Business proposal Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Business proposal - Essay Example This industry is being supported by the economic situation: the rise in real wages and growing food expenditure (Morrison). The European for Reconstruction and Development revised the growth projections for Russia increasing them by slightly above 0.3% and considering this change there is the need to increase production of processed food products in the market. Serovic Stores Inc. Russia is a mainstream food store in Russia and could do better-adding food and poultry products to its shelves. Sourcing these products from the Shuka Food Processors Co. LTD would allow the store to provide more products. These are new to the Russian market and beat the competition by having the healthiest and most delicious range of products gracing their shelves. The purpose of Shuserovis Food Processors Company limited to start the partnership to conquer the Russian processed food market. Consequently, it is in order to make an impact in the rich Russian market Shuka Food Processors Co. LTD needs Serovic Stores Inc. The investment in this lucrative venture would be a significant success for both companies that couple together. The partnerships are to come up with an enterprise for food production in Moscow to serve the Russian market. There market gap is owing to the increasing demand for food in China due to population growth, hence reducing the export of food products to Russia (Schweitzer). Currently, it means that the Russian economy has an additional order of about 15000 tons per year. The production capabilities of agricultural produce, in this case, is in the approximation of 35000tons per year, and approximately 75% of the total raw material will be from the Russian farmers.The projection of Investment benefits is 40.2million USD per year. Shuserovis Food Processors Company limited, require introducing new processed food products to the Russian market to beat the competition and to earn profits. The

The Three Important Benefits That IBM Will Receive From Outsourcing Essay

The Three Important Benefits That IBM Will Receive From Outsourcing Their HR Functions To Fidelity - Essay Example This is called outsourcing. Many large companies now outsource jobs such as call center services, e-mail services, and payroll. These jobs are handled by separate companies that specialize in each of the services by means of contracts. Today more and more companies are resorting to outsourcing. This is attributed mainly to the increased efficiency and cost cuts. Earlier small companies and companies which were newly established would resort to outsourcing, but today even giants like IBM are making use of it. In July 2002, a deal was negotiated between International Business Machines Corp. and Fidelity's Employer Service Co. According to the deal, Fidelity's Employer Services Co. unit was to take over key human-resources functions for 260,000 IBM employees and retirees. Fidelity was to hire 450 of IBM's 1,200 U.S. human-resources employees. Among the jobs Fidelity would handle for IBM were health-plan administration, career services and pension administration. IBM would continue to provide other functions in house, including payroll (Johannes L. and Armstrong D. 2002). According to the article "The benefits of outsourcing for small businesses (n. d)", "Though reducing expenditure is not the prime reason for outsourcing, it is certainly a major factor. Outsourcing converts fixed costs into variable costs and releases capital for investment elsewhere in the business. Outsourcing makes the firm more attractive to investors, since of the ability to pump more capital directly into revenue-producing activities." Though true for small companies, it applies equally well for giants like IBM. In the case of IBM this is exemplified by the fact that the human resource functions of 260,000 workers and retirees have been taken over by Fidelity which has specialization in the field. If the former were to do the same job, it would certainly prove more costly than that of the latter. The funds saved, if invested elsewhere in the company would improve revenues. Also this would make IBM more attractive to investors, as the saved capital can be invested in the revenue generating areas and core fields. Increase in efficiency: As IBM is a research oriented company specializing in manufacturing computers, it has a high research and development expenditure. Fidelity's cost structure and economy of scale can give IBM Corp an important and strategic advantage. This would help in decreasing the labor costs. The success of IBM depends upon short term projects that it undertakes. Hiring and training workers for short-term projects can be very expensive and short term employees don't always live up to the desired expectations (The benefits of outsourcing for small businesses). IBM's deal with fidelity will play a leading role in improving overall efficiency by decreasing labor costs. About 450 workers in IBM Corp.'s Raleigh employee service center will transfer to Fidelity Investments beginning Aug. 1, as part of an agreement that allows Boston-based Fidelity to administer IBM's pension plan, the 12th largest in the United States (450 IBM employees to transfer to Fidelity. July 2002). The transfer of 450 out of 12 00 members in the human resource division would certainly decrease the labor costs by more than one third in that particular division. Also as the number of employees is decreased, it increases the scope for other employees to make their jobs secure. More security means more productivity which in turn means more efficiency. Focus on core businesses. IBM, too, like any other company has

Evolutionary Roots of Deception: Book Review

Evolutionary Roots of Deception: Book Review Loredana Lenghel Deception – Evolution’s Hidden Agenda â€Å"Deceit is the Cinderella of human nature† (2004, p.2) says David Livingstone Smith in his book â€Å"Why We Lie, The Evolutionary Roots of Deception and the Unconscious Mind†. The author tries to show, through several examples and intriguing connections, that lying is an evolutionary adaptation which allowed the human species to thrive. He argues that â€Å"Deceit () is essential to humanity but disowned by perpetrators at every turn† (2004, p.2). The book proves to be an ambitious try at showing that deception is an intrinsic part of cognition; that it comes naturally to all humans. Even more spectacular is his try to convince us that deception is controlled by the unconscious mind, thus allowing for self-manipulation. For this purpose, Smith uses The Machiavellian Mind Theory arguing that humans’ extra Intelligence allows them to overcome primal needs, thus being advantageous for social manipulation. The author’s aim is to convince the reader that manipulation plays a central role in the evolution of humans. He argues that in order for our ancestors to thrive in the ever developing social context and increase their fitness, they were required to come up with ways to mediate social encounters. He starts by showing that everyone is a â€Å"natural-born liar†. From baby monkeys to human infants, from religious myths to children stories, lying is ubiquitous and a part of all cultures. Smith argues that lying does not resume to just words, people also lie with their bodies and actions. Even more intriguing, lying is not always aimed at someone else. He proposes that â€Å"we are equally adept at deceiving ourselves† (2004, p.21). The unconscious is actively trying to conceal information from us through the process of self-deception; an idea not unique to Smith (Chance et al., 2011; Hippel Trivers, 2001). He continues to show that not only humans are â€Å"manipu lators and mind readers†. He gives examples of deception from the animal sphere, from camouflage and mimicry to more sophisticated ways of deception, such as language, he argues that these are proof that deception is an evolutionary advantage. Mind reading, an organism’s ability to predict another’s behaviour, increases its chances of survival, thus acting as an adaptation. It is the driving force behind evolution because â€Å"Mind reading facilitates deception, and deception encourages mind reading† (2004, p.35). In â€Å"The Evolution of Machiavelli† he elaborates on the roots of deception and self-deception. He argues that deception was used by our ancestors to conceal their true intentions. The ones that were superior in this aspect had an edge over others. He presents Nick Humphrey’s papers in which he argues that the race between the best deceiver and the best mind-reader was what gave birth to human intelligence, allowing them to manage the increasing social complexity. This hypothesis is supported by others, who, by looking at the neocortex’s size, brain part involved in relationship mediation, found evidence in support for the social intellect theory (Dunbar, 1992). They argued that the ratio of the neocortex volume is the best predictor of group size. Moreover, Orbell et al. argued that Machiavellian intelligence could have evolved alongside cooperation (Orbell et al., 2004). This idea raises the question whether, as Smith said, unconscious deception would be eve n more beneficial for cooperation and the increase of the human species. His next chapter builds on the idea that self-deception is possible due human mind’s division into unconscious and conscious regions. He argues that the time between the unconscious awareness and conscious perception is what allows the Machiavellian module to act and distort the information. He supports Freud’s idea that â€Å"consciousness had no role in mental processing† (2004, p.97). To portray this intriguing proposition of self-deception being an adaptation, Smith used a creative analogy. He argued that humans are constantly part of a game of â€Å"social poker†. In order to win it, one needs to anticipate the other player’s move by using the mechanisms of deception and mind-reading. To improve their own strategy and avoid being foreseeable, the mechanism of self-deception became an adaptive advantage. By believing the lie themselves, other players could not predict their moves. This analogy shows the benefits of self-deception. That being sai d, some argue that even though there might be short-term psychological benefits, self-deception can come with long-term costs, such as an inaccurate prediction of future performance (Chance et al., 2011) or loss of information integrity which can result in inappropriate action (Hippel Trivers, 2011). The device that allowed for this to happen, he says, was the evolution of language, which ushered the struggle between deception and detection. Language offered an advantage in the social poker game, giving more chances of success to those with this skill. In his view, social exchanges are monitored by the unconscious Machiavellian mind. This module is sensitive to both the conscious and unconscious cues of others because it is the Machiavellian module itself who communicates through unconscious verbal insinuations. He argues that this idea is â€Å"less bizarre than it might at appear† (2004, p.121). Coded communication might have evolved due to the language’s initial purpose, gossip. Concealing information from third parties and exchanging confidences through cheap gossip allowed for secret alliances and a favoured position in the social circle. He affirms that â€Å"For our species, all roads lead to self-deception and thus to unconscious communication† (2004, p.147). At a first look online, it is noticeable that only with the title this book has stirred some controversy. Commentaries stating that the book â€Å"got them hooked† from the beginning were prevailing. The book was generally regarded as an interesting read, but not a piece of strong evidence for its propositions. Pinker (2010) did not view it as an attempt to persuade readers, but rather, as an attempt to recruit researchers into conducting studies to test the theory’s value. Others regarded the book as highly speculative without even considering the â€Å"obvious counterarguments† (Sager, 2004). Sager argued that not even the speculations seem plausible, thus begging the question whether they could even lead to anything more. Dickins (2005), although being less critical, agrees with the general argument that the connection made between the unconscious and deception is questionable. In conclusion, Smith’s book presented itself as a worthwhile read. First catching my attention by not completely disregarding Freud’s theories, and then using it to stir controversy upon human integrity, it undoubtedly offered some food for thought. Even though converting readers into believers of its cause is improbable, the book will make them critically analyse their interactions and looks for the smallest hints of (self)deception. The style of writing and creativity in portraying ideas were an additional bonus to the book’s appeal, raising interest in Smith’s other works. Bibliography Chance, Z., Norton, M. I., Gino, F., Ariely, D. (2011). Temporal View of the Costs and Benefits of Self-Deception. PNAS, 15655-15659. Dickins, T. E. (2005). A Necessary Pain in the Heart. Retrieved March 02, 2014, from Human Nature. Dunbar, R. I. (1992). Neocortex Size as Constraint on Group Size in Primates. Journal of Human Evolution, 469-493. Hippel, W. v., Trivers, R. (2011). The Evolution and Psychology of Self-Deception. Behavioral and Brain Sciences, 1-56. Orbell, J., Morikawa, T., Hartwig, J., Hanley, J., Allen, N. (2004). Machiavellian Intelligence as a Basis for the Evolution of Cooperative Dispositions. American Political Science Review, 1-15. Pinker, S. (2010). The Cognitive Niche: Coeolution of intelligence, sociality, and language. PNAS, 8993-8999. Sager, A. (2004). Review Why We Lie The Evolutionary Roots of Deception and the Unconscious Mind . Retrieved March 02, 2014, from Metapsychology: http://metapsychology.mentalhelp.net/poc/view doc.php?type=bookid=2262 Smith, D. L. (2004). Why We Lie The Evolutionary Roots of Deception and the Unconscious Mind. New York: St. Martins Griffin.

Hinduism And Buddhism :: Religion Religious Essays

Hinduism and Buddhism Introduction-   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Hinduism and Buddhism are two of the five major religions in our world today. They are widely practiced, and have survived for centuries. Both have similarities and differences, as do all forms of religion. Hopefully, in this paper I will show you the basic structure of each religion. I would also like to show how they compare and contrast. Hinduism: Foundation   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  No one is completely sure of where Hinduism was started and by whom. Their oldest written documents, the Vedas, were written down in 1000 B.C. but they had existed orally long before. The Vedas are where Hinduism originated. Today, Hinduism is the world's third largest religion. Many changes have come upon Hinduism since they practiced it first. Hinduism includes many different sects, or denominations, and beliefs that have arisen. Though, there are many things in common with all of the Hindu sects. Their basic beliefs are what ties them together. Basic Beliefs-   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The religion of Hinduism teaches us that each living body, including animals, is filled with an eternal soul. Hindus say that the individual soul was a part of the creator spirit, Brahma. It is each soul's job and wish eventually to return to Brahma. It is not possible though because by a soul's sins, and impurities from the world, they are no longer pure and holy to return. Instead, a soul must become pure before returning to Brahma, who is absolutely pure.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The process of becoming pure is so hard that no soul can become pure in only one lifetime. The soul is forced to live life after life until it is pure enough to return to Brahma. The cycles of rebirths are called samsara, or the Wheel of Life, by the Hindus. When a soul is finally cleansed enough to break free of samsara it is called moksha. The soul returns to Brahma for an eternity of contentment and ecstasy.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  There is no one incorporating creed in Hinduism. A follower may choose any god as their personal god, or may worship several of them. Though to be a Hindu there are certain things that a follower must believe in and live by. Their main beliefs are:   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  1. A belief in karma, the result of one's good and bad deeds in a lifetime.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  2. A belief in dharma, Hindu traditions.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  3. A belief in the three main gods: Brahma, Vishnu, and Shiva.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  4. A belief in reincarnation after death.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  5. Honor for the sacred Vedas.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  6. A belief that, if lived a religious life, the Wheel of Life can end and achieve moksha.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  7. An honor for an ascetic religious life, to be an orthodox Hindu.

Individual Project

I was the youngest of my two brothers and one sister, growing up in a small city on the Eastern shore of Maryland. Salisbury is the city name of my hometown. Our father died when I was at the young age of four. My mother who was very strong willed and independent raised all of us on her own after daddy died. She raised us and taught us to do well in school and to make good grades. She instilled in all of us to be very loving and presentable children that respect our elders. We were brought up in the church and taught to say our daily prayers before going to bed at night. Hygiene was a must and cleanliness was a daily routine. My grandson is nine years of age and he also lost his father(my son) at a early age, as we did. He use to come visit me during the summer and on holidays. He is a lovable child that had no will to do his best in anything. His mother is a deaf mute and very uncaring to her children. My grandson and his siblings have been removed from their homes by the State Dept. of Social Services over seven times since he has been born. They were taken away because the mother wouldn’t send them to school, would not keep appointments for their dental work or health checkups and leaving them unattended for more than 24 hours. Because of her neglect my grandson lost all hope of being anybody in his world. He has been placed in foster homes, unknowingly to me over the past three years of his life. The mother is in and out of jail. During her absence from their home has caused so many terrible events. The kids were attacked by a dog that they brought in the house off the streets of Baltimore. His two sisters were raped by friends of their mother. They have gone to bed without anything to eat or drink. I went to Baltimore and rescued my grandson from his mother and that terrible city of Baltimore. My daughter and I have taught him so much since he’s been living with me for the past two years. He now knows how to bathe daily, brush his teeth, match his clothes and shoes and most of all has been on the honor roll for the past two years in school. I’ve filed for custody of him. I’m still waiting for the custody courts to grant me a decision. I’m strongly leaning toward being granted sole custody of him. My children are grown and one of them is deceased. I raised them in the footsteps of my mom raising me. This venture has been very stressful for me at times, but I’m not going to give up on him. I’m at the age of 55 and starting all over again raising a child. I’m overjoyed because my grandson is safe and well taken care of and very much loved. Neglect is one of the main reasons for early age deaths of many children who are raised in the inner cities. Evidence and witnesses are needed to win a custody case. Even though the decision that the courts and custody hearings, I feel that I should be awarded sole custody of my grandson.

High Court Ruling Only Tweaks Sarbanes-Oxley Act

ARTICLE SYNOPSISThe â€Å"High Court Ruling Only Tweaks Sarbanes-Oxley Act† article is about the Supreme Court ruling in Free Enterprise Fund vs. PCAOB indicating that Sarbanes-Oxley (SOX) will remain â€Å"fully operative as a law† with the exception to remove members of the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board. Prior to the SOX Act, the removal of member was said to violate the appointments clause of the Constitution. In addition to discussing the ruling, the following will explain how the Sarbanes-Oxley act affects ethical decisions in today’s business and the criminal penalties that it provides. ETHICAL DECISIONThe process of making decisions consists of ethical attribute that include integrity, transparency, and accountability. The Sarbanes-Oxley Act has the effect of ensuring investor confidence through the existence of regulatory provisions effective in enhancing ethical standards. In the case of Free Enterprise Fund v. PCAOB shows the extent to which the issue of separation of powers is upheld. The main argument in the case was the excess power granted to the board as it was appointed by Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) other than the president. This means that the board had regulatory non-restricted power by the executive. According to the ruling, PCAOB has the power to continue overseeing public company audits with the intention of protecting investors interest (Jaeger, 2010).This is a major development as it relates to ensuring that proper measures supports the scope of executives ensuring that proper decisions are effective in  protecting the interests of investors. The court’s ruling indicated that PCAOB board members will be removed from office by SEC at will other than for good cause (Jaeger, 2010). However, other programs of PCAOB remain unaffected by the decision of the court.It is important to note that the enactment of the SOX Act is a major development that has ensured integrity in decision-making p rocess essential in protecting the integrity of investors. As a result of maintaining proper books of accounts and ensuring proper internal controls are in place, the SOX Act ensures ethical decisions are made enhancing the integrity and transparency. Ultimately, the impact of the SOX Act is to protect the interest of investors through prevention of accounting frauds.CRIMINAL PENALTIESThe SOX Act provides for various criminal penalties under certain sections. Section 802 of the SOX Act provides criminal penalties for influencing the United States agency investigation, which is also known as proper administration. The criminal penalty punishes any person who knowingly falsifies information or document with the intention of obstructing a particular investigation. An individual can be put in jail if found guilty of this criminal offense for a period not exceeding 20 years. Another criminal penalty under the SOX Act is retaliation against whistleblowers (Jaeger, 2010).This relates to an y person who takes harmful action against another person with the intention to retaliate. A fine or imprisonment for a period not exceeding 10 years can be placed if a person is found guilty for this criminal offense. Section 906 of the SOX Act provides for criminal penalties for CEO or CFO financial statement certification. According to this section, any corporate officer who fails to certify financial reports is liable for a jail term not exceeding 20 years.Reference Jaeger, J. (2010). High Court Ruling Only Tweaks Sarbanes-Oxley Act. Accessed