British Telecom Essay -- GCSE Business Management Studies Essays

British Telecom My aim in this investigation is to discuss whether or not British Telecom has successfully grown and developed since its Privatisation to compete on a world scale. In addition to this has it any long-term strategies for future growth and development of products. According to the 1996 Budget Red Book, more than 50 major businesses have been privatised since 1979 and the state owned sector of industry has been reduced be two-thirds. British Telecom was privatised in 1984, with no major restructuring. This meant that a public monopoly was transferred directly into private hands, this natural monopoly benefited from having economies of scale. Of course this move had it's advantages but there were also disadvantages. These were mainly among the staff who now had much less of an 'easy time' in work. Not only this but as a result of privatisation the company obviously became cost effective and jobs were lost in order to reduce costs. 'Privatisation is seen as a way of reasserting consumer sovereignty, raising standards of provision, of increasing efficiency and of reducing costs.' There are many reasons to why the Government chose a course of denationalisation. State monopolies create inefficiency, are poor in innovation and restrict consumer choice; instead of the consumer being sovereign, power has been transferred to the state and its bureaucracies. Before privatisation all nationalised companies had to have their expenditure passed by the Treasury, because of this they found it difficult to raise money. During these years almost 250,000 people who wanted a new phone line couldn't get them and BT didn't know what to charge the people who did have them. Privatisation gave companies t... ...nge' from Mercury and have seen their share price rise from an initial 130p back in 1984 to an incredible 1351p now. BT, while being a natural monopoly in Britain realise that their position is being challenged. Although their share of the land-line market has still nearly been all encompassing they have seen that the market as a whole decrease as almost half of the UK population have gone out and bought mobile phones. In answer to this threat BT have taken up a strong position in the mobile phone market themselves, competing alongside the big guns such as Orange and Vodafone. Through several acquisitions they have established themselves as a leading company with 7 million UK customers and very sound plans for the future, which they see as being a unification of the latest mobile phone technology along with the immense power the Internet has to offer.

Family Matters

My favorite vacation was two summers back just before I entered high school. My family and I traveled to South Padre Island, Texas; located in the Gulf of Mexico; connected to Texas by only a long narrow bridge. I had high hopes for the vacation, but they took a plummet during the course of my vacation. Although much of my vacation was an utter disaster, I learned that with family you can make the best out of anything. My trip started out alright flying into the lush tropical island, seeing the shimmering waves winking at me during the airplanes descent. When we exited the airport my skin was greeted with a warm tropical breeze upon stepping outside. We then took a cab to our lavish hotel, The Magnolia. Upon entering the hotel lobby, I was greeted to the tantalizing smell of freshly caught Gulf shrimp, which got my stomach growling. It seemed that after such an amazing day as this one that this vacation could only get better, but alas that was not in nature’s plans. The next morning, dark clouds loomed in the horizon, signaling a storm; little did I know that it would turn out to be the mother of all tropical storms; a hurricane! Most occupants of the island were in a hurry to leave, but the bridge was the only way out of the island, other than the airport which was closed in this emergency. While ost of the city’s traffic was jammed trying to get onto the bridge, my family and I went to the penthouse of the hotel and locked ourselves in. To ease the tension, we played card games and told stories while the hurricane passed by and two days later the storm had finally gone by and the flooding had subsided so it was safe to go out. We then made good use of the near-empty beaches and enjoyed surfing and boogey-boarding on the gigantic waves enjoying our time together as a family. After a fun day on the beach, we were slightly disappointed to be informed by the hotel manager that we could no longer stay in the penthouse so we had to return to our original room. The next day I was saddened that our trip had come to an end as I slowly packed my belongings. On the way to the airport I was deep in thought, I realized that for all the misfortunes that plagued us on our trip, it actually turned out to be a very enjoyable vacation and countless summers after it is still my favorite vacation to date.

An Overview of the Animal Welfare Act

The Animal Welfare Act (AWA) is a federal law that was passed in 1966 and has been amended several times since then, notably in 2006. It empowers the Animal Care program of the USDA’s Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) to issue licenses and adopt and enforce regulations meant to protect the basic welfare of creatures kept in captivity. The law can be found at the official United States Government Publishing Office under its proper bill title: 7 U.S.C.  §2131. The Animal Welfare Act protects certain animals in certain  facilities but is not as effective as animal advocates would like. Many complain about its limited scope, and some even argue that animals are entitled to rights and freedoms equal to humans and should not be owned or used in any regard. Which Facilities Are Covered by the AWA? The AWA applies to facilities that breed animals for commercial sale, use animals in research, transport animal commercially, or publicly exhibit animals. This includes zoos, aquariums, research facilities, puppy mills, animal dealers, and circuses. The regulations adopted under the AWA establish minimum care standards for animals in these facilities, including adequate housing, handling, sanitation, nutrition, water, veterinary care, and protection from extreme weather and temperatures. Facilities that are not covered include farms, pet stores, hobby breeders, and places that commonly hold pets as well as quasi-commercial animals like milk cows and bure-pred dogs. Without the protection guaranteed to animals in other facilities and industries, these animals sometimes suffer harsh treatment—though animal rights groups often step in to defend these creatures. The AWA requires that the facilities  are  licensed and registered or their AWA-covered activities will be shut down. Once a facility is licensed or registered, it is subject to unannounced inspections. Failures to comply with AWA standards can lead to fines, confiscation of the animals, license and registration revocation, or cease and desist orders. Which Animals Are and Are Not Covered? The legal definition of the word â€Å"animal† under the AWA is â€Å"any live or dead dog, cat, monkey (nonhuman primate mammal), guinea pig, hamster, rabbit, or such other  warm-blooded  animal, as the Secretary may determine is being used, or is intended for use, for research, testing, experimentation, or exhibition purposes, or as a pet.† Not every animal kept by these facilities is covered. The AWA has exclusions for birds, rats or mice used in research, livestock used for food or fiber, and reptiles, amphibians, fish, and invertebrates. Because 95 percent of the animals used in research are mice and rats and because the nine billion land animals slaughtered for food in the U.S every year are exempted, the vast majority of animals used by humans are excluded from the AWA’s protection. What Are the AWA Regulations? The AWA is a general law that does not specify the standards for animal care. The standards can be found in the regulations that are adopted by APHIS under the authority granted by the AWA. Federal regulations are adopted by government agencies with specific knowledge and expertise so they can set their own rules and standards without getting Congress bogged down in small details. The AWA regulations can be found in Title 9, Chapter 1 of the Code of Federal Regulations. Some of these regulations include those for the indoor housing of animals, which specify minimum and maximum temperatures, lighting, and ventilation. Regulations for animals kept outdoors maintain that the creature must be sheltered from the elements and offered food and clean water regularly. Also, for facilities with marine mammals, the water must be tested weekly and animals must be kept with a compatible animal of the same or similar species. In addition, a minimum tank size is required, depending on the size and types of animals housed. Participants in â€Å"swim with the dolphins† programs must agree in writing to the rules of the program. Circuses, which have been under constant fire since animal rights activism increased in the 1960s, must not use deprivation of food and water or any kind of physical abuse for training purposes, and animals must be given a rest period between performances. Research facilities are also required to establish Institutional Animal Care and Use Committees (IACUC) that must inspect the animal facilities, investigate reports of AWA violations, and review research proposals to â€Å"minimize discomfort, distress, and pain to the animals.​ Criticisms of the Animal Welfare Act One of the biggest criticisms of the AWA is the exclusion of rats and mice, which make up the majority of the animals used in research. Similarly, since livestock is also excluded, the AWA does nothing to protect farmed animals. There are currently no federal laws or regulations for the care of animals raised for food. Although there are general criticisms that the housing requirements are insufficient, some animal rights advocates claim that the regulations for marine mammals are especially inadequate. Marine mammals in the wild swim for miles each day and dive hundreds of feet deep in the open ocean, while tanks for porpoises and dolphins can be as small as 24 feet long and only 6 feet deep. Many of the criticisms of the AWA are directed against the IACUCs. Since IACUCs tend to include people who are affiliated with the institution or are animal researchers themselves, many advocates question whether these committees can objectively evaluate research proposals or complaints of AWA violations.

Human Rights Watch Describes Housing Policies - 1342 Words

Introduction Upon release from prison, approximately 600,000 of ex-offenders are being released back into the community annually and will confront legal obstacles in their journey to reenter society. Many prisoners’ ex-offenders return to prison because they are unable to make the transition back into society. One factor that influences recidivism is lack of access to housing. In a study of 404,638 exoffenders in 30 states in 2005. 67.8 percent of released prisoners were rearrested within three years. Within 5 years 76.6 percent of them were rearrested (Durose, Cooper, Snyder, 2014). Based only on the fact of prior criminal convictions, newly†¦show more content†¦Literature Review Key Findings A major problem prisoners reentering society face is finding housing. One good choice is going to a halfway house. They provide a structured environment where there are rules that must be adhered to and onsite criminal justice staff providing constant oversight. The halfway house provides onsite access to support and guidance, and acts as a step between immediate return to the community and prison. A halfway house helps offenders transition from an environment where there is much sensory deprivation into the community where there is sensory overload. Ex-Offenders can slowly return to society in a controlled environment instead of being overwhelmed and without help when they return into a normal community (Plante, J. 2015). Ex-offenders have been severely limited to their most basic opportunities for employment, education and housing. These penalties are also known as â€Å"collateral consequences† for ex-offenders, which systematically deprive them of their individual rights a nd privileges. Professor Gabriel â€Å"jack† chin has classified this socioeconomic phenomenon as the â€Å"New Civil Death† (Silva, R. L. 2015). Housing exclusion is based on federal policy. Restrictive Federal Housing Policies Current federal public housing policy is heavily influenced by different pieces ofShow MoreRelatedApplying the Concept of Bipower to Chinas One Child Policy1382 Words   |  6 Pagesexplains differences in various modes of power. In his study the History of Sexuality, he explores in the firth volume called Right of Death and Power over Life the triangle of power: (I) sovereign power; (II) disciplinary power; and (III) biopower. In this essay I will describe the relationship between each power and apply the concept of biopower to China’s one child Policy. First what is Biopower? 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Ap World Dbq Christian and Islam Attitude Towards...

Using the Documents, compare and contrast the differences of Christian and Islamic attitudes towards merchants until about 1500. From a review of the 7 documents presented, it is clear that Christianity and Islam condemned inequitable trade, which led to many Christians and Muslims to look down upon merchants; however, honest business, especially as a merchant, is honored highly. In fact, the Quran compares fair merchants to martyrs which were some of the holiest people of all [D2]. However, many Christian and Muslim believers found most merchants to be dishonest and greedy. A Christian scholar describes a merchants job and then concludes that when a person sells something for more than it is worth, it is unjust and unlawful [D4].†¦show more content†¦Ibn Khaldun, in the 14th century, also explains why he and other Muslims view merchants are not worthy of respect. Aquinas and Khaldun clarify why their faiths look down upon merchants. Also, a merchants mother gave the perspective of a common Christians view of merchants. Her obvious chastisement and command to crave not for all; you already have enoug h to suffice you! [D6]. Common people also thought merchants craved for money, as seen in this mothers letter. Islam and Christianity always to commended honest business and condemned greedy, inequitable trade; however, Islam did have a high opinion of merchants but came to agree with Christians that merchants were not respectable. Between 70 CE and 1500 CE, Christians and Muslims changed in their opinion of merchants, but stayed the same in their view of equitable transactions between people. Matthew, in the New Testament, records Jesus commenting on how hard it is for rich people to have their hearts in the right place, but he doesnt condemn the people for having money [D1]. Christians didnt specifically revile merchants specifically at this point in 70 CE. The honest, truthful Muslim merchant was praised for his reputable work, even being compared to martyrs in the Quran [D2]. As time went on, educated Christian and Muslim scholars began to voice why they both believedShow MoreRe latedAp World Dbq: Attitudes of Christianity and Islam Toward Merchants609 Words   |  3 Pages16, 2010 AP World DBQ From the onset of the Christian and Islamic religions, until about 1500, the two religions began with two different opinions of merchants, but grew together as time went on. As the two religions reached the 1500’s, their view of merchants became almost identical. In the beginning of each religion, Christianity and Islam had very different views on merchants and traders. In the New Testament of the Bible, hatred is shown towards wealth

Importance of Criminal Justice Administration Free Essays

Class: Criminal Justice Administration Date: 9/10/2012 Importance of Criminal Justice Administration The role of a Criminal Justice Administrator is to manage a criminal justice system. She/ He direct the administration of the day-to-day operations, participates in administrative decision making, enforce policies and procedures, and sets work flow priorities. Criminal justice administrators also oversee agencies’ budget, policies and program requirements. We will write a custom essay sample on Importance of Criminal Justice Administration or any similar topic only for you Order Now Each public agency, according to its primary function, has a support team. The criminal justice administrator is in charge of supervising all agency staff; which can include lawyers, judicial clerks, secretaries, investigators and line officers. He/ She review and approve their reports, as it is his responsibility to make sure all information is accurate and prepared in accordance with established policy and procedure. The United States criminal justice system is a system that acts to enforce the criminal laws of the country. In the United States, the criminal justice system is divided in three categories: federal, state and military. In addition to these three categories, each state has separate divisions that deal with adult and juvenile cases. Each of these systems is comprised of three major components. The first component of the criminal justice system and perhaps the most important and dangerous is law enforcement. This includes the local police department with all of its police officers and detectives. These people head the criminal justice system because they are the ones responsible for finding and capturing individuals who break the laws set forth by the state, federal government or the military. The second component is the court; the court system includes prosecution and defense lawyers, judges and juries. These individuals make sure offenders are given fair trails. Judges, also known as finders of facts, hear the cases and preside over the participants to make sure that all laws are followed while the cases are being tried. Some cases are tried in front of a judge only, while others have a jury of 12 citizens who determine the guilt or innocence of a defendant based on facts brought forth during a trial. The last but not least is corrections. The correction system, which is tightly intertwined with the previous two components, is very important and quite large. The correction individuals ensure that a defendant’s punishment and all of its stipulations are carried out. Like any organization, state and local criminal justice agencies must deal with issues of organizational management and employ the management styles that best allow them to achieve their objectives of crime prevention, adjudication of criminal offenses, and punishment of offenders. In today’s world we have developed different styles of management that could apply to law enforcement agencies, criminal courts, and correctional facilities and departments. In my opinion managers are more important than supervisor because they have more responsibilities under their shoulders. Systems management requires a complete approach to organizational leadership, which involves not only management of personnel, but also of organizational knowledge. A systems approach to management recognizes the complexity of modern organizational processes. In this perspective, organizations function based on the information and data that employees can access. A successful agency must properly manage all of these elements. Features of systems management include specialization within components of a large system and coordination among different components. System management could serve criminal justice agencies well, and some organizations exhibit elements of this approach. For example, many large law enforcement organizations have specialized divisions, such as homicide, gang enforcement, vice, and others, but with cooperation among these different units. In general Criminal Justice Administration it is important because in order for law enforcement agencies to work properly a Criminal Justice Administrator needs to be in charge. Law enforcement agencies and organizations devoted to research in the field of criminal justice administration sometimes need professional researchers to perform ongoing work. Examples might include research into the most effective ways to run criminal justice agencies and how budgets impact the administration of criminal justice. Administrators may have tasks that can include mathematical models and other methods in order to assess policies so those in the administrative side can make informed decisions. I personally believe that Criminal Justice Administration is not failing it just have its ups and downs. We have to keep in mind that in order for a criminal justice administrator to be successful he/she has to have a good working idea of the legal system and the role they play in it. How to cite Importance of Criminal Justice Administration, Essay examples

Disney Case free essay sample

Merchandise Global Localization: Think Global, Act Local Characters of national and/or regional appeal Cheaper alternatives to toys Disney Music Channel Disney School of Management/Training Institute Multiple markets-provide multiple opportunities for revenue Deficient movie market for children Diversification of products and services Leverage in pricing Positive government attitudes towards the organizations operations Threats: National, Regional, and Global Competitors Employee Retention Sales, Creativity, and Innovation highly demanding Hasty or Unprofitable Acquisition Brand Consistency Product Differentiation Movie business extremely risky Competition in the network-television industry 4. Apply Porter’s Five-Force Model Existing rivalry – low. There are other amusement parks, but they don’t offer what Disney does and none are as massive as Disney. Mature industry life cycle. Threat of potential competition – low. Entry barriers are relatively high, as Disney has a very distinctive niche in the industry. They have grown over a long period of time and have developed in departments of R D, Marketing, and Finance. We will write a custom essay sample on Disney Case or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page Bargaining power of suppliers – low. A company of Disney’s size and with strong brand recognition seems to be in driver’s seat in supplier negotiations. Bargaining power of buyers – high. With so many choices in the entertainment sector, buyers have many choices and can dictate, to some degree, what they like and dislike, through movie or theme park attendance. Threat of substitutes – high. There are other amusement parks, such as Six Flags, Kings Island, etc. Also, options of home entertainment, video gaming, and interactive gaming. 5. What structure and controls can you identify? (10 pts. ) Structure: Founded in 1923 by Walt Disney Michael Eisner-consider savior of Disney Disney possesses: Media Networks, StudioEntertainment, Theme Parks and Resorts, Consumer Products, and Internet and DirectMarketing. 110,000 employees Good training and opportunities for employees. Using innovative ideas from employees Controls: Pioneer most innovative and one-of-a-kind attractions Nation’s leader in family entertainment Competitive advantage in superior product quality and assortment Self-sufficient production scheme Reduced licensing agreements to ?. 6. What are the issues and problems facing the company? Sort them by importance and urgency) (10 pts. ) Needs a new strategic plan to continue to dominate the entertainment industry. Merge together many of its companies to reduce costs. The return on equity fell to 4% in 2000 and was as high as 26% in 1989. 7. Why did these problems emerge? (Identify causal chain. ) (5 pts. ) Michael Aisner wanted to do it all on his own. The company is too big for one individual to run. Communication needs to be better across top management. 8. Are the apparent problems the real problems or only symptoms of the real problems? (5 pts. These are real problems that must be addressed. 9. What are the characteristics of the environment in which the company operates? (10 pts. ) Economy – Unemployment up. Everybody is worried about spending money considering the condition the nation is in. Money is not spent on expensive vacations as before. Costs are up. Globalization 10. What are the characteristics of the industry that the company is in and how is the industry changing over time? (10 pts. ) Highly competitive #1 in entertainment industry. High cost structure Consolidation-needs to consolidate the many of its own companies. Widely known. 11. What is the company’s strategy, in terms of the five strategy elements, for competing in this context? (10 pts. ) Arenas – Target market consists of families, mainly children and teenagers, for family entertainment including amusement parks, resorts, and movies. Vehicles – Founded in 1923 creation of Mickey Mouse in 1928, created animated films 7 years later. Grew from 1. 65 billion in revenues annually to 25 billion in 2000. Differentiators – Fun environment, safety and customer focused, widely known. Staging and pacing – growth of 20% annually. Need to grow internationally. Economic logic – Repeat customers, continuous growth, customer service. 12. What are your recommendations for the future of this company? (10 pts. ) To merge some of its own companies together. Recruit top level leaders for each of its business segments. They need to reduce costs, possibly doing fewer movies annually and downsizing. Research international growth. 13. Are there any possible problems with your suggested recommendations? What contingencies need to be accommodated? (10 pts. ) Research international growth takes time and money. Downsizing could include job loss which hurts the economy. Recruiting leaders also increases costs.