My Generation’s Greatest Challenge

President Barack Obama once said, â€Å"All across the world†¦increasingly dangerous weather patterns and devastating storms are abruptly putting an end to the long-running debate over whether or not climate change is real. Not only is it real, it’s here, and its effects are giving rise to a frighteningly new global phenomenon: the man-made natural disaster. † The President’s words make it clear that climate change is a great challenge which must be faced, and soon. However, it is not the government’s job alone to deal with this crisis. Stopping climate change will be my generation’s greatest challenge.One of the reasons why climate change is such a formidable obstacle is that the needed change will come slowly. One image that comes to mind is a frog dropped into a pan of scalding water. Of course, the frog will reflexively leap away from the danger. However, if the frog is immersed in lukewarm water, and the water is slowly brought to a boil, the frog will remain and will suffer a serious penalty. My generation is the frog, and â€Å"the man-made natural disaster† is the boiling water. The inertia of the past cannot be overcome in a short time. Consequently, the drastic changes needed to combat climate change will not be effected quickly.However, time is of the essence. Society’s prompt reformation of environmentally destructive habits must be the goal if my generation wishes to subdue this serious threat. To deal with this vast challenge, education as well as reeducation must be made priorities. Not only must scientific knowledge about climate change be made readily available to young people, but the desire for improvement must be instilled in them. As harsh as it may seem, teachers need to constantly remind their students of the worldwide destruction that will ensue should young people fail to act proactively.Likewise, reeducation must provide a jolt to the older generation, shocking it out of its passive stupor and igniting passion for change. Finally, motivation will play a key role in stopping climate change. Nothing will happen if no one takes action. Balancing the welfare of the earth with personal desires is mandatory. If people ultimately decide to place their comfort above the health of the planet, it would be akin to an act of war against humanity. Thankfully, climate change can be dealt with if everyone takes small, easy steps against it.This is of paramount importance. Because the earth is the foundation of all man’s success, life without a healthy earth would not be worth living. The greatest test my generation will face is the challenge of stopping climate change. While success may not come quickly or easily, resignation to the imminent prospect of global catastrophe is to abdicate all bonds to our fellow man. Although the world may already have gone a distance down the path to destruction by climate change, there is still hope if everyone takes personal responsi bility for the protection of the planet.

Clearwater Technologies

Clear Water Technologies : A Case Study QTX is a sales support server that allows multiple users to simultaneously maintain their sales account databases. These databases covers contact information, quote histories, copies of all communications, and links to the customer's corporate database for shipping records. The basic QTX package consists of a processor, chassis, hard drive, and network interface, with a manufacturing cost of $500. The package provided simultaneous access for 10 users to the system, referred to as 10 â€Å"seats. Each seat represented one accessing employee. The product line consisted of 10-, 20-, and 30-seat capacity QTX servers. Each incremental 10 seats required $200 of additional manufacturing cost. Yearly sales were at the rate of 4,000 units across all sizes. In initial sales, approximately 30 percent of customers bought the 30-seat unit, 40 percent bought the 20-seat unit, and 30 percent bought the 10-seat unit. Customers who needed more than 30 seats ty pically went to competitors servicing the medium-to-large company market segment.Clearwater set a per-seat manufacturer's suggested retail price (MSRP) that decreased with higher quantity seat purchases, reflecting the customer perception of declining manufacturing cost per seat. Clearwater also saw this as advantageous because it encouraged customers to maximize their initial seat purchase. Clearwater typically sold its products through value-added resellers (VARs). A VAR was typically a small local firm that provided sales and support to end users.The value added by these resellers was that they provided a complete solution to the end user/customer from a single point of purchase and had multiple information technology products available from various vendors. Using VARs reduced Clearwater's sales and service expense significantly and increased its market coverage. These intermediaries operated in several steps. First, the VAR combined the QTX from Clearwater with database software from other suppliers to form a turnkey customer solution.Second, the VAR loaded the software with customer-specific information and linked it to the customer's existing sales history databases. Finally, the VAR installed the product at the customer's site and trained the customer on its use. Clearwater sold the QTX to resellers at a 50 percent discount from the MSRP, allowing the VARs to sell to the end user at or below the MSRP. The discount allowed the VARs room to negotiate with the customer and still achieve a profit. The Upgrade Initially, the expectation had been that the 30-seat unit would be the largest volume seller.In order to gain economies of scale in manufacturing, reduce inventory configurations, and reduce engineering design and testing expense to a single assembly, Clearwater decided to manufacture only the 30-seat server with the appropriate number of seats â€Å"enabled† for the buyer. Clearwater was effectively â€Å"giving away† extra memory and ab sorbing the higher cost rather than manufacturing the various sizes. If a customer wanted a 10-seat server, the company shipped a 30-seat capable unit, with only the requested 10 seats enabled through software configuration.The proposed upgrade was, in reality, allowing customers to access capability already built into the product. Clearwater knew that many original customers were ready to use the additional capacity in the QTX. Some customers had added seats by buying a second box, but because the original product contained the capability to expand by accessing the disabled seats, Clearwater saw an opportunity to expand the product line and increase sales to a captive customer base. Customers could double or triple their seat capacity by purchasing either a 10- or a 20-seat upgrade and getting an access code to enable the additional number of seats.No other competitor offered the possibility of an upgrade. To gain additional seats from the competitor, the customer purchased and ins talled an additional box. Because customers performed a significant amount of acceptance testing, which they would have to repeat before switching brands, the likelihood of changing brands to add capacity was low. The objective of this morning's meeting was to set the price for the two upgrades. As QTX product manager Rob Erickson stopped to collect his most recent notes from his desk, he reflected: What a way to start the week.Every time we have one of these meetings, senior management only looks at margins. I spent the whole weekend cranking numbers and I'm going in there using the highest margin we've got today. How can anybody say that's too low? He grabbed his notes, calculator, and coffee and headed down the hall. From the other wing of the building, financial analyst Hillary Hanson was crossing the lobby towards the conference room. She was thinking about the conversation she had late Number MSRP to VAR Unit Unit of Seats End User Price Cost* Margin** 10 $8,000 $4,000 $500 87 . 5% 20 $14,000 $7,000 $700 90. 0% 30 $17,250 $8,625 $900 89. % TABLE 1 *Unit cost reflects additional $200 for memory capability for each additional 10 seats. **Margin _ VAR Price _ Unit Cost VAR Price Number Original Original Actual Actual of Seats Unit Cost Unit Margin Unit Cost Unit Margin 10 $500 87. 5% $900 77. 5% 20 $700 90. 0% $900 87. 1% 30 $900 89. 6% $900 89. 6% TABLE 2 Friday afternoon with her boss, Alicia Fisher, Clearwater's CFO. They had been discussing this upcoming meeting and Alicia had given Hillary very clear instructions. I want you to go in and argue for the highest price possible. We should absolutely maximize the profitability on the upgrade.The customers are already committed to us and they have no alternative for an upgrade but with us. The switching costs to change at this point are too high since they've already been trained in our system and software. Let's go for it. Besides, we really need to show some serious revenue generation for the year-end repor t to the stockholders. Hillary had not actually finalized a number. She figured she could see what the others proposed and then argue for a significant premium over that. She had the CFO's backing so she could keep pushing for more. From the parking lot, Brian James, the district sales manager, headed for the rear entrance.He, too, was thinking about the upcoming meeting and anticipating a long morning. I wish marketing would realize that when they come up with some grandiose number for a new product, sales takes the hit in the field. It's a killer to have to explain to customers that they have to pay big bucks for something that's essentially built in. It's gonna be even tougher to justify on this upgrade. At least with the QTX, we have something the buyer can see. It's hardware. With the upgrade, there isn't even a physical product. We're just giving customers a code to access the capability that's already built into the machine.Telling customers that they have to pay several thou sand dollars never makes you popular. If you think about it, that's a lot of money for an access code, but you won't hear me say that out loud. Maybe I can get them to agree to something reasonable this time. I spent the weekend working this one out, and I think my logic is pretty solid. Price Proposals Once everyone was settled in the conference room, Rob spoke first: I know we have to come up with prices for both the 10-seat and 20-seat upgrades, but to keep things manageable, let's discuss the 20-seat price first.Once that number is set, the 10-seat price should be simple. Because the margin on the 30-seat unit is the highest in the line, I think we should use that as the basis to the price for the upgrade. He went to a whiteboard to show an example: If a customer is upgrading from a 10-seat unit to a 30-seat unit, they are adding two steps of capacity costing $200 each to us, or $400. $400 /1-0. 90 _ $4,000 to the reseller, and $8,000 to the end user. We keep the margin structur e in place at the highest point in the line. The customer gets additional capacity, and we keep our margins consistent.He sat down feeling pleased. He had fired the first shot, had been consistent with the existing margin structure, and had rounded up the highest margin point in the line. Brian looked at Rob's calculations and commented: I think that's going to be hard for the customer to see without us giving away information about our margins, and we don't want to do that, since they are pretty aggressive to begin with. However, I think I have solved this one for us. I've finally come up with a simple, fair solution to pricing the upgrade that works for us and the customers. He walked over to a whiteboard and grabbed a marker:If we assume an existing 10-seat customer has decided to upgrade to 30-seat capability, we should charge that customer the difference between what the buyer has already paid and the price of the new capacity. So . . . New 30-seat unit $17,250 Original 10-seat unit $8,000 Price for 20-seat upgrade $9,250 It's consistent with our current pricing for the QTX. It's fair to the customer. It's easy for the customer to understand and it still makes wads of money for us. It also is easy for the customer to see that we're being good to them. If they bought a 20-seat box in addition to the 10-seat box they already have, it would be costing them more.He wrote: New 20-seat unit $14,000 A new unit provides customers with redundancy by having two boxes, which they might want in the event of product failure, but the cost is pretty stiff. Upgrading becomes the logical and affordable option. Hillary looked at the numbers and knew just what she was going to do. That all looks very logical, but I don't see that either of you has the company's best interests at heart. Brian, you just want a simple sale that your sales people and the customers will buy into, and Rob, you are charging even less than Brian. We need to consider the revenue issue as well.These people have already bought from us; are trained on our hardware and software and don't want to have to repeat the process with someone else. It would take too long. They've got no desire to make a change and that means we've got them. The sky is really the limit on how much we can charge them because they have no real alternative. We should take this opportunity to really go for the gold, say $15,000 or even $20,000. We can and should be as aggressive as possible. All three continued to argue the relative merits of their pricing positions, without notable success.Jefferies listened to each of them and after they finished, he turned to a clean whiteboard and took the marker. I've done some more thinking on this. In order to meet the needs of all three departments, there are three very important points that the price structure for these upgrades must accomplish: 1. The pricing for the upgrades shouldn't undercut the existing pricing for the 30-seat QTX. 2. We want to motivate our buye rs to purchase the maximum number of seats at the initial purchase. A dollar now is better than a potential dollar later. We never know for sure that they will make that second purchase.If we don't do this right, we're going to encourage customers to reduce their initial purchase. They'll figure they can add capacity whenever, so why buy it if they don't need it. That would kill upfront sales of the QTX. 3. We don't want to leave any revenue on the table when buyers decide to buy more capacity. They are already committed to us and our technology and we should capitalize on that, without totally ripping them off. Therefore, while Hillary says â€Å"the sky's the limit,† I think there is a limit and we need to determine what it is and how close we can come to it.If we assume that those are the objectives, none of the prices you've put together thus far answers all three of those criteria. Some come close, but each one fails. See if you can put your heads together and come to a consensus price that satisfies all three objectives. OK? Heads nodded and with that, Jefferies left the conference room. The three remaining occupants looked at one another. Brian got up to wipe the previous numbers off the whiteboards and said: OK, one more time. If our numbers don't work, why not and what is the right price for the 20-seat upgrade?

Leadership Ethics Essay

When the decision is made to become a nurse, there is a code of ethics in place that they agree to abide by (ANA, 2001). The Registered Nurse who demonstrates leadership and ethics places their own personal and religious beliefs aside to do what is truly best for the outcomes of those they serve. As a school nurse, the obligation to keep the students safe and healthy should and often does come first and foremost. Counseling abstinence, though necessary, will not stop teens from having sexual intercourse and it will not teach them to protect themselves from sexually transmitted diseases and unplanned pregnancies. Those entrusted with the health and welfare of our young people must teach them how to utilize condoms to protect themselves against unwanted pregnancies and contacting sexually transmitted diseases, (STDs). It is well known that Catholics do not use birth control in any way shape or form; this includes the use of condoms. STD’s and unplanned pregnancies are viewed as consequences to one’s sins. When the school nurse is also a devout Catholic, issues surrounding teens, sex, and birth control can cause moral distress and make the nurse question the actions they have taken. It was learned in week 4 that â€Å"Actions are only ethical if motivated by a duty to do the right thing† (CCN, 2013). What IS the right thing to do? Teens, Sexually Transmitted Diseases, & Abstinence There are nineteen million new cases of bacterial and viral cases of sexually transmitted diseases diagnosed in the United States each year and 50% of these cases are diagnosed in adolescent males and females and most case studies focus on abstinence or on the use of condoms (Akers, Gold, Coyne-Beasley, & Corbie-Smith, 2012). â€Å"It is estimated that by the end of  high school, nearly two thirds of American youth are sexually active, and one in five has had four or more sexual partners† (Starkman & Rajani, 2002 p. 313). Sex education should include the worth and benefits of abstinence but there is little evidence that abstinence only programs work. Teens who participate in these programs may not refrain from sexual intercourse longer or become sexually active sooner than those who participate in programs that promote the use of condoms. There is no evidence that those who do participate in abstinence only programs are less sexually active but there is evidence that those w ho do participate in all-inclusive program practice safer sex when they do become sexually active (Starkman & Rajani, 2002). Catholicism & the Use of Condoms Cardinal Jaime Sin issued a pastoral exhortation in 2001 stating that â€Å"the condom corrupts and weakens people, destroys families and individuals, and also spreads promiscuity† (Arie, 2005 p. 926). The Catholic church’s negative stance on condoms in that they murder sperm and promote immoral behavior in spite of the fact that Catholic organizations care for 25% of all those that are afflicted with HIV/AIDS (Arie, 2005), causes great moral distress for Catholic nurses who have an obligation to practice using the Code of Ethics outlined by the ANA. Non-Catholic teenagers are more likely to use and know about condom usage than Catholic teens (Kinsman, Nakiyingi, Kamali, & Whitworth, 2001) even with those who are higher up in the Catholic organization voicing opinions and recognizing that there is power in condoms saving lives, and the Catholic church refuses to endorse their use and educate their members (Arie,2005). Conclusion There is over whelming evidence that the use of condoms is beneficial in preventing the transmission of STD’s among adolescents. With over half of all sexually transmitted diseases being reported among young people, it is of upmost importance that those working with teenagers, where it concerns sexuality, be prepared to teach them about the importance of protecting themselves from STD’s by promoting the use of condoms as counseling abstinence will not stop teens from having sexual intercourse. The Catholic Church refuses to promote the use of condoms. Therefore, it is even more important, when looking at the imperial evidence and outcomes from  statistics when condoms are used as a preventative measure for STD’s, for the Catholic nurse to put aside her own religious and moral beliefs in favor of teaching the significance of using condoms for the prevention of sexually transmitted diseases and unplanned pregnancies. Furthermore, it is of this author’s opi nion that no nurse who has protected a young person by preventing pregnancy or an STD, through comprehensive sex education and counseling that teenager to use condoms, should ever feel any moral distress or be persecuted by her congregation for doing the right thing. References American Nurses Association. (2001). Code of ethics for nurses with interpretive statements. New York: Author. Akers, A. Y., Gold, M. A., Coyne-Beasley, T., & Corbie-Smith, G. (2012). A Qualitative Study of Rural Black Adolescents’ Perspectives on Primary STD Prevention Strategies. Perspectives On Sexual & Reproductive Health, 44(2), 92-99. doi:10.1363/4409212 Arie, S. (2005). Crusading for change. BMJ: British Medical Journal (International Edition), 330(7497), 926. Chamberlain College of Nursing. (2013). NR504 Leadership and nursing practice: role development: Week 4 lesson. St. Louis, MO: Online Publication. Kinsman, J. J., Nakiyingi, J. J., Kamali, A. A., & Whitworth, J. J. (2001). Condom awareness and intended use: gender and religious contrasts among school pupils in rural Masaka, Uganda. AIDS Care, 13(2), 215-220. doi:10.1080/09540120020027387 Porter-O’Grady, T., & Malloch, K. (2011). Quantum leadership: Advancing innovation, transforming health care (3rd ed.). S udbury, MA: Jones & Bartlett. Starkman, N., & Rajani, N. (2002). The Case for Comprehensive Sex Education. AIDS Patient Care & Stds, 16(7), 313-318. doi:10.1089/108729102320231144

Ethics in Management Consulting Case Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Ethics in Management Consulting - Case Study Example I strongly agree with the author since the Consultancy is a dynamic field with a lot of expectations and reputation that help in better service delivery. Issues of confidentiality and anonymity are essential in quality service to clients and ensure the consultancy is operating within the accepted ethics. Â  The dilemma that the case presents is that of fee charge to various clients. The dilemma of the fee to charge arises from time to time and what should be the criteria to ascertain the fee to different groups of clients. Â  I would charge different consultant fee to various groups of clients should I be in the similar situation. This would the through using the information obtained initially from them. Some of the criteria would be to look at their economic capabilities to pay and the nature of consultancy work. I strongly agree with the author’s view. This is based on the fact that the nature of consultancy varies from client to client so it can only be rational to charge a different fee. In addition, different clients are served at the interval and with various economical capabilities (ability to pay). Â  Hauser, A. (2009). Ethics in Management Consulting: An examination of the extent to which the principles of integrative consulting ethics are incorporated in management consulting firms in Germany.

InTERNATIONAL STUDIES IN BUSINESS Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words - 1

InTERNATIONAL STUDIES IN BUSINESS - Assignment Example Conventional theory argues that liberation in trade should benefit the developing countries more than it benefitted the developed countries because globalisation is supposed to assist the countrys joining the bigger economies have access to their markets. On the contrary, it is the developed countries which have been gaining instead. On April 10, 2006, immediately after the director general had announced that they were planning to implement the Doha strategy some countries like U.S started demanding benefits for its own economy in case they provide aid to LDCs. I agree; WTO is meant to improve comprative advantage and hence increase international trade. WTO has made progressive in balancing trade between developed countries and developing countries, however, for globalization to be achieved, WTO will have to lower export tarrrifs for LCDs. Also developed countries should provide a good political

Global Business Environment Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Global Business Environment - Assignment Example This report will look at the different measures a country can take in such instances. There is essentially no simple strategy alone to prevent recession in a country. There are a number of factor at play which further complicates the problem of recession in a country. Like after world economic crisis in 2008, country like India faced many challenges with respect to its economic policies. India has high inflation rate along with soaring high interest rate. Keeping in mind the strong fundamentals in India, RBI took a number of measures to control recession in India. RBI plays a significant role by controlling and monitoring the lending rates of scheduled commercial banks. The inflation rate in any economy is dependent on the availability of goods and services. RBI uses its monetary and credit tools to maintain the price stability in the economy and thus support the economic growth in the economy. RBI being the central bank of India, monitors, regulates and controls the entire financial system. RBI through its monetary policy regulates the issue of bank notes so as to m aintain proper liquidity in the system (Schwartz, 2010, p. 7). The monetary policy adopted by RBI can be either expansionary or contractionary in nature. RBI uses expansionary policy during deep recession. When RBI finds excess liquidity in the system, RBI uses several monitory instruments like Cash reserve ratio, Statutory Liquidity Ratio, Repo Rate, Reverse Repo rate to adjust liquidity in the economy. During deep recession, RBI needs to inject liquidity in the system so that money can flow in the system and demand improves and consequently GDP improves. For that RBI can reduce Cash reserve ratio or Statutory Liquidity Ratio. This will inject more cash in the hands of Bank which Banks can lend to the customers and inject liquidity in the system (Hershey, 2004, p. 13). The main priority should be given to small scale industries as they are the main employment

Analysis of Health and Safety in Chemical Industries Article Assignment

Analysis of Health and Safety in Chemical Industries Article - Assignment Example Therefore, the entire article is focused on the how workers have to be careful regarding the use of chemicals, and the necessary caution that needs to be taken. 3. The background or context surrounding this article is the constant injuries that always define workers in the chemical industry. Current knowledge is short on the various types of injuries that exist, and the major chemicals and the hazards they pose to workers. 4. The author takes on the topic with a methodological point of view such that it is systematic in analyzing the various factors involved in evaluating chemical risks in the factory such as identifying the different types of chemicals and the risks they pose. There are also ideological and theoretical perspectives in defining and assessing the characteristics of chemical injuries. 5. The key concepts that the article focuses on include the various types of dangerous chemicals that workers are constantly bound to be exposed to in their environments. There are also various descriptions such as the technical descriptions that differentiate the existing types of hazardous chemicals. 6. The most important information from the article is that it is essential to understand the various types of risks involved when working with chemicals in a factory. A good understanding of the different types of chemicals and risks makes it easier to tackle them and consequently enable a safe and healthy working environment. 7. The author points out that it is important to understand the chemicals that workers often deal with in a factory. This makes it easy to effectively deal with storage and counter any injuries that may arise. This leads to the conclusion that it is necessary to understand the different types of dangers present in the workplace, and effectively deal with them. 8. The author’s findings that different types of chemical hazards need different handling mechanisms make it easier for authorities.

Consultancy Skill and Organisational Change Essay

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Abnormal Psychology Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words - 1

Abnormal Psychology - Essay Example It is probably the best illustration ÃŽ ¿f a temperament potentially involved in the etiology ÃŽ ¿f these disorders. The behaviors associated with the behavioral inhibition construct have been demonstrated to be stable over time; these children have been observed to develop an increase in anxiety disorders, particularly social phobia, as they mature. In addition, their relatives have been demonstrated to exhibit more anxiety disorders. Finally, and most pertinent to the articles in this volume, this childhood history has been shown to be predictive ÃŽ ¿f a poorer response to treatment ÃŽ ¿f panic disorder in adulthood. All this evidence suggests that behavioral inhibition, and the highly related separation anxiety in children, can serve as excellent models ÃŽ ¿f temperamental predispositions to anxiety that can probably predict adult anxiety disorders, as well as certain characteristics (e.g., treatment refractoriness) ÃŽ ¿f these disorders. This work "connects" adult anxiety disorders longitudinally to childhood issues, at least at the level ÃŽ ¿f the models we utilize to understand these disorders. In DSM-IV, for the first time, adult anxiety disorders are recognized as beginning in childhood. However, the extent to which adult anxiety disorders begin in childhood is still not determined; research is urgently needed but is difficult because ÃŽ ¿f its longitudinal nature. On the other hand, the evidence suggests that anxiety difficulties can wax and wane through childhood and routate into other problems over time. Also, there is a clear impact ÃŽ ¿f parental behavior on anxiety. Both these issues lead us to broaden our model ÃŽ ¿f these difficulties beyond mere temperament. A model ÃŽ ¿f a genetic predisposition or temperament that invariably, and with little other influence, develops into adult anxiety disorders does not seem to fit the data. Instead, there is strong evidence that different parenting behaviors affect the

Working with and Leading People Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3000 words

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Problem solution speech Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Problem solution speech - Essay Example When an individual records a body mass index that is more than thirty, that person is considered obese according to the obesity society. The Body Mass Index can be calculated by dividing the weight of an individual that is measured in pounds by the height, which is measured in inches, then multiplying the figure that is arrived at by 704.5. Obesity is the product of consuming more calories than the body can be able to utilize and this leads to the body storing the excesses as fat (Wolin and Petrelli 19). Large unnecessary portions and lifestyles that continue to be more sedentary everyday also contribute heavily to the problem of obesity that keeps getting worse. Fast foods such as burgers, pizzas among other food products that have very high calories such as chips that are deep fried and the foods that are sugary are very easy to find and relatively cheap in the United States. These particular foods are also not useful at all as far as nutritional value is concerned therefore, to reduce and ultimately prevent obesity, the United States Surgeon General proposes a diet that is rich in nutrients which abides by the 2010 USDA Dietary Guidelines for America. There is also the recommendation that adults should be able to get at least half an hour of exercise in most of the days while the children should exercise for a whole hour. The best ways that an individual can be able to include more activity in their day-to-day lives is through using the stairs instead of the elevator, using parking spaces that are further than the entrances to so that one can walk more and using a push mower as opposed to the power mower. The children should be encouraged to play outside after school instead of sitting idly or watching television so that they can remain active. The burden of finding solutions to the problems that are associated with obesity have

Cfa Study Outlines Essay Example for Free

Cfa Study Outlines Essay CFA Curriculum/Blue box examples/EOC problems Month 5: Schweser Slides=gt;Take practice exam (8X) BOOT CAMP strongly recommended (Creighton University provides an exceptional LIII Boot Camp—Marc Lefebvre teaches the course and has put together an impressive strategic outline) Question Format Morning: Essay ? Focus on writing key words (study previous actual CFA exam answers and learn what these key words are—just remember that the CFA guideline answers are also considered â€Å"perfect† so don’t think you must include everything stated) ? The morning essay questions are the least correlated with questions from the actual CFA curriculum; therefore, it is absolutely necessary to study past actual CFA Level III exams and familiarize yourself with how they’ll ask questions—you’ll be surprised at how well you may know the material but not quite understand what the questions are asking for Afternoon: Item Set Multiple Choice ? READ THE QUESTION FIRST! 90% of all questions asked follow the item set chronologically (first portion of item set relates to 1st question, 2nd portion relates to 2nd question, etc. First paragraph is usually an introduction that can be skipped to save time) Special emphasis on essay format (master your timing—Individual Investor IPS/Return Calculation should take lt; 10 min). DO NOT rely on year to year correlations in question types—expect ANYTHING to be tested Prior exams are published and are a necessary resource CFA Practice Exam only includes the afternoon item set section; you must take Schweser practice tests/actual prior CFA Level III exams to incorporate the morning session One of your top goals should be to finish the morning session; many candidates have failed due to the inability to finish—you’ll be surprised at how many extra points you can earn just for taking educated guesses CFA Level III exam is by far the most difficult although the material is a breeze. Therefore, you must conceptualize the material rather than rely on pure memorization. Special Note: For Level I candidates, place special emphasis on ethics and portfolio management concepts. An in-depth understanding of both saves time from LII and LIII down the road. Memorize Code Standards and read ALL ethics examples! Portfolio management concepts such as portfolio standard deviation and portfolio variance are recurring concepts that are extremely important for LIII. Taken Directly from the CFA Institute Website

The bone disorders

The bone disorders Introduction There are many different types of bone disorders and these can have vast implications on a patient suffering from any particular one of these bone disorder. There 7 main categories of bone disorders listed below, each of which will be discussed in detail. Genetic (inherited) disorders, i.e. Achondroplasia, Osteogenesis imperfecta. Nutritional disorders, i.e. Rickets, Osteomalacia. Autoimmune disorders, i.e. Rheumotid Arthritis Degenerative disorders, i.e. Osteoarthritis. Bone tumours, i.e. Primary Bone Cancer, Secondary Bone Cancer. Hormonal disorders, i.e. Osteoporosis. Pagets disease. Genetic (inherited) disorders. Achondroplasia. Achondroplasia is genetic disorder and is the main type of short-limbed dwarfism that takes place in humans, occurring amongst 1 in 15,000 and 40,000 live births. It has been estimated that about 90% of cases of achondroplasia are sporadic, and on average, there is a rise of paternal age at the moment of conception of affected individuals (Vajo et al., 2000). The literal meaning of achondroplasia is without the formation of cartilage, and sufferers have difficulty with bone growth. Achondroplasia affects mainly long bones e.g. legs and arms. It is an Autosomal Dominant Gene Defect (ADGI), and leads to the conversion of cartilage into bone. It occurs when one of the 22 non-sex genes is mutated, and this mutated gene has now been identified to be located on chromosome 4, which is known to be the Fibroblast Growth Factor Receptor 3 (FGFR3). Symptoms; Achondroplasia is typically distinguished by the formation of a long, narrow trunk and short limbs. Some other usual symptoms of achondroplasia include hyperextensibilty of joints in particular at the knees and hands, however the rotation of the elbow is limited as well being unable to fully extend. Sufferers of Achondroplasia normally have a large head, short broad hands, and suffer from hypertonia (poor muscle tone). Spinal cord compression at the cervicalmedullary junction is another typical feature of achondroplasia patients (Horton et al., 2007). The location of the mutated gene associated with achondroplasia was mapped to chromosome 4p16.3 in 1994, and this was followed soon after by the identification of the heterozygous mutations of FGFR3 (Rousseau et al., 1994). It has been further discovered that children that have FGFR3 mutations, they parents generally do not have the FGFR3 mutation, and there has also been a strong association between advanced paternal age, in particular over 35 years of age. Diagnosis; Because the symptoms of achondroplasia are very distinguishable, the diagnosis at birth should not be a problem. However, it has been estimated that about 20% of individuals are not diagnosed with achondroplasia at birth (Trotter et al., 2005). A common method that has been employed and widely used for the diagnosis of achondroplasia is prenatal ultrasound. This method detects effected foetuses in the third trimester of pregnancy. The diagnosis of Achondroplasia can be carried out via CVS (Chronic Villus Sampling), followed by molecular gene tests. CVS is a test that is carried out before birth, in which cells are inspected. Molecular genetic testing is carried out in order to identify possible mutations. Treatment; There is no clear treatment for achondroplasia, and there are many tests that are ongoing in order to do find one. The use of human growth hormone has been proposed as a possible method of treatment. Tests have shown that there was an initial increase in growth rate of subjects with achondroplasia, nevertheless, the long-term benefits of such treatment have not been made clear, and many experts do not recommend it (Horton et al., 1992). In order to increase the stature of achondroplasia patients, surgical limb lengthening is another proposed method to help achondroplasia patients. The typical method compromises of different bones being broken, i.e. femur, tibiae, and humeri, after which orthopaedic appliances are used in order to carry out slow stretching during the healing process. Although this method increases the standing height of the patient, this method is also not recommended due to the many complications arising from it. These complications include, the need of repeated surgeries, wound infections and problems arising from the stretching of skeletal tissue such as blood vessels. Osteogenesis Imperfecta. Osteogenesis imperfecta is a bone disorder causing imperfect bone formation. It effects roughly 1/5,000 to 1/10,000 individuals (Sillence et al., 1979). It occurs as a result of a poor quality of collagen or a lack of collagen production, and can lead to fragile bones that are easily broken and have a low bone mass. Another distinguishable characteristic of osteogenesis imperfecta patients is an s-shaped spine that can eventually break. Osteogenesis imperfecta occurs as a result of mutations in the genes that encode the chains of type I collagen. Type I collagen is the main protein found in bone. Genetically inherited cases of osteogenesis imperfecta normally show very mild symptoms. However, spontaneous cases are often more severe. Symptoms; The symptoms of osteogenesis Imperfecta range in severity, from intrauterine fractures and perinatal lethality, to very mild fractures. Diagnosis; The diagnosis of osteogenesis imperfecta in individuals with a family history of the disease is rather simple, but more difficult in those that do not have a family history. Generally osteogenesis imperfecta is diagnosed clinically, and based on the physical symptoms associated with the disease Osteogenesis imperfecta can be diagnosed via a collagen biopsy test, which is a new method. This test is known to identify 90% of osteogenesis imperfecta cases. Ultrasound is another method that can be used for diagnosis, and can detect more severe types of Osteogenesis imperfecta, even at the foetus phase and also 16 weeks into pregnancy. Test such as those that include culturing cells, and observing the collagen produced can also be carried out, as well as using blood samples to examine mutations of the collagen manufacturing genes. Although these types of tests can be useful in the diagnosis of osteogenesis imperfecta to some extent, they are generally no more than 85% accurate. Treatment; Currently there is no known cure for osteogenesis imperfecta. However particular emphasis has been placed on prevention on injury and maintaining healthy bones particularly in younger children. Supplements of calcium and phosphorus help increase bone density. Also Biophosphates are used, and these are drugs that help decrease the rate of bone resorption. Biophosphates have been clearly shown to prevent bone fractures from occurring and also increasing the bone strength and density. Growth hormones has been previously proposed as a possible treatment for osteogenesis imperfecta (Kruse and Kuhlencordt, 1975). However this has been later dismissed, and although the use of growth hormone in combination with Biophosphates may be a useful treatment, this has not yet been tested. Metal bone plates are also used for patients with more severe fractures, and helps to strengthen and reduce fractures of the affected bones, mainly long bones e.g. arms and legs. Nutritional disorders. Rickets and Osteomalacia. Rickets is a nutritional bone disorder which is found in children. It is known to affect about 1 in 1000 children in the UK alone. A very similar disorder takes place amongst adults and this is known as osteomalacia. Both these disorders occur as a result of abnormal mineralisation (calcification) of bone and cartilage. The body transfers calcium and vitamins from the bone into the blood due to vitamin deficiency i.e. deficiency in Vitamin D and calcium. This demineralisation subsequently leads to bone deformity, and thus the bones become soft and very vulnerable to fractures. There are many reasons that cause vitamin deficiency that subsequently leads to rickets and osteomalacia. Some of which include nutritional deficiency (poor diet), poor lifestyle (lack of exercise), insufficient sunlight exposure (remaining indoors for long periods of time) and abnormal metabolism (liver and kidney disease, chronic renal failure etc) (de Menezes Filho et al., 2006). Another main cause of rickets in children is due to the baby receiving a lack of vitamin D in the womb from the mother who may also be deficient in vitamin D. Symptoms; Symptoms of rickets and osteomalacia include; Growth retardation. Deformities in the upper and lower limbs. Insufficient weight gain in children. High vulnerability to bone fractures. Bone pain. Muscle weakness. Pelvic flattening. Bowing legs. Defects in structure of teeth. Diagnosis; A physical examination will firstly help to identify bone deformities and multiple fractures. A medical history check can also help to identify a possible genetic link. The levels of parathyroid hormone and alkaline phosphate will increase in the blood as a result of deficiency in vitamin D and calcium. These hormones are responsible for the transfer of minerals and vitamins from the blood to the bone. This rise in the bloodstream is a major sign of rickets and osteomalacia, and blood tests carried out to see this elevated rise of these hormones is a good method for diagnosis. X-rays can also show the demineralisation of the bone and reveal any abnormal bone structures. Treatment; Replacing vitamin D, calcium, and other necessary minerals in patients with rickets and osteomalacia is very important, and is the main method of treatment. Babies that received a lack of vitamin D whilst in the womb of their mother, or a shortage from their mothers milk should be given vitamin drops, e.g. Abidec, to help increase their levels of vitamin D. Food rich in Vitamin D and calcium are highly advised, and offer a replacement for their deficiency. These types of food include oily fish (tuna, salmon herrings, mackerels), dairy products (milk, yoghurt), liver, Vitamin supplements can also be prescribed from a doctor. An injection of vitamin D (calciferol) is also available and can last up to a year before another injection is needed. Adequate exposure to sunlight is also highly recommended. Autoimmune disorders. Rheumatoid arthritis (RA). It has been estimated that at least 1 in 100 people suffer from RA, and that in the UK alone there are about 400,000- 500,000 sufferers. It is a chronic inflammatory disease mainly affecting synovial membrane, cartilage and bone. This then can lead to joint destruction, which is typically distinguished by gradual bone erosion, and is the main cause of disability in RA. RA causes the immune system to start producing antibodies, which attack the lining of joints (synovium), and tissues (tendons), and so thus resulting in inflammation and swelling. In response to this, the body releases a special synovium thickening chemical which causes the joint to wear away and loose its shape, and eventually the joint is completely destroyed. RA is also systemic and can spread to other tissues and other parts of the body causing more problems mainly in the hands, feet and spine. In very severe cases the disease can spread to organs and this can be very critical. RA does not occur at a particular age group, and the disorder can develop at any age in sufferers lifetime. However, more commonly RA occurs in patients that are between the ages of 30 to 60 years old. The causes of RA are still relatively unknown, however that have been several theories involving possible genes that can cause RA (Barton and Worthington, 2009). RA may also occur as a result of pollution (bacteria, fungi, viruses). Symptoms; Symptoms of RA include; Swelling of joints. Stiffness, particularly early in the morning. Inflammation. Formation of rheumatoid nodules, which appear on hands, feet and elbows. Flu like symptoms such as fever. Weight loss. Diagnosis; The diagnosis of RA is rather difficult, due to the fact that the main symptoms of RA inflammation and joint stiffness/swelling, and these symptoms can be commonly associated with other diseases/disorders. A full family history is looked at first in order to establish any hereditary traits of RA in the patient. Imaging techniques such as X-rays, CT scans and ultrasound can used to look at rheumatic erosion (the disappearance of bones/joints). However, it can be difficult to diagnose RA in the early stages of the disorder, as there may not be any physical changes during these stages. The cytokines TNF (tumour necrosis factor) and IL-1 (Interlukin-1) are responsible for further inflammation which occurs in people that suffer from RA. Both of these cytokines are present in the joint of people with RA, and checking for the presence of these cytokines at joints is a method used to diagnose RA. ESR (erythrocyte sedimentation rate) is also another blood test that can be used to diagnose RA. It is a measure of the rate in which red blood precipitate in a period of 1 hour, and is a non specific measure of inflammation. The CRP test (C-reactive protein test) is the second most popular diagnosis test for RA. In response to inflammation of tendon/ligaments, the liver produces C-reactive proteins, and this test is used to detect the presence of these proteins in the blood. The antibody RF (Rheumatoid factor) is present in the blood of sufferers of RA. Therefore blood tests to identify the presence of this antibody in the blood, 8 out of 10 times will diagnose a person that is suffering from RA. Treatment; Currently there is no clear treatment for RA, however there a few drugs available that either help relieve some of the symptoms, or to help modify the disorder. Pain killers such as paracetamol and ibuprofen can help relieve some of the symptoms of RA. NSAIDs (non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs) are also a set of pain killers e.g. diclofenac, ibuprofen and naproxen, and help to control joint pain and stiffness. Although these drugs help with the symptoms of RA they do not directly impede the development of RA. Furthermore, there are many common side effects associated with NSAIDs including diarrhoea, nausea, increased risk of myocardial infarction etc. Disease modifying anti-arthritic/antirhumatic drugs (DMARDS) are drugs that function by blocking the affect of certain chemicals i.e. TNF following the damage of bone, joints, tendons and ligaments. These drugs not only ease the pain and stiffness related to RA, but also slow the progression of the condition. Maintaining a healthy lifestyle for an individual suffering from RA is also vital as it reduces the chances of further complications arising from the disease. There are also many therapies e.g. acupuncture, hydrotherapy, and also arthroplasty which can significantly help with the pain and joint stiffness linked to the disorder. Degenerative disorders. Osteoarthritis (OA). Osteoarthritis is an age-related disease that ultimately has an effect on each individual, who live onto they senior years (Wong and Carter, 2003). The pain associated with osteoarthritis typically emerges from the degeneration of the cartilage between the joints, as a result of primary osteoarthritis, or from trauma bringing about the loss of cartilage (Temenoff and Mikos, 2000). Given that cartilage demonstrates a poor ability to self-repair, these injuries are sustained for years and can ultimately bring about further degeneration (secondary osteoarthritis) (ODriscoll, 1998). The degeneration of cartilage causes bone ends to become exposed, and the deposition of new osseous tissue on the bone ends. This also reduces the space in the joint cavity and limits movement (Gerard J. Tortora, 2007). The underlying bone also forms osteophytes (spikes) which grow outwards due to the bone compensating for the loss of cartilage, and this hinders joint movement and causes pain. It has been estimated that roughly 36 million Americans are diagnosed with this form of arthritis (Temenoff and Mikos, 2000). Osteoarthritis is also the main reaso n as to why many individuals undergo hip and knee replacement surgery (Wilson et al., 2005), and is also the main cause of mobility impairment in elder individuals (Buckwalter, 1997). Symptoms; Acute pain causing stiffness and lack of joint movement is the main symptom of OA. The capsule surrounding joints become bigger due to inflammation and this reduces mobility, and thus muscles at the joint become weaker. Other symptoms include spasm and contractions in the tendons; accumulation of fluid at joints, muscle weakness, and hardy bone enlargements in small joints i.e. fingers and toes. Diagnosis; There is no single test used to diagnose OA. A physical examination can show a lack of mobility, joint weakness and swelling. X-rays can show the loss of joint space and in extreme cases the presence of osteophytes. Treatment; There is advanced research going into ways to engineer cartilage to help patients suffering from OA, although a major breakthrough has yet been developed. Instead a healthy lifestyle i.e. loss of weight and exercise is highly advised Sufferers are advised to exercise the affected area as this will enable better support for affected joints and strengthen the muscles surrounding the joint. This also helps in increasing the mobility of the joints, balance and posture. Drugs such as NSAIDs (non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs) i.e. ibuprofen can help in relieving pain and reducing inflammation. However the long term use of these types of drugs can cause many adverse reactions. Bone tumours. A Bone tumour is the neoplastic growth of tissue in bone i.e. cells in tissue continually dividing resulting in the formation of the tumour, and can be benign or malignant. This tumour can further spread throughout the body via the lymph system. The lymph system contains lymphocytes and phagocytes, and a further function of the lymph system is to remove worn out red blood cells. There are two main categories of bone tumours, primary bone tumours and secondary bone tumours. Primary bone tumours can be localised or can spread (malignant), and these bone tumours derive from within the tissue. Primary tumours can be further divided into benign tumours and cancer. Secondary bone tumours derive from other tumours from a different part of the body and spread to the tissue via the blood. The mutation of the P53 gene which suppresses bone tumour is thought to responsible for the formation of bone tumours; however the exact cause is still not fully known. There are many different types of bone tumours, of which the most common are listed below, including symptoms, diagnosis and treatments. Osteosarcoma- This is the most common type of bone tumour, and as well as Ewings syndrome (see below), is the most aggressive type of bone tumour. It affects people at an early age (5-25years), and is rare in people of above the age of 30. Osteosarcoma is a malignant tumour and eventually will spread throughout the body. It is also known to start in the cavities within the bone, and is it affects long bones mainly the knee. Osteosarcoma is diagnosed via examination and imaging techniques such as MRI or CT scan. Osteosarcoma if usually treated by surgery and chemotherapy before and after the surgery. Ewings Sarcoma- Just like Osteosarcoma, Ewings sarcoma affects people at a young age (5-15 years), and also the survival rate up to 3 years is a 60% chance. Ewings sarcoma in mainly found in the lower extremity, than the upper extremity (Eggli et al., 1993) Some of the symptoms of Ewings disorder include pain and swelling, warmth of the local area, and the appearance of onion skin. Ewings disorder can be diagnosed via MRI and CT scans. Treatments of Ewings disorder include surgery, radiation and multi-drug chemotherapy (Eggli et al., 1993). Chondrosarcoma- This bone tumour affects the chondrocytes of cartilage tissue and subsequently, the tissue eventually becomes cancerous. Chondrosarcoma can occur at any age, and this tumour grows slowly and normally without any pain. Lymphoma- Lymphoma is cancer of lymphatic cells, and usually begins in the lymph node, but can also form in the bones. Multiple Myeloma- This bone tumour occurs as a result of bone marrow cells becoming cancerous and can cause osteolytic bone damage. It usually occurs in people above the age of fifty five, and men are twice more likely to get it than women. The main symptom of multiple myeloma is pain, as well as normochromic anemia, spinal cord compression and renal insufficiency. Multiple myeloma can be diagnosed via MRI and CT scans. Chemotherapy, bone marrow transplant as well as Bisphosphonate drugs are some of the main treatments for multiple myeloma. Osteroid Osteoma- This tumour occurs as a result of the matrix of bone becoming cancerous. It normally occurs twice as often in males than females. It more commonly takes place in the proximal femur, then mainly in the tibia, followed by posterior elements of the spine and the humerus (Bloem and Kroon, 1993). Common symptoms include dull pain which gets worse during the night, an increase in skin temperature, increased sweating and abnormal growth. Radiological scans and CT scans are common methods for diagnosis. Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs are given as part of the treatment for osteroid osteoma as well surgical removal. Osteoblastoma- Osteoblastoma is a benign tumour in bone tissue and occurs when osteoblast cells become cancerous. It is mainly common in children and young adults. Pain and bone mass reduction are the main symptoms of osteoblastoma. Method of diagnosis for osteoblastoma includes x-rays, microscopic examination of osteoblast cells and a biopsy. Surgical removal of the tumour is a common treat for this bone tumour as well as cryosurgery, radiation and chemotherapy. Hormonal disorders. Osteoporosis. Osteoporosis results in bones becoming porous and these pores become bigger (2 times bigger) in cancellous cortical bone. It occurs as a result of a reduction in bone mineral density (bone mineralisation). It is a direct disease of the bone as compared to some of the other bone disorders mentioned above. During osteoporosis the rate of bone renewal is slower than bone breakdown and it commonly affects the hip, wrists and spine. It is estimated that over 3 million people in the UK alone suffer from osteoporosis. There are two main types of osteoporosis (Type I and Type II). Type I osteoporosis occurs mainly in females following menopause. Following menopause there is a deficiency in oestrogen and testosterone and this disorder is known as postmenopausal osteoporosis. Type II is mainly caused by a poor lifestyle i.e. excess smoking and drinking. This leads to a deficiency of calcium and vitamin D as a result of disorders of the intestine. The deficiency may also arise from kidney disorders caused by a poor diet (too much fast foods and fizzy drinks) and excess alcohol consumption. Also people continuously taking drugs mainly corticosteroid drugs will have a loss of bone density. Symptoms; Osteoporosis does not have any specific symptoms; however its main outcome is an increased risk of bone fractures and breaks, and also an increased risk of falling due to fractures of the wrist, spine and hip. Diagnosis Bone mineral density (BMD) test to measure bone mineral density was the first test used to diagnose osteoporosis. There are many different types of BMD tests, the most common being quantitative ultrasound. This is a very good method for diagnosis and is also a much safer approach than x-rays and radiography, which can also be used to diagnose osteoporosis. Blood tests to identify deficiencies in calcium and vitamin D are a further method for diagnosis. Treatments; HRT (Hormone Replacement Therapy) was initially used to treat postmenopausal osteoporosis, however its used was later stopped due to its many side effects e.g. breast cancer, blood clotting, stroke etc. Bisphosphonates can be used to treat osteoporosis and it functions by slowing down the breakdown of bone, in order for the body to cope with bone renewal. Bisphosphonate intolerancy was then later discovered in 20 % of people. Calcitonin drugs are another type of drug used to treat osteoporosis. Calcitonin is produced naturally in the thyroid gland, and calcitonin drugs work by directly inhibiting osteoclast activity. Calcitonin is also found naturally in salmon. Strontium Renelate is another drug that can be used and helps to promote bone renewal. Calcium and vitamin D supplements also help to slow down osteoporosis. Exercise is also highly advised for osteoporosis sufferers and has been shown to maintain or increase bone mineral density especially in postmenopausal women. Pagets disease. Pagets disease is a bone disorder associated with a disorder in bone remodelling, and affects 10% of elderly people (Barker et al., 1980). Furthermore it is more prominent in males than females. In Pagets disease there is an increase in bone remodelling which is also disorganised, and this caused by a primary abnormality of osteoclast cells (Hosking et al., 1996). The bone turnover is increased by 40%, and in addition, bone is grown in areas where bone is not needed and removed from areas where bone is required. Pagets disease is now referred to as osteoclast pagetic disease. In the disorder, the osteoclasts which are bone cells responsible for the removal of bone are targeted. Over a period of time osteoblast activity subsequently increases in response to osteoclast activity, and helps in forming new bone. However, the new bone that is formed is a lot larger and thicker because of the very fast remodelling process, but critically the interior parts of the bone are porous, and a lot more fragile and tender. This therefore makes the bone more venerable to fractures and breaks. Below is an illustration of a particular deformity associated with Pagets disease sufferers (see Figure 2.) Symptoms/complications; Joint pain and bone paint are common symptoms associated with Pagets disease. As the disease progresses the swelling and expansion of the bone leads to the expanding bone becoming weaker. Also the initial symptoms of Pagets disease are not clear but do become clearer over time as the disorder develops. Fractures of long bones e.g. tibia, femur, pelvis, spine, skull are common symptoms of Pagets disease as well as skeletal deformity. Arthritis is a common complication which arises from Pagets disease and occurs mainly in the proximal ends of long bones. A further complication of Pagets disease is Gout. Gout arises from the excessive production of uric acid and salts leading to gouting arthritis, which is a disease of uric acid metabolism. The build up of uric acid and salts in the bloodstream leads to accumulation at the bone joints/cartilage which then causes kidney stones. Bone tumours, and in particular cancellous bone tumour can arise as a result of gout. The dysregulation of bone can also cause an increase in blood circulation and can consequently bring about heart failure. Compression of nerves is also seen in sufferers of Pagets disease and is caused by bone expansion and this brings about complications in movement. Also nerve compression in the skull brings about a loss of hearing and vision. Diagnosis; X-rays is a very clear method to help detect bone expansion, bone loss and bone deformity. Alkaline phosphate which is a by-product of any type of bone disease/disorder is present in the bloodstream, and so blood test can help to identify the presence of these. Treatment; Bisphosphonates and calcitonin are common drugs used to treat Pagets disease. These drugs bind to osteoclast cells and increase their activity, thus reducing their breakdown, and reabsorption of bone into the bloodstream. Pain killers can also be taken to help ease bone pain and neuralgic pain. It is also advised that Pagets disease sufferers should receive adequate sunshine, adequate amounts of vitamin D, and maintain a healthy lifestyle i.e. healthy diet and regular exercise. References Barker, D.J., Chamberlain, A.T., Guyer, P.B., and Gardner, M.J. (1980). Pagets disease of bone: the Lancashire focus. Br Med J 280, 1105-1107. Barton, A., and Worthington, J. (2009). Genetic susceptibility to rheumatoid arthritis: an emerging picture. Arthritis Rheum 61, 1441-1446. Bloem, J.L., and Kroon, H.M. (1993). Osseous lesions. Radiol Clin North Am 31, 261-278. Buckwalter, J.A.a.H.J.M. (1997). Articular Cartilage. Part II: Degeneration and Osteoarthrosis, Repair, Regeneration, and Transplantation. Journal of Bone and Joint Surgery, 612-632. de Menezes Filho, H., de Castro, L.C., and Damiani, D. (2006). Hypophosphatemic rickets and osteomalacia. Arq Bras Endocrinol Metabol 50, 802-813. Eggli, K.D., Quiogue, T., and Moser, R.P., Jr. (1993). Ewings sarcoma. Radiol Clin North Am 31, 325-337. Gerard J. Tortora, B.D. (2007). Principles of Anatomy Physiology 11th Edition Binder Ready Version, 11 edn (John Wiley Sons, 2007). Horton, W.A., Hall, J.G., and Hecht, J.T. (2007). Achondroplasia. Lancet 370, 162-172. Horton, W.A., Hecht, J.T., Hood, O.J., Marshall, R.N., Moore, W.V., and Hollowell, J.G. (1992). Growth hormone therapy in achondroplasia. Am J Med Genet 42, 667-670. Hosking, D., Meunier, P.J., Ringe, J.D., Reginster, J.Y., and Gennari, C. (1996). Pagets disease of bone: diagnosis and management. BMJ 312, 491-494. Kruse, H.P., and Kuhlencordt, F. (1975). On an attempt to treat primary and secondary osteoporosis with human growth hormone. Horm Metab Res 7, 488-491. ODriscoll, S.W. (1998). The healing and regeneration of articular cartilage. J Bone Joint Surg Am 80, 1795-1812. Rousseau, F., Bonaventure, J., Legeai-Mallet, L., Pelet, A., Rozet, J.M., Maroteaux, P., Le Merrer, M., and Munnich, A. (1994). Mutations in the gene encoding fibroblast growth factor receptor-3 in achondroplasia. Nature 371, 252-254. Sillence, D.O., Senn, A., and Danks, D.M. (1979). Genetic heterogeneity in osteogenesis imperfecta. J Med Genet 16, 101-116. Temenoff, J.S., and Mikos, A.G. (2000). Review: tissue engineering for regeneration of articular cartilage. Biomaterials 21, 431-440. Trotter, T.L., Hall, J.G., and American Academy of Pediatrics Committee on, G. (2005). Health supervision for children with achondroplasia. Pediatrics 116, 771-783.

Reality Television Love?What are These Contestants Thinking?! :: essays research papers fc

Reality Television Love†¦What are These Contestants Thinking?!   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Marriage, it’s supposed to be a once in a lifetime event right? The answer to that is surprisingly no! Today it seems that the media pokes fun of this wonderful occasion in the ever so popular reality T.V. show weddings. They are everywhere today. Many of these marriages don’t last much longer than the show was aired anyway. The contestant chooses a lifetime partner from a group of twenty or so other â€Å"contestants† to miraculously fall in love with. But can this be true love? Marriage should not be rushed in this way, because it usually comes along in a normal life setting. What are these television savvy people thinking? I do not believe that the media should use the sacred act of marriage as entertainment, people on these shows are looking for love for the wrong reasons, divorce rates today are through the roof, and generally all the contestants really want is to â€Å"get their face out there†, to become famous.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Many times these people aren’t even sure what they are looking for or even what they are doing on such a show. On programs such as The Bachelor, Joe Millionaire, and Married by America the contestants are set out to search for their one true love. But how do they know if one of these lucky men or women is right for them? The answer is hard to tell. The show, even though aired for weeks at a time, isn’t even as long as it appears. Each episode is different days put into one episode and it is hard to tell exactly how long they really have been there. In all reality the contestants are only acquainted for about a months time and BAM, they are up at the alter saying their â€Å"I Do’s†, in their to-die-for wedding apparel. I don’t know about you but I have defiantly gone through life with a crush or two for about a month that I thought at the time I could marry and be with forever, but after a while I thought to myself, what was I th inking! This is exactly how many of these couples feel soon after their wedding. Then out of nowhere there is yet another divorce. Some may disagree and say that there have been many love stories with happy endings that were very fast and sudden, and they have turned out fine.

Elephants :: essays research papers

Elephants should not be killed because they are one of the main reasons that people visit the foreign land of Africa. Africa is incredibly hot and is not the most intriguing place to go on your vacation. If there were no elephants the amount of tourists would significantly decrease. Twenty eight percent of all tourist come to see the elephants. In the movie â€Å"Ivory Wars† the narrator says â€Å" One of the few attractions for tourists is the African elephants that run wild and free across the vast plains of the continent of Africa.† When the amount of tourists decrease so does the money that they pay to see the elephants at a safari. Africa is obviously does not have the strongest economy to begin with and without the elephants to bring in tourists the continent of Africa will fall apart. Elephants are exotic and amazing to see, and without them would there really be a reason to visit Africa?   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Elephants should not be killed because they help the environment. Elephants actually help the environment by acting like a bulldozer and knocking down dead trees that would stand dormant otherwise. Africa does not have the time or money to bulldoze these dead trees that take up land that could be used for some well needed shelter. There are too many homeless people in Africa to have dead trees taking up in some cases large parts of land. Elephants work as construction equipment that Africa does not have the money for. Without these elephants dead trees would take up many miles of that that could be houses sheltering the poor population of Africa.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Elephants are an endangered species and they should not be killed for their ivory or they will become extinct. In the article The Poaching Problem the author writes† elephant populations have declined to dangerously low levels.† At the rate that poachers are killing these innocent animal the entire species of elephants will be extinct in the year 2030! That is only twenty five years, I know that does not seem like a long time but it is going to go by fast and every one will regret killing all those poor innocent gentle creatures. In case study 483 they author writes â€Å" During the 1970s and 1980s elephant poaching had included about 1.3 million elephants killed for their tusks.† It is hard to distinguish between legal and illegal ivory so it is sold easily. Elephants :: essays research papers Elephants should not be killed because they are one of the main reasons that people visit the foreign land of Africa. Africa is incredibly hot and is not the most intriguing place to go on your vacation. If there were no elephants the amount of tourists would significantly decrease. Twenty eight percent of all tourist come to see the elephants. In the movie â€Å"Ivory Wars† the narrator says â€Å" One of the few attractions for tourists is the African elephants that run wild and free across the vast plains of the continent of Africa.† When the amount of tourists decrease so does the money that they pay to see the elephants at a safari. Africa is obviously does not have the strongest economy to begin with and without the elephants to bring in tourists the continent of Africa will fall apart. Elephants are exotic and amazing to see, and without them would there really be a reason to visit Africa?   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Elephants should not be killed because they help the environment. Elephants actually help the environment by acting like a bulldozer and knocking down dead trees that would stand dormant otherwise. Africa does not have the time or money to bulldoze these dead trees that take up land that could be used for some well needed shelter. There are too many homeless people in Africa to have dead trees taking up in some cases large parts of land. Elephants work as construction equipment that Africa does not have the money for. Without these elephants dead trees would take up many miles of that that could be houses sheltering the poor population of Africa.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Elephants are an endangered species and they should not be killed for their ivory or they will become extinct. In the article The Poaching Problem the author writes† elephant populations have declined to dangerously low levels.† At the rate that poachers are killing these innocent animal the entire species of elephants will be extinct in the year 2030! That is only twenty five years, I know that does not seem like a long time but it is going to go by fast and every one will regret killing all those poor innocent gentle creatures. In case study 483 they author writes â€Å" During the 1970s and 1980s elephant poaching had included about 1.3 million elephants killed for their tusks.† It is hard to distinguish between legal and illegal ivory so it is sold easily.

Nicaraguan Politics and Government Essay -- Essays on Politics

Nicaraguan Politics and Government On the narrow isthmus known as Central America, between the world’s two greatest oceans, Nicaragua has been marked by endless years of political turmoil, social tension and economic dismay. The turmoil’s that have shaken the country make it plausible to believe that by some metaphysical law, Nicaraguan politics have accommodated to nature’s tantrums. Like its diverse, rugged and seismically active geology, the country’s politics have been irregular, impulsive and often explosive (Pastor, 15). The Nicaraguan election of February 25, 1990 represents the country’s attempt to break from its turbulent political past and pursue economic and political stability through the establishment of a democracy. The country’s elections marks a zenith for world democracy, in that no country’s elections had ever been witnessed by more international observers from more diverse groups than was Nicaragua's. The election was closely monitored by myriads of international observers including members of the Organization of American States, United Nations as well as members of the Carter Center including its founder, ex-US President Jimmy Carter. That Sunday morning, beginning at 6 A.M. about one and half million Nicaraguans- about 86 percent of eligible voters- went to cast their vote in one of over four thousand polling sites throughout the country; the outcome of this election marks a decisive point in the country’s history. The results will determine the people’s willingness to either continue with the rule of Daniel Ortega and the Sandinista party that had been in power for over ten years and established a socialist government; or to break away from the misery and persecution of the regime and establish a free, ... ...ntinuous effort to enact policies that will be beneficial to the Nicaraguan people and country as a whole. Work Cited Baumeister, Eduardo. Estructura y Reforma Agraria en Nicaragua. Managua: Editorial Ciencias Sociales, 1998. Close, David. Nicaragua: The Chamorro Years. London: Lynne Rienner, 1999. Leiken, Robert S. Why Nicaragua Vanquished. Oxford: Rowman & Littlefield, Inc., 1992. Morley, Morris H. Washington, Somoza, and the Sandinistas. New York: Cambridge UP, 1994. Pastor, Robert A. Not Condemned to Repetition. Cambridge: Westview P, 2002. Plan Nacional de Desarollo. Gobierno de Nicaragua. 15 May 2005 . Stone, Samuel Z. The Heritage of the Conquistadors. Lincoln: University of Nebraska P, 1990. Walker, Thomas W. Reagan Versus the Sandinistas: The Undeclared War on Nicaragua. Boulder: Westview P, 1987.

Metal Detectors: Justifying School Safety Essay

How much is your child’s safety worth? Are you willing to put a price tag on your child’s life? Many schools are putting a price tag, but fortunately several are not. A shocking one in ten students has carried a weapon to school in New York. Statistics like this cannot be music to the ears of parents. You have to wonder what schools are doing about this awful matter. A notion that has been around, yet a new idea is helping pave the future on student safety in schools. It is metal detectors. This new idea has caused controversy all over the world. Schools around the United States have turned to metal detectors for their solution. I feel that metal detectors are a small price to pay when this matter concerns children. Metal detectors are helpful and expensive. However, most schools are able to afford them, and they do not exploit students’ rights. Metal detectors ensure school safety quickly and effectively. They help enforce a practice that is seen in many areas, including airports and courthouses. Many may argue that they consume too much time and require specially trained professionals. On the contrary, several schools have taken the same measures that are taken when conducting a poll. Polls only use a small percent of the population for the actual questions, but it still represents the entire population. Countless cities, including New York, have â€Å"†¦set a predetermined method of scanning which allows them to scan every second or third student instead of the entire student body† (McDermott 2). This measure is closely monitored, and it has proven to be successful. Some schools have even made things move quicker by having the teachers enter through a different entrance, which also includes metal detectors. Metal detectors in schools are also enforcing a method that is commonly used everywhere these days. A st udent from Chicago states in a message board that, Government offices have metal detectors that everyone has to walk through before they enter. If I go to City Hall, I have to walk through a metal detector. If I go to court for a speeding ticket, I have to go through a metal detector. Why shouldn’t kids have to do the same in school? It’s a public place, funded by public dollars (much like government offices) and I  don’t see that it violates anyone’s civil rights to have to walk through a metal detector to ensure that a school is safe. Students lose many privileges when they enter the school doors because student safety is on the top of the list. If they do not want to be searched or questioned then they should not bring with them articles that are inappropriate for school. Leigh was right when he said metal detectors are expensive. They can range from $4,495 to $5,495 for the walk-through models and from one hundred to four hundred dollars for the hand-held models. This minor setback causes debates. Metal detectors may not be needed in all grades of schools. â€Å"A vast majority of school homicides and suicides – 179 – took place in high schools†¦Ã¢â‚¬  when surveyed in New York. Therefore, various school districts may only need to install the metal detectors in high schools. Another aspect is that taxpayers already pay for insufficient funds. They should use the money for safer schools, instead of funding a new, state-of-the-art prison. Public officials need to look into where other tax dollars are going, and try and focus on getting it to go to schools. Students go to school to be educated; if their education is impaired the school officials then need to step in. Students are also missing valuable time when public officials are required to search the entire school because of threats of a bomb or other life threatening incidents. † ‘All the kids are missing out on their education†¦Ã¢â‚¬â„¢ † (Szaniszlo 1). This could have been prevented with the metal detectors. Although the threats are to be taken seriously, the officials would have a sense of relief with the metal detectors in place. Metal detectors are beneficial to everyone, and not just the students. For example, they enforce school policy and protect students. The school officials have a right to search with reasonable cause and this does not invade the students’ rights or privacy. The school officials are in loco parentis (in the place of the parent) to help maintain order in the school. Rules and regulations create a structure that is necessary t o ensure a safe environment, † . . . that will reinforce the District’s priority goal of safe schools for all students and staff† (Code of Conduct). Just as  students must obey the rules, school officials have a set of rules to follow. Also, parents are allowed to search their kids’ room without a search warrant mandatory, so school officials should be given the same standard. They are acting in loco parentis; therefore, like parents they do not need a search warrant. â€Å"The in loco parentis doctrine basically assumes that students have no legitimate expectation of privacy in their personal property, such as purses, gym bags, or clothing† (Persico 28). The school is now not only responsible for educating the children, but also for protecting them while in the school’s supervision. School officials â€Å"†¦were not permitted to begin a pat-down search until the scanning device had been activated twice†¦Ã¢â‚¬  (NYSSN). They are obligated to search when they feel the school environment has been threatened. School officials only begin a thorough search when the detector has beeped twice on the same student. Only then are they allowed to search the specific area where it beeped. Leigh states that metal detectors â€Å"†¦instill a sense of humiliation in students†¦Ã¢â‚¬  (654). Students would not be embarrassed if the search was done in private. He also mentions â€Å"†¦the most harmful effect of metal detectors is their psychological impact on students subjected to daily searches† (Leigh 653). I have to agree that it might cause such impact, but that it is worth the price. When a student dies on school grounds it also causes a sense of fear for classmates. Schools only have these powers because they are out to ensure our safety. Schools will use whatever means possible to protect he student body. The Columbine tragedy really awakened the American public. Who knew that two teenage boys would have access to guns and that they would intentionally use them to hurt others? Schools with the help of metal detectors would have a chance to prevent such incidents in the future. Metal detectors may not be a full-proof plan, but they would be valuable asset for schools. School districts are turning to this new phenomenon to better the school environment and community. Trying to work around the metal detectors idea or complaining about the cost are not the real issues. The students’ life is at stake. Nevertheless, to prevent the impossible from happening, adopting the idea of metal detectors is worth taking a chance.

Adventures in a Lifetime

Definition Essay Adventures in a Lifetime â€Å"An exciting or very unusual experience. † This is how the English Dictionary defines the word adventure. Many people may define it in a different way, but not a single person is wrong. Adventure isn't boring, nor is it exciting. It is but both at the same time, intertwining between the two. Adventure is exploring the unknown, and doing things a person isn’t normally comfortable with. But, it also doesn't have to be hanging on a rope off the side of a mountain.It can be anything from facing new challenges in school, to living off the land for 3 months in the woods. It's seizing new opportunities, testing our resources against the unknown, and in the process, discovering our own sole potential. It can be falling in love, getting your heart broken, and surviving the whole experience, even though it was so grim at the time. Living through an experience that makes a difference in your life, no matter how small, can be the bigge st adventure of them all.One of the biggest adventures we all know about is Christopher Columbus who sailed across the Atlantic Ocean in 1492. He hoped to find a route to India in order to trade with others but ended up on this foreign land, America. His adventure was sailing to a new land, but making it a larger adventure without meaning to. Why do we say he went on an adventure? Not because he went out of his comfort zone, but because he went someplace he has never been before and had an experience where he learned many new things.It may not be as immense as Columbus did, but we have all adventured hundreds of times in our life, whether we know it or not. Even if it’s just something fresh to learn, or going someplace never explored, everybody has completed it. Going on an adventure means being bold, venturesome, brave, and daring. Does that mean someone has to go skydiving or scuba diving hundreds of feet into the ocean? Absolutely not. Adventure doesn’t even have to be a physical act; it can be a light inside the body that comes out a little more each day.Adventure is not having a routine every single day nor is it thinking about what you will do next. It’s living through every day and experiencing something new in the hours we are given. It can be from walking into the darkest cave known to man, to frolicking through the most colorful valley of flowers in the world. Every step in a person’s life is a new adventure he or she has conquered, and every new adventure is a new stepping stone ultimately reaching your final and optimal destination. Adventure is living life and experiencing it to its upmost capacity.It can be exploring oneself in ways nobody else can. Gandhi is a perfect example of looking inside oneself and making it into an adventure. He explored inside his soul to know what he thought was right and to find what he really wanted to do to make a difference in other’s lives. He took those feelings and made it into a lifelong adventure of freeing others from the British rule as well as to better the lives of India’s poorest classes. He went through countless adventures, ranging from great to minor.

Examine the Impact of Multinational Corporations Setting up in Developing Countries Essay

There has been a very controversial debate over years now about the impact of multinational corporations setting up in developing countries, which have many supporters as well as opponents. Surely there is not only one way to look at this more and more common phenomenon that affects the host countries in many both positive and negative ways that are discussed in this paper. The term multinational corporations (MNCs) is used â€Å"to identify firms that have extensive involvement in international business and engage in foreign direct investment (FDI). MNCs own and control value-adding activities in more than one country that are usually coordinated from central headquarters† (Griffin and Pustay, 2005). The investment of MNCs in the developing countries has greatly increased since the mid-1980s, because of globalization as they looked for new resources and larger markets (Greer and Singh, 2000). Presently, there are over 35,000 multinational corporations with more than 15,000 foreign subsidiaries, which is around one-third of the whole world production. Their value is estimated to be more than $1.5 trillion, one-third of which in the developing countries (GhanaWeb, 2012). The developing countries with most multinational investment are those with highest growth potential like Asian countries: China, Malaysia, Thailand, Singapore, and Latin American ones: Mexico, Argentina and Brazil. The African countries get less than 4% while the poorest 50 countries worldwide receive less than 2%. Over a half of business activities of MNCs deal with manufacturing and services and one-third with oil and gas (GhanaWeb, 2012). According to the report by the Institute for Policy Studies out of 100 lar gest world economies, based on corporate sales and country GDPs, 49 of those economies are countries while the other 51 are multinational corporations. Also, it is stated that the sales of the Top 200 corporations are equal to the 27.5 percent of world economic activity (Institute for Policy Studies, 2012). These numbers show how powerful MNCs are and how  important they are to the world economy, but what is their impact on the developing countries? On the one hand, multinational corporations setting up in developing countries have a very positive effect on their host countries. First of all they provide direct employment to local people and transfer of skills through education and experience. They also affect the indirect employment through paying rent for land or buildings and cooperating with local suppliers, who now have more demand and must deliver higher quality products. As residents have more chances for income they can purchase more and improve their standards of living, while there is generally greater selection and availability of goods and services. The standard of living of local people in some developing countries like Bermuda, the Bahamas, South Korea, Singapore, Hong Kong, and Taiwan has improved largely after the investment of multinational corporations there (Action Institute, 2012). In addition, attracting foreign investment in the developing countries results in economic growth and higher national income. Such countries are usually better off with higher development rates, higher exports, lower imports and additional tax revenues coming from the multinational corporations. For instance, when Toyota started working in Georgetown, Kentucky it paid $1.5mln in property taxes, which was around one-fourth of the town’s municipal budget. By attracting foreign direct investment developing countries will also make substantial tax revenues that can be later on spent on health care, education and other domestic needs (Griffin and Pustay, 2005). In order to attract foreign direct investment local governments many times compete with each other to offer better conditions to multinational investors and lower the income taxes for their corporations. Yet they still get great amounts of money from the corporations that they would not get otherwise. Moreover, when moving into developing countries multinational corporations transfer technology and skill with them. There are also great improvements made to the local infrastructure to allow the effective operation of the corporations (Action Institute, 2012). That is a very important aspect for the developing countri es as it improves their development and brings them at least a bit closer to the developed countries. Developing countries get an update on technology that people get used to and learn to work on, while the whole local society benefits from improved infrastructure like better roads, telecommunications etc. On the  other hand, multinational corporations can have a very negative effect on the developing countries. They are a very strong direct competition to local firms that are forced to shut down and due to their political and economic power they have advantages given by the local governments over small, national or start-up businesses. An example of such additional advantages to multinational corporations over local firms include lower taxation, less strict laws and less bureaucracy in setting up and later on operating the business activities. This results in unfair competition, while shutting up local firms leads to unemployment and in some cases monopoly (Global Issues, 2012). Furthermore, due to their great size and wealth multinational corporations usually gain great economic and political power that can be misused. They usually have big influence on the local governments and are quite often associated with corporate corruption, bribery, lobbying or sponsoring politics campaigns during elections. As the corporations grow bigger they have a greater concentration of wealth, power and influence in the local area. The local authorities often face the threat of multinational corporations withdrawing the local market in case of stricter laws, higher taxation or other problems. In cases when multinational corporations really withdrew such markets, the whole process had a devastating effect on local economy strongly dependant on the foreign investment rates of unemployment went up and rates of economic growth went down at once (Adeyeye, 2012). Additionally, since multinational corporations can afford the best lawyers and accountants they are recognized for their large scale tax avoidance especially through mispricing transfers and false invoicing. In 2008 it was estimated that the developing world loses $160bn a year in tax revenue from only those two forms of tax avoidance (Global Issues, 2012). Not to mention the fact that local governments usually give corporations the privilege of lower taxation in order to attract the foreign investment. Unfortunately, the developing countries usually do not have the expertise, knowledge, wealth and power to address such issues. The multinational corporations are also known for their way of doing business: profit over people and their human rights. The reason why they decide to invest in host countries is to cut costs and maximise profits. If the cost of doing business was the same in home and host countries no company would decide to take such a great risk to expand overseas without any additional benefits. A great opportunity for  corporations is cutting costs in one of the most expensive factors of production: labour. Everyone has heard of cases of labour abuse, extremely low wages, child labour, poor working conditions and no health care in plants owned by multinational corporations in developing countries. In cases when local governments want to intervene and impose stricter laws on work safety, wages or even pollution controls they often have to deal with threats of market withdrawal and loss of foreign investment (Global Issues, 2012). Nevertheless, the wages paid to local workers seem low by western standards, but in local standards are acceptable and are much better than not having a job at all. Many multinational corporations like Nike have taken important steps to improve the working conditions of their employees in developing countries. Few years ago Nike was criticized for the poor working conditions and hard women and child labour in its plants in China, but the company w as not aware of these problems as it was subcontracting with Asian manufacturers. Nowadays the company works more closely with subcontractors on issues concerning employee rights and working conditions in its overseas plants (The World Bank Group, 2012). Last but not least, many opponents to the phenomenon of multinational corporations setting up in developing countries claim that the only reason they decide to invest in host countries is to gain access to their precious natural resources. These corporations exploit the non-renewable natural resources of developing countries like oil or gas for much less than their actual value. In exchange they negatively affect the local environment by polluting air, land and water through mining, auto, oil and chemical corporations. Then residents are left with no drinking water and diseases caused by heavily polluted environment like in China or India. However, small local firms also pollute the environment (on a smaller scale) and the issue needs stricter government regulations (The World Bank Group, 2012). Since these corpor ations do everything to keep their costs down and maximise their profits, they use non-environmentally friendly methods of production and non-renewable resources and get rid of production waste in a dangerous way. It is the government’s responsibility to make sure these corporations protect the environment through imposing regulations, controlling and making sure they are put in practice. To sum up, multinational corporations have both positive and negative impact on developing countries they are setting up in. They give employment to local people and improve their standards of living, bring economic growth, higher national income and tax revenues, not to mention the transfer of technology and skills. However, they are serious competition to local businesses, often violate human rights, practice tax avoidance, misuse their economic and political power, exploit the local natural resources and harm the environment. The developing countries have the most need for foreign direct investment from the multinational corporations in order to catch up with the developed countries in their economic development, but they are the most at risk of exploitation and have the least power to resist it. Multinational corporations can bring many benefits to local societies as a result of their business activities, but this is surely not their initial aim. The purpose of these giant firms is to make the biggest possible profits at the smallest cost. They do not invest in host countries for humanitarian reasons a nd they will not bother to put additional effort or spend additional money to improve certain issues on their own without having a gain in doing so. This is the role local governments and societies should take and strongly insist on. Especially the local authorities should keep power and control strongly, not let the corporations be excessively large and powerful or affect the local communities in a negative way. Multinational corporations can be engines of positive change in the developing countries, but the local authorities should always keep in mind the overall good of their people and land, not only in the short but also in the long run and set favourable agreements and strict regulations that will benefit and protect the residents and the environment. That is because if following all the demands of corporations, local communities have much more to lose than the investment; precious natural resources, residents’ health and welfare and clean environment once gone cannot b e returned. Bibliography Adeyeye, A. (2012). Corporate Social Responsibility of Multinational Corporations in Developing Countries: Perspectives on Anti-Corruption. Cambridge University Press. London, UK. Griffin, R. and Pustay, M. (2005). International Business. A Managerial Perspective. Prentice Hall, New York, USA. Greer, J. and Kavaljit, S. (2000). A Brief History of Transnational Corporations. Corpwatch. Global Policy Forum. Jones, G.& George, J. (2008). Contemporary Management. McGraw-Hill/Irwin. New York, USA. Online Articles Action Institute. Multinational Corporations in the Third World: Predators or Allies in Economic Development? http://www.acton.org/pub/religion-liberty/volume-2-number-5/multinational-corporations-third-world-predators-o. Accessed 2/05/2012. GhanaWeb. Multinational Corporations and the Developing World. http://www.ghanaweb.com/GhanaHomePage/NewsArchive/artikel.php?ID=171863. Accessed 3/05/2012. Global Issues. The Rise of Corporations. http://www.globalissues.org/article/234/the-rise-of-corporations. Accessed 4/05/2012. Institute for Policy Studies. Top 200: The Rise of Corporate Global Power. http://www.ips-dc.org/reports/top_200_the_rise_of_corporate_global_power. Accessed 2/05/2012. The World Bank Group. Multinational Corporations in Developing Countries and Corporate Social Responsibility. http://info.worldbank.org/etools/bSPAN/presentationView.asp?EID=417&PID=827. Accessed 3/05/2012.