern energy services†, is theoretically measurable. However, as many developing countries don’t haveRead MoreUsing Renewable Energy, Reliable And Reliable Source Of Energy Essay970 Words   |  4 Pagesaffordable, reliable and modern energy services and/or renewable energy, rather than depending on inefficient sources, such as biomass, for energy. Target 7.3 can be measured by comparing passed to present/future improvements in energy efficiency. (i.e. lower cost, using renewable energy more efficiently) Target 7.a and b can be measured by comparing the amount of passed to present/future research that s transpire ameliorate the access and supplying to modern, sustainable, and renewable energy. 2) AreRead MoreThe Current State Of Renewable Energy Consumption Between Today And 2030 Essay984 Words   |  4 Pagesuniversal, affordable, reliable, and modern) are agreed to be defined as. What is considered to be affordable/reliable/modern can be subjective especially in a global context. Therefore, the dimensions can be measured, however the target itself is not truly measurable. Target 7.2: The global energy mix is the breakdown of the consumption of primary energy sources. The breakdown is based on the geographical regions of the world (Planà ¨te Énergies, 2015). If the different types of energy in regions all aroundRead MoreThe Un Recent Drafting Of A Sustainable Development Goals Essay986 Words   |  4 Pagesspecifically the idea behind goal number 7 : â€Å"Ensure access to affordable, reliable, sustainable and modern energy for all†1. Part One Because energy is one of the most fundamental states of the universe, it is easily measurable. In physics, calculating the energy of given a system is one of the most basic problems, whether the question applies to an electronics problem, thermodynamics one, or mechanical issue. We can thus assume that energy, as a hole, is easily measurable. The goal seven’s first target quotes:Read MoreModern Day Growth And Development1055 Words   |  5 Pagesplanet faces. Of the numerous environmental issues included in its schema, one is energy. More specifically, the need to warrant accessibility and affordability of modern energy to everyone across the globe. The agenda under this division of clean energy segments into multiple targets which the Division for Sustainable Development (DSD) of the United Nations hopes to achieve by the year 2030. Energy related services are an extremely substantial tool in today’s contemporary life, which brings us toRead MoreAccess Of Modern Energy Is A Combination Of Three Characteristics : Availability, Affordability And Reliability1094 Words   |  5 PagesAccess to modern energy is a combination of three characteristics: availability, affordability and reliability (Reddy, 2015). We can also measure a percentage of the world population with access to affordable and reliable electricity sources (i) and the percentage of people who primarily rely on modern, non-solid fuels (ii) (Wykes et al., 2015). Combined, these two percentages are relevant indicators. The percentages of population per country with access to electricity (i) and modern non-solid fuels

Resolving ethical business challenges free essay sample

As a new employee at Acme Corporation, Frank Garcia knew few mistakes were allowed. He had sold medical supplies to Thermocare. Thermocare was a company Acme had been trying to do business with for a while. Otis Hillman, buyer for Thermocare, was happy with the products supplied by Acme. When Frank wanted to sell additional items to the company, Otis would question whether Acme was the right company for supplying products and would outright hint that he wanted something in return for meeting with Frank and considering ongoing business opportunities with Acme. (For example, sporting event tickets and trips. ). Frank verified offerings to Otis with his boss, Amber. She was impressed with the amount of sales to Thermocare and vowed to do what needed to be done to keep the client happy. Amber stated the best clients and their salesperson were invited to Las Vegas as a â€Å"thank you†. This included Otis, who represented Thermocare and Frank from Acme. We will write a custom essay sample on Resolving ethical business challenges or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page All were given $500 and told everything was covered by Acme. Otis, out for his personal enjoyment, told Frank about going to an adult entertainment club. Frank was worried about the morality of the situation. His boss, Amber, assured him that word of it would not get out and Acme heads would not find out that their money was used to engage in this behavior, especially since Frank was not the one going to the club. Ethical Issues faced by Acme Corporation Acme could face many ethical issues in the business world and in the public eye. With a Las Vegas trip given to clients and select employees, it could give the wrong appearance of what is moral. Many individuals and businesses could see it as Acme condoning gambling, drinking, and illicit acts. Acme should reward clients and salespeople, but in more moral ways or at least set boundaries as to what the company will be responsible for. Acme’s competition may make it an issue of misconduct and responsibility on Acme’s behalf. This could lead to the loss of business for Acme. (Ferrell, Fraedrich, Ferrell, 2013, p. 7). Frank’s Ethical Issues Frank needs to be aware of ethical issues when dealing with Otis or any other client. Offering trips and other entertainment options without prior approval could be seen as misuse of company resources or even bribery to get a potential client’s business or more business from an existing client. Frank needs to know that negative publicity can cost him his job and hurt Acme. Since Frank gets bonuses for sales, he can be accused of bribing clients to get their business so he gets a bonus. Frank needs to understand the business ethics and issues and know where to draw the line on what is right or wrong. (Ferrell, Fraedrich, Ferrell, 2013, p. 9). Advantages and Disadvantages of Frank’s Decisions Frank’s decision to tell Amber about Otis wanting to go to an adult entertainment club was right. Since he voiced his concerns, it shows he has morals and values and wants to do right for Acme. The disadvantage to allowing Otis to go to the club without warning that Acme wasn’t responsible for it was that word can still get out and hurt Acme’s reputation. It could also cost Frank his job for not protecting the company reputation. If Frank mentioned that Otis was solely responsible for going to the club and Acme would have nothing to do with it, Otis could have thought bad of the business and gone to another supplier. Otis knew the company was to cover the trip and all expenses and he was taking advantage of it. There should have been more trust and openness between Frank and Otis. Both should have discussed the matter and decided what was best for all involved. Is the profit Acme receiving from Thermocare worth the amount of business that could be lost with the negative publicity if it gets out that Acme funded a client’s night at an adult entertainment club? (Ferrell, Fraedrich, Ferrell, 2013, p. 20-21).

The Tawuniya Health Insurance Company

Introduction It is rather interesting to note that various theories of consumer decision making processes always seem to assume that consumers pass through distinct stages/steps before, during and after the process of selecting a particular product to buy or service to utilize.Advertising We will write a custom research paper sample on The Tawuniya Health Insurance Company specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More On the other hand Van der Merwe (2010) states that this may not necessarily be the case since not all consumers pass through a particular decision making process and in some instances consumers may in fact skip certain stages all together (Van der Merwe, 11 – 16). What must be understood is that an average consumer is influenced by a myriad of different factors that affect the way in which they choose to patronize a particular product or service (Sahoo, 57 – 63). This can range from various psychological reactions s uch as the way in which they think and feel about different products (i.e. brand perception) to the way in which the market environment they are currently present in affects the way in which they perceive a particular product or service (i.e. local culture, their family, local media influences etc.) (Danziger, 5). For example, the 2008 financial crisis and the subsequent financial recession we are currently experiencing have greatly affected the way in which consumers perceive particular products or services at the present. When examining the present day consumer decision making process what is apparent is that there is not only a decision to resolve a current problem (i.e. buying food when they’re hungry or picking a particular insurance policy when it is necessary) rather what also happens is the necessity to fulfill a â€Å"higher need† in terms of what patronizing a particular product or service means to a customer. This principle can be seen at work in the insuran ce industry in Riyadh wherein product choice is not governed by just price and quality but rather by the processes that go into it that consumers have increasingly been taking into consideration before patronizing a particular company. For example, consumer satisfaction regarding health insurance can be seen as being governed not only by the inherent price of a policy but the various medical institutions that are willing to accept it, the convenience by which claims can be made, the ease of use of the process, the way in which the customer support staff handles their request and finally the readiness in which doctors are willing to assist a patient based on the use of that particular type of insurance policy.Advertising Looking for research paper on business economics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More It is based on this that this study will examine the Tawuniya health insurance company in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia in order to dete rmine the extent of customer satisfaction with the company’s services and to determine if the company has the proper instruments in place to fulfill the â€Å"higher need† that customers look for when patronizing the services of a particular company. Problem Statement Though Tawuniya is one of the leading health insurance companies within Riyadh it is unknown whether its clients are satisfied with the product itself or the added services it has. This paper will attempt to examine what drives consumer satisfaction in the case of Tawuniya and will determine whether it is based on the price of health insurance or the added services it has. Research Questions Do Tawuniya’s current services fulfill the â€Å"higher need† of consumers? What affects consumer satisfaction and service patronage? What is necessary in maintaining consumer satisfaction in a modern day era? What tools do businesses need to have in order to stay competitive in today’s business environment? Are Tawuniya’s consumers satisfied with the company’s current product offering? What drives consumer satisfaction in the case of Tawuniya? Review of Related Literature Introduction to Literature This section reviews and evaluates literature and theories on customer satisfaction, current trends in consumer behavior as well as the evaluation of methods of ensuring product patronage. The literature in this review is drawn from the following EBSCO databases: Academic Search Premier, MasterFILE Premier; as well as Jstore and various internet sources when applicable. Keywords used either individually or in conjunction include: customer satisfaction, consumer behavior, consumer decision making, consumption and patronage. Theoretical Framework Theory of Consumer Behavior The theory of consumer behavior revolves around the concept of the perceived value or satisfaction that a consumer derives from the consumption/ use of a particular commodity. In terms of actuall y understanding the demand side of market consumption/utilization the theory of consumer behavior uses two distinct methods of measurement, namely Total Utility (TU) and Marginal Utility (MU). Total utility is defined by various experts in the field of consumer behavior as being the equivalent to the total level of satisfaction that a consumer can get from the use/consumption of a particular good or service. In the field of analyzing consumer behavior marginal utility is basically described as an add-on, namely it is the additional form of satisfaction that a consumer /health insurance client can get from the use/consumption of an added portion of a particular good or service. It must be noted though that while total utility increases with the overall level of quality, at some point due to the continuous consumption of a particular product or use of a type of service the overall yield will result in smaller and smaller levels of additional utility towards the consumption. To illustr ate this point one can imagine a person buying a scoop of dark chocolate ice cream at an ice cream store due to the hot and humid weather in Riyadh.Advertising We will write a custom research paper sample on The Tawuniya Health Insurance Company specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More While initially the total utility and marginal utility are equal if the person were to go back and kept on buying the same product in order to stay cold the total utility would increase due to the consumption however the marginal utility would decrease over time as a result of the continuous consumption of the same product. This is based on notion that continuous consumption of the same product would eventually cause a person to get tired of consuming it thus the added value continues to decrease over the course of consumption. In order to better understand how such a concept integrates itself into business planning and marketing the four fundamental conce pts of consumer choice must be taken into consideration namely: rational behavior, preferences, budget constraints and prices. The concept of rational behavior assumes that all consumers are rational individuals who try to use their earned income in order to derive the greatest amount of satisfaction/ utility. In other words consumers try to get the most out of their income through rational buying behavior which results in a maximization of total utility from the products or services used. In the case of the this paper this comes in the form of clients choosing a particular health insurance company based on their perception that they would get the most value from patronizing that company. This rational behavior is based on the fact that consumers will act in an economically competent manner in that they will not spend too much money on irrational purchases or services. This can take the form of stockpiling unneeded products or choosing certain services that are well beyond their bud getary means. As such the concept of rational behavior assumes all consumers engage in rational buying behaviors which becomes the basis for any future analysis of consumer patronage towards a particular type of product or utility. For the health insurance industry this means that customers have a certain â€Å"limit† to the amount they are willing to pay on insurance premiums on a particular insurance package based on the rates that the company has allotted for them (Logie-MacIver and Piacentini, 60 – 76). It must also be noted that the concept of preferences is based on the fact that each individual consumer has his/her own personal preference towards a particular service or product that is currently available in the market from which they are able to derive the greatest amount of total utility/ satisfaction.Advertising Looking for research paper on business economics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Consumers are inherently aware of how much in the way of marginal utility they are able to derive from successive use/consumption of a particular product or service. It must be noted though that the amount of marginal and total utility derived from a particular product or service differs based on each individual consumer group since they all have individual tastes, preferences and ideologies. In the case of the health insurance industry in Riyadh this comes in the form of various healthcare payment packages that the companies offer customers. If a customer pays a lot into their health insurance package yet regularly uses their health insurance plan on a yearly basis this mean they are able to derive the greatest amount of total utility/satisfaction from patronizing that company’s services. On the other hand it must be noted that if a customer is paying a lot into a service yet doesn’t use it at all it can be stated that they are not making the most of the service and a s such are not able to derive a any total utility/ satisfaction from paying into the service. Under the concept of budget constraints each consumer is assumed to have a fixed and finite income due to the limited amount of work in exchange for income each individual consumer is capable of achieving. In this case it is assumed that there is unlimited demand for goods and services however this is offset by a limited income. For the insurance industry in Riyadh this takes the form of having specific types of insurance packages available that take into account varying income levels instead of having fixed price packages that neglect to take into account a person’s level of income before a particular payment plan is set. Finally, the concept of prices assumes that each individual consumer is part of the total demand in the market. Due to the limited amount of income each consumer is capable of achieving they must choose to obtain the best combination of goods that maximizes their t otal utility while at the same time remaining within a certain price range. In this study the point of view of the consumer, namely consumer preference, plays an important role in determining whether the total utility of the consumer knowing that the health insurance company they are under has beneficial practices (i.e. good customer service, widespread insurance usage, online tracking of claims etc.) actually contributes to consumer patronage of that particular health insurance company. It must be noted that while the concept of consumer preference plays an important role in the choice of a particular product or service the fact remains that the remaining concepts of rational behavior, budget constraint and price also play roles that can actually override the concept of preference. While a consumer may prefer to use a particular health insurance company that has widespread coverage and great services, barriers to this choice in the form of higher prices which directly conflicts wit h a consumer’s inherent budget constraints would thus change their pattern of behavior to choose a more affordable solution in order to conform to what is rational. On the other hand if a consumer is presented with two choices namely a health insurance company that accommodates their â€Å"higher need interests† while the other has not with both prices being similar it is likely that the consumer will choose the former choice rather than the latter. This decision is influenced by all concepts of consumer behavior wherein preference and rational behavior for health insurance companies that have â€Å"higher need services† led the consumer to choosing the insurance company that has better services while the similar prices for each insurance company conformed to the consumer’s budget constraint thus letting the choice be left up to preference. It must be noted that the theory of consumer behavior is basically an examination of what influences a consumer†™s choice in a particular product or service. Should a consumer be presented with the same service with both being within budget constraints and prices, the choice is usually left up to consumer preference. On the other hand if a choice is beyond budget constraints, price level and is considered to be an irrational choice preference is no longer included into the decision making process. Thus in terms of understanding consumer behavior preference should not be considered the sole deciding factor in understanding consumer behavior rather a combination of rational behavior, preference, budget constraints and price must always be taken into consideration in order to understand how consumer behavior towards a particular product or service works. Market Trends One of the current marketing trends in the health insurance industry has been to connect special amenities, services and exclusive offers to particular health insurance packages. For example, in the case of Tawuniya this comes in the form of online methods of claim tracking, international insurance for people travelling to other companies, widespread acceptability of Tawuiya online eServices for individuals and corporations as well as professional customer service representatives that will handle your claim with the utmost respect and cordiality. These aspects are the â€Å"higher need† services indicated in the beginning of this paper and as such are often connected to greater levels of customer satisfaction when it comes to using a particular type of health insurance, Tools Necessary in Ensuring Consumer Satisfaction Information Systems Information systems can be described as the interface between people, organizations and technology enabling the business to accomplish a specific task or action. One example of an information system are the various applications and websites utilized by Amazon in selling products, accepting client payments through credit card processing applications, contacting their warehouses and shipping bought products to the correct addresses indicated by their consumers. While this is only a one example of the plethora of information systems out there what must be understood is that information systems act as methods of integration for a company helping to streamline specific processes so that they can be controlled, influenced and improved when necessary. Developing proper information systems is an essential aspect for a company for without it a company will be unable to properly deal with the buying, selling and the utilization of resources across various locations in the country. Due to the varied and often complicated nature of company operations it becomes a necessity to streamline and integrate product delivery processes, methods of operation, customer service and various other operational capacities. A company cannot just simply develop and market a product without taking into consideration how best to allocate specific resources in determining whe re a product needs to go, which branch needs it most, how will product returns be processed and how HR services will deal with salaries for the myriad employees within a company. A company requires an efficient and up-to-date information system in order to integrate the factors mentioned into an efficient and effective operational strategy so as to better serve its clients. The larger a company get the more hectic and haphazard its operations tend to become, especially in instances where its operations are located in different countries. Organizations need to understand how to properly allocate resources to specific international locations, how suppliers can be contacted, what are the limits of production on a daily basis and how will each branch location contact each other.. In other words information systems can be classified as solutions to identified problems or necessary methods of integration. What must be understood is that while managers and CEOs are great at coming up with specific solutions to problems they are lost when it comes to implementing these particular solutions when they require computer programming as one of the factors behind the implementation. Information systems and information system specialists bridge this gap by being able to integrate the ideas of managers and CEOs into viable technological applications that can be implemented on a company wide basis. For example, if a company is currently having problems with its archaic method of form based ordering in order to get products from the warehouse to consumers a manager or CEO would think to implement a faster and better means of getting orders to warehouses without having to rely on someone physically going there and handing them the orders. They would of course think to apply a computer based system for this particular solution and this is where information systems come in. An information system in this particular situation becomes an applied solution where it is developed in order to help a company resolve a particular problem. On the other hand if the company was to expand and have a more diverse array of products and factories further development of the initial information systems becomes necessary in order to adapt to the growing needs of the company. It is based on this that it can be seen that information systems act as a necessary method of process integration which enables a company to do its job better and as such it is essential to have it within a company. Turning All Consumer Interactions into an â€Å"experience† In a documented interview, entrepreneurs Rob and Pablo, creators of â€Å"Snog†, a U.K. based chain of yogurt outlets, state the following regarding what it takes to become a successful entrepreneur â€Å"now we are in a recession and we see businesses that are successful I think the one thing you see that they all have is the experience which is the most important part in everything so we made sure that there was an exper ience†. The â€Å"experience† that Rob and Pablo refer to is not just the quality of the product itself but what customers feel when they enter into a particular establishment. In the case of Snog, all their outlets have a warm and friendly ambiance which is not only family friendly but actually promotes, in their words, â€Å"a happy feeling† for customers. Going back to the example of Apple Inc., it can be seen that all their stores, no matter what country they are present in, have a stylish and ergonomic design that looks â€Å"clean, modern and cutting edge† which has come to exemplify the experience of buying products at an Apple store. Based on the popularity of not only Snog but of Apple itself, it can be seen that by making their store into an â€Å"experience† rather than just a store; this helps to encourage buying behavior among their clientele and even repeat visits. As such, for any business that wants to increase their customer base, i t is important to develop the experience, the business provides so as to appeal better to consumers and create repeat business. Strategy to maintain balance between competitor and customer orientations Businesses don’t operate within a vacuum and have to deal with intense competitive environment forces on an almost daily basis. What must be understood is that there are three components to market orientation that dictate how a company acts within a competitive environment, these are: customer orientation, competitor orientation, and inter-functional coordination. In the case of customer orientation a company spends what resources it has in gathering data on the needs and behaviors of various consumers, the same can be said for competitor orientation however it focuses on competitors instead. What must be understood is that either method has a distinct weakness. Focusing too much on consumer orientation can actually blind a company to changes in the market or may actually stifl e innovation since the company focuses too much on consumer satisfaction rather than changing based on trends. Focusing too much on competitor orientation on the other hand results in too much time and capital being placed on competitive activities which results in companies at times neglecting their consumer bases and focusing too much on getting ahead of the competition. On the other hand both methods also have their own respective strengths such as the customer orientation strategy being more effective in uncertain markets whereas competitor oriented strategies become effective in fast growing markets. The best way to maintain a balance between the orientations is to first create a market intelligence mechanism that gathers consumer information and disseminates it within the company and secondly is to encourage the free flow of information within the organization. What must be understood is that market orientations tend to become ineffective when organizations are mired in bureau cratic nuances which prevent information from being passed on quickly. By allowing information to freely flow within an organization this increases its ability to respond to changes in the market and enables it to respond to these changes in an effective manner. One company where such strategies are evident can be seen in the case of Whole foods Inc. which combines both competitor and customer orientation strategies in its business model. This is evident by its focus on providing consumers with cheap and healthy selections which change depending on consumer preferences within a particular location while at the same time it utilizes a competitor oriented strategy by having prices which are marginally lower than other competitors in the health food market. It must be noted though that a company’s strategies do change over time depending on changes within the market. For example, as mentioned earlier customer orientation strategy are more effective in uncertain markets whereas c ompetitor oriented strategies become effective in fast growing markets, the inherent problem with this is that markets tend to change over time as seen in the case of Netflix. As such when markets change this necessitates changes in orientations as well with companies at times shifting towards either customer oriented or competitor oriented strategies. Methodology Aim The aim of this paper is to research the current level of customer satisfaction with Tawuniya Objective The main research objectives of this study are the following: To compare the level of income of Tawuniya customers have and compare it to the level of satisfaction they derive from their current insurance plan. To examine whether â€Å"higher need† services are a necessity towards satisfaction in the case of Tawuniya Investigate other factors that contribute towards consumer satisfaction Survey Questions Consumer Demographic Information Q1) your age is ââ€" ¡15-20 ââ€" ¡20-25 ââ€" ¡25-30 ââ€" ¡Above 30 Q2) Social status ââ€" ¡Married ââ€" ¡Single Q3) Current Level of Income ââ€" ¡ Below $1,000 ââ€" ¡$1,000 to $3,000 ââ€" ¡Above $3,000 Services From the Company Statement Strongly agree agree Neutral disagree Strongly disagree Do the services of the company in the form of customer service, ease of use of health insurance as well as online transaction requests factor into your satisfaction with the company? Would you consider Tawuniya’s additional services as a necessity? Do additional services influence your choice of health service provider? Does Tawuniya fulfill your service requirement needs? Financial Aspect Statement Strongly Agree Agree Neutral Disagree Strongly disagree Does price factor into your choice of a health insurance company? Are you satisfied with the current prices of Tawuniya? Does price affect your patronage of a health service provider? Would you say that based on a combination of price and services you are satisfied with Tawuniya? Do the number of available services in a health insurance company affect your thoughts regarding the price? Customer Service and Information Systems Aspect Statement Strongly Agree Agree Neutral Disagree Strongly disagree Would you say that Tawuniya’s information system is easy to use? Did the company give you an adequate experience when you went to their office? Would you consider their customer services as being adequate? Do all the previous factors affect your satisfaction with the company? If your responses had been all negative for the previous factors would you still be satisfied with the company? Would you say that the effectiveness of the company’s customer service department influences your overall satisfaction with your health insurance package? Conclusion Statement Strongly Agree Agree Neutral Disagree Strongly disagree Are you satisfied with Tawuniy a? For you which is more important, price or the services of the company? Research Plan/Design Surveys will be carried out for this study with a focus on the various patients within hospitals in Riyadh as well as customers of the randomly selected clinics within the city. The survey will be in a form of questionnaires with four major areas of focus, namely: how important the interviewee thinks â€Å"higher need† services are within the health insurance industry, their level of income, the level of satisfaction derived from using the insurance services of Tawuniya and whether they think Tawuniya has adequate services. Data from the surveys will be collected and filtered based on the pre-defined criteria. The data will then be categorized and analyzed accordingly to achieve the objectives for this study. Scope and Limitations The study will be limited to within the city of Riyadh and will only examine confirmed members of Tawuniya’s health insurance sectio n. The goal of this research paper is to encompass 3 local hospitals and 3 local clinics in order to determine the level of consumer satisfaction towards Tawuniya, whether price factored into their decision to choose the company and whether the company is able to administer to their â€Å"higher needs† in terms of adequate services to address their health insurance concerns. Population and Sample The population for this particular study will consist of 3 hospitals and 3 clinics selected at random in Riyadh. For each individual hospital, 5-10 staff members and 20-30 patients will be selected to participate in the survey. That gives a total of 150-240 potential participants. The reason this particular type of population was used for this study is due to the experience and expertise staff members have with the consumer health industry and the fact that patients are the primary source of information needed in order to determine the level of satisfaction they derive from a particu lar service. Duration of Study The total duration of the study will last only one month; the collection of the survey results, creating the appropriate graphs, and the overall period of investigation does not entail anything particularly time consuming as such one month has been determined as being more than enough time to complete the study and present the needed results. Procedures and techniques used for collecting and analyzing data The data to be utilized in this study will gathered using surveys consisting of questions that will enable this study to determine what the opinion of hotel workers and guests are towards the concept of customer satisfaction and â€Å"higher need services†. The data will be collected and analyzed using the online survey tool Surveymonkey.com which has a free online survey maker as well as a data analysis tool that should be more than sufficient in properly analyzing the data from the surveys. To make sure this study attempted a minor test of t he operational capacity of the site by making a small survey campaign using online social networking to get several known acquaintances of the researcher input their data on their favorite movies. After one week the data was examined and analyzed using the online tools of the website and the result was more than satisfactory in terms of data clarity and accuracy of the results. Cost budget for the research The overall cost of the study itself was negligible; utilizing the online free survey tool Surveymonkey.com removed the need to print 200 copies of the survey questionnaire. This greatly facilitated the collection of survey results which resulted in the only cost for the study being the cost of transportation to and from the various hospitals/clinics chosen as samples to be used. Analysis and Discussion Level of Satisfaction and â€Å"Higher Need† Services Based on the results of the survey it was determined that consumers placed more importance on price and then â€Å"hig her need† services when it came to determining what gave them the most satisfaction. For this section this paper will examine the concept of â€Å"higher need† services and then move on to the concept of price in the next section. What must be understood is that â€Å"higher need† service encompasses not only additional amenities such as international health insurance but rather constitutes other services in relation to information systems and the â€Å"experience† of customers when dealing with a company. While it may be true that health insurance companies are more competitor driven that customer driven that fact remains that data shows customers appreciate a certain degree of additional service when the patronize a particular company. In the case of health insurance this comes in the form of information systems which enable the customer to not only make easy payments from a variety of locations but enables them to make an immediate follow up on their cl aim. What must be understood is that customers are vastly different from the way they were several years ago, today things revolve around being quick, instantaneous and above all convenient. As such the utilization of effective information systems for the benefit of consumers is a necessity in many of today’s companies. Tawuniya understands this particular aspect as evidenced by their online systems for customer support management and assistance which is considered a â€Å"higher need† service in terms of the satisfaction customers can derive from the convenience such a system provides for them. It must also be noted that consumers expect a certain â€Å"experience† when dealing with a company. This can come in the form of either the physical aspect of a location or the psychological aspect of the customer service a company provides. Taking this into consideration it can also be seen that Tawuniya has customer service representatives that are always kind and cor dial and as such contribute to a positive consumer interaction resulting in greater product satisfaction. All of these factors have actually contributed to most of the respondents being satisfied with the company’s services due to the addition of these â€Å"higher need† services. Connection of Income Level with Decision Making Process and Customer Satisfaction The four fundamental concepts of consumer choice must be taken into consideration namely: rational behavior, preferences, budget constraints and prices when trying to determine what drives the decision making process of consumers to choose a particular type of Health Insurance Company. In the hospital/clinic survey four different kinds of income streams were added namely: those below $1000, $1000 – $2000, $2000 – $3000 and income streams above $3000. These levels of income were directly contrasted to decision making process of the customer. The survey revealed that the greatest factor in the decisi on making process for patients was the price of the insurance rates, followed by the general applicability of the insurance card in various hospitals, and finally the â€Å"higher need† services offered. It is the assumption of this study that as income levels increase the propensity for consumers to go beyond the demographic of price and consider other factors in the decision making process such as â€Å"higher need† services increases as well. In order to prove this point the four fundamental concepts of consumer choice will be utilized in order to trace consumer behavior in this study and will attempt to explain how patients make their decisions regarding what health insurance company to patronize. The concept of rational behavior assumes that all consumers are rational individuals who try to use their earned income in order to derive the greatest amount of satisfaction/ utility. In other words consumers try to get the most out of their income through rational buyin g behavior which results in a maximization of total utility from the products or services used. For people choosing between various health insurance companies within Riyadh this means choosing the appropriate type of insurance company that is commensurate with the budget that they have. The results of the survey show that there are two particular levels of income that act as majorities in the income selection namely incomes below $1000 and incomes above $3000. An examination of the individual surveys show that individuals with incomes below $1000 chose prices as the determining factor in choosing insurance providers while those with incomes above $3000 chose â€Å"higher need† services as the primary factors behind their decisions. Such actions conform to the concept of preferences which is based on the fact that each individual consumer has his/her own personal preference towards a particular service or product that is currently available in the market from which they are ab le to derive the greatest amount of total utility/ satisfaction. For people with health problems in Riyadh their preferences are set according to their inherent preferences which are greatly influenced by their income. Consumers with greater incomes thus have a different set of preferences as compared to those who have lower income rates. What must be understood is that under the concept of budget constraints each consumer is assumed to have a fixed and finite income due to the limited amount of work in exchange for income each individual consumer is capable of achieving. Due to the limited amount of income each consumer is capable of achieving they must choose, under the concept of price, to obtain the best combination of goods that maximizes their total utility while at the same time remaining within a certain price range. In this study the point of view of the consumer, namely consumer preference, plays an important role in determining whether the total utility of the consumer kn owing that the health insurance company that they utilize has â€Å"higher need† services actually contributes to consumer patronage of that particular insurance company. It must be noted that while the concept of consumer preference plays an important role in the choice of a particular product or service the fact remains that the remaining concepts of rational behavior, budget constraint and price also play roles that can actually override the concept of preference. While a consumer may prefer to utilize a health insurance company that has â€Å"higher need† services, barriers to this choice in the form of higher prices which directly conflicts with a consumer’s inherent budget constraints would thus change their pattern of behavior to choose a more affordable solution in order to conform to what is rational. Conclusion/Recommendation Based on the results of the survey and the concepts of rational behavior, preference, budget constraints and prices it can be sa id that consumer preferences in Riyadh’s health insurance industry is one determined by two factors, namely price and â€Å"higher need† services. What must be understood is that a modern day health insurance client greatly differs from one 20 or 30 years ago. As patients become more modern and internationalized with increasing needs in the form of instantaneous assessment or the ability to check their current status at anytime they wish online comes the necessity of providing such services to them. For a health insurance company that lacks such services this greatly affects the decision making process of consumers since it enables them to instantly know whether a particular health insurance company is bad, lacks particular amenities or is too backwards to utilize for their modern day lifestyle. This differs from past situations where consumers had to physically go to the office in order to file a claim or complete any paperwork. When it comes to price what must be und erstood is that due to the current volatile economic situations around the world customers are not careless with their money as they used to be. At the present they take into account first the price of a particular insurance package and then the subsequent benefits and â€Å"higher need† services before they choose to patronize a particular company. It is based on this that strategies involving consumer satisfaction for Tawuniya in the future should begin first with price based changes and then move on to â€Å"higher need† additions for particular insurance packages in order to not only satisfy a customer’s inherent need for affordable pricing but their desire for â€Å"higher need† services as well. Works Cited Danziger, Shai, Aviad Israeli, and Michal Bekerman. â€Å"Investigating Pricing Decisions In The Hospitality Industry Using The Behavioral Process Method.† Journal Of  Hospitality Leisure Marketing 11.2/3 (2004): 5-17. Academic Search P remier. Web. Logie-MacIver, Liz, and Maria G. Piacentini. â€Å"Towards A Richer Understanding Of Consumers In Social Marketing Contexts: Revisiting The Stage Of Change Model.† Journal Of Marketing Management 27.1/2 (2011): 60-76. Business  Source Premier. Web. Sahoo, Debjani. â€Å"Integrating Customer Relationship Management In Hotel Operations: – A Comparative Study.† Vilakshan: The XIMB Journal Of Management 8.2 (2011): 57-70. Business Source Premier. Web. Van der Merwe, et al. â€Å"Food Choice: Student Consumers’ Decision-Making Process Regarding Food Products With Limited Label Information.† International Journal  Of Consumer Studies 34.1 (2010): 11-18. Business Source Premier. Web. This research paper on The Tawuniya Health Insurance Company was written and submitted by user Alvaro Jacobs 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.

The Genetics of Language Essay Example For Students

The Genetics of Language Essay -ildar- The tabula of human nature was never rasa. W.D. Hamilton Language is defined as the Communication of thoughts and feelings through a system of arbitrary signals, such as voice sounds, gestures, or written symbols. Yet this alone cannot sum up the importance and vastness of this magnificent gift human own. Language is one of the most amazing features of human culture and personality; its roots have remained unchanged since the start of civilization. It is the basis of all communication in the world and in its best is the most complex form of expression. Language has always been assumed to be blatantly cultural lying at the heart of human social evolution, but this could not be farther from the truth. Language owes as much to instinct and innateness as it does to culture. Darwin once described language as an instinctive tendency to acquire an art; this view of language was re-revealed to the world through Noam Chomsky, in his book, Syntactic Structures. Chomsky argued that language is shaped through culture, but the underlying ability to learn and understand it, is innately built into the human psyche. We will write a custom essay on The Genetics of Language specifically for you for only $16.38 $13.9/page Order now Chomsky concluded that there were obvious underlying similarities in all languages, bearing witness to a Universal Human Grammar. We always use this ability to learn and use language, but we are not consciously aware of it. Vocabulary cannot be innate, because if it were were, we would all speak one, unvarying language. But lets take for example, a child; as it learns vocabulary, innate mental rules tell that child how to properly use that vocabulary. Lets take, for instance the sentence, Sa mmy will buy groceries from the store. You can turn that sentence into a question by moving the will to the front, making the sentence, Will Sammy buy groceries from the store. Young children can comfortably use this rule, even though never having been taught about the grammar involved in making a sentence like that, they just seem to know the rule. As psycholinguist Steven Pinker put it, to learn a human language, requires a human language instinct. Language is not learned through imitation; if it were then why would children who have been using the word went for a year or so, start saying goed. The truth is that children start learning to speak themselves, at a much younger age regardless of our help. Children are a large part of developing a language; this was shown in a famous experiment conducted by Derek Bickerton. In the experiment Bickerton studied a group of foreign workers that were brought together on Hawaii. In Hawaii they developed a pidgin language (mixture of words and phrases allowing for simple communication) so that they could easily communicate with each other. The language lacked consistent grammatical rules and complex but simple in what it could express. This changes as a new generation of children learned the language, they shaped it and innately gave it rules and grammar, making it more complex and turning it into a Creole. If this instinct is genetic then it would seem that the language gene might turn off as we age and minimize our ability to learn languages which explains while people find it hard to learn a language after a certain age. Scientists think they have identified the gene for language. They have located it on chromosome seven. This gene gives the brain the ability to understand and learn underlying rules of grammar. When the gene or parts of the brain are damaged language disorders sometimes develop. One such disorder is Williams Syndrome, which is caused by a mutation in a gene on chromosome 11. Affected children have very low intelligence, but have an addiction to using language. They constantly ramble, using very rich and long words, long sentences and complex syntax. But besides this the child is mentally retarded and cannot comprehend anything outside their form of silent language. .u070af78d47632631f08c9328ea936974 , .u070af78d47632631f08c9328ea936974 .postImageUrl , .u070af78d47632631f08c9328ea936974 .centered-text-area { min-height: 80px; position: relative; } .u070af78d47632631f08c9328ea936974 , .u070af78d47632631f08c9328ea936974:hover , .u070af78d47632631f08c9328ea936974:visited , .u070af78d47632631f08c9328ea936974:active { border:0!important; } .u070af78d47632631f08c9328ea936974 .clearfix:after { content: ""; display: table; clear: both; } .u070af78d47632631f08c9328ea936974 { display: block; transition: background-color 250ms; webkit-transition: background-color 250ms; width: 100%; opacity: 1; transition: opacity 250ms; webkit-transition: opacity 250ms; background-color: #95A5A6; } .u070af78d47632631f08c9328ea936974:active , .u070af78d47632631f08c9328ea936974:hover { opacity: 1; transition: opacity 250ms; webkit-transition: opacity 250ms; background-color: #2C3E50; } .u070af78d47632631f08c9328ea936974 .centered-text-area { width: 100%; position: relative ; } .u070af78d47632631f08c9328ea936974 .ctaText { border-bottom: 0 solid #fff; color: #2980B9; font-size: 16px; font-weight: bold; margin: 0; padding: 0; text-decoration: underline; } .u070af78d47632631f08c9328ea936974 .postTitle { color: #FFFFFF; font-size: 16px; font-weight: 600; margin: 0; padding: 0; width: 100%; } .u070af78d47632631f08c9328ea936974 .ctaButton { background-color: #7F8C8D!important; color: #2980B9; border: none; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: none; font-size: 14px; font-weight: bold; line-height: 26px; moz-border-radius: 3px; text-align: center; text-decoration: none; text-shadow: none; width: 80px; min-height: 80px; background: url(https://artscolumbia.org/wp-content/plugins/intelly-related-posts/assets/images/simple-arrow.png)no-repeat; position: absolute; right: 0; top: 0; } .u070af78d47632631f08c9328ea936974:hover .ctaButton { background-color: #34495E!important; } .u070af78d47632631f08c9328ea936974 .centered-text { display: table; height: 80px; padding-left : 18px; top: 0; } .u070af78d47632631f08c9328ea936974 .u070af78d47632631f08c9328ea936974-content { display: table-cell; margin: 0; padding: 0; padding-right: 108px; position: relative; vertical-align: middle; width: 100%; } .u070af78d47632631f08c9328ea936974:after { content: ""; display: block; clear: both; } READ: Essay on The Consequences of Hurricane Katrina Essay Parts of the brain, when damaged can also hinder language ability. Damage to the Wernickes area of the brain. People with Wernickes disorder produce a rich but senseless stream of words, so you can conclude that the Wernickes area of the brain instructs the brain what speech to generate. Brocas aphasia occurs .

Prayer is the best way to deal with suffering Essays

Prayer is the best way to deal with suffering Essays Prayer is the best way to deal with suffering Essay Prayer is the best way to deal with suffering Essay In this essay I will examine why some people say, and if prayer is the best way to deal with suffering.The dictionary definition of prayer states that it is a personal communication or petition addressed to a deity in the form of supplication, adoration, praise, contribution, or thanksgiving. Suffering however, is defined as being undergoing or being subjected to pain or disadvantageous experience. Forms of suffering can be said as either being physical or mental.Some people, particularly Christians, say that this is the best way to deal with suffering as God is the supreme being and interacting with God would easily relieve all their suffering. They believe that every way of suffering can be cured by praying to God. Christians believe that anything can happen in peoples lives but if they pray and have faith, they will never discourage themselves.They believe that prayer means that you really believe in God and you know that God loves you and that you will never be alone. Therefore, if your sure that God loves you, then you can deal with any kind of suffering. In addition, they believe that prayer is also the best way as it has no bad consequences such as other ways of dealing with suffering, such as alcohol and drugs are far worse. Moreover a quote from the Bible itself states that one should use prayer to deal with ones suffering:(1 Peter 5:7) Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you.This quote connotes that Christians should deal with all their suffering by praying to God and unloading all their anxieties onto God. This would be quite a personal interaction.However, some non-Christians would argue that prayer is not the best way to deal with suffering. They believe this as prayer cannot be used to cure terminal illnesses such as cancer. They feel that prayer is like a placebo and that Christians only feel better after praying even though their suffering hasnt been cured. Additionally, they believe prayer is a method of forcing ones problems upon an external deity so that he or she does not have to deal with it by themselves.Some also believe that prayer is a form of meditation and can relax and calm the mind but not cure suffering. It may cure mental suffering but not physical suffering. They believe that physical suffering such as sever injuries or terminal illnesses cannot be treated by the means of prayer. Many also believe that prayer is often used by people as an excuse for not taking any proper actions against their suffering. It is often thought that people use prayer as a barrier to cover up their suffering and maybe are too afraid to face it themselves.Finally, my personal view is that prayer isnt the best way to deal with suffering. This is not because Im not a Christian. Practically thinking, it is impossible to cure suffering such as a terminal illness like cancer from prayer. Action must be taken by scientists to find a cure for it, praying wont do anything. On the other hand, it may lessen the pain by making the person feel better despite being unable to cure the suffering. Furthermore, I do however, believe that prayer may be able to relieve mental suffering to an extent. Physical suffering, though, cannot be cured by prayer. The only way to attempt to alleviate any suffering is by facing the problem head on and to put effort into dealing with whatever is causing the suffering.

Estimation of UAE population using Bayesian Theorem Research Paper

Estimation of UAE population using Bayesian Theorem - Research Paper Example A common use to which this theory has been put to is the development of time series forecasts for populations. In this case, this theory will be used to analyze the population data for United Arab Emirates. In most instances, the use of Bayesian theory is based on its mathematical framework ability that is able to provide inference on matters using probability (Hoff 116). In this project, the use of a Bayesian approach is adopted since through it the uncertainties that may exist in the model, data or even model parameters are integrated coherently in a consistent manner thus, allowing for easy inference (Gelman 75). The framework for this analysis will entail the adoption of a methodology for a time series forecasting that shall include stochastic volatility and autoregressive models fitted into historical timeline data about the population of UAE. Most instances that entail forecasting of population data apply a frequentist/classical approach, in which case, the Bayesian model offer s the best flexibility by its ability to specify uncertainties upon which forecasting can be performed (Ruggeri, Michael & Insua 80). Principles of Bayes Law Bayes theorem otherwise known as the Bayes law tries to express how the degree at which one believes in a subjective matter should change to be in line with evidence; this is known as the Bayesian inference. This theory was further developed by Laplace and got it published later on in the 1800s. The aim of this theory is to measure the extent of belief. Using this theory, the belief is either confirmed or otherwise based on the evidence collected. Hence, there is the initial belief or the prior that can be denoted by P (A) and then there is the evidence collected or the posterior denoted as P (B) and there is the quotient denoted as P(B/A) or P(B) which it shows how B supports the belief A (Leonard & John 69). The main assumptions made in the Bayes theorem are: Tests are not events, for example there is a difference between a m alaria tests and actually having malaria, the test is different from the event. It is believed that tests are flawed and hence can be challenged; they can detect things that don’t exist which are called a false positive, and miss things that exist; referred to as a false negative. The false positives skew the results; there is a high likelihood that the positive results are incorrect. Natural numbers are preferred over percentages. In summary, the Bayes theory gives the probability of an event given the test probabilities (Grover 120). A review of approaches to population projections The application of certain simple criteria can enable the obtaining of macro-level methods of population projection and its typologies. This may entail the use of simple extrapolations of the growth rates or size of the population, uncertainty approach and the methodology of the method. The estimation of the dimensionality of populations in the simplest forms always utilizes extrapolations while the uncertainty approach may be ignored or quantified by the use of probabilities. The Bayesian model utilizes both the extrapolation and time series analysis in the determination of end results for stochastic projections (Koch 41). The UAE population According to the UAE Department of Statistics (uaestatistics.gov.ae), the following figures were obtained from the census that was done in the years between 1975 and 2005. Year Total no. of Expatriates Total no. of Citizens 1975 356,343 201,544 1980 751,555