All About Chocolates Child Labor and Slavery Problem

Do you know where your chocolate comes from, or what happens in order to get it to you? Green America, a non-profit  ethical consumption  advocacy organization,  points out in this infographic  that although major chocolate corporations rake in tens of billions of dollars annually, cocoa farmers earn just pennies per pound. In many cases, our chocolate is produced using child and slave labor. We in the U.S. chomp down twenty-one percent of the global chocolate supply every year, so it makes sense that we should be informed about the industry that brings it to us. Lets take a look at where all that chocolate comes from, the problems in the industry, and what we as consumers can do to keep child labor and slavery out of our sweets. Where Chocolate Comes From Most of the worlds chocolate begins as cocoa pods grown in  Ghana,  Ivory Coast, and Indonesia, but much is also grown in Nigeria, Cameroon, Brazil, Ecuador, Mexico, the Dominican Republic, and Peru. Around the world,  there are  14 million rural farmers and  laborers who rely on cocoa farming for their income. Many of them are migrant workers, and nearly half are small farmers. An estimated 14 percent of them—nearly 2 million—are West African  children. Earnings and Labor Conditions The farmers who cultivate cocoa pods  earn less than 76 cents per pound, and because of the inadequate compensation, they must rely on low-wage and unpaid labor to produce, harvest, process, and sell their crops. Most cocoa farming families live in poverty because of this. They have inadequate access to schooling, healthcare, clean and safe drinking water, and many suffer from hunger. In West Africa, where much of the worlds cocoa is produced, some farmers rely on child labor and even enslaved children, many of whom are sold into bondage by traffickers who take them from their home countries. (For more details on this tragic situation, see these stories on BBC and CNN, and this list of academic sources). Massive Corporate Profits On the flip side, the worlds largest global chocolate companies are raking in tens of billion dollars annually, and total pay for the CEOs of these companies ranges from 9.7 to 14 million dollars. Fairtrade International puts the farmers and corporations earnings in perspective, pointing out that producers in West Africa are likely to receive between 3.5 to 6.4 percent of the final value of a chocolate bar containing their cocoa. This figure is down from 16 percent in the late 1980s. Over the same time period, manufacturers have increased their take from 56 to 70 percent of the value of a chocolate bar. Retailers currently see about 17 percent (up from 12 percent over the same time period). So over time, though demand for cocoa has risen annually, and has been rising at a greater rate in recent years, producers take home a decreasing percentage of the value of the final product. This happens because chocolate companies and traders have consolidated in recent years, which means that there are just a handful of very large, monetarily and politically powerful buyers in the global cocoa market. This puts pressure on producers to accept unsustainably low prices in order to sell their product, and thus, to rely on low-wage, child, and slave labor. Why Fair Trade Matters For these reasons, Green America urges consumers to purchase fair or direct trade chocolate this Halloween. Fair trade certification stabilizes the price paid to producers, which fluctuates as it is traded on commodities markets in New York and London, and guarantees a minimum price per pound that is always higher than the unsustainable market price. In addition, corporate buyers of fair trade cocoa pay a premium, on top of that price, that producers can use for development of their farms and  communities. Between 2013 and 2014, this premium poured more than $11 million  into producing communities, according to Fair Trade International.  Importantly, the fair trade certification system guards against child labor and slavery by  regularly auditing  participating farms. Direct Trade Can Help Too Even better than fair trade, in a financial sense, is the direct trade model, which took off in the specialty coffee sector several years ago, and has made its way to the cocoa sector. Direct trade puts more money into producers pockets and communities by cutting the middlemen  out of the supply chain, and by often paying far more than the fair trade price. (A quick web search will reveal direct trade chocolate companies in your area, and those from which you can order online.) The most radical step way from the ills of global capitalism and toward justice for farmers and workers was taken when the late Mott Green founded the Grenada Chocolate Company Cooperative  on the Caribbean island  in 1999. Sociologist Kum-Kum Bhavnani profiled the company in her award-winning documentary about labor issues in the global cocoa trade  and demonstrated  how companies like Grenada offer  a solution to them. The worker-owned cooperative, which produces chocolate in its solar-powered factory,  sources all of its cocoa from the inhabitants of the island for a fair and sustainable price, and returns profits equally to all worker-owners. It is also a forerunner of environmental sustainability in the chocolate industry. Chocolate is a source of joy for those who consume it. Theres no reason that it cant also be a source of joy, stability, and economic security for those who produce it.

Symptoms And Treatment Of Celiac Disease - 1701 Words

Countless plagues, disorders, and diseases have cut many human lives short over the 160 thousand years since Homo sapiens evolved from their ancestors. Since then, human’s increasing knowledge of medical science has allowed for them to thrive for much longer than their primitive predecessors. These conditions have evolved in a costimulatory way with all species throughout life’s evolution, and although some of these situations are beneficial (symbiotic) many diseases benefit only one organism at the expense of another (exploitative). Much like an exploitative situation an organism can cause a disadvantageous situation for itself, such is the case in hypochondriasis which is when a person believes that they have an illness and starts to develop symptoms because of this belief. Celiac disease is an intestinal disorder caused by an autoimmune response to an individual’s own tissue, this is triggered by the ingestion of anything which contains gluten or gluten-relate d products. On the other hand, Non-Celiac Gluten Sensitivity (NCGS) mimics some of the symptoms found in Celiac disease and it is generally a self-diagnosed disease. From this, it is clearly seen that NCGS is a primary example of hypochondriasis. Celiac disease is a very real, documented medical phenomenon while NCGS, with little proof of its actual existence, is nothing more than a placebo that has started to affect (for the most part) those in Western society. Glutenin is a protein which gives bread dough itsShow MoreRelatedSymptoms And Treatment Of Celiac Disease1068 Words   |  5 Pages Celiac disease (CD) is defined as a chronic autoimmune disorder characterized by small intestine mucosal damage in response to the ingestion of dietary gluten (proteins found in wheat, barley, and rye) in genetically predisposed individuals that improves with strict adherence to a gluten-free diet (Kelly, et al., 2015; Woodward, 2016; Meyer Rosenblum, 2016; Isaac, et al. 2016; Hill, 2016). Ludvigsson, et al. (2013) explain that while the symptoms of celiac disease have been described in medicalRead MoreSummary Of Shackled By Celiac Disease Essay1655 Words   |  7 PagesShackled by Celiac Disease As a tear slips down her cheek, five-year-old Addi continues with her hair-raising screams. For two nights now, she has had miserable abdominal pain. Clueless as to why, her helpless mother tries to soothe her frazzled daughter. Switching her diet, checking her stool, watching her closely, mom finds nothing out of the ordinary. So the question remains, what is wrong? Why these sudden sleepless nights? After reading a medical website or paper, you miraculously come to theRead MoreEssay on Celiac Disease1284 Words   |  6 PagesNature of the disease Celiac disease is a fairly common disease but is not very well known. Celiac disease, or celiac sprue, is a digestive condition triggered by consumption of the protein gluten (Hill, Clinical manifestations and diagnosis of celiac disease in children, 2011). Gluten is a protein found in wheat, barley, rye, and oats. People with celiac disease who eat foods containing gluten experience an immune reaction in their small intestines, causing damage to the inner surface of theRead MoreCeliac Disease : An Autoimmune Disorder1728 Words   |  7 PagesIntroduction Celiac disease is an autoimmune disorder which is triggered by consumption of a dietary protein called gluten. Celiac disease causes the immune system to react abnormally to gluten. This immune response can lead to damage of the small intestines therefore causing malabsorption of vital nutrients. Gluten is found in wheat, rye, barley and triticale (a cross between wheat and rye). Celiac disease is also referred to as celiac sprue, gluten-sensitivity and non-tropical sprue. Gluten isRead MoreCeliac Disease941 Words   |  4 PagesCeliac disease: an often missed diagnosis Commonly referred to as wheat allergy, celiac disease is not an allergic disorder; rather it is actually intolerance to gluten, a protein in wheat. It is also known as celiac sprue, nontropical sprue and gluten-sensitive enteropathy. Celiac disease occurs in people who have a genetic susceptibility. It was considered a north European disease initially but now it has a high prevalence in all the continents. In north- India it affects 1 in 200-300 individualsRead MorePathophysiology Of Celiac Disease Of Gluten, Wheat, Barley, And Rye1476 Words   |  6 PagesPATHOPHYSIOLOGY Celiac disease is an enteropathy mediated by an autoimmune response to gluten, a protein complex found in the endosperm of wheat, barley, and rye.1 The immune response is triggered by both environmental and genetic factors in individuals susceptible to the disease resulting in elevated levels of immunoglobulin A (IgA) antibodies to tissue transglutaminase (tTG), duodenal mucosal villi atrophy, and the inability of tight junctions to properly act as a barrier between the gastrointestinalRead MoreCeliac Disease955 Words   |  4 PagesCeliac disease: an often missed diagnosis Commonly referred to as wheat allergy, celiac disease is not an allergic disorder; rather it is actually intolerance to gluten, a protein in wheat. It is also known as celiac sprue, nontropical sprue and gluten-sensitive enteropathy. Celiac disease occurs in people who have a genetic susceptibility. It was considered a north European disease initially but now it has a high prevalence in all the continents. In north- India it affects 1 in 200-300 individualsRead MoreEssay on Celiac665 Words   |  3 Pages Origin of the name/history of the disease nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp; nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;The name celiac comes from â€Å"coeliac† which is derived from the Greek Koilia, which means belly. The â€Å"coeliac flux† is an old expression meaning the same as diarrhea. The disease celiac is not just diarrhea though it just means that the disease pertains to the abdomen. nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;The celiac disease comes from early farmers and hunters. But because the wheat and grain of the cropsRead MoreTaking a Look at Celiac Disease752 Words   |  3 PagesDigestive diseases range from the occasional upset stomach to the more life-threatening cancers and infections within the liver, the gallbladder, and the pancreas. Most digestive diseases are prevalent in the elderly. Intestinal infections such as gastroenteritis and appendicitis are higher in among infants and children. Other diseases like hemorrhoids, inflammatory bowel disease, and chronic liver disease, occur more commonly among teenagers and middle-aged adults. The celiac disease is a digestiveRead MoreProblems Associated with Celiac Disease and Lactose Intolerance1172 Words   |  5 Pagesrepairing and structuring of every cell. Inadequate production of digestive enzymes can have a negative impact on the breakdown of food into the various nutrients our bodies require. Problems associated with Celiac Disease and Lactose Intolerance â€Å"Celiac disease is an inflammatory disease of the upper small intestine caused by intolerance to gluten.† The small intestine has an inner lining of cells which contain villi (Marks). The substance, known as gluten damages the villi which line the small

Behavior Disorders - 1059 Words

Behavior Disorders (Emotional Disturbance Pg 207-210) I. Facts: * Behavior disorders include mental health problems with a focus on behaviors that both identify emotional problems and create interpersonal and social problems for children and adolescents in the course of their development. * Currently, students with such disorders are categorized as having a serious emotional disturbance, which is defined under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA), Public Law 101-476, as follows: ...a condition exhibiting one or more of the following characteristics over a long period of time and to a marked degree that adversely affects educational performance-- A. An inability to learn that cannot be explained by†¦show more content†¦Teaching Methods: 1. Design the classroom environment and formulate lesson plans to encourage social interaction and cooperation- Social withdrawal among students with the disorder may cause isolation or students stay away from the child with the disorder. To avoid this, classroom environment and instructional activities can foster appropriate interpersonal contact. 2. Prompt and reinforce appropriate socal interactions- A prompt is a stimulus that draws out a desired response and positive reinforcement involves giving the student a positive reinforcer (something the student wants) immediately after a desired behavior. 3. Train other students to initiate social interactions- Because the time of a teacher is limited, getting students involved will be a great benefit to helping out the teacher in the classroom. 4. Design the classroom environment to reduce the probability of disruptive behavior- Teachers who deal with it directly and consistently greatly reduce the frequency of it happening over and over. 5. Reinforce appropriate behavior, and, if necessary, punish inappropriate behavior- Three effective techniques include contingency contracts, token economies and fines, and time outs. 6. Use group contingency-management techniques- Rewarding the whole class when the aggressive student behaves makes the aggressive student the hero and help them to foster better peer relationships. * School districts have researched and tried many methods in anShow MoreRelated Emotional Disorder Behavior Essay566 Words   |  3 Pages Parents today face the dilemma of having a child with emotional or behavioral disorder. For small children, to have it is one thing, but to detect it is another. Since they are still growing up and going through stages such as the â€Å"terrible two’s† and adolescence, you’d think that some of their behavior is normal and it’s all a part of child development. It all depends on how one may look at it. If a small child were to have a severe tantrum and rip their toys apart, one parent may see it as a seriousRead MoreEmotional And Behavior Disorder ( Ebd )1158 Words   |  5 PagesEmotional and Behavior Disorder There are many things people do not truly understand about disabilities or disorders. Someone can have an outer appearing disability/disorder or inner disability/disorder. The average person does not take the time to understand someone with an inner disorder. A disorder that is hardly recognized by school and public services is emotional behavior disorder (EBD). The disorder does not have a true definition, which decreases percentages of people qualifying within theRead MoreThe Behavior Of Eating Disorders2650 Words   |  11 Pagesover weight has led to an increasing number of individual s who have developed eating disorders due to low self-esteem or other related issues. According to a 2002 survey, 1.5% of Canadian women aged 15–24 years have had an eating disorder. Although, children are influenced by numerous external factors that are destroying their bodies, parents play the most significant role in the avoidance of eating disorders. During a child s life, on no occasion should food be used as a reward or punishment.Read MoreBehavior Disorders in the Shinning Essay1588 Words   |  7 Pageshotel during the winter. During this time Jack began to developed schizophrenia among many other personality and mood disorders and attempts to murder his own family. After reviewing this film it became apparent that there was a mixture of accuracy and exaggeration of the development of schizophrenia. Jack had this disorder, but also had symptoms of other personality and mood disorders. For the sake of Hollywood the film did take schizophrenia to entirely new levels. Some of this hype was generatedRead MoreMental Disorders And Violent Behavior2381 Words   |  10 PagesIn recent years, there has been an increase in occurrence of individuals with mental disorders and violent crimes committed by those with mental illnesses. A major challenge in contemplating the relationship between mental disorders and violent behavior lies within how the two offer large portio ns of the same danger variables. Offenders with mental health issues have a tendency to participate in more deviant types of criminal acts than those without such issues. This paper is sought to synthesizeRead MoreAn Antisocial Behavior Disorder ( Aspd )1351 Words   |  6 PagesPsychopaths and sociopaths combined make up 5% of the general population. Chances are that everyone will come into contact with either a psychopath or a sociopath at least once in their lifetime. An antisocial behavior disorder, also known as ASPD is described as a mental disorder categorized by disregard for other people. Psychopaths and sociopaths both fall into ASPD. Psychopaths and sociopaths obtain key traits in common, but there are very strong differences as well. Psychopaths do not have theRead MoreMental Disorders And Criminal Behavior1293 Words   |  6 Pages Running head: MENTAL DISORDERS CRIMINAL BEHAVIOR Mental Disorders and Criminal Behavior Courtney Edwards Thomas University Abstract The purpose of this research paper is to provide information on the distinct types of mental illnesses as they correlate with criminal behavior. There are so many disorders in which exist in today’s society. These include: schizophrenia, delusional disorders, bipolar disorders, obsessive compulsive disorders, and so much more. Through compulsive researchRead MoreInfluence on Behavior and Psychological Disorders Essay658 Words   |  3 PagesRunning head: INFLUENCES ON BEHAVIOR AND PSYCHOLOGICAL DISORDERS Presentation Influences on Behavior and Psychological Disorders Presentation Jocelyn F. Oatman Sofia Moran University of Phoenix Introduction to Psychology PSY 103 Michelle McCoy-Williams October 29, 2008 Influences on Behavior and Psychological Disorders Presentation The previous evaluation on the pathophysiology of anxiety constantly records the requirement for more examination on biological characteristics of childhoodRead MoreEssay Behavior Disorders in Movie The Shining1578 Words   |  7 Pageshotel during the winter. During this time Jack began to developed schizophrenia among many other personality and mood disorders and attempts to murder his own family. After reviewing this film it became apparent that there was a mixture of accuracy and exaggeration of the development of schizophrenia. Jack had this disorder, but also had symptoms of other personality and mood disorders. For the sake of Hollywood the film did take schizophrenia to entirely new levels. Some of this hype was generatedRead MoreBipolar Disorder And Cognitive Functioning And Behavior2316 Words   |  10 PagesBipolar Disorder and Impairments in Cognitive Functioning and Behavior Bipolar disorder is behavior disorder that results in shifts of mood, lack of energy, low activity levels, and difficulty performing day-to-day tasks. There are two types of Bipolar disorder. Bipolar 1 Disorder, is when the primary symptom is manic, or cycling episodes of mania and depression. Bipolar 2 Disorder is reoccurring depression alongside hypomanic episodes. Manic episodes are periods of elevated, expansive, or irritable

Chicago Gangs and History Essay - 1307 Words

Chicago Gangs, Then and Now with Solutions Nick Crot Marist High School Abstract This paper deals with gang violence in the city of Chicago since the beginning of time. It takes a deep look into the history of Chicago gangs and how they interact today. Also the past problems the City of Chicago made when dealing with gangs and the problems that gangs today have and how Chicago has the worst gang problem in the country. Also how gangs have turned themselves into big, and lucrative enterprises most known for money. Also stated are possible solutions to stop or reduce violence of the gangs that all start off with teaching the young kids about gangs and gang prevention. Chicago Gangs, Then and Now with Solutions Jimi Hendrix once†¦show more content†¦Gangs reorganized and many combined their gangs into one bigger enterprise. Gangs were mostly run from prisons during the 1970’s and on (Brief outline); therefore one could not escape the gangs. Gangs shaped Chicago early on. Gentrification is displacing gangs and causing turf wars. Gentrification and the tearing down of public housing in Chicago left many gangs homeless (Brief outline). Due to this, gangs battle over land and housing, known as turf wars. The violence rises, along with the number of deaths. Therefore police attempt to limit the gangs, but that also leads to fighting and violence with police. The whole cycle involves violence and is vicious. Chicago has the biggest gang problem in the country (Thomas Bass, 2009). â€Å"There are more gang members per citizen in Chicago than anywhere else in the country† (Thomas, 2009, para 4). The average Chicago gang leader is 43, convicted of murder and lives in the subu rbs. That leader on many occasions directs his gang from jail (Main, 2006) and 95 percent of inmates in the Cook County Jail are gang members (Thomas, 2009). Gangs are everywhere today just like they use to be. The high number of gangs causes violence and deaths to rise in Chicago. â€Å"Gangs have morphed from social organizations into full-fledged criminal enterprises† (Thomas, 2009, para 5). Gangs are highly sophisticated and more dangerous then ever. The number one reason to join a gang is money; and 95 percent of gangs profit comes from drug dealingShow MoreRelatedRacial Segregation Of Chicago And Explosive Gang Related Crime1671 Words   |  7 Pages By doing the aforementioned the white gang’s behaviors have contributed to the racial segregation of Chicago and the explosive gang related crime in the present day south side of Chicago. Just like African Americans formed gangs to protect themselves against Chicago s white gangs, the Latin Kings formed in Chicago with the same intent. In Chicago Mr. Sanchez a member of the Latin Kings gang shared in an interview: How the Latin Kings were originally formed decades ago to protect the Puerto RicanRead MoreMovie Response : The Interrupters880 Words   |  4 PagesStates. Chicago, Illinois is one of the most violent cities in the US, and because of this multiple violent prevention projects were formed.The documentary followed â€Å"interruptors† of violence in the streets of Chicago through mediation. â€Å"Interrupters† are former high ranking gang members who volunteered to stop the violence in hopes to save lives. One of the major â€Å"interruptors† that deserve to be focused on is Ameena Matthews. Mrs. Matthews has an extensive ties to the gangs activity in Chicago. HerRead MoreAl Capone And The St. Valentines Day Massacre1337 Words   |  6 Pagesâ€Å"Only Capone’s gang kills like that!† a quote by Bugs Moran, leader of North Side Gang† (Gottesman 1). On February 14, 1929, seven men were killed in a warehouse loading zone in Chicago, USA climaxin g a huge rivalry between the North Side Gang and Al Capone’s. Capone was one of the most dominant and well-known gangsters during the Prohibition Era, ranging between 1920 and 1933. Prohibition in Chicago was huge, many people wanted to go out for a drink and have a good time after work but the 18th amendmentRead MoreStreet Gangs : Americas Growing Problem1056 Words   |  5 PagesStreet Gangs: Americas’ Growing Problem Gangs have increasingly become a serious problem over the past few decades. A report from the FBI’s 2011 National Gang threat assessment states that there are 1.4 million active gang members comprising of more than 33,000 gangs in the United States. This growth migration of gangs has had a negative effect on our youth. Gang violence causes fear and changes how kids behave in school. In a poll of 2,000 teenagers, â€Å"the respondents reported that their fearsRead MoreOrganization Structure of the Gang Latin Kings1488 Words   |  6 Pages The Latin Kings organization was founded in Chicago, Illinois, in 1940 after a number of Puerto Rican men and later Mexican men organized themselves into a group that was meant to protect their communities. However, this group, that was meant to protect Latino immigrants against racism and oppression, grew over the years and turned into one of the largest criminal gangs in America. From 1970 the Latin Kings started to commit a large number of crimes: murder, drug trafficking, robberies etc. SinceRead MoreThe American Of American History Essay1523 Words   |  7 PagesThroughout the course of American history, the usage of gangs has always been embedded in the striving desire to be rebel, such as defeating the overhanging stature of the British empire. 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He dominated organized crime in the Chicago area from 1925 until 1931. Prohibition led to the bootlegging of liquor and the gang war’s of the 1920s. Al Capone one of the world’s most feared gangster started his life in poverty and ended up makingRead MoreOrganized Crime During the Roaring Twenties678 Word s   |  3 Pagesthis epoch is often referred to as, was a major turning point in America history. During this time period many American citizens believed and even acted out of hedonism. This mindset of the general population and along with other dilemmas led to a stunning and rapid increase in the amount of organized crime. The sudden uproar of organized crime during the 1920s was caused mainly by prohibition that gave rise to many street gangs, all with one man at its helm, which caused a massive increase in police

Leanardo da vinci Free Essays

Biography: Leonardo Dad Vinci was born in 1452, April 15 in Italy and passed away in 1519, May 2 at the age of 67. He was one of the best apprentices at Andrea del Veronica and he learnt many things as a student. His most famous works were Mona Lisa, The Last Supper, The Vitamins on Man and The Lady with a Ermine. We will write a custom essay sample on Leanardo da vinci or any similar topic only for you Order Now Leonardo was one of the most acknowledge artist of his time, he did not only paint he also drew and made sculptures. He was an inventor and a scientist. Visual analysis: Movement- my eyes first go to the baby and this is because the image is filled with quite dark colors whereas the baby painted in a lot lighter neutral colors. Then it goes to the hands of the baby and his mother Mary and you can see the flower they are holding, then it goes to the window and the background. When everything is so dark your eyes immediately go to the lighter areas and I could see that in this artwork. Harmony-The emotion of Mary and the baby are very calm, comfortable and pure happiness and the colors are also similar and it complements each other. Contrast- The use of the light and the shadows give it depth although it has a low contrast because the work feels soothing and subtle and not so energetic. Emphasis: I padded special attention to the baby because it is the focal point of the artwork and it pops out of the whole image, even though it doesn’t take up a lot of space it still is clearly visible. I blurred out the rest of the image when I looked at the baby and you can see the great depth of the artwork. Balance- The balance would be asymmetrical because there is a vary of visual weight. Line-He used curved lines which make it feel, soft, relaxing and brings a sense of comfort. Form- The form would be three dimensional because there is depth and it also looks extremely realistic. Color-Len this painting he has a variety of tone you can see this with the baby because it goes from skin color, to a bronze skin color, light brown and then a darker brown. There is not a lot of hue. Texture: because it’s a mother with a baby it looks very warm like the baby shows comfort and it looks very soft. Leonardo dad Vinci By Angier_21 How to cite Leanardo da vinci, Papers

Marketing and Management for National Bank - myassignmenthelp

Question: Discuss about theMarketing and Management for National Bank. Answer: National Bank of Australia The National Bank of Australia, usually referred to as NAB, is among the largest top four financial institutions in Australia in terms of the market share and market base. According to Guthrie et al., (2006), NAB was ranked among the best and largest bank in the world with higher market capitalization. According to the National bank of Australia, (2017), in a nutshell it boost of 1,590 branches and service centres and additional of 4,412 automated machines in Australia, New Zealand and Asia with customer base of 12.7 million people. The bank was established as a National Commercial Banking co-operation of Australia in 1982, through the merging of National Bank of Australia and the commercial bank of Sydney, the resulting bank gave birth to the name Australia Bank Limited. It has expanded tremendously over the years with market base increasing immensely. This has seen its expansion in the financial base and subsequent branch openings in many cities, which signifies positive growth. Th e bank has been launching branches, with an aim of building positive image in the financial sector. Its strategy has been to increase the market share by competing on price cutting for the customers. The strategy of denting earnings in the market share and building on customer satisfaction has been the driving force behind the bank. Cost Benefit Analysis of the Bank The National Bank of Australia, strategies itself to be among the leading banking entity with high quality of service that is responsive of its customers and clients. Business success determines these engagements of the banks. The sole aim is to maximize the profits and get more returns while maintain and expanding new customers to expand its broad base. For a review to be done there is need for cost benefit analysis to made in order to measure banks strategies in ensuring that expansion is achieved. According to Bansal, (2014), is important in weighing costs against benefits to inform the next course of action. For National Bank of Australia, the cost/benefit analysis is reviewed below, Benefits Cost - Simplifying bank process through system upgrades - Managing impacts of business through; - Reducing costs and business risks - Reduction in rework and effort in document processes - Avoiding duplication and redundancy process Skills teaching to managers to reduce waste, ensure quality and consistent customer service - Changing manual process allowed staff to be more effective - Reduced risks - Meeting compliance obligations - Meeting quality control objectives - Motivating staff - Reducing rework and effort in creation of documentation process - Avoiding duplication and redundancy across the organisation. Bank Organisation Analysis The National Bank of Australia is a business bank entity, that provides personal banking an business banking services. The company unit includes business and cooperate affairs units, consumer banking and wealth management. The baking business and banking focuses aims at targeting the Small medium and enterprise clientele, who include the National Australian bank, franchise with specialities in agriculture, health access, governments, education sectors and the business units and many more. The customer banking and wealth unit includes banking and wealth products strategy, marketing and cooperate affairs and counter banking and wealth management components. According to NAB financial reports, (2015/2016), the bank is fully founded on the principality of commitment to create more of what matters to the people and the needs of the community and the economy. It beliefs on motivation to the people and communities and it display passion to the customers in a demonstration to win more clients. Their responsibility approach is on cooperate social responsibility. The brand they are selling is aimed at providing quality products and services with fair remuneration and charges fees. The relationship build is based on the principles of help and guidance and to advice better financial outcomes for customers. The bank has keen focus on understanding its customers and understanding their preferences and what they want from them, they suit this into competitive package which drives customer loyalty for long term success. Through their visIon and goal, (NAB, 2017) the agenda of the National Bank of Australia is that it provides financial assistance in terms of superannuation, advice, investments and insurance solution ideas to both the retail world, cooperate institutions, and institutional clients. It aims to cater the needs of the customers in all aspects of the sphere ranging from agribusiness to asset servicing and treasury trading index portfolio. Marketing Component The National Bank has the belief that involves motivation to make positive and sustainable impact in the lives of customer and community underpinnings for strong business and improve customer satisfaction. The strength of the bank customer base and its stability is that it offers the clients with full satisfaction of meeting their needs; this has bolder solid backing for maintaining the business. The bank has more than 3 million personal and micro business customers which make its important in enhancing its stability and confirmed in the market environment. The innovative approaches to the business are key to helping retaining the customers as it leads to more positive image to the business and the satisfy the customers. Their opportunity is that meeting the financial needs of the clients is essential and hence driving the business forward, these opportunities are the driving force behind. The threats it encounters are the stiff competition it receives from other players and failure to provide customer satisfaction leads to drop in the customer base. Its weakness is that, due to the large base of personnel, managing this pool of people can be tedious, hence it may fall prey by, issues from the personnel and also decline in revenue which has affected growth and development The customer base it serves includes citizens from Australia, New Zealand and Asia. They have created exciting developments, which have committed significant investments in the region in a bid to ensure that they continue to meet the expanding needs. The bank offers its customers a range of banking business and financial services which include institutional banking, advisory services to business and migrant banking services for skilled and non skilled migrants and students studying in oversee countries. They also offer technical support for customers doing business in India and has been investing in citizens in a bid to boost its base in the region. The bank has built a network of partners who are working together to implement the organization objectives. The Bank provides financial services which includes business and personal banking insurance and creation of wealth management. The bank operates more than 1,800 branches and services centres in several countries. In order to reach this broad base, it has partnered with Oracle since 2008 to transform its engagement through creation of new customer platform that incorporates technology. Another implementing partner are the Canadian Imperial Bank of commerce which is the fifth largest lender, has formed a strategic partnership with National Bank of Australia in creations of new investments. This partnership enables the two banks to collaborate and and share aspects of product development and to facilitate the exchange of employee talent in the innovation world. Other partners include iGrafx tool set and Micro dynamics which offers process modelling toll. Micro dynamics has partner ed with NAB for the implementation of iGrafx business process analysis which indentifies activities which forms part of the strategic direction of the banking operations. With the facts of rapid expansion and positive growth in customer base the bank enjoys, it has fair share of competitors who are majorly the other banks who are competing for the same resources who are the people. They include the BNP Paribas, the standard charted bank, royal bank of Scotland, china construction cooperation, bank of America and Citigroup. Factors which have seen to be impacting the National Bank of Australia have fallen into various categories. The domestic and international economic influence has impacted on the status of the bank. The expansion of international economy with record of low interest rates and lower oil prices has had significant impact on the growth patterns. The instability of the euro era and the economy volatility in China has posed a significant risk on Australian economy. Other factors which affect its operation include managing of impacts of business in reduction of costs and business risks in improvement regulatory compliance initiatives. Also its quality output has been hampered by the reduction of work and effort in documentation process. The NBA handles its clients wants and needs through various strategies and framework s it facilitates this through building customer support base and encouraging the use of feedback and encouraging use of feedback to improve its clients. Resolving conflict with clients within 2 hours and response to complaints within 5 working days and offer new services which aims at reducing the complains from the customers. As part of this customer needs initiative, they rolled out customer response initiative which is aimed at improving the customers experience and ensure that the problems they encounter are sorted out efficiently. This step of customer initiative is taken on the grounds that issues affecting the customers very serious and they strive to offer solutions. The bank is facing stiff competition from banks such as Citigroup, china construction bank cooperation, bank of America, standard chartered bank, royal bank of Scotland, BNP paribus and many small upcoming banks in Australia. In a bid to manage this they have formulated the segment of targeting consumers through utilising on enterprise and individuals seeking financial help, and target the largest enterprises and individual investors. It has also improved its position on managing customers money at every stage of life. Marketing Strategy To approach the market segmentation for the bank, we will look into customer value segments and progression through the already built customer relation cycle. And then proceed to the phase of direct marketing activities, which the bank tries to sell and achieve and gain greater share of money to make more profit. The market segment of choice is to target the low value customers, who have limited financial needs and have their small business. In accessing this, it will target two groups of low customers. The first group is those that have small income or limited financial needs. This type of consumer will develop low level of profitability to the bank thus it is not common to see other banks to target this small group of individuals. The second segment lot in this target group are the potential customers who diversify the products through different financial institutions. A case example is when an investor chooses to have $50000 in savings deposited in various banks. This lot of clien ts provides low levels of profit contribution for the individual banks. This gives room for them to be upgraded to the next level package available in the bank, and the challenges will remain to be to convince these customers to place their financial assets in NBA. In accessing the medium value customers, they fall into two groups which involve customers who have majority of business in the National Bank of Australia and the second group involves those clients who have most of their financial business with other banks, may be due to the is special offers attached to and diversification of their various accounts. The next target segmentation available to the bank is to target the non customers; these are the consumers who have never had to do business with the bank previously. These consist of consumers who being competed by other banks and the younger consumers who are yet to sign in for bank accounts and services. The non customers are frequently targeted by banks due to the urge to have keen interests in the special offers and deals by providing them with special; offers and better deals. Targeting the high value customers for the bank is essential. This is the group who make large deposits and get huge loans and create a basis of the financial institutions in the profitability angle. This group often proof to be heard to retain but they are essential in their overall role in the attractiveness of the bank. The bank can also target the ex customers these are group who have become inactive and stopped using the financial services of the bank. However theoretically, they are hard to reach and get them to be reengaged in the business domain, due to their initial try, they may have found a chance and opportunity in a different bank. The changes of preference on these clients can be attributed from the changing taste preference and changing personal circumstances due to the changing needs or dissatisfactions, thus reaching them to get bank will be essential. Marketing Mix With the advent of the several services that the bank offers, formulation of product mix will be inevitable to target the whole segment of the target consumers. A study done by Poranki, (2017), the use of 7 Ps in marketing networks in banks has significant positive effect on the brand equity of the bank. The bank will sell their products to the various groups of customers highlighted in the market segmentation. The products to be promoted include savings accounts, current account opening and also to motivate those clients whom have become inactive through motivating tips like, re activation their accounts free of charge. For better product mix, there is need to group the product services into the following broad areas, savings accounts, currents accounts operations, salary accounts. Promotions of the different products which have an added advantage include home loan, personal loans and dormant account free openings. In promoting the price index for the various services under the National Bank of Australia, the variations of the prices will depend on the services requested by the clients. These prices will be formulated in a flexible manner in a way that is pocket friendly and motivates the consumers to do banking business in the bank. The pricing mix will involve flexible rates on commissions and fee charges at the banking halls, they need to display a competitive advantage to the new customers over the competing banks. The place and platform of promoting these products are very crucial and they play an important role in ensuring that the services are tangible. Considering quality of services given to the potential clients is crucial, and is considered by clients in the place of work as crucial. Clients perceive the type of service quality to the place of delivery which creates an appeal to them. In targeting this new segment, the National bank of Australia needs to target the customers in well conducive places and be able to convince them to join the bank. Providing an excellent environment in the form of place and location is essential in appealing customers segment. National bank of Australia will provide every tangible in the form of their interior, locations and exteriors. In promoting these essential services the bank will need to capitalize on various avenues for promotion which include in the form of visualization, association, physical representation and documentation. Visualization of these products and services to the segment customers will involve marketing inform of T.V and print campaigns and advertisements, this can be done in the print media, or online platforms or through visual networks like the TV. Physical representation will involve the use appropriate promotional appeal to the potential segment customers this will involve the use of colors and printed materials which are attractive to the eye, they include use of posters and branding materials, this symbolizes wealth and status. Targeting the right audience is essential. This will be essential through inclusion of people in the marketing mix. They form part of tangible assets. Their performance is essential for the growth of the business. According to Lawlor Carmody, (2001), good peop le make the business to have positive growth and bad people will lead to bad negative growth in the business. The bank needs to involve the right people in processing and marketing their products and services for positive outcome to be achieved. Improvement on the process and building business process protocols is essential;. This can be achieved through building people and creating result oriented approach. The process is designed through effective planning phase. For the NBA to achieve this there is need for comprehensive implementation process that involves everyone, in this way achieving success is eminent with high turn up of clients subscription. Lastly in the marketing mix the physical evidence for the service provided; these can include signage, reports, employees dress code and financial reports. In implementing and selling the NAB product to the new market segment, it will utilize the signage that is the logo as its brand in the market domain and to differentiate itself from other banks. Tangible items include provision of stationery items to the existing customers, this aimed at improving the satisfaction of the existing customers and boosting their confidence. The NAB will sell its branding services as a bank which has adopted the new technology and thus the reduction of paper works. According to Ivy, (2008), the bank has attracted new customers who are technology based and are in the marketing mix, adoption of this, marketing mix will enable satisfaction of the needs of the potential clients and improve the customer base of the National Bank of Australia.As stated by Rafiq et al., (1995), marketing mix serve as element s to that can be used to influence the behavior of consumer, to achieve this, following the protocol of 7ps will ensure realization of building strong customer base. Conclusion Concluding, is that the National Bank of Australia as one of the largest banks in Australia, offering financial services to its clientele. It aims at lifting its productivity across all its operational units; it aims at improving the service quality to customers in striving for this. Thus with this objective it is important from a marketing segment to guide on this process and the marketing mix illustrated above aim at improving the customer network and improves its profit margins in general. References "Annual Report 2014" (PDF). National Australia Bank. 14 November 2014. Retrieved 25/05/2017. https://www.nab.com.au/content/dam/nabrwd/About-Us/2014-annual-financial-report.pdf "Five lessons from NAB's "bank break-up" marketing campaign". Smart Company. Retrieved 25/05/2017. http ; https://www.nab.com.au/ "Five lessons from NAB's "bank break-up" marketing campaign". Smart Company. Retrieved 25/05/2017. http ; https://www.nab.com.au/ About Us - NAB". National Australia Bank. Retrieved 25/05/2017. Http; https://www.nab.com.au/about-us Annual Report 2015" (PDF). National Australia Bank. 28 October 2015. Retrieved 25/05/2017. https://www.nab.com.au/content/dam/nabrwd/About-Us/shareholder%20centre/documents/2015%20full%20year%20results.pdf Bansal, A., Cost-Benefit Analysis: A Study Of Selected Nationalized Bank In India. Guthrie, J., Petty, R. and Ricceri, F., 2006. The voluntary reporting of intellectual capital: Comparing evidence from Hong Kong and Australia. Journal of Intellectual Capital, 7(2), pp.254-271. Ivy, J. 2008. A new higher education marketing mix: the 7Ps for MBA marketing. International Journal of educational management, 22(4), 288-299. Lawlor, M.P. and Carmody, T.E., Online Resources Communications Corp., 2001. Method and system for remote delivery of retail banking services. U.S. Patent 6,202,054. National Australia Bank Case study, accessed online, 25/05/2017. https: https://www.managementparadise.com/forums/final-100-mark-project/11865-7-ps-bank-marketing.html Poranki, K.R., Assessment of Marketing Mix Components of Service on Bank Customers of State Bank of Hyderabad, Andhra Pradesh, India. Rafiq, M. and Ahmed, P.K., 1995. Using the 7Ps as a generic marketing mix: an exploratory survey of UK and European marketing academics. marketing intelligence planning, 13(9), pp.4-15.

Management and Competencies free essay sample

In understanding how an organisation can improve through organizational competency frameworks, one must first understand what is a competency. Competency, defined by Boyzatis (1982: 21) is known as â€Å"the behavioral characteristic of a person which is casually related to effective or superior performance in a job† Competencies act as a signal from the organisation which indicate to an individual behaviours and actions that will be valued, recognised and in some organisations rewarded. Each individual competency consists of a number of observable behaviours (i. e. behavioural indicators) that are relevant to the performance of the role. Lets use an aerospace manufacturing organisation such as Pattonair to understand what key competencies it requires for its employees to be successful; People management is crucial; it demonstrates competencies of planning, guiding developing human resources. It incorporates using prior knowledge of individual’s strengths, interests, development needs to delegate tasks; provides accurate regular feedback; identifies where support is needed and provides it. Team work; working effectively with all members of the team to achieve shared objectives. Contributes to sense of camaraderie and strengthens collaboration across departments. Production and efficient management skills Problem solving; an employee deals quickly and effectively in a calm manor to difficult or unforeseen situations. Communication is vital in order to achieve results and maintain and encourage motivation. Listen attentively to what people have to say in order to gain an accurate understanding of their wants and needs. Innovation In understanding these competencies lets now build a competency framework, Pilbeam and Corbridge (2006) suggest that a competency framework is both a list of these competencies and a tool by which they are expressed, assessed and measured. This framework can either emphasize behavioral competencies, technical competencies or both. FIGURE 1- Competency Framework for Pattonair focusing on the Team Work cluster One of the major causes of failure of large-scale organisational change efforts is poor communication (Kotter, 1996). Competencies are proven to be a strong and powerful tool used by HR managers that help communicate to staff change objectives and expectations of management when alterations are made regarding job roles and the delivery of these roles, competencies also lead to a significantly improved understanding throughout companies regarding the desirable actions and behaviours for reaching the goals set etc. A large majority of employees at the Pattonair Head Quarters in Derby pointed out that competencies clarify where the company wants to go and how it should operate in order to successfully reach these strategic destinations. The Global Commercial Director Dave Fawcett with long experience within the industry said: â€Å"Competencies will help people understand Pattonair’s vision. Many times in the past we heard about changes in what the bank will do in the future but until now, it was never very clear how such changes would affect us or what we would need to do in order to follow these plans. † Through the competencies framework, with well defined and expressed competencies anchored in strategy, jobholders felt they gained a better understanding of what was expected, what was rewarded, what was desirable and what behaviours and abilities would be needed in the short-, mid- and more long-run. As mentioned above, the top management of Pattonair decided to redefine their HR methods and systems starting from a focus on individual job-related competencies. The competency model should focus not only on behaviours, knowledge and skills necessary, but should also facilitate communication about strategy and articulate how people could expect to be selected, trained, evaluated, and rewarded after implementation of the new strategy. Moreover, competencies related to the ability to change, learn and take initiatives should explicitly be integrated. The competency framework Pattonair are adopting should also take into consideration not only job descriptions, but also best practices and recent trends in the aerospace industry as well as the organisation’s own strategy (Martone, 2003), so as to guarantee a direct and dynamic link between strategy and competencies and the relevance and â€Å"survival† of the framework throughout and beyond the implementation of the change program. Second, the competency framework should consist of a set of â€Å"generic† competency areas, with each competency area to be composed of a limited number of competencies that would be relevant, to different degrees, for every concerned job position (Lucia and Lepsinger, 1999). Criticisms Difficulties with the operation and implementation of competency management systems are mostly related to the complex and lengthy process required for identifying the appropriate competencies for an organisation and for building the appropriate competency model Athey and Orth (1999). Another issue of concern is that the competencies defined most often end up as being backward-looking rather than future-oriented with respect to strategy and organisational change (Torrington et al. , 2002). Competency models tend to focus on what managers currently do rather than what is needed to perform effectively in the future (Antonacopoulou and Fitzgerald, 1996), something that jeopardises the potential of competencies to act as levers for implementing change (Martone, 2003). If HR managers fail to adapt continuously and reengineer periodically their organisation’s competency framework, it will at best become outdated and fall into oblivion, and at worst drag the organisation into stagnation and loss of competitive momentum. CONCLUSION Now that I have drawn together and critically discussed a range of principles and approaches using vast ranges of literature, my conclusions are as followed. Heffernan and Flood (2000) outline two approaches to competencies, first the US approach and second the UK approach. The predominant US approach portrayed by Boyatzis, Ulrich and others defines competency as the underlying attributes of a person. It is largely an input-based approach, defining the inputs needed to demonstrate competent performance. In contrast, the UK approach sees competency as a set of performances and standards. Boam and Sparrow 1992), among others, are part of a group of mostly English authors who proposed that competency was best used as a measure of output learning. Training and assessment of performance was the thrust of this approach. Stuart and Lindsay 1997) suggest each model is incomplete and therefore lacking as a comprehensive frame for understanding and working with managerial competence. Neither approach adequately defines managerial competence in terms of the context of the organisation, its culture, marketplace and business environment. Potential positive impacts for supporting strategic change / levers/actions for tapping into this potential By using Competency frameworks it will help and allow a company such as Pattonair in Institutionalizing any changes HR management wish to enforce, The shift to a competency-based performance management system allows HR management to start this change through better goal setting, clarification of expectations, reward of behaviours that support new strategic objectives. Improvement of employees’ understanding of how to reach goals Accompany the competency framework with clear guidelines methodologies for linking competencies to goals, for clarifying what is desirable, for conducting competency-based evaluation Follow up frequently on employees’ understanding of what is expected Clarify what behaviours/abilities will be needed in the short-, mid-more long-term future